RallyNorth.net

Haverhill Hillies Boys Ice Hockey '07-'08

Sprague set for Round 3 with Hillies

  • Currently 0.0 with 0 votes.
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

Friday, October, 12 By Dave Dyer
Staff writer

Spike Sprague is rested and ready to go for another round as Haverhill High's head hockey coach.

Sprague, 49, replaces Chris Laganas in this, his third stint as the Hillies' head man, having coached the Brown and Gold from 1980-1986 and then again | after a memorable 11-year tenure at Newburyport High | from 1998-2000.

Laganas resigned in the summer after compiling a 67-54-36 record in seven seasons, the highlight being in 2005-06 when the Hillies went 17-3-3, believed to be a school record for most wins, and won the MVC/Dual County League Division 2 crown. He left for an administrative job at Whittier Tech.

There are few who can match Sprague's background and connection to Haverhill hockey. He scored the first goal in Haverhill High history as a player 32 years ago and has coached the Hillies twice. In the last few years, he has helped give clinics for Haverhill Youth Hockey.

Sprague, whose Newburyport teams went 172-59-10 and won six Cape Ann League titles from 1987-1998, was less than successful in his last tenure at Haverhill, finishing 5-13-3 and 3-15-1 in two seasons before handing in a letter of "retirement," which is what he preferred calling it rather than resignation.

"I'd been coaching for 23 years and I was burned out," said Sprague. "I also had some problems with the youth program which contributed to that."

So what has changed?

"I've been away from it for seven years and I've got the itch back," said Sprague. "I don't see any burnout happening again. Being away from coaching put things in perspective. I'm looking forward to it and I'm glad Haverhill is giving me the opportunity."

As for working with the Haverhill Youth program, Sprague is optimistic.

"It was a problem before, but I think we can work together, and I hope they accept my help," he said. "I hope it works out. You need to have a good feeder system in hockey. I'm hoping the third time is the charm."

Sprague is not overly familiar with Haverhill's returning talent but, in the long run, it doesn't matter. He hasn't changed as a coach in the past seven years.

"I demand that my teams play very hard defensively and my teams have always worked hard," said Sprague, who is employed by Power Windows in Haverhill. "I'll always be the same coach. We've had success in the past and I hope we can have more success. The team will be a reflection of how I coach."

Sprague beat out another former Merrimack Valley Conference coach, ex-Andover coach Bill Cullen, for the job.

0 Story Comments