8 — Tuesday, April 11, 2017 Sports The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com Berenson revived ‘M’ with family atmosphere R ed Berenson was Michigan hockey. For the last 33 seasons, he has been the Wolverines’ head coach. And before that, Berenson tallied 43 goals in his senior season at Michigan in 1961-62. That total still stands today as the most goals in a season in Wolverine history. After his collegiate playing career, Berenson immediately moved to the NHL, competing in the 1962 playoffs with the Montreal Canadiens the same season. It was the start of a long 20-year professional hockey career for Berenson. And after that ended, he bounced around the NHL, coaching in St. Louis and as an assistant in Buffalo, before finding himself back in Ann Arbor as the head coach at his alma mater. But on Tuesday, that will no longer be the case. In his time at the helm of the Wolverines, Berenson has grown to legendary status in the hockey community. He has led Michigan to two NCAA Championships, 11 Frozen Four appearances and 11 CCHA Championships as well as a streak of 22-straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 1991-2012. But that’s not what Berenson is most proud of. Two days after winning the Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1965, Berenson began taking classes in the business school at Michigan. He claims that was the best day of his life, trumping both the victory with the Canadiens and the championship parade that followed. It was the first sign of the family atmosphere he would eventually try to build, as the University and its students felt like a family to him. The effect the degree has had on him is evident, as he now preaches the importance of academics to all of his players. But it isn’t the only value he’s instilled in them. “One of the biggest things I’ve taken away from Red is that you’re going to treat people with respect,” said former goaltender Shawn Hunwick, who played under Berenson from 2007-12. “You’re going to do things the right way. You’re going to do it day in and day out, and it’s going to shape who you are as a person. “And for me, (the) thing about not being a ‘hockey bum’ and life after hockey — I only played one year after Michigan. I decided that Michigan was the pinnacle of my playing career and I wanted to move on, and I took his advice to heart. He helps mold great, young men who play in the NHL, but more so the guys who go off into the work force and in family life.” Over the last year, Berenson was asked to be a guest speaker in Classic Civilizations Professor Chris Potter’s course at the University, where he discussed his entire career. He wanted to leave a lasting impression on the class, especially since there were so many student athletes in attendance, so he gave them a bit of advice. “I think the clearest thing he said to everybody is don’t count on sports,” Potter said. “… I think it was very powerful to see someone who’d been as successful in the athletic arena speaking out to athletes and others saying, ‘You really have to plan your life, and you have to try to excel at whatever it is that you’re doing. Not to simply say to yourself that I’m this great hockey player or whatever, but that the values I bring to the rink are the values I bring to everything else.’ ” Berenson’s impact was seen Monday in his last moments as head coach. Along with local media outlets and current team players, multiple former players and various other Michigan coaches stood in the Junge Family Champions Center for his farewell press conference. One of those in attendance was men’s basketball coach John Beilein. Beilein came to support his colleague, and his respect for Berenson was apparent. “I usually go to one game a year,” Beilein said. “It’s unfortunate that our schedules cross over so much. We were rarely able to attend each other’s events. He’s come to my practices, I’ve been to his games. I just think there’s a great crossover in just the same values. “… Here’s one thing that resonates that he told us: ‘Practice like you’re in second place, and then play like you’re in first place.’ I just said it to my team before we went to the tournament, when we had all the success.” The reason that Berenson has earned so much respect all around the University is not just because of his success on the ice. It’s because of how much he loves the University itself. Berenson came back to the University looking to cultivate a family atmosphere in his program. Monday, as he reflected on his time at Michigan, he considers his attempt a success. “I want this to be a big family,” Berenson said. “I want the players to feel like this is family. Even the guys I came to school with in the late (1950s), we’re still the best of friends and we stay in touch. I think it’s a big Michigan family, and we tried to establish that. One of my first problems coming back was to get the alumni back on board. … They’re back, and I feel good about that.” Ironically enough, though, one of the most prominent examples of Berenson’s family atmosphere is a player he’s only coached for one season — freshman forward Will Lockwood, who was the second-leading scorer on the team with 20 points. Lockwood came to Michigan 32 years after his father, Joe Lockwood, who played on the first Berenson-coached Michigan team. For Joe, the opportunity for his son to play on a team coached by a man who had brought him so many life lessons was something he relished. “I wanted Will to have a chance — I’m glad he got one year, I’ll just say that,” the elder Lockwood said. “Red’s more than just a coach. He’s all about the University, he’s about the hockey, he’s just a great representative of the athletic department. I’m glad my kid had a chance to play for him for one year anyway.” Joe Lockwood isn’t alone in his sentiment. It’s one that is considered the norm for anyone who has played for Berenson, and for as important as he’s been to Michigan hockey, his legend reaches far beyond the ice. He’s taught the people around him life lessons that they’ll take with them for the rest of their lives. Whether it’s coaches who have been alongside him through the years, players who have learned from him or students who have simply observed his teams, there is an indelible mark that Berenson has left on the University. For him to be gone now is going to be hard for many to swallow. “For me, it gives you an idea that the people that believe in you and that stood behind you, that they’re not always going to be there,” said Michigan goaltending coach Steve Shields. “When I think of what’s important to me in my life, Michigan hockey is just about number one. Not having Coach there and having the coach be somebody I don’t know, you think about it, and you want to be a part of it, but it’s sad that things like that have to happen.” Added Hunwick: “Coach talked about his best day of his life being when he was in class at Michigan. … But the best day of my life was when Coach said I can come play at the University of Michigan. … I was giving up hockey because I was coming to be a third goalie. Coach told me, ‘You’re going to be a good teammate, you’re going to be a member of this team, you’re going to have to be a good student. He is a legend. I’m a walk-on, third- string goalie, and he treats us like the Hobey Baker winner. … He’s the same guy to everybody in the room.” Berenson was Michigan hockey. Tuesday, he won’t be anymore. But the mark Berenson left is permanent. He has built an atmosphere where former players are willing to send their highly-touted sons to play for him. It’s an atmosphere where alumni of the program are willing to come back at the drop of a hat to support another former player who is suffering from ALS. Berenson is one of the most well-respected, living figures in hockey. The day before announcing his retirement he joined other legends of the game in commemorating the closing of Joe Louis Arena, where he coached the first game played there with the St. Louis Blues. Berenson said himself Monday, it’s time for the program to go in another direction, and he may have a point. But Berenson and his accomplishments won’t be forgotten anytime soon. He and his teams have inspired fans to continue to pack Yost Ice Arena despite the up-and-down teams in recent years. But the reason the fans keep coming back is the atmosphere that Berenson has worked so hard to cultivate in the last 33 years, and for that, Michigan will always owe him gratitude. tallied double hat tricks as a forward for the St. Louis Blues, because we forgot to bring it up. As he walked out, Red mentioned this to us. Beat writers had always asked him about the Nov. 7 anniversary, and we hadn’t. This was Red. He could’ve lectured us or said nothing, even let ego cloud the lesson. But he knew we were young and he knew we were learning and so he instead decided to teach us about diligence and research in his own, gracious way. I’ll be hard pressed to ever cover a coach that generous again. Michael Florek, 2009-11: In two years of covering Red Berenson’s hockey teams (2009-10 and 2010- 11), I, like most Daily reporters covering the team, spent almost every day in the lounge outside of the hockey offices talking with Red for 15 minutes or so. In me and my beatmates’ time with Red, we talked about hockey, but we also talked about the journalism industry, his playing days, and how to find good pucks by smelling them. We learned a lot of lessons there. Some of them we’ve already forgotten, but I’ll never forget the musk ox protective circle because of him. One day, early in the season, we asked about Michigan’s next opponent, Alaska Fairbanks. Fairbanks was famous for not allowing many goals. When we asked about (this), Berenson initially did the usual coachspeak. Then, he stopped. I’m not sure if he sensed we didn’t understand or had just been watching National Geographic, but he asked us if we knew what musk ox were. He explained they were long- haired, bison-looking animals that lived in the arctic. When they sense a threat, they form a circle around their young and forced their attacker to try to break through. Alaska did that, but around their net. We left the lounge that day both with more clarity on Alaska Fairbanks’ defensive system and a better understanding of the natural world. Mark Burns, 2009-11: “Who wrote the Louie column?” Red Berenson casually asked as we began our usually after-practice- interview-sessions upstairs at Yost Ice Arena, with Berenson carrying his customary coffee mug and plopping in the same blue chair. I had written a column midway through 2009-10 season in January, basically asking where was then- junior forward Louie Caporusso’s production on the ice. It was pretty scathing in hindsight. And yet, Caporusso made me eat my words six weeks later as I wrote an apology column to him. Berenson was referencing the latter column that March. After a few moments of silence, I slowly raised my hand and without words he knew. “Good...good... good,” I can remember hearing him saying back. “Ok, first question...” Yes, it was one singular moment in two years of the covering the Michigan hockey team, but you knew how much Berenson cared about his players based on that, albeit brief, exchange. He was sharp as a whit despite being around 70 at the time — and still is, I’m sure of it. I think he appreciated, more than anything, the Daily hockey beat writers’ commitment to their craft and covering the team at nearly every single game, even if it meant a 48-hour excursion to New Hampshire and back for, yes, one measly game against a non-conference foe. He knew we were dedicated, even giving us the occasional shoutout at press conferences at Joe Louis Arena in front of 20 other media members who only covered the team during big games. So with that, enjoy retirement, Coach Berenson. Thanks for the memories and being able to sit with you for those interviews after practice. Those were pretty special. Andy Reid, 2007-08: My first major beat at The Daily was the hockey team. The first time I met Red, he walked into the hockey office after practice in his socks, sipping a coffee. He sat in his cushy recliner and looked expectantly at us. I’ve never been more intimidated in my life. But Red went out of his way to make the student writers at the Daily feel at home. He understood we were learning to be professionals, just like his players. He saw me walking home from a post-practice press conference once, pulled over and said, “Get in.” Not a question. Not a suggestion. And gave me a ride home and asked about my studies and life. He was stern, but he cared. About Michigan, not just the team. Red, I’m sorry I wore a green hat into your office that one time. I’ll never do it again. But thank you for allowing me, however briefly and tangentially, to be involved in your career. There will never be another one like you. Nathan Sandals, 2007-08: It’s hard to pinpoint any particular story, but I will never forget the weekend Bo Schembechler died, the hockey team was at Ferris State. It was all hands on deck at the Daily for a special Saturday edition, so no one from the hockey beat was at the game on Friday night. After the game on Saturday night (during which another Michigan team lost by three points in Columbus) we went to Red’s press conference. “I don’t think I saw any of you guys last night,” Red said to me and my beat mate, with a mischievous smile. He was busting our chops a little bit, but as a beat writer, we knew he appreciated our work and even when he gave us grief (which happened from time to time), he was always generous with his time and cared to see that student writers had every chance to succeed as they learned their trade. One other point: Red was not my professor, but I spent at least 15 minutes a day in his office hours for two years. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from one of the greatest teachers of hockey and life that the University has ever had. James Dowd, 2005-07: Having followed Michigan hockey from a young age, it was an intimidating experience to come face to face with Coach Berenson for the first time at the GLI during the 2004- 05 season while filling in on the hockey beat. Over the next two seasons with The Daily and the following years with Inside College Hockey, the nervousness subsided and I was lucky enough to learn a vast amount about the game, both on and off the record, from Red. Chatting in his office after practice, press conferences or phone conversations, Red always required you to be prepared and be your best and made all of us who covered Michigan hockey better journalists by coaching us to be students of the game. I’ve always admired the deep relationships he built and maintained with his players, be them Stanley Cup champions, members of the Armed Forces, neurosurgeons or businessmen. I’ll always be grateful for the standard he held myself and my colleagues to and for the legacy he leaves for the University of Michigan. Scott Bell, 2003-04: During my time at the Michigan Daily, I had the opportunity to interview a lot of big names — from Lloyd Carr all the way to Bo Schembechler. But nothing had me worried and downright terrified like the time I was given the assignment to interview Red Berenson after the hockey team’s year-end banquet. None of the normal beat writers were available, and I was a very eager — albeit very green (that’s another word for terrible) — freshman reporter that was very familiar with the Berenson stare. But Red put up with my stumbling and stuttering because he knew I was prepared and he knew I was familiar with his team. And no matter how gruff he may have been on the exterior, all he really wanted was people who respected his team and his sport, and he’d return that respect tenfold. Brady McCollough, 2001-02: As a 19-year-old sophomore, you could only learn so much from the Daily’s senior sports editors. Red Berenson took it upon himself to teach a very valuable lesson to each writer who was lucky enough to cover his hockey team: The more you put in, the more you get out. Red expected us to be there every practice, and he definitely took note which of us took advantage of the access he offered. I actually decided I wanted to be a journalist within a few months of joining the beat, which was no coincidence. It was a special feeling being taken seriously by such a legend. Joe Smith, 2000-01: Red Berenson played a role in me having my dream job now. It was the time I spent covering Michigan hockey as a sophomore in 2000 that sparked my interest in wanting to become a sportswriter. I learned a lot from Red in his daily talks with us. He was so gracious with his time, especially if you showed up for practice. Which I almost always did. He was a little intimidating at the time, but I learned how to be a pro. And grew a passion for the sport I still have today. Thank you Red. Jeff Weinstein, Michigan hockey sports information director,w 2013-16: There was nothing quite like listening to Red Berenson talk hockey. If ever there was a man to connect hockey and Michigan’s past, present, and future, it was Red, a man who fondly recalled driving a tractor back in Saskatchewan as a boy as easily as a goal scored by Dylan Larkin in a Red Wings game the night before. For any reporter with the opportunity to interview Red in recent years, it was a treat, a chance to hear a story from a man who embodies well over a half century of hockey history. I know because I tried to sit in on every interview he gave, not because I needed to, but because I didn’t want to miss any one of those great hockey stories or nuggets of hockey wisdom. I think the biggest reason Red connected so well with players a quarter his age towards the end of his career was a shared passion for the University and the program he embodied. After a weekend sweep, that passion was never so evident than in the locker room and look of absolute joy on Red’s face in the huddle with the guys, singing The Victors. This is the source of one of my favorite Red Berenson moments. Michigan won the 2015 GLI, and the team had just completed “singing the song,” when a rap song was put on by one of the players in the room (I believe it was Up on a Tuesday). Red with a big smile on his face, turned to Michael Downing and asked him – “What does that mean?” Downing tried to explain but couldn’t come up with the words - he might has well have been speaking a different language to Red. A hockey legend, and the ultimate Michigan Man, I’ll never forget the three years I had the opportunity to spend around his program. RED From Page 7 MIKE PERSAK “I want the players to feel like this is family” “I’m glad my kid had a chance to play for him”