Rob Morgan Named Islanders Game Changer on Hockey Day in America™

Growing up in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Rob Morgan knew a very talented hockey player who just didn't have a place to play, since there was no organized youth hockey for girls in the area at the time.
"Had she had the opportunity that was out there right now for the young girls to play, not just at the minor hockey level, but the collegiate level and the national team level, she would have been a superstar," Morgan said, referencing an old family friend.

In the years since, Morgan has helped provide opportunities for women in hockey, coaching women's teams since 2000. Currently, Morgan is the Head Coach of the Long Island University (LIU) women's hockey team, an NCAA Division 1 program.
Morgan, a self-described builder, is one of the program's pillars. He was the inaugural coach, recruiting players and setting a vision for the first D1 program for women in the New York City area.
"I was so excited. To bring hockey to the New York City/Long Island area is pretty special, to be the first-ever," Morgan said. "To see a brand new program at the Division 1 level where [the growth of women's hockey] is much needed, and to do it with LIU... it's definitely a highlight of my career."

Helping found a program is one thing, but in his first season in 2019-20, Morgan took a newly-established team to a conference championship. After posting an 11-9 record in New England Women's Hockey Alliance play, LIU ran the table in the conference tournament, winning three straight games by a combined 11-0 aggregate.
The conference title was a testament to Morgan's tutelage and his players' commitment during their first season, steadily improving after an 0-6 start. It wasn't a fluke either, as the Sharks won their second-straight conference title on March 4.
"It was just incredibly rewarding to experience that," Morgan said. "What team does that your very first year? That kind of success. Their commitment to learning, and improving each day, and being the best at getting better each day. For them to experience success, I think it definitely helps solidify the foundation for the future."
Morgan's mission is bigger than just winning a title or two. He wants to see growth in the women's game, from more D1 opportunities around the country, to an established professional league. Developing the LIU program is part of that and Morgan understands what more opportunities to play and visibility of top-tier female players mean for young girls playing hockey.
"The ambassadorship and the role modeling that goes on and comes from [seeing high-level players] is what really going to fuel the growth and development at the grassroots level," Morgan said.
For his part in establishing a successful D1 program and his dedication to women's hockey, Morgan was awarded the Islanders Game Changer award, part of Hockey Day in America™, presented by Discover. The award honors those who have made great strides towards improving the youth hockey experience on or off the ice within the community. Morgan sees the award as a testament to those around him, from his former coaches, to his players and a supportive family.

"It's a culmination of everyone who has been a part of my life along the way," Morgan said, detailing a hockey journey that started out as a volunteer coach in Alberta, and continued through Dartmouth, St. Norbert Collage and Yale, among others. "Most importantly, all the student-athletes, the young players. You need to do it together, so this is really special. It's a reflection of all of the people who I've been surrounded by to get to this point in my life."
Morgan's message to his players has always been to "be where your feet are," meaning to be present and focused at the rink. When they leave, he wants his players at LIU to leave with the same love and passion for the game they had when they arrived. It's the same advice he gives to young girls and hockey parents.
"When you arrive here, that love and that passion and that joy you have when you're playing the game, when you leave here, I want you to have that at the same level," Morgan said. "I think if young kids can go to the rink and not feel the stresses that both them, parents and coaches sometimes put on them, I think they are more likely to one, reach their potential and two, they will always love the game."
Loving the game is the first step. And if you stay around as long as Morgan has, you might even be able to change it for the better.