End of an Era: Stoneham High School Soccer Coach Jim Carino Retires

It is the end of an era at Stoneham High School. After 26 years of coaching the boys' soccer team, Jim Carino is calling it quits.

Carino was an iconic coach in the Middlesex league. When you hear “Stoneham High soccer,” one immediately thinks of the man on the sidelines. He won three State titles, four Eastern Mass Championships, appeared in seven straight North Sectional finals, won four Middlesex League Coach of the Year Awards, an EMASS Coach of the Year Award and two Boston Globe All-Scholastic Coach of the Year Awards.

His career record was 250-180. During the State tournament, his teams compiled a 36-10 record. However, success did not happen overnight, as his teams tallied one win and two ties in his first four seasons with Stoneham.

“It was those teams that did their best they could that laid the foundation for the whole thing,” Carino said.

After 26 years of games, practices, stress and everything else that comes along with coaching, Carino finally decided to give up coaching this season.

“It was time,” Carino said. “I didn’t want to be the coach who held on too long and wouldn’t give it up. If you coach right you’re never home. My wife is going straight to heaven because she knew what it took and was very supportive of everything we did.”

Of course there will be certain routines that Carino will miss and that one routine is having his team take the practice field every day.

“I loved practice,” Carino said. “We knew when it was time to work and when it was time to have fun. Interacting with the players, getting to know them, joking around with them-that was the best part. I really enjoy being with coach (Christie) Serino and coach (Michael) Zampell as well.”

Carino joked that after a while his two assistants were running the show and he was there to just get them coffee.

“Those two were great players who became great friends and human beings,” Carino said.

Although Carino was behind the bench for years, he never forgot what was most important to him: his family.

“Family was always important,” Carino said. “My niece Chrissy was the manager of the team, my nephew Nick was captain of my first State tournament team and my nephew Frank helped out in the later years. That was really special.

“Having my son Ryan around for everything and I mean everything. He saw it all and experienced it all. Then, when it was his turn I was happy I could coach him and win a Middlesex League title with him.”

There will be a new coach behind the bench starting in a few months and Carino knows it will be an easy transition for Jeff Kirkland who will now hold the torch Carino once held.

“Jeff is going to be great because he is very enthusiastic, full of energy and he knows the game,” Carino said. “He also knows what soccer means in Stoneham. My best advice is just to be consistent and put in the time. Work with the youth and build up the base of players.”

Remembering Carino

Zampell was Carino’s assistant coach for the past 11 years and had nothing but great memories and things to say about his mentor and good friend.

“Carino always created an environment which fostered relationship building between the players and coaches, he was always open, honest and authentic with the players and team, he always delegated, but never dictated and was one of the best communicators while on the field,” Zampell said.

Zampell learned many different aspects of life and soccer when spending time with Carino, but the one thing that sticks out is the amount of knowledge he gained while working with Carino.

“I could type a five-page response to this question because I owe my coaching career to Jim Carino,” Zampell said. “In September of 2001, when he asked me if I wanted to help out with the team I could not have imagined the results the experience would provide.

“As each season passed, he increased my role and my power to make important decisions. Carino nurtured me to someday take his job, which I find absolutely remarkable. Honestly, I owe everything to Carino and I know I would not be where I am today without him.”

Zampell went on to reiterate nobody has the ability to replace a person like Carino, but he went on to say the program has been placed in the hands of a great person and coach in Kirkland.

“Jeff will provide a youthful and insightful addition to the program,” Zampell said. “Being a former player in the program, Jeff has a solid understanding of the Middlesex League and the programs expectations. For a young coach, he has a high level of knowledge and experience which will be a tremendous asset to the program.”

When asked what he thought Carino's legacy was, Zampell was nearly at a loss for words.

“A person who truly embodies what being a high school coach is all about,” Zampell said. “A man who guided young men using a set of values consisting of honesty, loyalty and accountability.”

Meeting the New Coach

Kirkland played under Jim Carino from 1999-2003 where he played right midfield. After his time at Stoneham High, Jeff went on to play defense at Framingham State University from 2003-2007. He is a special and behavioral needs teacher at the Gifford Middle School and now he is Stoneham High’s newest varsity soccer coach.

“It is such an honor to become head coach at SHS,” Kirkland said. “Stoneham High has great traditions on and off the field and I am very grateful that I can contribute, represent and continue to carry on that tradition.”

Kirkland said he pursued this opportunity the minute he heard Carino was retiring because he wanted to give back to the place that taught and supported him throughout his life.

“What I know and value today is exactly what was taught to me by Stoneham,” Kirkland said. “When I was a student at SHS, teachers and coaches supplied me the necessary tools and skills in order to succeed every day.”

Kirkland said he wants his team to embody two qualities while on the playing field: hustle and class.

“Those things are a huge part of the game and true in life,” Kirkland said. “I can’t lie, as a younger player I had my moments as an immature player on the field. However, throughout the years, I was lucky enough to be coached and mentored by great people that made me a better person-my father, Carino at SHS, Coach (Dean) Nichols and Coach Zigs at Framingham State.”

Like Zampell, Kirkland has the utmost respect for his former coach and recalled his time playing under Carino.

“It was a great mix of having fun, but also working hard and working together to achieve success,” Kirkland said. “But the best thing about playing for Carino was that he made sure that we came together as a team and felt like one without us even knowing it.”