Last Thursday, the netminder was announced as one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.

“I think it’s just outstanding,” says Irving, who has watched his charge’s positioning, decision-making, and control continually improve over the past three years.

“He deserves it, and he’s responsible for it. He’s the one that has actively identified his weaknesses.”

Everyone but Irving will point out, though, that the goaltender did have help. Welch, who has skated in front of Grumet-Morris since the two were freshmen, declares Irving’s tutelage priceless.

“They say, sometimes, goalies make the best coaches, because as players, they can see everything in front of them,” Welch says. “Bruce just has a great knowledge for the game and a great love for the sport.”

“Invaluable,” Donato says of the volunteer’s efforts, while Grumet-Morris himself calls Irving “one of the biggest assets that I have here at Harvard.”

As for the unassuming Irving himself—well, the former long-time high school coach demands the praise about as much as much as he demands a paycheck.

“I’ve never really been paid to coach guys anyway,” he says, “so the volunteer part doesn’t mean much to me.”

He will admit, though, that Grumet-Morris’ feats are “definitely gratifying.

“I’ve only been coaching college kids three years,” Irving explains, “and on the first day, I definitely questioned whether they would listen to me.

“But Dov did.”

—Staff writer Rebecca A. Seesel can be reached at seesel@fas.harvard.edu.