Hoffer's High School Sports
Hoffer's High School Sports
Dave Intraversato
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Intraversato talks about his playing background, getting into coaching, navigating coaching girls from two rival towns and leading Yarmouth/Freeport the state championship in February.
But it's a little bit of a business to finish off here. The Yarmouth Freeport Girls Hacking Team. He also coaches the Freeport Girls Docker team. So it's a very interesting idea that he deals with every player. He's a Freeport guy in the fall that's one of their biggest rivals is Yarmouth. And of course, there's a lot of Yarmouth Fields players on the ice packing team. And it's not really over time games. Clearly, they were the three times definitely champs, and they still had some great players stuff. But yeah, Yarmouth Freeport, I think starting coming into the year was just a favorite effect in that game. It scored for the 45 minutes of regulation that went to overtime. And I think it was worth the wait for Yarmouth Freeport, but it but it was grueling and uh but they're camps and they're still pretty excited up there.
SPEAKER_03What's cool about uh about situations like that is you you know that that it will just be a snapshot of one year. But the amount of time that a coach and players put into kind of jail as a it's years. It's not like months you know, you know, you only get a little bit of preseason and then you're into it. It's years of manufacturing and uh it sounds like you did a pretty good job if he's gonna shift.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's like what we talk about. I mean, I know that's the public we stay on the take the ice for an hour and a half, we see the games and we don't see the early night practices, the late night practices, the team dinners, and all the stuff that goes into forging an identity and forging a culture and bringing communities together. You're right. I mean it doesn't it doesn't come overnight, and uh it certainly it it doesn't always work, but you know, clearly it did in this case, and they're really the model co-op program on the girls' side right now. And um, you know, and they're also state champs, so really, really a great story. And uh, you know, we taught we went into depth on on this season and we talked a little bit about soccer as well, and just uh just a great interview. So uh a champion from the winter. And very pleased to be joined this week by Coach Dave Introversado, coach of the state champion, the Yarmouth Freeport Girls Hockey Team, as well as the Freeport Girls Soccer team. Coach, thanks for taking a few minutes to sit down with me. Good to see you.
SPEAKER_00Good to see you and thanks for having me. I I listen to your podcast quite a bit. It's awesome that I'm here.
SPEAKER_01So about it's been about a month now since you guys finally broke through and won that championship. You still uh that's what you're still riding high on?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, riding a little high. You know, I see the girls. We just had our banquet this week, and um seeing the smiles on their faces um you know makes me happy. And you know, I just reflect on some of those kids, the seniors, um, and what they've been through in the four years and the work they put in. It it's just um it just makes me happy to think about it. And you know, I keep watching the game-winning goal over and over and just seeing that pile at the end and them jumping up and down, throwing helmets and seeing the this excitement and joy on their face is is priceless.
SPEAKER_01Right. And you know, it just those of us that just come to games, we only see a little bit of part. You know, we don't see the early morning practices, the late night practices, the the bus rides, the team meals, all that stuff that goes into it. I mean, it's such an intense period of time where you guys are all together. So to have it end in that perfect fashion's gotta be very special.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, it definitely was. It was it was like I always I mean I've been to two state games with these girls, and you know, with soccer to regionals and um semifinals, and you always like in your head kind of play it out, like what's it gonna be like? And you know, you you you you envision the crowd, you envision the pile, you envision everything, and you envision how you're gonna feel. And you know, I'm I am pretty emotional. I'm a crier. Like, I I had no sad emotion. That I was so happy, and I I think my coaches were tackling me so hard on Spanish, they were so excited, and I'm like, we gotta get on the ice, we gotta get on the ice. And I was climbing over the boards, and I stopped and sat on the boards and just took it all in and watched these girls be so overly happy with the thing. It was it was awesome.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So take me back. I know you've been involved in sports for a long, long time. You grew up in Massachusetts, is that right?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, small town of South Shore, uh Abington. Okay. Um my dad owned a hockey shop down in the Rockland Rink, and I grew up in that area and worked there. And you know, it was it was pretty fun because me and my best friend, his dad was a co-owner as well, so we'd work every Sunday, and um we were rink rats. So, you know, all of a sudden if someone wouldn't team wouldn't show up, there'd be some free eyes, we'd be out there skating. So we were around hockey all the time. I refereed down there, I did the clock, everything in the rink. Um, you know, and then you know, after going through high school, I went to Plymouth State, you know, played hockey there for four years. Um captain my fourth year was it was an awesome experience um to be able to be a leader on a team like that. Um coaches um at Plymouth were great. Um I kind of always wanted to coach because of those guys. Um you know, my high school coach. Um I went to school to be Phys Ed teacher, like my high school coach and try to coach, you know. I was like it was really cool, you know, going to high school in the morning and being there early and going to talk to him in his office about hockey and stuff. And I used to do the same thing in college with my college coach. I'd go watch film at his office. He had this giant old TV in there where we watch film. Um it was it was just a good relationship to have with him, and I I you know, I think um I hope that some of my students that I work with have the same type of feeling about me as their coach. Yeah. Kind of that's kind of the end game really.
SPEAKER_01So it was it was hockey or did you play other sports too growing up?
SPEAKER_00Um I played soccer until my sophomore year of high school. Okay. Um I wasn't um developing physically as the other kids were quickly, so I um struggled a little bit and then I had some some knee issues that were more of a growth situation than really were in major and I and I and I quit soccer. And um to this day it's still probably my biggest regret ever because I loved the sport growing up. Um I wasn't horrible at it. Um I played every position and in high school I was playing in the back and I really like playing defense because it was my hockey position as well. Um but you know, I think by me not finishing out the soccer part of my high school, I I can share that with some of these kids now who are in the same boat that just don't feel like things are fair for them, or they're not doing great, or you know, they might need one more year of JV or they're a swing, and you know, I can I can share my story um to help them, you know, get them to where they need to be.
SPEAKER_01Right. So I mean you've you've loved hockey your whole life, it sounds like what what is it about the sport that you're so passionate about?
SPEAKER_00Um, you know, it's you hear it all the time, hockey players are a different breed. Um and we are. I mean we we're just we we're personable, you know, it's the locker room thing. I I really believe that. And um, you know, you're in the locker room with these guys and you know, battling it out on the ice and everyone's doing going through the same stuff and you're giving it your all, and and it's like it's the amount of fitness that you know a professional hockey player needs is is insane. I mean you hear those stories all the time when the Bruins come out of the playoffs and Patrice Bergeron's playing with broken ribs and you know no one knows that. Charles out there with a broken jaw. Like guys just do that because they can, you know. It's like um they want to be around their guys, and I think that's what hockey is. You just want to be around your people, and um it's just a fun place to be, and not there's nothing like the failing of skating, like just skating fast and feeling the wind and making some moves, just the flow and the creativity of the game. I mean, it's it's gotten so creative. Um, I mean you see it all the time on social media now, people are posting you know these crazy plays Michigans or whatever whatever you want to call them, but you know, there's nothing like watching a nice bang bang play. Like, I mean, the the US team hadn't had a nice goal over the Olympics, a couple passes in a goal. It's just it's just a great game. Yeah. So how did you end up in Maine and how did your coaching journey start? Uh my wife got a job at L L Bean. Our kids were at the age where it's kindergarten first grade or kindergarten preschool, and we decided to move for her to take that job. Um I was refereing high school hockey in mass at the time, um, and I was a salesman, construction supply. So I left that job. I came to Maine and I was researching, you know, referees, and the head of NIHOA in Maine was a college teammate.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_00So I reached out to him and I got involved with that. And then a year later I got it on the ECAC um college ranks, and I was uh doing some college games, which I've never done at Mass, and and it's a funny story. The I I got picked up by one of the referees that first game and I was doing the lines, and we were going to Colby. It was a Colby Bowden game. I'm new. I don't know how to do it. So I'm gonna do it. So we go up there and uh we're driving. He's like, So how many college games have you done? I'm like, none. Oh wow. How many times have you line the game? I haven't done lines either. He's like, What? Oh no wow. I said, I said, Don't worry, I'll keep up.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Right. So we got we got on the ice and I'm running skating around and I kept up, no problem. And he he taught me it was a great game. But mind you, um, the fans. Oh Merciless. And I was standing there in between periods, going on the ice, putting the nets, and this is heaven. It was uh it was like the best thing ever. I think I had texted my my aunt at the time and I said, I am heaven on earth right now, this is exactly what I wanted to be doing.
SPEAKER_02Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_00Um and then as time went on, you know, I'm repping those games, repping high school games, I'm starting to coach soccer with my kids. Things were getting a little hectic, the schedule's getting hectic, and and I was like, Why are they not coaching hockey? And nothing was available. You know, I didn't understand like who to get in contact with. So I just kept repping. Um and then um as I was coaching soccer here, um Craig Sickles came to me one day. We had it was right before a game, he's like, Hey, uh the Yarmouth girls hockey job's available. And I'm like, What? He's like, Yeah, we can talk about it if you want. Because he knew I was a hockey guy because he saw my resume. When I interviewed here for soccer, everything was hockey. Right. He's like, Why aren't you coaching hockey? And I was like, I I don't know. Um and then on my soccer team, um, I had a one of my seniors was a hockey player, Paige Rinaldi, and I knew her dad really well too, um, from all the years of soccer. So I talked to him about the team and stuff, and then there was another girl from Yarnworth on the team, and I knew her dad. She used to live in Freeport, so I talked to him a little bit. We got interviewed, and you know, the rest of the sisters, I got the job, and you know, I I knew what I had coming up throughout the younger levels, because I just had I had friends that and Chloe White's mom was a good friend of mine. I knew she had sisters coming up. Um I knew Pansioco and Panica were out there, didn't know what type of athletes they were at the time. I just knew names. I think Anthony Pansioko was in my daughter's grade, so I knew he was a hockey person, so I I was like, this this we could build something here. Um so you know, that's kind of how it happened, and you know, the rest is history. We just kept working and um you know, we a couple tough years to start, but I think once they understood my culture. I think it was hard being a three port coach going into Yarmouth to coach a team for some of the kids. Um for me too, you know. Um even now, like you know, there are times you you lose to Yarmouth on a Saturday afternoon in soccer and Monday morning you've got to go coach these kids, but the Yarmouth kids aren't there because they're still playing. Yeah. So we're like where's everybody? Because they beat you. Yeah, right. So but yeah.
SPEAKER_01Right, and then conversely, you've got like the Yarmouth field hockey stars on your team, yeah, not happy with Freeport after losing in the regional final them and having to turn around and start practice for ice hockey with Freeport players. So I mean those are some interesting dynamics. I mean, how do you how do you navigate that? And or is it just a case of when that team comes together, all that other stuff kind of goes away?
SPEAKER_00So when all that comes together, it's usually five o'clock in the morning.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00So I think um for me, I I kind of make it fun. I usually have the um the speakers on the rank cranking like some really hard music. Yep. So when they come in, they they hear that. Um and we'll go out and we'll just start skating and doing drills, and you know, they just they just do it. I mean they they'll still think it's tryout, so they you know, um it's up to them to have the locker room stuff because we can't really go in the locker room, they're girls. So, you know, that's it's a hard thing to try to figure out what's going on there. But you have captains and seniors from Freeport that can handle any type of situation if there is one. But there isn't. These girls love each other. Right. It's just they know they battle hard. Yeah you know, I think we've got a culture going here where once hockey starts it's different. And this year was was was was a little different because you know, that Yarmouth Freeport field hockey game was was a tight game. And um I remember Celia not looking too happy those first couple. I can imagine I can only imagine. We actually came down here to to do some film in one of these classrooms, and the field hockey coach's picture was on the wall. It just brought back bad memories for her. So we we decided not to have meetings in FreePo anymore.
SPEAKER_01So I mean what you you take over a program that didn't have a whole lot of success, a whole lot of history. How did you instill what you wanted and get this get the girls to believe they could be a top-tier team, which you got to be fairly quickly?
SPEAKER_00Um so the first year I think was a good test for us. We had some really good players. I mean, Hannah Swift was a solid player, she worked really hard. Um Pedro Naldi was there, um, Chloe White was on defense as well. Sadie Carnes was a freshman. We had um Allie Ferrado was a phenomenal goalie. Um so you know, my soccer mentality built from the back. I'm like, we were alright. We had three really good defensemen and a good goalie. Um, I just had to get to know the other kids. And you know, Olivia Bradford was with us at the time. She was a phenomenal skater and um she could score goals. So I'm like, we can build on that. So I brought some old school mass hockey, dump and chase mentality, a lot of back check-in, cover your wings. It was boring hockey for some of these girls that they used to, and uh we were like I think we were one and seven, and we had Chevris coming in who just won states the year before, and um we ended up beating them three to two. Okay. And we went on a run and went through seven games in a row and because he believed in the um dump and chase. And I remember Hannah Swift coming to me and saying, We can skate with these guys. And uh after all those that skating we did for the first month, they totally bought in on, hey, we need to work a little extra hard if we want to keep up with these teams. Now, at the time, Lewiston was something and three lines just you know, flow passing, circling, cycling was insane. And I said to myself, I want my team to look like that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Um and then um right around COVID, we had a nice class come in. It was um that paninka, Pansioko, Sophie Smith, Iz Peters, Elizabeth Moolin, and we we started getting a little bit deep there, and I'm like, this is gonna be something special, and nobody knew because it was c we weren't playing games, it was COVID, right? No one knew what we were building. Um I think we only won five games. We didn't have a goalie because Ali Pirata went to study abroad somewhere, and um our young goalie that came in, she ended up leaving a year after. So we've been we were looking for a goalie for years. Um you know, so we probably would have Rosie Softman probably would have been a better team if we, you know, had a Ally Pirada in that. Um but you know, we just took our bunches and we just kept playing and they got better and you know we we found our way. And um I think um that was the group that really pulled the Arm Ruth and Freeport together. Okay. Sophie Smith and Iz Peters and and Ella and Amanda and Rosie and Kate Tracy was another one that was pulled us together. And we brought in Ava Gervais to play goalie or senior year. She right off the field, hockey field, she just came up to me and she's like, Hi, I'm Ava, I'm gonna be your goalie. And I was like, whatever. So she came in and then all of a sudden we were 10 and oh.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And I'm like, what is going on? It was like 2023 or I'm like, this is insane. Um and we just kept winning, and all of a sudden we're in the state final. And that was the year Pranopskoff came in, and that ev everybody was they were crushing everybody, and we had their number, you know, uh because we were we played a little rough, like they did, so we could hold our our own with them. Um and we had some goal scorers. I mean, Rosie could rip the puck, Sophie Smith could fly, she could score.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And Amanda was rock solid on all aspects of the game. So it was it was something. And Shady Conn's won the um Becky Shea. That's right, that's right. You know, and if you asked me at the beginning of the year, could we go to States? I I I would have been like, no way, I don't know. Like, we won six games. Yeah. We have a goalie that couldn't did not escape the year before. She was playing field hockey, you know. So um but just their mentality and their personalities, they just clicked. And it started that culture. And this current senior class I have, we're freshmen on that team. Right. You know, when you have a power play with Adelaide and Amanda on the point and Rosie up front with her line, I'm like, it was really something special. Yeah. Um, you know, and I think um losing that first year, like, I I I don't know what to say. I mean, I was just I was so sorry. I was so pleased we um we got there, you know. Like um the thing is now it's like how do you build it to go back? You know? Right.
SPEAKER_01Once you've established that level.
SPEAKER_00Right. You lose we lost two seniors well, three three seniors because four, because uh so we're like, all right, we gotta find another goalie. And at the time the goalie we thought we were gonna have went to Sherry's Ellie. Um so we were like, what do we do now? So we kept looking. We had a good goalie coach, which is very helpful. I mean my coaching staff's outstanding, and he we built goalies every year. And um so the f the following year we went back to States. Um and it was funny because it was the same situation. We had Tanopscott in the regional final, and we scored an empty net goal, we'll go three to one and you know, sealed the deal. Back to back, it was it was like the same exact thing. And then that state game, Chevris just came out and just handed it to us, and we weren't ready for that, and that's probably on me. You know, I was like, we just have to work harder, we just have to work harder, we just have to work harder. I didn't learn from the previous year, but I was like, what do we learn? I mean, we lost two games, we were taking and two, whatever it was. And um, but over time, you know, as I get older, I you know, I had to change the way I coached. You know, the kids are different now than they used to be. Um you have to listen more. You have to understand what makes them tick, you know, their feelings evolve, you know. Um and you just you have to either work them hard together, or you gotta lay off and give them space. And I think giving them more space is actually helpful. Um I mean this year we we had so many long weekends built in for them to do whatever they wanted to do. I went to Florida. Right. I was like, you know, we had a couple cancellations with New Hampshire teams, and I'm like, I didn't want to put anything else on the schedule. I'm like, let's just give them a break.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00We'll just learn from all the other games and we'll try to get to the finals and we'll work through the playoffs and get through the playoffs. And I tested it with soccer. You know, I'm like, tell them the girls, don't worry about it. I know we lost to York there in last place. I'm not gonna get concerned about that. Even if we won, we probably got we would have got eight one heel point. So no big deal. It's not a big game.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Uh but you also want to be playing your best at the end of the year. Of course, of course. You know, and I think in soccer we did that. So I brought it over to hockey this year, and I was like, you know what? We have to remember that. Like that last game of the season, even though it's senior night, we still we have to win that game. Because the year before we didn't win it. We went and played Brunswick and in the regional final and we lost.
SPEAKER_01Was there pressure coming into this year? You knew the senior corps, they been to two state games, lost in a regional final. It was now or never, in a sense, if you really wanted to win a championship, so was there pressure did you feel like on you or on the girls?
SPEAKER_00I don't think there was pressure. Um I didn't give them any added pressure. I just kind of had a plan in place. Um I knew we were gonna have Maya back as and she was gonna be a year older and a little bit and better. Right. Um and the the the hard part at the beginning of the year was trying to piece lines together. Like we didn't we we didn't know if we're gonna go three or two um you know who's gonna play D, how many D we gonna go with. We had five for a little while, and then you know, one girl was at island school, so we had to fill in her spot until she came back. So things were kind of jumbling around and we were trying to test some things out. The young kids really stepped up, I I think, like Presley Stroud and Macy White, they were on Maya's line, they they were scoring a ton of goals. And you know, we had two first lines when you think about it. Yeah, you know, we weren't worried about matching up with anybody. Yeah, you you see one of the you know, those a couple of those Binifer girls could score, yeah. We want Adelaide out there against them. But the other decors could be a starting decor for, you know, Sophie and Erica, they could start for any team.
SPEAKER_01Sure.
SPEAKER_00So I thought we were in a pretty good place, you know, when you think about our back four, you know. Um Lydia was just playing rock solid for us. So, you know, by game three or four, I think it was a two-two Chevrolet's tie after that game. I'm like, you know, I think we gave that one away. I think we probably should have won that game.
SPEAKER_01I mean, we probably big difference in shots.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And that's how it was all season. We were out shooting everybody. Um so we just had to figure out how to get it in the net.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And um there's one team though that you couldn't solve in the regular season. And as a result, you wound up as the two-seed, which might have even been helpful, right? I mean, pressure's on them going to the playoffs now on Edward Little. After they beat you twice in the regular year, there's the pressure of beating a good team three times, and all of a sudden you guys are the two-seed instead of the one.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, EL is um they're good. They're going to be good, and they get more coming in. Um we know that. Um we're pretty tied in with the middle school. My assistant coach runs our program, and he was tell he was telling us for years Edward Little's gonna have a team coming in, be ready. Um and they, you know, when with when St. Dom's closed its doors, some of those girls went over there, so they added some more skaters. Um, their goalies phenomenal. Um so yeah, we knew that first game against them, um, you know, we were up one-nothing after the first period, and we I think shots were almost even. And I but I thought we spent more time in the offensive zone than they did, so I'm like, that's a good game. And then right off the face off they scored the second period. And some play like that kind of takes the wind out of your shells. And um they scored again, not probably about two or three minutes after that. We may have gotten a penalty. Um, once we start getting penalties, we were having issues. Um but at the end of the day we're like four you know, third period comes by as four to one. I'm like, all right, whatever. This is gonna you know, get some people in there and let's just walk out of here with our heads high and you know, let's learn from it. So, you know, Edward Little was they were so happy to to win that game. And you know, it popped them up when the hail points to turn one, they stayed there the rest of the year. Yeah. You know? Um, you know, and we're like, uh, what if Chevris beats them? We beat Chevris, you know, we uh you know we're trying to I'm like who cares? Right.
SPEAKER_01You know you have to beat those teams at some point anyway.
SPEAKER_00I'm like I said, I said you know, we'll play him in the regional final. Let's worry about that, we'll learn from it, you know. And then we we got them in in the arm at there, and you know, we lost 2-1, and I think we we a couple of those goals were were a couple of bad plays by us. We didn't cover the point on a on a face-off. Um girl shot through traffic. I don't think our goalie starts at the last second. Their last goal, like we couldn't get a change in our D, and they were getting a little gassed, and our spacing got kind of messed up, and we had a forward playing defense, and you know, and then all of a sudden it was a two-on-one with you know two of the best players in the north. It doesn't end up against our freshmen, you know. So um and they scored. So it's like at the end of the game, I just told the girls in the locker room, I said, again, we just learned. We I'm like, you guys feel like we should have won that game? They're like, Yeah. We'll figure it out when we play him again. Just love the rest of the season the goal, let's just play.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00Um and I remember talking to you after that game, and I think you were like, you know, you've you've got five goals against Chevrolets and EL put together. You know, how are you gonna be able to score goals to to win states? And then you kind of went, Well, I I guess you could win one-nothing. And here we are.
SPEAKER_01Yep. Well, or you score three quick ones against CL in the regional final. So I mean that right there opens it up and you guys go on to win the thing.
SPEAKER_00So that that regional final, I was, you know, as I was watching film the days before and the mornings before, and I'm trying to figure out what's the best plan of attack with the girls in the locker room before the game. What do I talk to them about? You know, there's some nerves there's going to be nervous girls there. We we have a young team. Sure. We may have ten seniors, right? Four of them play a lot.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Right? The rest of the younger players. That second line is young sophomores. I mean we were starting besides Adelaide, she would start with, you know, two sophomores and three freshmen. You know, so you know, to them, they're not that nervous. It's like we got plenty of time, you know. It's the seniors that are like like, you know, Celia's and Erin's, they're like, we gotta win this game. And I knew they had to win the game. So we talked um in the last game of the season when br when Brunswick tied it up, I had called a timeout, and and I was pretty fired up. Um and I was walking around and it was I remember we were starting to get penalties. I was walking around and talked to one of my coaches, I'm like, this seems like a year ago. And we started getting penalties and so they scored three goals and we lost. Right. So the same thing happened. It was 2-2. And I just said, Look, you guys have to make decisions. We're not gonna lose this game. You're not going to lose this game. We are not repeating history. And we scored two in the last four minutes, and we were everybody was happy. So, you know, we were going, I think we had that little mojo going the rest of the time. So when we went into Edward Little, I'm like, all right, uh, they know they can beat anybody, right? They have this refuse to lose attitude right now, and we've been working on routines at practice for two weeks before the regional game. We're gonna stick to doing the same thing. It's our pregame warm-up, everyday practice. So when they go to a game, it's the same setup, just gonna be comfortable with it. And I told them, we gotta jump on them early, and I said, This is your rank. I said, You guys have played in this rank way more than them. Right. When you guys were freshmen, you guys were playing Portland twice, Cape twice, Chevrolets twice. We have six games there against those guys, right? And you guys have been in regional finals here. Right and state finals. Right. So you guys, this is your rank. They're gonna feel uncomfortable. You shouldn't feel uncomfortable. They're maybe in the home locker room. This is our home rink. Yeah. And we went out there and in the second shift of the game, so you know, Sophie kind of flipped one towards the goal and went in. Yeah. And I think at that point we're like, oh no, we can score this goalie, and then we got two more. I mean, we're rolling. Yeah. Um, they they clawed their way back though. That third period was getting a little sketchy, and you know, we they scored that goal. Uh well, the one at the end of the second when the ref had the offside and they were trying to look at the time.
SPEAKER_01Oh my god, yeah, that was a scary moment. It was offside the whole time.
SPEAKER_00I'm screaming offside, offside, and I looked down and the ref got his arm up just standing there when everyone's screaming. He's still standing with his arm up and I'm like, Yeah, it's it offside. Offside. All right, so that's that was good. But um, if that went in, that would have been a different game. Come on with a different mentality, and um, you know, we would have been like freaking out a little bit. But um I think we played calm in that game. We back checked, I mean, one of the best plays in that game after the first goal we scored. Um their top player, seven, was on their on a breakaway. Exactly. And um Lydia made the save. And out of nowhere was a back checker, our number eight, Celia Zendman grabbed the puck and cleared it when their uh 63 was right there to get the puck. They score that goal, it's one-one. Momentum changed, different game. So that's the I told I said at the bank the other night, Celia that was probably the biggest play of her life. That back check. Um and we focused on that all the time. You gotta get back, you gotta get back, you gotta get back. Um yeah, so we took that game, and I think um it was it was weird because like other regional finals we won, and we were very excited, everything was awesome. Like we were excited. Yeah. Um we were just ready to get changed and go watch Chevrous and cheer for Chevrous, because that's what we're gonna do. That's what you want. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So I mean it was different. There's no Lucy Johnson this time, there's no Caroline Russo, but there's still an Ellie's Kolnekovic, and they still have a lot of girls who had won three straight titles. So you knew that wasn't going to be easy, but it was gonna mean more to go through them. Is that fair to say?
SPEAKER_00It would have been it would have meant more because of that. I think, you know, in the years past, like we we didn't play Ellie in the other two state games. That's true. They had their own little view as lights out. She that first game, she was she's you know, she was the reason they won the game. I mean, the second game, I mean Caroline and Lucy were just you know scoring at will. I mean it was it was hard to play them. Um and yeah, they still had talent, you know. They had good D, um, you know, the Curry girl, the freshman, great little skater, good player.
SPEAKER_01Dangerous.
SPEAKER_00Um but you know, I I remembered something Scott had told me, 'cause Scott and I are friends, I I we we always talk about those games, and he said um in that first state game, he's like, when you guys went from three lines to two lines, I was kind of happy because we were gassed.
SPEAKER_01Okay and did him a favor. Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_00So I was like, alright, so this next state game, our game's coming up now, and I was like, I just have to remember that. I said, I gotta stick to my guns, I gotta stick to my guns, stay stay the plan, stay the plan. And um we we played relax in the state game, and I think I just told them like they knew they knew what to do. Like I I went in the locker room and they were to all talk in, and I I barely had to say anything. You know, I just had to just say, hey, look, we're not repeating history. We're we're making history. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Um took a while though.
SPEAKER_00And they're like, you know, it was we knew it was gonna take a while. The day before was um Friday of practice, it was the 13th, right? Yep. Valentine's Day was the stage game. So I I had showed up with um a big uh red bag with Valentine's candy, and I left it in the locker room for them and a little card. Nice. And so that kind of like tugged at their hearts a little bit so we could have a nice practice.
SPEAKER_02That's great.
SPEAKER_00Um and we're having good practice. So what we did is we we had our third line pretend they were Chevrolet's so we're like we were trying to run through some plays to mimic what Chevrolet's was doing. Um and then we were working on some face-off plays to try to score goals on face-offs, and then I said, All right, we're gonna go uh work on a six-on-five situation in case we have to pull the goalie. So right at we're working on it, and it was like bing, bing, bing, bing, goal. I'm like, alright, practice is over. And on that. They're like, well, we didn't do the trap. I said, we'll figure the trap out when we get to the game. Don't worry about it. Um so the game comes and um first period, I mean, we outshoot him, right? And we're like, all right, we'll relax. Second period's is Scott's period. He loves the second period, it's a long change.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00He likes to try to stretch it out a little bit, keep our off the line and on the ice so we get tired. Um the trap that he likes to play, we talked about it um in the locker room before the second because we knew he was gonna do it. Um when someone sets a trap up, they want to keep you outside the dots. So I'm like, okay, Adelaide, just take the puck and skate outside the dots. And when you have a chance to cut in, cut in. And then just dump it in and then we'll go get it. And that worked twice and got changed on his plan. You know? Um so I knew I'm like, alright, he's changing his plan a little bit. And I was like, what's he gonna do next? You know, he's always got something up his sleeve. And he just kept playing. And it was, I mean, the rest were letting stuff go, there are no penalties, come to the third, and we get a penalty.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And I'm like, oh no, that can go two ways. Right. You know, Maya scores a shorthanded goal because that's what she does, right, or the other team scores. Um But when we set up in our defensive set, and I just watched them do it, it was everything we did at practice, and there was no way Shevers was going to score. And his girls have been on the ice, his best he plays his best line too much. And they're ghast. Um and then there was a time after that, I think we got a little bit of momentum for killing it, and I'm on the bench and I'm like, Alright, Scott, call your time out. Call your time out. Because I wanted to tell my girls to rest, but I didn't want to rest his girls, so he calls his time out, so it's great. So we get to talk a little bit. Um get fresh legs out there, he had the same girls out there, and I'm like, we're gonna win this. And I just thought about the previous conversation Scott and I had about how tired we got in our first game. Table's turn here, he's getting tired. I'm like, we have to get a goal here. And then we went into overtime, and now you're nervous because any, you know, a f any little fluke can happen. You have a bad change, or there's a penalty, too many on the ice, it shows, you know. Um but I think we owned that, period. They didn't have any shots, we owned the zone. Um we kept we were playing five Fords at the time um and three D. And we were getting tired. Um I think Sophie White was out there for probably what six minutes overtime. There was a time where we thought she was gonna dump and change, she she dumped it in, she skated out a fourth time. She had she had all the juice that game. She was one of her best games of her career. And next thing you know, I'm like, alright, we gotta get some players out there. And I was like, oh my god, Avery hasn't been out there. So I'm like, Avery, go play left wing with with Maya and Macy. Um and we had had Avery center, Macy, and Presley a couple times around the year, a little freshman line. Okay, kind of like it gives us a little jump start if we need it, um, because they're all they're all friends and they get get a goal and they're freshman, they're young. Um so it's not like she hasn't played forward before. And she scored big goals, she had a big goal in the Bitterford game early season. Um so you know, I had faith that she was going to make a play or at least give us a good shift. Um and it was one of my assistants turns my goalie coach, and he's like, Nate, uh Avery's on forward, Avery's on forward, and he likes her because she's got a really good shot, and she nips our goalie in practice all the time. And she has one of the better shots on the team. So we're like, alright, everybody agrees with this move. Um and I mean I mean we cycled in and out of the zone once, and then she just took the puck, and I mean the the video is out. I mean and we always talked the score on Ellie, you have to pull her off the post. Okay. You know, at some point, and we like to do that. We we send two the two four checks, we try to like a couple passes behind the net to get the goalies moving a little bit. Yeah. Avery came flying around the net, and instead of coming around the net lefty to try to stuff it or pass it, she she must have saw the opening because she went right back right to her backhand and just flipped it under her arm. Yeah. And I think she said um to me when I went out to hug her, she's like, she pulled herself off the post. I was like, Oh yeah, they listen. That's whatever matters the most. Yeah. It was uh it was awesome. And I just um I just remember seeing that I I had a perfect view of that space where that puck went, and I saw it bounce behind her and hit the back of the net. And I'm like, it's in. And my coaches were like, oh my god, it was crazy. Um it really was. I mean, I just I the that the the happiness on those kids' faces was something I'll never forget. And hopefully I can do it again.
SPEAKER_01Right. Well, I mean, you know, and obviously that's that's for down the road, but for for this group especially for them to break through. I mean, that had to be a very gratifying feeling for you to see those seniors who had come so close through your prior years to go out as champions and and raise that trophy.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. I mean uh two years uh you last year when we lost to Brunswick in the regional, and I saw Celia Zinman with her head on the boards and holding the boards, you know, just in tears, and I went over to console her a little bit, my arm around her. And you know, kid that worked so hard, she was so mad and upset and sad and everything, emotion that you could think of, she had. And you know, it's that's a tough thing for a coach. Like you it's hard to talk to those kids, you know. You gotta just give them some space or console them a little bit, put your arm around them. And you know, I think I just said to her, I said, look, we have one we have another year to do this. You know, don't you worry, we're gonna come back. And you know, and you know she could probably agree. I mean, Celia Cinnamon will she'll tell you she can win space in everything she does, you know, and that's just the type of person she is. Um but you know, seeing those kids so happy, um it's it was it was great. I mean it's there was relief on their face and satisfaction, and it was like it's weird because like there was always so much stress built up, you know, we're playing Chevrolets, we're playing Chevrolets, we're playing Chevrolets no matter what game it is. And we just you know won the thing and it it was all gone. You know, they were so relaxed, like, hey, we did it, you know. Um it was great.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01And the program is in very good shape, right? I mean, in a day and age where a lot of programs are hurting for numbers, you've got good younger players coming back. I'm sure this is gonna generate even more interest. So, I mean, how do you feel like what's the state of the program at this point?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so we have right now, uh I believe that we have thirteen eighth graders coming in, um, which is it's a it's a good number, and it's a good class. We have some good players. Uh there's another NASDAQ coming up. Um so she's pretty good. Yeah, I'm sure. Uh we have a couple of defensemen coming in that are tall and can move the puck. Um the the fun thing is we we practice at CBA and Falmouth on at night at nine o'clock. So Tuesday and Thursday, some of the eighth graders and seventh graders practice before us. So we get to see them practice. So we'll look we're all like scouting. Yeah, we're like, who's that? Who's that? Who's that? And you know, there's there's kids from other teams that are gonna be there too, so you know, um, so we know like who's coming in, where they're going, and it's kind of fun. And um I think we're gonna be in good shape. I mean, we still have two years with with Lydia and Nat, um, you know, and Avery's got three coming back, and you know, we still got OC and you know, Eleanor's our fifth defenseman, she'll be stepping up and playing filling a role for us, and you know, that eyes line's back full intact, and Dylan will be a senior and you know we'll be in good shape. And there's a good seventh grade group as well. We need to find a goalie, our next goalie is not till sixth grade, which there might be a gap there, but you know, we have a goalie coach that we make goalies, so we'll figure it out.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. Let's switch over to soccer for a minute. You haven't been able to get quite as far. You've had very competitive teams, but there's always a Cape or a Greeley or a Yarmouth. Just happens to be the last three state champions are are these rival teams. Yeah. But I mean you've turned that program into one that's very competitive too. Do you feel like you're pretty close?
SPEAKER_00I think we're really close. I thought last year um was could have been a year we did it. I think out of all the teams that could have upset Cape, I think we almost did we almost did. And we know how that ended, and you know, it's it's it's a shame that um the referees weren't wearing headsets, like I said, in the in-off game.
SPEAKER_01Well, it's I mean it's to people that don't know, your best player Sylvie Strong's defending their best player, Noel Mallory, on a corner kick. They collide, right? They hit heads and the play should have been stopped. It wasn't. The ball comes out, it winds up coming back in. Your player's not able to recover, theirs does and scores, and your season ends like that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01I mean, that had to be tough, tough to deal with on a lot of levels, right?
SPEAKER_00I think it was. I think I mean the other coach was yelling more about the girls being down than I was. I was just kind of like, what's going on? I mean, I saw flags wave in, and I I really thought the player was going to be blown dead. And and even if I you couldn't hear anything. The crowd was so loud. You were there. I was like, I mean, yeah. It was there was a lot of people there. That was a great game. That was um and you know it it it didn't end great. Um, but you know, at the end of the day, you know, that cave team was awesome. Absolutely. You know, um they had everybody's number all year long.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Um, you know, and we gave him a good show.
SPEAKER_01You gave him a better game than anyone else did, even even in the postseason.
SPEAKER_00Uh it was our plan, our plan was to, and you know, it was Sylvie's idea. She's like, uh I will guard Mallory. I'm like, okay, sounds good to me, you know. Um and we had we had a I had a hand signal to have another player helper. It was Abby Giroux, who's a really good defender. Right. You know, so she was playing center back because we'd I think Sophie had hurt her knee, so we had to like kind of shift things around with players. And um Abby was doing a great job, and you know, so there were certain times where I give her the signal, I can't tell you what it is, because I don't but uh and it was working. Um you know, and then you know it's the dreadful corner kick, is I hate corner kicks, like it's something that I really want to try to get away from. I don't want my girls like kicking balls out of bounds, but just try not to get away from anything but don't give up a corner kick, especially against those girls. Right. Um and that's that's what happened. There was a corner there, and it just um yeah, they butted heads. But yeah, at the end of the day, you know, I think um you know we're coming back with a really good team. Um we have Silph Carly and Nett. Um we have a good solid group of defenders coming in. Um Isla Pattershaw is a one of our leading scorers, she's back as a junior. Keely Bertney will be back as a junior. Um the senior class is a group that I coach since they're in seventh grade every year in Freeport United. So we're very close to each other. They I know what they can do, they know me. Um so I I we we went to the state final U 14 our last year of travel. So they've they they know to trust, you know, what we're doing. Um you know, and we'll get so there's a good group coming in. They were they were they were in high they went high in the playoffs in their travel program last year. Um some decent talent there too. So I think you know that program's in a great spot. We had fifty six girls total last year, and you know, we graduated thirteen, so there's still you know. know, with another sixteen coming in. So we're stacked. We have a bunch of openings for the on the varsity team, I would say, you know, we there's thirteen openings, but we don't need do we want to carry all those kids again? I like carrying around twenty two, just so we can have an eleven v eleven of practice if we need to. Um you know so we'll see what happens, but I think um I think we're in good shape, you know, for the next couple of years anyways. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01What would it mean for that program to break through? Never been to a state final not to mention one. Oh my god as a freshman but yeah I r I I remember that game because that was over the other I remember that one.
SPEAKER_00Yeah that was on the I was a JB coach.
SPEAKER_01That's the only time we've ever beaten them honestly not just in your time I mean it just doesn't happen.
SPEAKER_00She got hurt and the ambulance was on the field for a little while there's right I do. And it just drove right on the grass. It was that game was crazy. It was uh early season yeah it was the first game of the season that's right yeah I was telling everybody I'm like we got we made the playoffs with that win. So like what? Trust me, because it's gonna win every other game you know that's I mean yeah to win states here that would be um an awesome moment for me just because I my my kids grew up here. Right. I spent a lot of time there as a parent you know obviously as a coach as well and um yeah I know a lot of these people I've I've coached a lot of their kids and some of the people that are in in this building working. And you know I just and I we got you know my name's we got the the the bricks up out of the field there. We we were selling those for a while trying to raise money for it and I spent so much time and sacrificed so much family time coaching soccer and helping Freeport United over the years and teams that I didn't have kids on and you know I was as a president for years and running camps and you name it um you know winning a state championship here would probably really overwhelm me.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Is there a shelf life for you or are you still enjoying it?
SPEAKER_00I enjoy it so much. It's funny a couple years ago I'm like take it you know year by year and um I have my friends they joke at me all the time um like if I win today I'm gonna retire. Yeah right they're like my buddy's like yeah right you know you want another one my my mother-in-law who lives with us uh she's 92 she's our biggest fan she she's like well you won the big dance is you gonna retire now what are you gonna do I'm like try to win another one because that was pretty fun you know I I have fun doing it why you know right I'm pushing 60 I'm I'll be 57 this year and I don't feel that old you know I stick around the kids it makes you feel a little younger you know it I don't really get much of an offseason um it does get tiring there are some weeks during hockey season where I'm absolutely spent I get it um and I have my young coaches what's the plan tonight you figure it's how about you guys run some drills for half an hour and I'll I'll I'll work on power play. But no I don't know if there's really a self-life I mean if if I'm if I you know feel that I just can't do it I will go. But I told my one parent a while back that if you commit to one you commit to four. You know and that's true. And it was a freshman this past year um I saw him at um some other event that I was at because um I hit my wife and his wife work together and uh he's like thank you for committing to four years. And I was like what are you talking about?
SPEAKER_01He goes my dog's gonna be a freshman I was like all right four years I guess and that's the thing I mean there's always going to be another class and then that's you want to see that class through and then the next thing you know you've done it 20, 30, 40 years or whatever. But it's a good problem.
SPEAKER_00Yeah I knew when I interviewed for the soccer job I asked that one of the questions was what do you see yourself in ten years and I was like uh a hundred wins and two state championships wins here.
SPEAKER_01But uh you know we just we play in a tough conference. You sure do the best. I mean that there's I mean SMA obviously but that's class A but as far as you know class B level there's no question.
SPEAKER_00Yeah I mean with with us top four and then York back and forth here and there sometimes Graham Glass of Poland came out of the door last year so you know it's it's tough. You know for us we just want to finish you know one through four. Would we want to finish one? Absolutely we'd love to have a couple of home playoff games and it kind of set our own destiny and have to play one of the tougher teams you know once versus every year we've got to go through Greeley or Yarmouth to get to Cape No Breathers. Yeah you but but this year I'm like you know what we kind of want to play Cape and try to beat them before we go to the regional final. Because if we beat Cape and then we have Yarmouth or Greeley you know we should feel pretty confident to be able to go into that regional. So we'll see what happens this year with the new coaches that are going to be coming from some of those other teams you know you know when Cape will be restructured a little bit but you know they probably have someone coming they'll be really good but they they won't be the same.
SPEAKER_01So may maybe a little more mortal. But we'll see now that'll be fun when the time gets here. Always like to wrap these up throw out a few names see what your uh association is with with these people and just you know whatever comes off the top of your head. Let's start with Craig Sickles since he kind of started it all for you here.
SPEAKER_00Craig sickles he's a mentor for me now I you know he he's texting me good luck all the time all these fake games regional games whatever they are and you know if if if I have a question about something I can always throw it off him and he'll give me an answer. And um you know I I to be honest I it was a there was a prep school job available this past year and I had reached out to him to ask him for a reference and he's like why would you do that? You got something good here I said I know I do. He said but you know sometimes you just kind of want to challenge yourself he's like your rank's right down the street think about it. And he was right you know I was like he was totally right um so yeah Craig set my you know he was misunderstood here a little bit I think because he was here a long time he was um but you know I learned a ton from that guy and you know I I I'm I I think I'm an easier coach for Eric because of what I was trained by Craig. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And Eric Hall.
SPEAKER_00Eric's great you know if you were to ask me you know the day Craig Sickles gave up the job and I could go pick somebody at the NAD I would pick Eric. Wow awesome man like the first email that came out welcoming him to Freeport I immediately emailed him and said hey let's meet for coffee let's talk about SOC schedule like the next day. Yeah right and um we had coffee and it was fun we talked and everything was great. He's a really really great guy to work with Sarah Holmes Sarah's wonderful yeah she really is she's she was been in Yarmouth since I've been started there too she's a Freeport girl girl another Craig Sickles disciple too they won't both went to Springfield College I believe. Right. Sarah's wonderful she she's so nice easy going you know she'll she's organized to a point where you know if you don't have something in she'll make sure you get it in otherwise you can't do something. So we get it done and you know she she kind of leaves me alone you know she you know she's always always there if I need a call. Scott Russo Scotty's funny like we're really good friends. We play hockey together on Friday mornings. Um I've known him for a long time um when I first moved here I met someone that was playing on those morning sessions and I went down there and played with them a little bit and um I interviewed for a job in Falmouth sixteen years ago and no one knew me. I just came from to Maine so they had no idea what I was about and Scott was on the board because he was the boys coach. They gave the job to Scott's assistant and you know it kind of motivated me once I started coaching that I always I wanted to beat both those guys. But Scott and I, I mean we could go play golf together, we could go hang out, a concert, whatever, but when it's game time and he's on the other bench he probably feels the same way too you know we want to beat each other. Absolutely and you know the first state game that he beat us 2023, you know, he held my hand, he's like, I'm just glad it was you and I don't know what he meant by that. I think it's because we're friends. Yeah yeah and and I it was like what does that mean? And I just look back and I see him celebrating with his kids and his family and everything and I thought it was really sweet and um like it's a good guy here and you know same thing this last gate game and it was the same conversation. You know I'm just glad he goes I'm glad you got your training Scott's a good guy. Celia Zinnman You know I will never see someone work as hard as Celia Zinnman and I think you know she's she her parents are great. She was brought up right. You know she just it's a refuse to lose attitude with her no matter what she does. She's just looking for ways to get better all the time. You know she was stressing out about winning face-offs all year and I started sending some videos of you know University of North Dakota's you know face off coach you know and she was you know learning you know we would work on a practice she would lose to and she gets so mad at herself you know I think she beats herself up a little too much but uh she's just a tremendous athlete somebody you want on your team.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01There are not many three sport athletes who are great in three sports. Yeah yeah so yeah.
SPEAKER_00How about Adelaide Stroud? Adelaide's uh phenomenal player we when she was in eighth grade and we were watching those practices, you know, that's when Ellie was playing goalie and we're like oh there's our free pot goalie's our free foot goalie and I'm like who's that girl over there keeps scoring on her like oh that's Adelaide we think she's going to Chevrous I'm like really we don't it was the other way around and I was like I'm like I don't know if that's gonna happen because her dad's pretty involved in Yarmouth and he played in Yarmouth. So um but she's a great kid. She you know she's come a long way um as a leader um you know she's got a little bit of a temper but you know sometimes you need that playing hockey she plays the hardest position of all sports I think playing hockey defense is probably one of the hardest positions skating backwards half the time you know and then you have to pivot to go forward at the same speed right you gotta kind of find a nice pass through lots of traffic and she does does that very well. You know I just I hope she goes I think she's going to UNH I think she might try to play club there. So that'd be awesome yeah that'll be good for her. How about Maya Nasis Chuck pretty pretty amazing athlete in multiple sports as well you know what Maya is an amazing athlete we we have Monday meetings um before practice and there was one time we had like outshot somebody it was the I think it was after the one one tie we outshot found a 58 to 12 or something one one.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00I said who here works on their shot at home? Maya's like yeah I do well everyone's like we know you do so I asked and her mom told me she's like she's got a ritual before game so I asked her what's your ritual she goes um I shoot like 20 weighted pucks and then a bunch of black pucks before I go to every game and she's got this whole thing she does I'm like there's a girl that just wants to get better. So yeah I mean any sport with Maya on there it's she's gonna be awesome because she puts the work in.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And lastly your family you coached your kids you've got a lot of support there. I mean just what does that group meant to you?
SPEAKER_00Yeah you know having that support my son showed up at one of the state games he drove from Amherst Mass to go to a state game. We lost a state game 4-0 but it like immediately helped me like get through that. Okay. Um I was walking off the ice and I just heard my name and I look up I'm like holy crap my son's here. So um you know they they're they're good they even like now that you know they're sending me text you know good luck you know great job you guys finally did it and you know he was watching from Hurst on his phone computer or whatever and you know Carly played for me for a little while and you know it's one of the hardest things is coaching your kid and um for a coach. You know you don't want to you you don't want to show favoritism um so you're a little harder on. Sure. But I was in her shoes. I played for my dad all sorts of sports baseball hockey and it's much harder for the kid. And I always remembered that when I was coaching her and you know I probably could have coached her better if if she wasn't my daughter. You know she was very talented and I think I missed some things there. Right. And then my wife just you know to give me the freedom to go to do this stuff and come home and still talk about it. When she gets up on a Saturday morning and it's 5 30 and I'm up already and I've been up and she gets up at 7, she's like what are you doing? I'm like I'm watching film I should do it again. You know it's like this is my thing. So she gets it like like next week when I she comes down I'm watching soccer films she's gonna just be blown away because but she won't because that's what I do. Right she she knows that now so she kind of gives me a little leeway there. I'm and part of the reason I coach girls I mean my wife my my wife's a leader at her job and you know female there's a lot of female leaders around this town. Principal here is one of them I mean it's it's really good for the for our girls that I coach to see these females in leadership roles. And it's kind of why what I try to do is I want to build these kids into being confident women when they leave here so they can go out and do whatever they want and tell not have anyone tell them they can't.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Well I'm really happy you got to get to the pinnacle this year. I know it was a great for you and great for the kids and I think there's more uh more glory to come for you and probably more sports than one but thank you so much Dave for taking the time to share these stories and these observations and these memories with me