Sebastian Proudlock

Mr. Pauly’s 600th win was much deserved after 37 years of coaching hockey

On January 30th, the Benilde-St. Margaret’s boys’ hockey team defeated Orono 7-5. This gave Mr. Ken Pauly, history and psychology teacher and head varsity hockey coach at BSM, his 600th win.

Out of all the varsity hockey coaches in Minnesota, there are only six high school hockey coaches with 600 wins: Mike Randolph, Lorne Grosso, Roy Nystrom, Willard Ikola, Bill Lechner, and now BSM’s very own, Ken Pauly. Pauly’s career at BSM started with coaching JV for three years and then was moved to head coach. His position has now been held at this spot for 35 years. This achievement is a major milestone in any coach’s career, but from the start, it wasn’t something Pauly ever imagined achieving. “When you start, you’d like to get to a state tournament…win it all … but, [600 wins is] not something that’s on your radar when you’re 25 years old,” Pauly said.

The 66-year BSM hockey history is filled with outstanding accomplishments and now has their hockey coaches’ 600th win to add to the record books. Pauly’s history as a coach is also not one to look over and the hockey team is very proud to be a part of this accomplishment in Pauly’s coaching career. “It shows that we’re all in it together and we were a mark on Pauly’s history and Benilde- [St. Margaret’s] history… it shows that we were bigger than just this season, or bigger than just one guy, and it takes a team to get there,” senior captain AJ Ulrich said.

Throughout his 34 years of coaching, Pauly has won three state titles, 17 conference championships, and holds the highest winning record in BSM’s history, but his legacy is much more than that. He teaches his players to be themselves and not to compare themselves to others. Pauly coaches his players to stay humble and to appreciate the relationship built through this sport. His relationship with his players and what he taught them will always be his biggest legacy. “I cared about the guys that I was working with,cared about the program, and cared about the community that we were representing. At the end of the day, your legacy isn’t your wins and losses and all that other stuff,” Pauly said.

There is no doubt that Pauly has left an impact on every player that he has coached. While he may be very intimidating on the outside, his players would describe him as a big teddy bear. His sense of humor is like no other, but he also understands how to be there for his players in more than just a coaching role. “He’s been a super good father figure for me, away from home and when things get tough, he’s there and makes me realize, there’s more to hockey than just the sport itself,” Ulrich said.

The most important lesson that Pauly has learned is that these people mean everything. Beyond winning and losing, the true value lies in the relationships built within the sport. It is not just about how good a team is but how well they work together as a group. “Winning state championships, that’s a goal…I think just enjoy the people you’re with, that’s the greatest gift of all this, enjoying the people that you’re with,” Pauly said.