Valley co-op team has new coach
Former North Smithfield standout looks to rebuild squad into state championship contender
D’Andrea will helm Mount, Lincoln,
Cumberland
WOONSOCKET — North Smithfield High graduate Vanessa D’Andrea has been preparing for this situation for a decade.
The 2010 Northmen graduate is an Air Force reservist, so she’s learned firsthand that the best way to accomplish a task is simply to throw yourself into the challenge and problem solve until you’ve achieved your goal.
D’Andrea is taking her military training into her new position at the Mount St. Charles/Cumberland/Lincoln co-op girls hockey coach. After spending the previous two seasons as an assistant coach, D’Andrea jumped at the chance to run her own program, even though it comes during disjointed, truncated campaign due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Having a solid coaching staff that we have and gelling is going to help with the transition, but, yes, it’s a tough dynamic
to come into,” D’Andrea said after Monday’s practice at Adelard Arena. “I took notes from the coaches the previous years, but I just jumped into the opportunity. I’ve learned you either sink or swim and that’s something I’ve learned in the military.
“I’ve been put in positions I know nothing about and you either sink or swim. Usually I swim, so I know how to handle adversity and adaptability.”
Along with a new head coach, the program also changed one of its three schools. After the graduation of goalie Amelia Lambert, the Lincoln School had no other players on the roster, so Mount went out and found another Lincoln to replace the Lynx. The Lions, who were last part of the co-op in 2016, bring three skaters, including talented freshman Mary Kelley.
Even though two of the team’s talented sophomores – Erin Wiehn and Sophia Cappone – opted to go to prep school, D’Andrea is excited that she has 19 players on the roster a season after former coach John Lobisser could barely roll two lines.
“I just want to build this program and we have great numbers this year,” D’Andrea said. “Making it fun and safe this year is the primary goal and I want to build it going forward to keep the numbers we have. I was really surprised by the numbers and it’s great because we have 75 percent who are returning kids and 25 percent who are brand new.”
When D’Andrea was a senior, the Northmen won the Division I title and the state champion that season was a Mount St. Charles squad that lost just one game during the regular season. The Mounties won the state title again next season and then lost the next two finals to La Salle.
Since 2014, the Mounties haven’t made it past the semifinals, while rival La Salle has won four state titles and local rival Burrillville/Ponaganset/Bay View reached the state final in 2017. D’Andrea hopes to turn around the program’s fortunes with discipline and hard work.
“I want to build it back to how it used to be when the Mounties took the ice and there was a rumble in the arena,” D’Andrea said. “Honestly, I just want to see great competition and show sportsmanship. When you’re in the penalty box you can’t win games, so I’m all about discipline. You have to start with the basics and work from there.”
D’Andrea, who was an assistant under Tony DiLorenzo two seasons ago, saw last season’s squad earn the No. 6 after an up-and-down regular season. The Mounties played the No. 3 Broncos in the playoffs and were swept aside by a combined score of 184. Along Cumberland’s Riley Trudeau and Mackenzie Lavallee, the team also welcomes back Mount’s Mia Mollicone, Leah Laquerre and Brooke Forget.
“Because of COVID this year, safety is our biggest goal and just the girls having fun,” D’Andrea said. “Going forward, sportsmanship, teamwork and communication are the pillars we want to build on. I tell the girls that this is like building a house and the foundation is the most important thing. If we have a solid foundation, we can build from there.”
Depending on when the Department of Health and the RIIL clear schools to play games, the Mounties are scheduled to begin their six-game campaign on Saturday, Jan. 23 against Cranston/EG at Cranston Vets.
Unfortunately, the Mounties and Broncos won’t meet during the regular season after playing each other four times last season.
Follow Branden Mello on Twitter @Branden_Mello