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Hillies hire Trovato as interim coach

Tuesday, October, 23 By Dave Dyer
Staff writer

When Bob Walsh resigned as Haverhill High's head basketball coach last month after 24 years, he stated that it was time for the program to head in a different direction.

With the hiring of former Mike Trovato of Methuen as interim coach yesterday, Walsh, who posted a 281-224 record, got his wish.

Trovato, 28, who has no direct ties to Haverhill, has been active in AAU basketball for six years as the founder and one of the coaches of the Mass.Rivals program.

"He's young and energetic, and I think he'll bring a nice fresh approach," said Haverhill AD Peter Shanahan. "The (hiring) panel was looking for a fresh face and someone who will be eligible for a teaching position in Haverhill if something opens up."

Although Trovato was hired as an interim coach, Shanahan said that Trovato, who is an eighth-grade teacher at the Parthum Middle School in Lawrence, will have an advantage when a permanent coach is hired next year because he has "a foot in the door."

For his part, Trovato is not concerned with the interim tag. He's just ready to get started rebuilding a program he believes has considerable potential.

"This is a chance to prove yourself, and I'm not worried about it (being interim) at all," said Trovato. "There's a lot of work to do, but this is a city with a lot of kids and a lot of athletes. They were a powerhouse for awhile and, with a lot of work, we can get them back there.

"A big problem is that there are a lot of kids leaving the school, deciding not to go to Haverhill High. We have to find the right kids, who want to be student-athletes and work at it.

"There is also a problem of guys who are ineligible and that's something I want to get onto right away. We'll have mandatory study halls and make sure the kids realize that they have to work in the classroom before they can be on the court."

Trovato also hopes to make his presence felt at the Haverhill Boys Club, the Haverhill YMCA, the city's middle schools, Cedardale and anywhere that kids are playing basketball.

In addition to his AAU coaching, Trovato was an assistant coach at Brooks in 2004 and was the varsity assistant at Woburn High School last year when the Tanners went 16-5. As far as his coaching philosophy, Trovato said he borrows from several of his former coaches, including Dick Licare at Central Catholic, AAU coach Vin Pastore and Bentley coach Jay Lawson.

As far as this year's Haverhill team, Trovato will greet only two full-time returning starters from last year's 7-12 squad in Charlie Roche and Mike Ford. Another starter and a Mass. Rival player, Edwin Norgaisse, transferred to New Hampton School. Two other players would need MIAA eligibility waivers in order to play.

"He knows what he's facing," said Shanahan. "It'll be an uphill battle this year, with so little time to prepare in what's probably a rebuilding year."

Indeed, Trovato will need to assemble his coaching staff in a hurry because practice begins the Monday after Thanksgiving and the Hillies open with a rugged test Dec. 11 at Charlestown. Their home opener comes three days later, Dec. 14, against Andover.