LOWELL – UMass Lowell Men’s Ice Hockey Head Coach, Norm Bazin, presented his fifth chalk talk at the Corporate Hheadquarters of Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union on Friday. Attendees included members of the UMass Lowell Athletics Department, UMass Lowell Chancellor, Jacquie Moloney, Jeanne D’Arc executives and employees and several members of the community.
“We are honored to have opened our headquarters for Coach Bazin’s presentation,” said Mark S. Cochran, President and Chief Executive Officer of Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union. “He isn’t just a leader in coaching hockey, but he is also a leader in the community,” he added.
This was the first time Jeanne D’Arc hosted the chalk talk. Bazin discussed the River Hawks’ season thus far, what’s left for the team and his plans to defeat Arizona State University in a two-game series at the Tsongas Arena over the weekend. Bazin, who is confident in the resilience, character and determination of his team, shared specific plays and strategies he hoped would lead the team to victory against ASU. This is ASU’s first year playing as a varsity hockey program, and this past weekend was UMass Lowell’s first time playing against them.
The team proved Bazin’s plans successful with two wins over Arizona State, both on Friday and Saturday night.
Community was also an important topic of discussion during Bazin’s presentation. He expressed how support from the city of Lowell has a great impact on the spirit of the team, and in turn affects the way they play.
“It’s all about combining both athletics and the community,” said Bazin. “When you play for the city and not yourselves, that’s when you know you have something special,” he added.
Bazin said community members who hang River Hawks flags in their windows or give a simple “good luck tonight,” as well as local businesses that provide unwavering support, make a big difference in how the team represents the city.
After winning their matches against Arizona State, the UMass Lowell Men’s Ice Hockey team will now take on four non-conference games and then it will be a big push for the playoffs. Bazin believes the accomplishments of his team are a result of working together.
“It’s not the best individual who is successful, it’s the best team,” he said.
About Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union:
Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union was established in 1912 and is a full-service, member-owned community-based financial cooperative with more than 70,000 members and $1.1 billion in assets. It operates seven full-service branches in Lowell, Dracut (2), Tyngsboro, Chelmsford, Methuen and Westford, Massachusetts; high-school branches at Lowell High and Dracut High schools; a loan center in Lowell; and mortgage centers in Chelmsford and North Reading.
