Walk into men's hockey coach Phil Grady's office and you are overwhelmed. Not by the rows of trophies or the plaques that line a column in the middle of the floor, but by the number of photographs of players who passed through the Hamilton hockey program during Grady's tenure.
"We remain good friends," confirmed Utica College men's hockey coach Gary Heenan '98, who played for and assisted Grady at Hamilton. "I can call him and we'll run ideas by each other or we'll go out and play golf. It's been great for me. He's my mentor."
This season not only marks Grady's 20th at the helm of Hamilton's men's hockey program; it also became the year a milestone record was broken. On Jan. 16 when the Continentals defeated Salem State College, 3-1, at Russell Sage Rink, Grady passed legendary coach Greg Batt's career record for most coaching victories in the program's history. Batt, who coached from 1948-84, tallied 263 victories. Grady's current mark stands at 272.
"When you look at the victories, it's a testament to the outstanding athletes who have come through the Hamilton hockey program," Grady said. "It also says something about the outstanding assistant coaches I've had the pleasure to work with."
Grady began his duties at Hamilton in 1983 as Batt's assistant. "We were opposite in everything. Coach Batt was very laid back and offensive minded," Grady recalled. "I am more work ethic and team oriented, but our styles complemented each other. We made the playoffs for the first time in four years that season."
Hamilton has qualified for the postseason for the past 12 years and in 16 of Grady's 20 seasons. Grady has had just five losing seasons and only one since 1991-92. (At the time of this writing, the Continentals advanced to the New England Small College Athletic Conference tournament semifinals with a 4-0 win over nationally ranked Bowdoin College on Feb. 28. Grady's team will play top-seeded Middlebury College on March 6.)
Hamilton's hockey program is steeped in tradition. Russell Sage Rink is the oldest indoor hockey arena in North America. The chain of coaches is short, but is one that has received national attention and honors. The sport was introduced to Hamilton by Albert Prettyman, who coached the team from 1918-48. Prettyman, one of the top coaches of his era, was the U.S. Olympic team coach in 1936. He won 136 games in his 30-year career, coaching in an era plagued by a lack of collegiate programs.
Batt, who was a captain and coach at Colgate University, came to Hamilton in 1948. Considered one of the best players of his time, Batt compiled a 263-365-17 record in 36 years at the helm before turning the reins over to Grady.
According to his former players, Grady brought a new level of credibility and stability to Hamilton hockey. "He's as good an X's and O's guy as there is, and he's unmatched in terms of his work ethic," Heenan said. Hamilton All-American and former National Hockey League goalie Guy Hebert '89 calls Grady "a man of character" and someone he was "fortunate enough to play for." "He wanted to improve the program," Hebert said. "He wasn't afraid to cut upperclassmen to make room for his recruits who wanted to play competitively. He is a great guy and a great mentor."
In 1989 Grady coached one of the most successful teams in Hamilton history. That team, led by Hebert, achieved the College's first No. 1 ranking. "We played RIT, who was ranked No. 1, was undefeated at the time and was the reigning national champion," Grady said. "It made a lot of people say 'This Hamilton team is for real' when we beat RIT. Our program went from one reaching for .500 to one competing for the ECAC playoffs on a consistent basis."
That team also faced SUNY Oswego in an Eastern College Athletic Conference playoff matchup. "We were down 4-0 in the first period and lost 5-4 in overtime. We scored late in the first period, again in the second, and got two more to tie the game. 'The Sage' was rocking. That's one of those games where no one is a loser."
Grady knows what it means to be a winner off the ice as well. Along with his wife, Bev, the couple founded the Shawn Grady Memorial Fund following his son's death from cancer in 1991.
"The communities, Hamilton and Clinton, raised money to help us pay medical bills and pay for travel costs to be with Shawn," he said. "We wanted to do something for the community to help families with children who suffer from life-threatening illnesses." The fund is designed to provide financial assistance to families with expenses not covered by insurance, such as travel costs and Christmas presents.
Grady said that one of his fondest memories is getting to coach his son, Brian, at Hamilton. "It's great to have the opportunity to coach your son." Fittingly, the picture that hangs closest to Coach Grady's desk is one of his three sons – Brian, Kevin and Shawn.
"Coach Grady always stressed family first, academics second and then hockey," Heenan said. Hebert agreed: "He taught me a lot about hockey, but also about life."
-- by Jesse Hooker
