Mike Hall calls it quits
The men’s hockey program at Sault College is looking for a new head coach ahead of the 2023-2024 season. Hockey News North has confirmed that Mike Hall has retired as the Cougars bench boss.
After a few years away from the game, Hall took over as the men’s head coach at Sault College and in the 2018-2019 season — which was the school’s first venture into the ranks of the Division 3, American Collegiate Hockey Association — he piloted the Cougars to a stunning national championship. The program has since moved up to the Division 2 level of the ACHA.
He has a long association with the game in Sault Ste. Marie.
Hall started with the vaunted Soo Legion program in 1983 at the age of 18. He began as the trainer, moved up to assistant manager, then assistant coach before finally becoming head coach in 1993. As the illustrious Soo Legion became the equally renowned Soo North Stars, Hall stayed on as head coach of the esteemed Great North Under 18 Hockey League program for 20 years before retiring at the conclusion of the 2012-2013 season.
In a 12-year span to conclude his run with the Soo Legion/Soo North Stars, Hall was behind the bench as head coach for 10 Great North playoff championships as well as two gold, one silver, and two bronze medals at the All Ontario provincial play downs. And during a spectacular five-year period that put an exclamation point on his stay with the North Stars, the team rang up up a rousing record of 156-9-9 in 174 games.
wow that run with the NORTH STARS 156 -9-9 …………..very impressive ……… Mr Hall’s entire history is impressive
It has been a fantastic experience working with Coach Hall as he is such a professional with how he runs a team and organization. I’ve had the pleasure of being with some outstanding coaches and people with my involvement in hockey in the Soo and area for many many years and we have certainly been blessed with all these guys as they have all had input in promoting our local players to higher levels.
Mike Hall, Gerry Lortie, Jim Capy, Patty Carricato, Toots Kovacs, Paul Theriault, Donnie Gagnon, Bill (Bunky) Vanderlist, Kyle Brick and I can’t forget my mentor from way back Walter Dubas. These men deserve the recognition like Mike does of being solid citizens of our community for all the time and effort they put in to teaching and promoting the players our great game of hockey. I’m very sorry if I have left anyone out but you have to realize we played a lot of hockey without helmets in the old days.