Tim Rathert has been named the new head coach of the Middle Tennessee State University Ice Hockey Club. He will begin working with the team just in time to start the 2019-2020 season. It will be the club’s first season as a member of the South Eastern Collegiate Hockey Conference (SECHC).
“Coach Rathert brings with him a new era of MT Hockey, starting from within… It’s going to be a new, exciting team that I know will produce results on and off the ice,” said MTSU Ice Hockey Captain, Nathanael Wilson. “I believe Tim will bring his ‘A’ game every single day when it comes to the program, and he will help take this club to the next step that all the guys are wanting to make. I’m beyond excited and looking forward to this season; I believe it’ll be one of the best ones yet!”
Rathert graduated from Southern Illinois University in 1983 and is currently employed with the Quaker Valley Foods company. He has been coaching hockey for over 25 years and has previously coached for the Nashville Youth Hockey League (1995-2011 and 2014-2019), the Nashville Jr. Predators travel team (2012-2014) and the Hendersonville High School Ice Hockey Team from (2002-2019). As a coach, Rathert has been actively involved with the advancement of many young players into the college and junior ranks of both inline and ice hockey; his teams have won multiple tournament and league championships including the coveted 2019 GNASH Championship Cup. This season will be Rathert’s first time coaching a collegiate team.
“I think that the team has come such a long way and I think it’s important to congratulate them on their success over the last years. I think the previous coaches have done an outstanding job,” Coach Rathert explained to MT Hockey reporter Abigail Martin. “The great team leadership they’ve put together here- they’ve really got a vision for what they want to do, and I hope I can help them put that into place… I want to help transition on the ice, not just transition with new coaching,” Coach Rathert said. “I want to help them systematically put together a great plan for the season. And for game-time: transition up and down the ice. The zone to zone is something I really emphasize. And to strategically move the puck from one end of the ice and into the back of the net.”
Coach Rathert has been married to his wife Jill for 20 years. They have four children: Tim, Tyler, Jaxon and Katie. Three of his four children attend or have attended MTSU. His son Jaxon, an incoming MTSU freshman, will be joining his father at the collegiate hockey level; Jaxon plans on playing for the MT Hockey team.
Coach Rathert believes that he can help MTSU Hockey players reach their goal of making it to the playoffs. “Leadership wants to make playoffs at the end of the season. I think it’s an attainable goal… Once we get the team on the ice then we can start working towards that goal. I think it’s achievable. We’ve got a lot of talent on this group, but you never know what the opponent has. I think we’ve got a very capable team. It’s a matter of just putting it together and going to work.”
About The MTSU Ice Hockey Club
The MTSU Ice Hockey Club launched their inaugural year during the 2015-16 season as a member of the ACHA Division III. The team has actively recruited student-athletes who demonstrate both a talent for the game and a passion for teamwork. All MTSU players are full-time students at the university. MTSU is set to become a member of the South Eastern Collegiate Hockey Conference in the 2019-20 season.
