"My dad was leaning for me to stay at thestart," Israel said. "But now I think he agreeswith me. Of course, seeing as he's a schoolteacher, I'm pretty sure that he's going to makeme return for my degree."
Israel plans to attend summer school at Harvardfor four years starting this summer, taking twoclasses a term, and then return for his "senior"year when his career is finished.
"I consider finishing my education one of themost important things I have to do in my life,"Israel said. "I know that when I have kids, I'mgoing to want them to know that I finished what Istarted."
Harvard Coach Ronn Tomassoni, one of the lonedissenters against Israel's choice, didn't thinkit to be in Israel's best interests for him leavecollege this early.
"My school of thought is that there are veryfew guarantees in life, and one of them is youreducation," Tomassoni said.
The two discussed Israel's future on severaloccasions during the off-season, but even whenIsrael initially chose to stay in school,Tomassoni sensed that "it might be something we'dbe battling."
"Nevertheless, he's a big boy, and he can makethis kind of decision for himself now," Tomassoniadded. "I wish him only the best."
"I kind of looked at it the other way around,"Israel said. "I figure that school is somethingthat will always be here, but this opening won't,necessarily."
How the team Israel leaves behind will react tohis loss remains to be seen.
"We'll really miss him," junior captain-electBen Coughlin said. "He was very valuable in histwo years here, and we wish him nothing but thebest of luck. But we're confident that Tripp andHermsy [junior Steve Hermsdorf] can get the jobdone."
Harvard has relied on a goaltending rotationfor the last six years; before the "Tripp'n'Izzy"tandem, Chuckie Hughes '92 and Allain Roy '92similarly split time between the pipes for theirfour years.
But now Tracy gets the brunt of the load, andHermsdorf figures to back him up. Israel himselfdoesn't necessarily think this is a bad thing.
"[Tripp and I] has such distinct styles outthere; I don't know how tough it was for everyoneto adjust to us on a night-to-night basis," hesaid.
"It might be almost better for the team."
"We're still in pretty good shape in goal,"Tomassoni said. "But had we known earlier thatthis was going to happen, we would have recruitedanother goaltender."
No matter what, Tracy is ready for thechallenge. "I'd be lying if I said [Israel'sabsence] doesn't create a big opportunity for me,"he said.
"You know, it really stinks sometimes--you playone night a weekend, and there's nothing you cando about it," Tracy said. "And although it'll be achallenge to physically prepare myself for nextyear this summer, I think I could play every gameif that's what Coach wants form me."
Tracy has never played on back-to-back nightsfor the Crimson, although he did shine in theBeanpot Tournament championship game againstBoston University during his freshman year on onlytwo days rest.