Gaine’s 1st Year As A.D. Successful On Many Fronts

Bill Gaine’s first year on the job as Hopedale High’s athletic director was a success on a variety of fronts.
A plethora of varsity teams qualified for tournament play after winning Dual Valley Conference titles. Then, more positives occurred when Blue Raider squads advanced deep into the sectionals while others advanced into the state playoffs.
Off the field, two new co-op teams were formed, athletic participation reached 75 percent (450 of Hopedale’s 600 students competed in at least one sport), athletic fees did not increase, and six new coaches joined a staff that’s viewed as top-notch.
“It was an outstanding year as far as results go,’’ said Gaine, who became athletic director after a year in the same role at Pope John High in Everett. “Our boys cross-country team finished ahead of Wakefield to capture a state title and the Millis-Hopedale football squad defeated Maynard for a Super Bowl title. Our girls volleyball team won the DVC title, our field hockey and boys soccer teams advanced in tourney play but fell short of a title, and our ice hockey co-op team qualified for the districts for the first time.’’
Elsewhere, the boys indoor track team won the DVC and district crowns, boys lacrosse qualified for tourney play for the first time, the baseball team won the DVC and both the baseball and softball contingents qualified for the districts. The softball team won the district title but lost in the state semifinals. And, both the boys and girls tennis teams won district crowns. The girls then were eliminated in the state semifinals and the boys lost in the state final.
“Once our teams qualify for tourney play, regardless of their regular season, we feel we can compete with anyone,’’ Gaine said. “The culture at Hopedale is one of high expectations. Our spring teams displayed tremendous tenacity. The softball team and the tennis squads were outstanding and they were terrific representatives of the school.’’
Gaine was pleased to find a partner for both of Hopedale’s lacrosse teams. “Boys and girls lacrosse became co-op programs when Blackstone-Millville agreed to join us,’’ Gaine said. “Our co-op arrangement with Millis in football has ended but now we’re in a joint venture with BMR. We remain a co-op in ice hockey as the host team along with Milford, Whitinsville-Christian, Millis and Douglas.’’
Gaine likes Hopedale’s participation numbers in athletics and he’s optimistic the numbers will increase for the 2017-18 school year. “We had 75 percent of our enrolled students involved in at least one sport,’’ Gaine noted. “That’s very positive but I believe we’ll surpass 75 percent in the next year.’’
Parents and players no doubt are pleased that Hopedale’s user fees will not increase. Currently, they’re $225 for all sports except ice hockey. “Ice hockey is $875 but most of that figure goes to ice time,’’ Gaine emphasized.
In Gaine’s initial year, he hired coaches for girls varsity lacrosse and boys varsity tennis. A boys and girls varsity track coach also was added along with three junior varsity coaches (girls soccer, field hockey and girls basketball).
“I’d rate our coaches as outstanding,’’ Gaine said. “They’re also great people who wear many hats. They counsels student-athletes, stress real-life lessons, deal with discipline, and do little things, like collect uniforms at the end of each season. Being a small school with all athletic facilities and fields off site, we tend to attract younger applicants.’’
Gaine has some priorities for the new school year — he wants several of the girls teams to be more successful and, because Hopedale doesn’t have a trainer on hand for all sports, he wants his coaching staff to get the necessary training and guidance needed to meet state standards for situations that deal with concussion protocol and CPR and defibrillator use.
“We’ve got good, caring people on our staff but we need to ensure they all can deal with safety issues if they arise,’’ Gaine emphasized. “Currently, a trainer is required only for football and ice hockey.’’
Other goals include implementing an active Hall of Fame, starting a student advisory board on leadership, and getting the conversation started on a turf field.
Being a small community, Hopedale has some differences with other schools it competes against. Its high school is the second smallest school in enrollment in the DVC (Whitinsville-Christian is smaller). In spite of that, Gaine says that Hopedale, nevertheless, leads the league in having the most sports offerings on its athletic menu.
“That’s one way we differ from other schools,’’ he said. “Another is that all our venues for athletics are off the school site. And, another difference is having the seventh and eighth grades at the high school. That translates to our jayvee teams being comprised mostly of seventh and eighth graders. Our jayvee teams are always facing older kids but in the long run that makes us better in terms of development.’’
Gaine handled all the daily duties an A.D. is faced with in admirable fashion — budgeting, purchasing, hiring, evaluating, and scheduling. “What I enjoyed most, however, was evaluating coaches in a constructive way,’’ said Gaine, who starred in three sports at Ashland High and played baseball at Westfield State. “Talking shop and developing trust and respect are what it’s all about.’’
Labeling all the A.D.s in the DVC as “very helpful and good mentors,’’ Gaine is eager to get started on his second year. “I want to achieve the goals I’ve set and I want us to improve on our overall participation and achievement,’’ he emphasized.