PWHL's Boston Fleet sign Kris Sparre as second head coach in franchise history
Sparre, a 38-year-old veteran assistant with no experience in the women's game, replaces Courtney Kessel, who had a 27-19-8 record and a Walter Cup Finals appearance before leaving to take over at Princeton. Her departure leaves only two female head coaches among the PWHL's eight teams.
'This is a league that has tremendous momentum right now. And to be able to work in a city like Boston, that has such a rich tradition in winning, and building successful teams, is something I don't take lightly and am tremendously excited about,' Sparre said Wednesday at his introductory news conference. 'I want to carry on that tradition. I want to make the Boston Fleet a championship-level program that we can all be proud of.'
A Toronto-area native, Sparre played nine seasons as a forward in the minor leagues and in Germany and coached in the OHL, AHL and Austria's top league. He was an assistant coach for Red Bull Salzburg from 2019-21 before spending three seasons with the San Diego Gulls, the AHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks.
Making the move to women's hockey gave him the chance to deal with the sport's elite.
'It was important for me that I wanted to work with the highest level of athletes possible,' he said. 'They're motivated people. They want to get better. That's my skillset; that's my wheelhouse. That's where I want to live. And so when this opportunity came up, I didn't look at it as 'men's (vs.) women's.' I looked at as the best option to work with the best in the world.'
Fleet general manager Danielle Marmer said Sparre's experience in the AHL, where coaches need to balance winning with player development, will make him a good fit. Marmer, who spent time in the Boston Bruins player development department, said Sparre's lack of experience coaching women did not scare her off.
'I don't have a concern about the fact that he hasn't coached women's hockey,' she said. 'These are professional athletes. He's coached professional athletes. He's coached the best players in the game. Our players want to be treated like pros, and they want to learn from the best. And I think that's what we're doing here with bringing Kris in.'
The Fleet have eight players remaining from the roster that reached finals in the PWHL's inaugural season. But they are looking to replace 36-year-old captain and league MVP finalist Hilary Knight, who was left unprotected in the expansion draft and is moving to Seattle after a season in which she tied for the league lead with 29 points.
Thursdays
Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.
'These are the best players in the world — the best women's hockey players in the world,' said Sparre, who was headed out for lobster rolls after the media session. 'We've got to be humble. … We can learn a lot from them, too.'
___
AP Hockey Writer John Wawrow contributed to this report.
___
AP women's hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
38 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Hamby's basket with 4.3 seconds left gives Sparks 108-106 win over Storm 108-106 in 2 OTs
SEATTLE (AP) — Dearica Hamby's layup with 4.3 seconds left gave the Los Angeles Sparks a 108-106 win over the Seattle Storm on Friday night in the first double-overtime game in the WNBA this season. Hamby put up a contested shot but Skylar Diggins' similar shot on the other end fell off the rim as time expired. Rickea Jackson had 27 points to lead the Sparks (12-15), who have won six of seven. Kelsey Plum added 22 points and seven assists, while Hamby and Azura Stevens both had 21. Hamby also had 13 rebounds. Cameron Brink had seven points, four rebounds, three blocks, two steals and five fouls in 12 minutes in her second game back after ACL surgery last season. Nneka Ogwumike scored 37 points, one shy of her career high when she played with the Sparks nine years ago, and grabbed 12 rebounds for Seattle (16-12). She became the sixth player to reach 7,000 points for her career. Diggins had 18 points, Erica Wheeler 15 and Gabby Williams 14 points and eight assists. Ezi Magbegor had nine points, 11 rebounds and five blocks. There were 14 ties and 12 lead changes. Plum's three-point play following her 3-pointer gave the Sparks a 69-68 lead, their first since ending the first quarter up 18-16. Williams hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 106 with 16.4 seconds to play in the second overtime. Diggins tied the game at 99 with 18 seconds left in the first extra session before Plum missed at the buzzer. Jackson tied the game at 86 with 4.3 seconds left in regulation and Wheeler missed a contest 3 at the buzzer. ___ AP WNBA:
Winnipeg Free Press
38 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
It's Ledecky vs. McIntosh in the 800 freestyle, the centerpiece of the world championships
SINGAPORE (AP) — It's Katie Ledecky against Summer McIntosh in the final of the 800-meter freestyle, probably the most anticipated race at the swimming world championships in Singapore. The race is one of six finals on Saturday, but it overshadows everything else on Day 7. The championships wrap up on Sunday. Ledecky of the United States holds the world record (8 minutes, 04.12 seconds) set earlier this year. The 28-year-old American has dominated the distance for a decade and has already won gold in the 1,500 in Singapore. She also has a bronze in the 400. Ledecky, 28, has won nine Olympic gold medals — the most decorated female in history — and her first gold was in 2012 in the London Olympics in the 800. McIntosh is an 18-year-old Canadian. She's already won three golds in Singapore and she swam just a second off Ledecky's time earlier this year. If anyone is to dethrone Ledecky, it's McIntosh. This would be McIntosh's fourth gold as she goes for five individual golds in the worlds, a feat only achieved the legendary American swimmer Michael Phelps. The other five finals are: the women's 50 butterfly; the men's 50 free; the women's 200 backstroke; the men's 100 butterfly; and mixed 4×100 freestyle relay. The Americans and Australians have each won five gold medals through six days. The Americans lead in overall medals with 20, although their performance has been lackluster and slowed after much of the team came down with a case of 'acute gastroenteritis' in training camp in Thailand. __ AP sports:
Winnipeg Free Press
38 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
J.P. Crawford hits 2-run homer in 9th to lift the Mariners past the Rangers, 4-3
SEATTLE (AP) — J.P. Crawford hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning to give the Seattle Mariners a 4-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night. Dominic Canzone led off the ninth with a single off closer Robert Garcia (1-6), bringing Crawford to the plate. On the third pitch Crawford saw, he sent a 95 mph fastball into the seats in right. Seattle gained another game on AL West-leading Houston and firmed its grip on the third wild-card spot by two games over the Rangers. Rowdy Tellez, Josh Smith and Marcus Semien had RBI hits in the third to give Texas a 3-1 lead. Seattle newcomer Josh Naylor had an opposite-field double in the fifth to cut it to 3-2. Eduard Bazardo (5-0) pitched the ninth for the victory. Key moment Crawford's homer in the ninth. Key stat Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Crawford had the first walkoff homer of his major league career. Up next Merrill Kelly (9-6, 3.22 ERA) was set to make his Rangers debut Saturday, with Luis Castillo (8-6, 3.19 ERA) set to start for the Mariners. ___ AP MLB:
