Saugus High athletes display tenacity and teamwork in winter sports season

By Dom Nicastro

Terri Pillsbury, Saugus High School’s athletics director, has a lot to be thankful for: student-athletes who have had individual and team success; a group of committed coaches who once donned the Saugus red and white and opportunities to play a sport, even if that means participating in a cooperative program with another school. Pillsbury, in an interview with the Saugus Advocate recapping the winter sports season and looking ahead to spring, painted a multifaceted picture of the school’s sports program, reflecting its strengths, challenges and the strategies for fostering a vibrant athletic culture.

Embracing multidisciplinary athleticism

  A prominent theme in the interview is the celebration of student-athletes who excel across multiple sports. This versatility not only showcases the athletic talent within Saugus High but also highlights the supportive environment that encourages students to pursue diverse interests, Pillsbury noted. The transition of athletes from one sport to another, notably from soccer to basketball among girls, which featured two Northeastern Conference titles, underscores the interconnected nature of the sports program and its role in developing well-rounded athletes.

“A lot of them converted over into our spring sports, too,” Pillsbury said of those girls’ soccer and basketball players. “They kind of spread themselves out a little bit in the springtime between girls lacrosse, softball and in track. We have a nice complement, especially among seniors, of leadership with our athletes. The girls have had some particular tournament success and get those accolades, of course, but our boys have a great group of senior leadership as well.”

Resilience in the face of adversity

  Pillsbury’s insights into the boys’ basketball team’s season reveal a crucial aspect of sports at Saugus High: resilience. Despite facing challenges and not achieving as much success as hoped, the team’s determination and the “never quit” attitude, encouraged by coach and Saugus alum and 1,000-point scorer Joe Bertrand and staff, exemplify the values instilled in Saugus High’s athletes. This resilience, reflective of a broader ethos within the school’s sports program, underscores the importance of perseverance, sportsmanship and continuous improvement, according to Pillsbury.

“On our boys side, they didn’t have the kind of phenomenal success that the girls side did, comparatively,” Pillsbury said. “But with that team, I had the opportunity to watch them a few times this year. We were a young team, and it bodes well for the future. Because I tell you those kids were in some games that were tight, and they fought and they fought. And when they were in games, and when they were trailing, there was just no quit in them. And that’s the kind of intangibles that you just can’t teach, you can’t coach it. It’s either there, it’s either innate, or it’s not. And, and one of the one of the best things about watching that team was … they just never ever quit, no matter what. They worked hard, and their coaching staff is the same way. They are absolutely reflective of the energy … and enthusiasm that’s brought by our younger coaching staff.”

Highs and Lowes: first-year coach has stellar campaign

  Saugus alum Joe Lowe, first year coach of the Saugus girls’ basketball team, led his club to a Northeastern Conference championship and postseason, where it won for the first time in recent memory.

“Joe Lowe did a nice job as a first-year head coach here with us,” Pillsbury said. “We were super happy with his outcomes, obviously, and we ran into a really talented Dover-Sherborn team in the Round of 32. But, again, we were happy to be able to host the first ever state tournament game here for basketball in the new building. It was great to see the community and the school and students come out and staff as well and just support the team and be there. …. Between my coaching staff and the kids, the girls, they did everything that was asked of them. It was a great atmosphere. And we had a lot of fun with it.”

Navigating the complexities of cooperative teams

  Saugus athletes in wrestling and hockey participated in a cooperative program with Peabody again. The wrestling team had a boatload of individual and team success. And it was the second year for the hockey team in a town with a rich history of state titles on the ice.

At this point, the cooperative programs help sustain participation and competitiveness for all programs involved with the goal of increasing enough participation for each school to have programs of their own again. Pillsbury said the school and the athletics program are discussing the future of the hockey cooperative program as it does with these programs every two years. This winter was Year 2.

Saugus has also had low participation in track, but that’s a sport where you can compete as a school but won’t be too competitive against schools with a great number of athletes participating. Pillsbury was impressed with the individual accolades of some Saugus tracksters on the league, state and even national levels.

Looking ahead: building a legacy and fostering growth

  Looking forward to the spring sports season and beyond, Pillsbury is focused on the importance of participation, leadership and the continuous development of the athletic program. The anticipation for strong performances in spring sports is matched by a strategic focus on building a lasting legacy and encouraging underclassmen to step into leadership roles. The engagement of alumni and the community in supporting and enriching the sports program reflects a collective effort to maintain a vibrant and dynamic athletic culture at Saugus High.

She’s excited about her returning veteran coaching staff and the arrival of alums like Christian Billingsley and Dom Paolo for lacrosse.

“We have a number of people who are alums that are returning to help us support our current teams and acting as volunteer coaches,” Pillsbury said. “So we’re excited to have some of those alums returning. Some of them are college athletes, some of them are now young professionals, and the idea that they are interested in coming back and supporting our programs is something that we looking forward to, and we’re happy to have them.”