Notre Dame Of Fairfield Hockey Coach Marty Roos Steps Down

The legendary career of the winningest high school hockey coach in Connecticut state history is over.

Longtime Notre Dame of Fairfield mentor Marty Roos has stepped down, effectively immediately, the school announced in a news release Wednesday night.

Roos retires with a career mark of 536-301-19, winning six state championships and coaching in nine state finals during his 40-year career at Fairfield Prep and Notre Dame.

According to the release, Roos informed the school of his decision to retire. Assistant Steve Hetherman has been appointed interim head coach for the Lancers.

“I always felt that when it came time to step down from coaching, I would know that it was time," the 76-year-old Roos said. "Even though Notre Dame is midseason, I believe that now is the right time.”

Notre Dame is just 3-6 this season, which followed a 6-13-1 record last year, when the Lancers failed to make the state tournament.

Notre Dame athletic director Rob Bleggi, who also is an assistant hockey coach, said the decision to step down was made by Roos alone. 

 “Marty came to Notre Dame when I was a junior at ND," Bleggi said. "To me, Notre Dame hockey and Marty Roos are synonymous. Much of the person I am today is because of my experience with Marty.

"His passion, dedication, loyalty, commitment and hard work are second to none. He is the ultimate professional and a class act. Marty embodies what is great about high school hockey and high school sports. Marty will always be a part of Notre Dame hockey and Notre Dame High School."

The owner of the Milford and Northford Pavilions, Roos took over as Fairfield Prep coach in 1971 and put the Jesuits' program in the map, leading the team to state championships in 1977, 1979, 1980 and 1981.

Roos stepped down as Prep's head coach in 1989, but came out of retirement two years later to take over the program at Notre Dame of Fairfield, which was making the jump to Division I

Roos led Notre Dame to its first Division I title in 1999, when the Lancers defeated New Canaan in a five-overtime epic that was played over a two-day period at Yale's Ingalls Rink.

Roos' tenure at Notre Dame actually turned out to be longer than his stay Prep, where he coached for 19 seasons.

“Marty has been an institution at Notre Dame for decades and helped to build one of the most successful programs in the state over the years," Notre Dame principal Chris Cipriano said. "We appreciate all that he has done for our student-athletes over the years. He will be tremendously missed, and we wish him well.”

Roos led the Lancers to another state champion in 2006 before Notre Dame lost in the state finals to Fairfield Prep in 2007 and 2008.

“Words cannot express my admiration and appreciation for Marty Roos and his contributions to not only Notre Dame hockey but to the whole Notre Dame community," Notre Dame President Fr. Bill Sangiovanni added." Personally, it's a huge void for me.”

Roos was inducted into the Notre Dame-Fairfield Hall of Fame in 2001 and five years later, the CIAC named the state tournament in his honor.

Last year, Roos was awarded a Gold Key by the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance.