National award, Fenway visit cap off exciting offseason for state champs
By Jay Turner
CHS boys hockey coach Brian Shuman with captains Ryan Nolte, Johnny Hagan and Michael Staffiere during the state championship trophy presentation at the TD Garden. (Mike Barucci photo)
Months after wrapping up one of the most dominant high school hockey seasons in Massachusetts history, the state champion CHS boys varsity ice hockey squad continues to pile up the honors and accolades, both locally and nationally.
The latest recognition comes by way of USA Today, who on Saturday named Bulldog head coach Brian Shuman as the top high school coach in the country for the 2018-19 school year. Shuman, who had previously been named the All-USA Boys Hockey Coach of the Year by the same publication, beat out six other national COY winners in a recent online poll to claim the top overall honor.
Of the 3,302 total votes cast, Shuman received nearly two-thirds of them, with most of the remaining votes going to Cypress (CA) head baseball coach John Weber. Other candidates included Gonzaga football coach Randy Trivers (D.C.), McEachern basketball coach Mike Thompson (GA), Oscar Smith track coach Stan Holloway (VA), Christian Brothers soccer coach Terry Michler (MO), and Buchanan wrestling coach Troy Tirapelle (CA).
In a telephone interview, Shuman said he felt both “extremely humbled” and a “little uncomfortable” receiving this latest honor, which he said really belongs to the players who made it all happen on the ice this season.
“I don’t really like getting the individual attention for such a team game,” he said, “and I think our season this year, overwhelmingly most of it, had to do with the great players and great kids that we had. At the same time, I’m flattered and appreciative that all the people took the time to vote for me.”
Shuman added that it felt great to have the Canton hockey program recognized on a national level. “We really have such a wonderful hockey community and it includes so many people besides me,” he said. “Any time you can bring attention to our program, to our town, and to our hockey community, I would say that’s a good thing.”
Along those lines, Shuman said it was quite a special moment for the players and their families to be recognized at Fenway Park last week prior to the start of the Boston Red Sox game. The Sox, themselves the defending World Series champions, had invited a select group of high school state championship teams, including the Bulldogs, to be honored on the field prior to their July 15 game against the Blue Jays. Shuman said the experience exceeded expectations as the announcer celebrated each title winner individually just before the singing of the National Anthem in front of a packed crowd of Fenway faithful.
“They brought us out onto the field and lined us up along the Green Monster, and then they said a little thing about each team,” he said. “It was really cool to be honored by the Red Sox and just a really memorable and special night.”
Both the Fenway experience and the national coaching honor for Shuman cap off what has been a whirlwind offseason for the state champs. In addition to receiving numerous awards and extensive press coverage, the squad also marched in the Canton Little League parade and made a visit to the Massachusetts State House at the invitation of state Representative Bill Galvin.
Shuman, meanwhile, took home the Boston Globe Division 2 Coach of the Year award, while two seniors — forward Ryan Nolte and goaltender Michael Staffiere — were named Boston Globe Athletes of the Year. Nolte, who led the state in scoring with 71 points, was also named to the Boston Herald Dream Team, and junior forward Johnny Hagan was selected to Neutral Zone’s All-Massachusetts First Team as the lone Division 2 representative.
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Posted by Jay Turner
on Jul 26 2019. Filed under High School, Sports.
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