Former Duluth East hockey coach Mike Randolph spent the better portion of a planned news conference Friday thanking the people involved in his 36 years coaching high school hockey.
But Randolph, who resigned this week amid a Duluth school district investigation spurred on by complaints, blamed his departure, along with those of other high school coaches in recent months, on "parental pressure."
"Up until recently, it's been rewarding and fun," Randolph said to a room full of supporters at the Essentia Health Duluth Heritage Center. "But when the negatives start to outweigh the positives, it gets to be exhausting and no longer worth the time I put into it. I've given my all each and every year. But without administrative support, it's a losing battle that is tiring and takes the joy out of it."
Randolph, saying he did not want to "focus on the negative" did not take questions.
Randolph's teams have won 658 games, the third-most in Minnesota high school hockey. He led teams to 18 state tournaments, with two championships and six second-place finishes.
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Jana Hollingsworth • 218-508-2450