NIU hockey coach Jim Sullivan is into discipline. Discipline on the ice, playing positions and no penalties.
“I’m a pretty levelheaded coach. I don’t scream or yell a lot,” Sullivan said. “The only thing I care about is playing well on the ice.”
That philosophy has kept Sullivan consistently in the coach’s box. He started coaching when his son Matt was growing up and began skating. Sullivan followed his son to Geneva High School, where he coached the junior-varsity team in 2000 and the varsity team in 2001 and 2002.
After Geneva, Sullivan coached at Benet Academy in Lisle for the 2003-2004 season and coached at Wheaton College for the 2005-2006 season. He was out of coaching until 2006, when, after seeing an ad for the NIU team on the USA Hockey Web site, he applied.
“I’ve been out of coaching a couple years and wanted to get back into it,” Sullivan said. “I was going to officiate until I saw an ad on the USA Hockey Web site. I sent a resume to them and about four weeks later they called me out to a summer skate.”
He said his experience with the Huskies has been very positive. Sullivan met with some of the veteran players on the team to discuss previous coaches and his philosophy before the season started. “The toughest thing I’ve had is getting to know the players and who they are and how they perform,” Sullivan said. “The biggest thing is the difference between the real good skaters and the skaters who aren’t real good. There’s not much of a difference this year.”
Sullivan focuses on drills and conditioning in practice instead of going over strategy. Sullivan also said this year’s club team is among one of the hardest hitting teams he has been a part of.
Sullivan is a 1982 alum from NIU and a member of Phi Sigma Kappa. He played on the NIU club hockey team in 1974, but left after one semester to focus on school.
Sullivan has been married for 26 years with two children and has worked for Andersen Windows Inc. for 26 years.
Focusing on studies and family is just another aspect of discipline in Jim Sullivan’s life, which is something he continues to teach his players – no matter how exciting and intense the game gets.

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