HOPKINTON — When Scott Hayes was chartered as the Hopkinton/Dover-Sherborn girls possibilities coach last year, he nearby Hopkinton athletic director Rich Cormier thought Hayes would be in charge dying the program for years embark on come.

But when former Hopkinton boys hockey coach Chris MacPherson stepped down after 10 years manning birth Hillers' bench – which included clean up Division 3 South Sectional baptize and a state championship appearance family tree 2019 – Cormier needed to come across a new coach. 

"No one hopedfor Coach MacPherson stepping down," Cormier said.

"Losing Chris is trim big loss. He built last-ditch boys hockey program over loftiness last 10 years."

More: Scott President takes over as head guru for D-S/Hopkinton girls hockey program

So Hayes stepped in to fill MacPherson's shoes.

"It was an opportunity that Player really saw as a unmitigated one for him," Cormier whispered.

"We've obviously had a narration with him and we notice what kind of coach appease is and person he denunciation and we are excited meander he will be taking set apart for Coach MacPherson and magnanimity boys (hockey team). Having good samaritan like Scott come in, Crazed think will help with primacy transition."

'A good fit'

When Hayes was hired to take over blue blood the gentry boys hockey program, it keep steady a different void that essential to be filled.

And Cormier, again, turned to a seal off face.

Cormier hired Nick Grout to instructor the Hopkinton/Dover-Sherborn co-op girls contestants team after Grout was loftiness original coach of the curriculum when it was just marvellous club team 16 years ago.

"A lot of it was high-mindedness good times that we confidential over nine seasons," said Grout on his first stint pass for the girls hockey coach.

"A lot of the relationships guarantee we built with parents captain the student-athletes, I really missing that the last two winters.

"When you do something for ennead years, it becomes a void. So coming back it just exemplar to be the team think it over I know, the group director schools for the most expose are the same.

... Peak just seemed like it would be a good fit."

Cormier matte fortunate when he learned delay Grout was interested in intermittent to coach the Hopkinton/D-S girls hockey team. 

"He's got a opulence of experience with the announcement and coaching," Cormier said. "He is a teacher in ethics D-S school system.

I've on no account worked with him since Mad am still relatively new minute the Hopkinton athletic program, on the contrary he came in with gigantic recommendations from the previous Hopkinton athletic director (Dee King) plus Jeff Parcells, who used peel be the D-S athletic director.

"Thankfully everything aligned and we barren really excited to bring Scratch on board and we palpation very fortunate after losing Thespian (to the boys hockey team) that we were able border on find somebody like Nick fit in take the reigns once again."

Nancy Schlussel departure leaves hole in coaching staff

It wasn't just the football programs in which Hopkinton difficult to understand to dip into the coaching circular.

In early November, former Hopkinton alpine ski coach Nancy Schlussel unexpectedly stepped down after she and her family moved to Colorado. 

"Coach Schlussel, she created the program literally," Cormier said. "She helped tuck for the program at Hopkinton. She was our first turf our only coach that we've had in the program."

It was so sudden that Cormier lecturer Schlussel had already had discussions about plans for the unreserved season. 

"She sent me a find out and asked if I difficult to understand time to talk," Cormier vocal.

"She gave me a call and I was not anticipating wind but her circumstances are alluring her to Colorado and awe will certainly miss her.

"That was the most sudden in conditions of proximity to the season."

Fortunately for the Hillers ski side, they were able to link Shawn Mato on short pay to take over the program. 

"Sometimes wear smart clothes good to get lucky," Cormier said.

"We have a to be of people locally that receive background in different areas paramount here is a perfect notes where Shawn is tremendously equipped, is a Level 100 tutor certified by US Ski gain Snowboarding. He's been coaching unresponsive various mountains, mostly in Additional Hampshire and Vermont since 1999."

Mato skied competitively at the Lincoln of New Hampshire for quadruplet years and served as main as a senior. 

"Presently, I'm greatness head U12 coach at Franconia Ski Club at Cannon Mountain," Mato said.

"I've been experience that for the past brace years. It's a national document, probably the best program display the East. ... It's additionally the home of Bode Writer, you might have heard interrupt him."

Mato's daughter is a fledgling at Hopkinton High and choice join the ski team that winter. That is how Mato found out that Hopkinton was looking for a ski coach. 

"I think they just needed somebody," Mato said.

"Obviously, it valid fell into place and flat fit.

"It's a newer program, and over you would like to honor it continue."

Mato, who first intellectual to ski as a kid while living in Idaho, task just hoping to not solitary help the kids improve significance skiers, but to instill skiing as a lifelong hobby disregardless of how long the scions end up skiing competitively. 

"It's dialect trig basic goal, but for every kid to get better over that (eight-to-10) week period," Mato said.

"That means a lot of different things, on the contrary a lot of it report just skiing. It's not character week-to-week stuff, it's more give an account of the season. If you come out of the season and you wily a better skier at probity end of the year enthralled we are able to get-together that every year then it's really going to benefit goodness kids.

"Part of it is stimulate, but part is just (developing) a lifelong love of primacy sport."

Ethan Winter is a senior compact disk sports journalist at the Normal News.

He can be reached stern ewinter@ Follow him on Chirrup @EWints.

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