Bohane thrilled to be returning as CHS football coach

Make no mistake about it: Dave Bohane is ecstatic to be returning as Canton High School’s varsity football coach. Although there were many coaching positions available in the region earlier this year, Bohane believes the best position available was at CHS.

New CHS head football coach Dave Bohane pictured at the Ricky27 St. Patrick’s Day party

“I put my name into one job and it was Canton,” he said. “I have no desire to leave Canton. My family is here and I hope I am here for a long time. With a new schedule, this is a winnable program. This is a great community and Canton High is a great high school, and we have outstanding facilities. I just couldn’t be happier. How often do you get a second chance? This is the best job out there.”

CHS athletic director Danny Erickson said there was an initial pool of more than 25 applicants and seven were interviewed.

“Dave is the right choice,” Erickson said. “His passion for football, kids — and Bulldog football in particular — set him apart from our other candidates. I am thrilled to have him on board.”

Bohane, who was the head coach of the CHS varsity football team from 1994 to 1998, has taken the time to broaden his football experience, serving as an assistant coach in other communities and taking classes and seminars to boost his football knowledge on all sides of the ball.

Bohane helped to run the defense for Super Bowl champion Mansfield; he visited college programs, including Navy; and two years ago he resurrected the Galvin Middle School football program. The program started at 3-3 and had a great year this past season at 7-1.

It is the intention of both Bohane and Erickson to find a capable head coach for the middle school. In fact, Bohane is such a believer in the middle school program, he will remain as commissioner of the regional program, in which neighboring towns participate, at least for this year.

A 1985 graduate of Catholic Memorial, Bohane played defensive back in high school. He went on to play football and earn a physical education degree from Springfield College. He later earned a master’s degree in history from UMass Boston and has taught physical education for 20 years at the Hansen Elementary School.

Besides Canton and Mansfield, Bohane has been an assistant coach in Braintree and Milton. He believes that he is now a more mature and wiser football coach, more open to new ideas and strategies and listening to new ideas.

He is very excited that Canton will have a chance to qualify for a playoff berth by winning the Hockomock League Davenport Division (small school), which includes Oliver Ames, Sharon and Stoughton. The schedule now includes one less contest against one of the larger Hock schools. Next season Canton will not have to face Mansfield, and there is talk in the league that the small schools might get to avoid a second large school opponent in the future.

“Because of the split and the new schedule, there is so much more to play for,” Bohane said. “With a 3-1 record, you could qualify and get a playoff game.”

He cited the recent success of Mike Devoll’s CHS varsity basketball team, which qualified for the playoffs, beat Dover-Sherborn and nearly upset Cardinal Spellman — a team that advanced to the semifinals of Division 3.

“Once you get out of the Hockomock League, because it is so strong, you have a good shot at other schools,” he noted.

Bohane said the slate is clean when he is evaluating players and even assistant coaches. He will look at all coaches from former head coach Jim Goff’s tenure and others who wish to apply. He knows the sophomores and future freshmen who played for him in the middle school program, but he will decide who will play based on practice and “what he sees on the field.”

He promises no mark of wins and losses, but his immediate goal is to prepare his players to compete on a week-to-week basis and “know they have a shot to win every week.” He will stress to his players that they will represent Canton well on the field in play and sportsmanship and off the field in the classroom and in the community.

Bohane praised former head coach Jim Goff: “Jim is a very good man who certainly knows football and furthered the Canton program in many ways,” he said. “He’s a great guy and he certainly helped me. He did a lot for the football program here in Canton.”

Bohane admits he is a big weight training room and fitness guy, and he will be encouraging all players who want to play football and who are not playing spring sports to get in the weight and fitness rooms as soon as possible.

Because of the development of the entire program and the new schedule, Bohane said Canton is now ready to “take it to the next level,” and that’s why he is excited about the future of CHS football.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Mar 31 2011. Filed under High School, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.