Brewer High School boys ice hockey coach Lance Ingerson has stepped down after nine seasons to spend more time with his family.
Brewer athletic director Dave Utterback will look to replace Ingerson immediately.
The Witches made the Class B North playoffs six times in Ingerson’s nine seasons and reached the semifinals twice. He concluded his career with an 83-82-9 record. His teams posted two seasons in which they won at least 10 games.
“My kids are getting older and I want to focus more on being a dad,” said the 36-year-old Ingerson, who has an 8-year-old daughter Nadia and a 6-year-old son Keniston.
“It was one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever made. I loved coaching and being around the kids. It was hard to give it up,” Ingerson said.
However, “you’re only a dad once” he said, and he wants to spend as much time as he can with his children and wife Jillian while their kids are young.
“And hockey is always going to be there,” said the former Hampden Academy defenseman, who intends to help coach his son’s youth hockey teams and attend his daughter’s activities, like her dance recitals.
He said he would entertain the thought of returning to a coaching position at the high school level when his kids are older.
The Witches went 6-12 last season but lost four games by two goals or less. They just missed the playoffs.
“One of the things I will miss about Coach Ingerson was his ability to hold the boys to high expectations for their play and sportsmanship on the ice,” Utterback said in a press release. “Hockey is a fast, exciting and physical sport that can get out of hand.
“Coach Ingerson expected his players to play the game the right way and also represent Brewer in a respectful manner,” Utterback added.
Brewer won the Maine Principals Association’s Class B North sportsmanship award twice during his tenure.
Brewer High School principal Brent Slowikowski thanked Ingerson for his commitment to Brewer’s hockey program and “to helping our student-athletes grow as hockey players and individuals.”
