For 27 years, Matt Mincone has coached the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School varsity hockey team where he worked to instill lessons of discipline, organization, hard work, and sportsmanship into his athletes and the program’s culture.
But last month, it was bittersweet when the Islands hockey community learned of Mincone’s official retirement from the role.
“I never thought coaching was going to be a second career, but it just turned into that, and fortunately the Island supported it,” said Mincone, who is also the West Tisbury Police Chief. “Twenty-seven years and you get to that point sometimes when you just don’t have that first-year energy anymore and I thought maybe it’s time we give someone else a shot.”
Members of the Island’s hockey community say they are thankful for Mincone’s dedication to the program and are aware there are some big shoes to fill.
“Being a public servant as a police officer, he wanted things done the right way — he always does the right thing on the ice and off the ice,” said MVRHS athletic director Mark McCarthy.
“I’lll miss him. It will be hard to replace Matt Mincone, and maybe we don’t replace him but we just hire a coach that follows in his footsteps.”
“He’s just a quality guy,” he added.
Mincone’s coaching journey with the Vineyard hockey team started in 1998, as an assistant coach under Mike Jackson. The team went on to win the division three state championship for the first time ever the very next season. In 2001, when Jackson stepped away, Mincone took the reins for the first time as head coach and led the Vineyarders to their second state title ever, and its first in division two.
But for Mincone, the kernel of his coaching career wasn’t the wins and losses, it was about being there for the team, and the other little things which, according to him, add up.
“My favorite part of the whole thing is just the conversations with the kids everyday,” said Mincone. “Having a player come to you with problems, it’s a responsibility and I will miss that. Those are such tiny things but when you add them all up over a period of time they equal something.”
Some of the little things Mincone always enforced was an organized locker room, staying on top of your school work, and respecting and listening to your parents. Each player’s personal locker needed to be identical and neat before the team left for the day, with approval to leave given by captains following an inspection.
“If you learn how to organize thirty inches of space, it sorta prepares you to stay organized for life.”
One mantra he shared was the seven “p”s, something he picked up during his time in the police academy: “Proper prior planning prevents piss poor performance.”
Mincone said he is confident in handing over the future of the program. “When you get to that point you have been doing something for a long time you want to make sure you hand it over to the right person,” Mincone said.
One possible coach to step in is current assistant coach, Mike Snowden. “He’s proved to me it’s OK to step away because this guy is in it for the right reasons,” said Mincone
The process of looking for a new head coach is set to kickoff soon, with MVRHS planning to start the application process by the end of this month.
With the High Schools varsity hockey head coaching role opening up for the first time in a while, a lot of Island coaches will be itching to bring a fresh perspective.
27 years of dedication, mentoring, leadership, compassion and solid work. Matt, you have touched so many lives throughout your coaching career, both professionally and personally. More than that, you leave a lasting mark of dignity in our hearts and on the ice. Thank you for not only coaching my son, but for being a substantial part of who he is today.
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