Athens native Phil Oberlin always wanted to play hockey at Ohio University. Getting the opportunity to play under his former high school coach, Dan Morris, was just an added bonus.
Growing up in Athens
it is always the goal to come back and play for OU Oberlin said. Knowing him (Morris) in high school helped the transition and it wasn't very hard to get acquainted with him again.
While the two were only able to interact for one season in high school before Morris took the Ohio coaching job, he will have the opportunity to interact with Oberlin ' a player he remembers as a 14-year-old Athens High School freshman ' for another three years.
The first year I coached him he was very competitive and a quintessential rink rat
Morris said. He was at the rink more than I was
always skating and playing pickup hockey.
After leaving Athens High School to become head coach of the Bobcats, Morris remained in contact with Oberlin and followed his progress as a hockey player.
After I took the coaching job with Ohio
I continued to talk to Phil and his family
Morris said. I kind of felt bad for Phil because in the recruiting process he did not get much attention because I think just everyone figured he would go to OU.
Following his graduation from high school, Oberlin chose to play club hockey for three years in Cincinnati, but he always knew that he would return to Athens to play for Ohio despite the lack of heavy recruiting by the Bobcats.
He really didn't have to try to recruit me very hard
Oberlin said. He knew that I would be coming back.
Upon his return, Oberlin said Morris' coaching style had stayed much the same, but his intensity grew.
The only difference was that he is harder on us now because we are at a higher level of competition
Oberlin said. He pushes us a lot harder than he did at the high school level.
Oberlin said his adjustment to the college game was easier because the systems the Bobcats run are identical to those Morris ran while at Athens High.
It's always easier to go in somewhere where you are familiar
Oberlin said. The transition was really easy and that factored into my decision to come back here.
Morris agreed, saying Oberlin fit in the Ohio system very well.I think he felt comfortable in the way that we do things
Morris said. I think I did not personally influence
