Sarnia’s Fogarty settling in at Princeton

Barry Wright Ron Fogarty sees himself as a players’ coach. The 42-year-old Sarnia native was named head coach of the Princeton University Tigers in mid-June and is now settling in.

Barry Wright

Ron Fogarty sees himself as a players’ coach.

The 42-year-old Sarnia native was named head coach of the Princeton University Tigers in mid-June and is now settling in.

“I’m definitely not a yeller,” he said with a chuckle in a phone interview with The Journal.

“I take time to get to know my players and their families. I let them know I’ve got their back.”

Fogarty says his job is to teach his players from Monday to Thursday each week, and he expects them to put that knowledge into practice in weekend games.

The former star with the Sarnia Ranson Bees says his club has struggled out of the gate this season due to some key injuries. The Tigers have just one win in their first six games.

“The guys have been really attentive and are working hard, but injuries have kept us from scoring many goals,” he said.

Princeton is averaging just over a goal per game.

“You can’t win games like that, unless you give up zero,” he said.

Fogarty, who was hired by Princeton after several successful seasons at Adrian College in Michigan, says the difference in calibre is similar to the jump from Junior “B” to Major Junior “A” hockey in Canada.

Princeton is an NCAA Division 1 school, while Adrian is a D-3 program.

The talent and commitment of the players is also vastly different from when he played NCAA hockey, registering 140 points in 135 games at Colgate from 1991-95.

“Players are playing year-round now,” he said.  “They are much bigger and stronger.”

As part of TSN’s NCAA hockey coverage this season, local fans can see Fogarty’s Tigers when they host Quinnipiac University on Sunday, Dec. 28 at 4 p.m.

Asked if his ultimate goal is to coach in the National Hockey League, Fogarty said he would evaluate whatever opportunities present themselves, but his immediate focus is to turn around the Princeton program.

The Tigers are coming off a 6-26 record last season and haven’t had a winning record since 2010-11.

Although busy and unable to get back to Sarnia often, Fogarty’s ties to the community remain strong. He has family here and his son Jordan is in his second season with the Sarnia Legionnaires of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.