Resignation Letter From Men’s Hockey Coach Offers Harsh Critique of UBC Athletics

Over the weekend, it was announced that UBC Men’s Hockey Coach Tyler Kuntz would be taking a job as an assistant coach with the Vancouver Giants. While UBC’s statement on the matter paints a picture of Kuntz leaving to “take advantage of an exciting new opportunity,” a 3-page letter he penned to friends and boosters about his resignation tells a different story. Although Kuntz had only been head coach for a single season, he had spent about 15 years involved with UBC Hockey as a player, booster, and coach. After thanking many individuals who helped him excel at UBC, he closes the letter like this:

I’m now the 35th person to leave UBC Athletics in the past two years. Imagine 35 people changed at any organization in two years. Something is clearly not working. This is no longer my issue. I have fought long enough. Men’s Hockey has been at UBC for 100 years. ALL Varsity Sports at UBC should be celebrated. ALL Student athletes, coaches and staff at UBC must be appreciated and supported. Nobody should be treated with such ignorance and disrespect as my hockey program, players, and staff were in the past two years. I knew being relegated to tier 3 hybrid would be a financial challenge that we could overcome. What I did not know is that we would be considered irrelevant to the university and it’s absent leadership. There are few people that have created this disaster. And you know exactly who you are. It’s ok, everyone makes mistakes. And I sincerely forgive you. But a simple mistake due to lack of experience, knowledge and capability, and a completely misguided agenda has transformed that mistake into a disaster of colossal proportions. It’s time to man/woman up and own this mistake. It’s time to stop pointing fingers. It’s time to start exercising transparency. And it’s time to start listening to your coaches. It’s not all bad though as there is hope. There are some very important people with the power to change. I plead for you to do the right thing. It’s always the correct choice.

It’s worth noting that earlier in the letter, Kuntz expresses effusive praise for Theresa Hanson, who heads up UBC’s Varsity Program. UBC Athletics is currently without a leader after former Athletics Director Ashley Howard was dismissed earlier this year. In the meantime, Louise Cowin has taken on the title of “executive leader of the Department of Athletics & Recreation” in addition to her regular duties as VP Students.

You can read the full letter here.