Details
Tom Earl to Step Down as Westminster Hockey Coach at End of Season; New Coach Named
Tom Earl, head coach for the boys’ hockey program at Westminster School for the past 20 years, announced today that he will be stepping down from his coaching position at the end of the current season. He will continue to serve as the school’s business manager.
Under Earl’s leadership, Westminster School became known for having one of the premier prep school ice hockey programs in the country. The team plays a 25-game schedule in the Founders’ League, generally recognized as one of the best high school leagues in the country.
Three times during the past 8 years, the team has played in the prestigious New England Prep School Division I Championship tournament at the end of the season. The team also competes annually in the highly competitive Flood-Marr Tournament in December. Many of Westminster's players have gone on to play hockey at some of the nation's best colleges.
“I have decided to make my last year of coaching my 20th year,” said Earl. “The timing seems right, and there are new challenges I want to pursue.”
Born and raised in Ontario, Canada, Earl attended Colgate University and was named to the Division I All-American Hockey Team in his senior year. After graduation, he was drafted by the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League for their minor league team in Kansas City, where he played for two years. He then played five years with the New England Whalers of the National Hockey League, including right wing on the Whalers’ World Hockey Association Championship Team of 1973. While playing professional hockey, Earl earned his MBA from Boston University.
After retiring from professional hockey, Earl was appointed business manager and assistant hockey coach for Westminster School in 1977. As Westminster’s business manager, Earl serves as the school’s chief financial officer, responsible for long-term financial planning and day-to-day financial operations. He also works with the school’s Board of Trustees on strategic planning. Earl was appointed head coach for boy’s hockey in 1986, when the former head coach, Peter Briggs, was named a dean at the school.
“We have worked hard to become a very competitive program in the Founders’ League,” said Earl. “It has been a privilege to coach here because of the quality of our student athletes. Our goal is to help our athletes reach their full potential in this very strong academic environment. Our players are skilled, motivated and easy to coach. They work to excel both academically and athletically and to use that success to get into very selective colleges with strong academic programs and hockey programs.”
Earl said that coaching both of his sons in hockey at Westminster was a career highlight and “a very unique and enjoyable experience.” His youngest son, David, will graduate this year.
“Over the years, Westminster has enjoyed a richly deserved reputation for excellence in ice hockey,” said Westminster Headmaster Graham Cole. “We readily attribute the lion’s share of credit for our success and good name in the last decades to our coach, Tom Earl, a man blessed with enormous stores of knowledge of the game, leadership ability, integrity and sportsmanship. To my mind, he represents all the best in the game of hockey and Westminster athletics. Tom steps away with a fabulous win-loss record in one of the nation’s most competitive leagues, and more important, with literally hundreds of players who take great pride in their school and have such deep respect and affection for their coach.”
Westminster Director of Athletics Dennis Daly added, “When I think of Tom and his tenure as Westminster boys' hockey coach, I think of one word: excellence. Tom exemplifies excellence as a mentor, as an educator and as a coach. His hockey teams always represent the very best of Westminster's ‘grit and grace.’ Year in and year out, Tom has coached the smallest male enrollment in the Founders' League into a highly competitive hockey team. I truly admire the mark he has left on Westminster athletics and I'm delighted that he will remain as business manager. I am hopeful that he will assist the athletic department in some capacity in the future.”
Headmaster Cole announced today that Tim Joncas, a Westminster alumnus of the Class of 2000, an assistant director of admissions and assistant boys’ hockey coach, will be appointed head coach for the boys’ hockey program beginning with the 2007-2008 season.
Joncas was a tri-varsity captain at Westminster in soccer, hockey and lacrosse. At Trinity College, he was co-captain of the men’s varsity hockey team and won the Trinity Hockey Coaches Award for outstanding leadership. He also has coached high school and youth hockey.
“We are excited that one of Tom Earl’s former players and captains, who has been with our program for three years, will become our next First Boys’ Hockey coach,” said Headmaster Cole. “We feel the program is in the very good hands of a man who learned from one of the finest boys’ hockey coaches and best human beings in the independent school world: Tom Earl. We thank Tom, who will continue as one of the finest business managers in the country and wish him the best.”
“I am delighted that a Westminster alumnus who played hockey for Tom Earl and who has assisted Tom for the past three years is taking over the leadership of Westminster's boys' hockey,” said Daly. “Tim Joncas is an outstanding teacher, leader, motivator and coach. He knows first-hand and believes in the values of Westminster School, Westminster athletics and Westminster hockey, and I am confident that he will continue the excellence that Tom Earl created. Tim Joncas represents all that is good about athletics.”
Back
Under Earl’s leadership, Westminster School became known for having one of the premier prep school ice hockey programs in the country. The team plays a 25-game schedule in the Founders’ League, generally recognized as one of the best high school leagues in the country.
Three times during the past 8 years, the team has played in the prestigious New England Prep School Division I Championship tournament at the end of the season. The team also competes annually in the highly competitive Flood-Marr Tournament in December. Many of Westminster's players have gone on to play hockey at some of the nation's best colleges.
“I have decided to make my last year of coaching my 20th year,” said Earl. “The timing seems right, and there are new challenges I want to pursue.”
Born and raised in Ontario, Canada, Earl attended Colgate University and was named to the Division I All-American Hockey Team in his senior year. After graduation, he was drafted by the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League for their minor league team in Kansas City, where he played for two years. He then played five years with the New England Whalers of the National Hockey League, including right wing on the Whalers’ World Hockey Association Championship Team of 1973. While playing professional hockey, Earl earned his MBA from Boston University.
After retiring from professional hockey, Earl was appointed business manager and assistant hockey coach for Westminster School in 1977. As Westminster’s business manager, Earl serves as the school’s chief financial officer, responsible for long-term financial planning and day-to-day financial operations. He also works with the school’s Board of Trustees on strategic planning. Earl was appointed head coach for boy’s hockey in 1986, when the former head coach, Peter Briggs, was named a dean at the school.
“We have worked hard to become a very competitive program in the Founders’ League,” said Earl. “It has been a privilege to coach here because of the quality of our student athletes. Our goal is to help our athletes reach their full potential in this very strong academic environment. Our players are skilled, motivated and easy to coach. They work to excel both academically and athletically and to use that success to get into very selective colleges with strong academic programs and hockey programs.”
Earl said that coaching both of his sons in hockey at Westminster was a career highlight and “a very unique and enjoyable experience.” His youngest son, David, will graduate this year.
“Over the years, Westminster has enjoyed a richly deserved reputation for excellence in ice hockey,” said Westminster Headmaster Graham Cole. “We readily attribute the lion’s share of credit for our success and good name in the last decades to our coach, Tom Earl, a man blessed with enormous stores of knowledge of the game, leadership ability, integrity and sportsmanship. To my mind, he represents all the best in the game of hockey and Westminster athletics. Tom steps away with a fabulous win-loss record in one of the nation’s most competitive leagues, and more important, with literally hundreds of players who take great pride in their school and have such deep respect and affection for their coach.”
Westminster Director of Athletics Dennis Daly added, “When I think of Tom and his tenure as Westminster boys' hockey coach, I think of one word: excellence. Tom exemplifies excellence as a mentor, as an educator and as a coach. His hockey teams always represent the very best of Westminster's ‘grit and grace.’ Year in and year out, Tom has coached the smallest male enrollment in the Founders' League into a highly competitive hockey team. I truly admire the mark he has left on Westminster athletics and I'm delighted that he will remain as business manager. I am hopeful that he will assist the athletic department in some capacity in the future.”
Headmaster Cole announced today that Tim Joncas, a Westminster alumnus of the Class of 2000, an assistant director of admissions and assistant boys’ hockey coach, will be appointed head coach for the boys’ hockey program beginning with the 2007-2008 season.
Joncas was a tri-varsity captain at Westminster in soccer, hockey and lacrosse. At Trinity College, he was co-captain of the men’s varsity hockey team and won the Trinity Hockey Coaches Award for outstanding leadership. He also has coached high school and youth hockey.
“We are excited that one of Tom Earl’s former players and captains, who has been with our program for three years, will become our next First Boys’ Hockey coach,” said Headmaster Cole. “We feel the program is in the very good hands of a man who learned from one of the finest boys’ hockey coaches and best human beings in the independent school world: Tom Earl. We thank Tom, who will continue as one of the finest business managers in the country and wish him the best.”
“I am delighted that a Westminster alumnus who played hockey for Tom Earl and who has assisted Tom for the past three years is taking over the leadership of Westminster's boys' hockey,” said Daly. “Tim Joncas is an outstanding teacher, leader, motivator and coach. He knows first-hand and believes in the values of Westminster School, Westminster athletics and Westminster hockey, and I am confident that he will continue the excellence that Tom Earl created. Tim Joncas represents all that is good about athletics.”
Contact Us
995 Hopmeadow Street
Simsbury, Connecticut 06070
P. (860) 408-3000
F. (860) 408 3001
Simsbury, Connecticut 06070
P. (860) 408-3000
F. (860) 408 3001
Explore Our Website
Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy as to Students
In keeping with our support for a diverse community, Westminster abides by all applicable federal and state laws and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic, including race, color, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national and ethnic origin, ancestry and/or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. Westminster admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School.
In keeping with our support for a diverse community, Westminster abides by all applicable federal and state laws and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic, including race, color, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national and ethnic origin, ancestry and/or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. Westminster admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School.
© Copyright 2025 Westminster School | Privacy Policy
AP® and Advanced Placement® are registered trademarks of the College Board. Used with permission.
AP® and Advanced Placement® are registered trademarks of the College Board. Used with permission.