Westwood's Welby Named TVL Coach of the Year

The Westwood Boys Hockey team is in the this year and much of it is thanks to supreme coaching by Head Coach Mike Welby, who was recently named this year’s Tri-Valley League Coach of the Year.

The Wolverines have been successful all season long, but it hasn’t come easy. There has been plenty of adversity involving injuries and suspensions, but that’s where Welby came in. He put together a team good enough to win the TVL, amass 15 wins, and have an opening round bye in the MIAA State Tournament.

“This season we've endured quite a bit of team adversity, if you will,” said Welby. “At the start of the season, we were without a couple of our top forwards, and then when we got them back, we ended up losing a couple of other players at the mid-to latter point of the season. Then, towards the end of the season, we had numerous injuries to key players.”

Juggling the lineup and moving players around to field what the team felt was the best lineup they could have for each game turned out to be the most challenging part of Welby's job this season, he said. However, he said that while it was the most challenging, it was almost the most rewarding.

“Seeing kids step into positions that they didn't normally play and fill temporary holes in the lineup gave some of the kids who didn't get a lot of ice time a chance to play and contribute,” said Welby. “Contribute they did, evidenced by the TVL title and only three losses this year, despite playing the toughest non-league schedule we've ever put together for a Westwood team.” 

Welby is in his 10th season as a head coach for Westwood High School. Before that, he was an assistant coach at Westwood for three years. He was given the chance to be head coach once his predecessor Dan Griffin left, and then-Principal Charlie Flahive offered him the opportunity.

In Welby's first season as head coach, Westwood won the 2001-02 Divsion-3 MIAA State Championship. This year, he hopes to win another.

Welby grew up in Westwood, playing hockey for Westwood High School. In his senior year, he won the 1990-91 D3 MIAA State Championship when the team beat St. Joe’s of Springfield, 4-2. The game was played at the Big E in Springfield, and was the last hockey game played in that building. Welby said that it was an honor for him and senior teammates to win in his senior season.

“The memories we have from that season alone have stuck with me since graduation, and to have the opportunity to coach my alma mater and try to give these seniors, as well as all the other players on our team, a chance to experience that thrill of winning it all, is the prime motivator we are fueled by,” said Welby.

Welby noted that Assistant Coach Stephen McDonald was also on that championship team, and that all the coaches want to give the players the best chance to achieve glory this year as well.

Away from the ice, Welby works for a law firm in downtown Boston in the litigation support services department, which he has done for five years.

He is also a father-to-be. He and his wife Erin, who is nine months pregnant, are expecting their first baby.

“We can't wait for the arrival of the baby - of course it has to be during playoff time, right?” Welby said, jokingly. “This has been a 'special' hockey season because of that.”

Welby said he is thankful for being named the coach of the year and said that when a coach gets recognized with an award, it usually means that the team has enjoyed success in a season. He attributed the work of his coaching staff to making the success possible.

He noted that the assistant coaches do a fantastic job in planning, preparing, coaching in games and practices. Plus, he says that they all seem to get along while stepping up and sharing individual opinions. The assistant coaches include Stephen McDonald, Tom McCusker, Al Pecararo and Matt Sebet.

“For me in particular, I really feel like the award should really say Coaching Staff Of The Year,” said Welby.

Welby said that each year is different when it comes to preparing for opponents.  This year has been different in a sense of preparation, because Westwood has a much more talented team this season than in any of his other past seasons. Welby said that it is important to know what the other team does well in games, but he also feels that they need to go out and execute.

“With the senior leadership and talent level we have this year, if we can play good hockey in all three zones, we'll have a chance to win every game we play,” said Welby. “But ultimately, having a good balance of knowing what 'they' do well, and what 'we' do well is what we focus our preparation on.”

Welby said that this season coaching has been a pleasure from the first practice of the pre-season right through now, as they sit in the playoffs. However, there are two moments that stick out as top moments.

The first was . The game was at the home rink of Canton and gave Westwood the first outright TVL title in eight years.

“To see the kids scratch and claw their way through the game to earn the TVL title despite being shorthanded was awesome - and deserving,” said Welby. “I’m so proud of the kids for the way they compete game in and game out.”

The second moment was watching junior forward Theo Treon return to the lineup a month and a half after breaking his leg at the beginning of the season. Welby said watching Treon work hard to come back and make contributions has been inspiring.  

“Good kid, great family, great moment,” said Welby. “Hopefully we have more great moments ahead of us.”

The Westwood Wolverines have a bye in the first round of the State Tournament, and will take on the winner of Diman and Marian.