by Scott DCamp
Sports Editor
Sports Editor
Thief River Falls Boys Hockey Coach Tim Bergland announced his resignation last week. Bergland, who has coached for Thief River Falls since 2004 and served as the team’s head coach since the 2007-08 season, informed his team captains and players of his intention to step down at the beginning of the week, before formally submitting his resignation on Wednesday (July 31).
“There are so many factors that led into the decision,” Bergland said. “None of it was the lack of fire for coaching, a lack of competitivesness or a lack of anything from the kids. It was all exterior things, my job, and so many other things happening.”
Bergland is a sales representative for Forsberg’s. The job requires him to travel on a regular basis, and he wasn’t able to put as much time and energy into coaching as he would like.
“As coaches, we want to do it right and it was getting harder and harder to do that,” Bergland said. “I feel a lot of mixed emotions.”
Bergland stressed that he is stepping down as the head coach of the Thief River Falls boys hockey team, but he isn’t closing the book entirely on his coaching career.
“I am stepping down from coaching, but I can’t say that I am retiring from coaching,” Bergland said.
He could be back on the ice or behind the bench sooner rather than later in a volunteer capacity.
“I am going to wait and see who gets the job, and if they want support, I would be happy to volunteer,” Bergland said.
Bergland’s hockey career spans 56 years as both a player and coach. He scored 89 points (46 goals, 43 assists) during a 40-game prep career playing for his hometown Prowlers in 1981-82 and 1982-83.
Bergland’s next stop was the University of Minnesota, where he appeared in 167 games over a four-year collegiate career (1983-87). He scored 40 goals and 56 assists for the Gophers.
Bergland was selected by the Washington Capitals in the 1983 National Hockey League Draft. He made his NHL debut for the Capitals during the 1989-90 season, after spending the two previous seasons playing for the Fort Wayne Comets of the International Hockey League, and the Binghamton Whalers and Baltimore Skipjacks of the American Hockey League.
Overall, Bergland played in 845 regular season professional hockey games and 65 post season games, scoring 178 goals with 239 assists, including 19 goals and 28 assists in 208 career NHL games.
Bergland served as the head coach of the Fergus Falls boys hockey team from 1999-2004. He served as an assistant coach for the Prowlers under his brother Scott from 2004-07 and helped lead the Prowlers to a section championship in 2006, which gave the team its first state tournament appearance since 1965.
In the fall of 2007, Tim and Scott Bergland switched roles, with Tim assuming head coaching responsibilities.
Over the course of 17 seasons, Tim Bergland’s teams went 274-176-16. They made eight Section 8A championship game appearances and won four section championships, placing third in 2011, fourth in 2012, third in 2016 and fifth in 2018.
“I will miss being around the locker room and being around the guys,” Bergland said. “It’s not always the state tournament years. There’s so many kids tha stick out. So many quality kids that came through.”
Bergland said he will also miss the parents of the athletes he coached over the years. While some other coaches in the area have complained about having to deal with parents that are negative or second-guess team policies, Bergland has maintained a good relationship with the parents of his players.
“You talk to other coaches around the area and they are tired of dealing with parents,” Bergland said. “I had so little of that. There were so few negatives. The school support has been great as well, from [Activities Directors] Jim Sims, to Mike Biermaier and Chris McLean.
The head coaching position is currently open and Bergland hopes that there are several qualified applicants. Bergland is leaving big shoes to fill, but whoever gets the job has a talented roster to work with in the coming seasons.
“Our future is bright in the program, but you have to stay on top of it too,” Bergland said. “I really like what we have for coaches at the youth level. This new coach will have some quality kids coming.”