A season of growth: Frank Shea reflects on winter successes and spring opportunities at RHS

By Dom Nicastro

The role of an athletics director is both pivotal and dynamic. Frank Shea, the athletics director at Revere High School, is at the forefront of navigating these waters, ensuring the seamless transition between seasons, the development of programs and the nurturing of young talent. As winter gives way to spring, we catch up with Shea for an insightful discussion on what’s been happening in Revere High School’s sports scene and what lies ahead.

Embracing the transition seasons

  March stands as a transitional period for high school athletics, acting as a breather between the winter and spring seasons. Shea highlights this time as crucial for winding down post-winter activities – collecting equipment, conducting exit interviews with coaches and preparing for the upcoming spring season. This “downtime” is anything but idle: filled with preparations that ensure a smooth handover to spring sports.

“It’s a much-needed break,” Shea said. “Obviously, we’d like to have five winter teams who have gone further. But on the flip side, there’s just so much winding down from the winter collecting equipment, getting into exit interviews with coaches, and then all the spring people are knocking at your door because they’re anxious to get together.”

Winter season recap: a story of success and growth

  The winter season at Revere High School was marked by notable achievements across several sports. The girls’ basketball team, under the leadership of first-year coach Ariana Rivera, clinched a share of the Greater Boston League title, showcasing the impact of fresh coaching talent and the successful adaptation of athletes to new styles of leadership. Similarly, the indoor track teams, led by Raquel MacDonald-Ciambelli and David Fleming, demonstrated dominance in their respective leagues, with athletes achieving at both team and individual levels.

And while Dave Leary’s boys’ basketball team did not make the tourney, Shea said he’s lucky to have an asset like Leary, who remains to be a great role model and advocate for his young student-athletes.

Raquel MacDonald-Ciambelli: mastery in motivation and adaptability

  MacDonald-Ciambelli’s approach to coaching indoor track demonstrates a remarkable blend of expertise, innovation and personal athlete development, according to Shea. Her ability to coach a sport that requires a wide range of skills across different events, often without the support of assistant coaches, showcases her adaptability and deep understanding of track and field. Her success in leading the team to dominate the Greater Boston League in the regular season and league meet reflects her mastery in motivating athletes and maximizing their potential across various disciplines.

“Raquel does a great job,” Shea said. “She comes in and she gets her work done with the kids. Having been a college athlete herself, she knows what needs to get done. And those girls have really excelled. She’s our outdoor coach as well. She really coaches a sport where you need a bunch of assistants, and she doesn’t have that, and does it herself. So it’s a real credit to what she was able to accomplish. And it helps to have a good group of kids, which obviously she had.”

David Fleming: fostering resilience and team spirit

  Fleming’s leadership of the boys’ track team has been characterized by fostering resilience and a competitive spirit among his athletes. Despite facing challenges, such as close losses and key athletes being unavailable due to illness, Fleming’s ability to regroup and focus his team on its strengths led to winning the league championship meet, salvaging the season and ending on a high note.

Fleming’s coaching extends beyond just track and field to encouraging athletes from various sports to join the team. This inclusivity not only enriches the track team with diverse talents but also promotes a healthy, active lifestyle and camaraderie among students from different sports backgrounds, according to Shea.

“I think they had a couple of meets where they lost real close ones or they had kids that were sick in key positions,” Shea said. “And talking to talking to Coach, he was kind of a little disappointed but the fact that they were able to regroup and get to win the league championship meet really put a smile on everyone’s face and kind of salvaged that season because I think they were expecting to compete for the league title.”

Ariana Rivera: a new era in girls’ basketball

  In her first year as Head Coach, Rivera made an immediate impact by leading the girls’ basketball team to a GBL title and postseason appearance. Her fresh perspective and collegiate playing experience brought new energy and tactics to the program, resonating well with the athletes. Rivera’s success in her debut season speaks volumes about her coaching acumen and her potential to build a lasting, winning culture within the girls’ basketball team, according to Shea.

The athletics director said Rivera’s coaching style – characterized by patience and positive reinforcement – stands out as a modern approach to leadership. She focuses on building relationships, understanding her athletes’ unique needs and fostering a supportive environment where players feel valued and motivated to improve. This approach not only enhances individual performance but also promotes team unity and mental resilience.

“Obviously, we were pleased with the team’s success,” Shea said. “She’s got a really bright future, and I think she’s got the right mindset. And the girls really took to her style of coaching. We were fortunate enough to finish on top in the GBL, which was always the number one goal. So for her to do that in her first year, it’s got to be very satisfying for her. And I just enjoyed watching her success.”

Challenges and adaptations: the role of co-ops and future directions

  Revere must implement adaptive strategies to sustain sports participation, notably through co-operative teams in hockey, swimming and wrestling. These co-ops, while not ideal, provide vital opportunities for students to engage in sports, highlighting the school’s commitment to offering diverse athletic experiences despite logistical and budgetary constraints.

“They can put the skates on and go play, and that’s what they want,” Shea said. “Of course it would be ideal to have our own team in our own school, but they seem to be embracing that opportunity. These kids love the co-ops; they at least get to play. It’s not an ideal situation, but the kids that do play, still make the commitment. It’s the best option that we have for them.”

Spring season outlook: continuity and new beginnings

  As the spring season kicks off this week with tryouts, Shea discussed the stability brought by returning veteran coaches and the excitement surrounding new additions to the coaching staff. The introduction of Jordan DeBarros as the new boys’ lacrosse coach addresses the challenge of maintaining program continuity amidst frequent leadership changes. This season also reflects ongoing challenges, such as recruiting assistant coaches and bolstering participation numbers in certain sports like lacrosse, where a lack of a youth feeder program impacts athlete readiness and interest.

But Shea and the Patriots are ready for more success this spring season that closes out the school year with participation numbers holding steady year over year.

“I would say we’re probably in the same range for kids to try out as we were last year, which is where we want to be,” Shea said. “Some sports are continuing to trend lower and lower, which is concerning but for the most part we’re right where we were.”