AUGUSTA — The Cony High School hockey team will play in a new home with a new coach this season.

Coach Bruce Dostie resigned, citing his family and education needs. The Rams will play at Bonnefond Ice Arena at Kents Hill after the collapse of the Kennebec Ice Arena in March left them homeless.

“It’s more about my education and time with my kids,” Dostie said. “I had to give up something. I am trying to finish up my master’s degree and I am only a few classes shy. I need to finish that up. You can’t do it all.”

Dostie, who went 33-44-0 in his four seasons at Cony, is pursuing a master’s degree in computer technology at Thomas College in Waterville.

He also said he wanted to spend more time with his two kids, Alexis and Tyler.

“It was time for me to leave,” Dostie said. “Thomas is offering the classes I need starting in January. I couldn’t finish that up while coaching hockey. Sometimes you have to sacrifice something. It’s a balance. To be the right father, I need to be there for them. They don’t want me to be done, but something had to give, and it ended up being hockey.”

Dostie said he intends to return to coaching.

“It’s a sport I love, but I have to finish this up,” he said. “I do hope to get back into it. I will miss the kids.”

Cony athletic director Paul Vachon said the hiring process for the next coach is under way.

“We have not interviewed yet,” he said. “We just opened it up. We’re waiting for applications and we’ll interview from there.”

Vachon said the Rams won’t practice every day at Kents Hill, which is home to several youth leagues as well as its boys and girls teams.

“We have a place,” he said. “We’ve had to work around other schools and youth leagues, but we’re just happy to have a place to play. We’ll make it work. Instead of practicing for an hour five days a week we may go two or three days a week for two hours. We’re piecing it all together.”

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Todd Wheelden, facilities manager of the Bonnefond Ice Arena at Kents Hill, said he has pieced some options together for a variety of high school and youth teams.

“Cony has been proactive about making sure there were opportunities out there,” he said. “I haven’t had any direct conversations with Gardiner, but I am anticipating them needing options. We are finding gaps for people.”

The Kennebec, Maranacook and Gardiner youth hockey organizations have secured ice times at Kents Hill. Throw in the Zone 4 Hurricanes, a youth hockey team, and Wheelden said space is limited.

“We’ve grabbed a bunch of youth hockey because they are the future,” he said. “You really want to make sure those programs stay healthy. We haven’t turned anyone away. We’re doing the best we can. Our morning slots are still wide open. Nobody is ready to bite the bullet on that yet, though.”

Bill Stewart — 621-5640

bstewart@centralmaine.com

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