Sarah Oteri’s father knew she eventually would find her way to coaching.
“When I was younger and playing hockey, my dad would say, ‘I don’t know where you are going to end up in life, but I know you’re going to be a coach,’ ” recalled Oteri, who has led the Methuen/Tewksbury (Mass.) girls high school team for the past four seasons. “I always loved that side of the game — the strategy and the planning.”
Oteri’s father was right. With her Methuen/Tewksbury Red Raiders winning their first Massachusetts state championship last March in a double-overtime thriller against Austin Prep, Oteri cemented herself as one of the best girls coaches in Massachusetts. Under her tutelage, she has turned a public co-op squad into a high school powerhouse, with two state final appearances in as many years. And she achieved all of this before she can even celebrate her 10-year high school reunion.
“It still honestly feels a little bit surreal” to be state champion, said Oteri. “The girls just work so hard all season between practices, workouts and mentally preparing. Once we got to the playoffs, we just hit our stride. The girls were playing so well together and they really adapted to everything the coaching staff put forward. I think it was a little nerve-wracking playing Austin Prep because they are so talented and strong. They have so much depth in their program.”
Goalie Kaia Hollingsworth made 31 saves, including 10 in the first overtime period, and the Red Raiders’ Carolyn Curley scored with mere seconds left in the second overtime to upset previously undefeated Austin Prep.
It was the program’s first-ever championship, and it was the first time a co-op team had won the Bay State title.
“It was really good for both the towns,” said Oteri, looking back at the victory a few months later. “You have two really hard-working towns, and that is showcased in the players. Being able to bring both towns together and get that win really just shows all the hard work that the girls put in, but also the work the parents put in, the coaching staff put in, and the schools put in.”
Oteri grew up playing for Andover High, where she scored 92 goals and was named Merrimack Valley Conference MVP three times. After playing for UMass Amherst’s women’s ACHA team, she found herself as an assistant coach at her alma mater. Just a year later, she was hired by Methuen/Tewksbury on the eve of the 2015-16 season, when the program’s existing coach exited suddenly.
The Red Raiders’ position is unique because of its very apparent upside: access to the team’s own rink. Right past Methuen High’s auditorium, you will find a full-sized ice rink. Oteri, who teaches English at Methuen High, and her players from Methuen don’t even need to exit the building to get to practice.
“The rink in the school is awesome for so many reasons,” admitted Oteri. “We get really good ice time and we have a lot of flexibility. We have our own locker rooms in there. It doesn’t really feel to us like ‘the Methuen rink,’ since we have our locker room in there and we have our banners in there. It feels like our team rink. To be honest, I think, the most difficult part is just that the Tewksbury girls have to drive there.”
Combining two schools that have quite a rivalry themselves could present a challenge if not handled correctly. But Oteri and her staff start every season, like they will this month, with a focus on creating a positive culture that players from either school can rely on.
“Something that’s big for our team is definitely our culture because we do have the two schools coming together,” said Oteri. “So we like to, right from the beginning, get a feel for the season and develop a motto that’s going to guide us that season and that we can always fall back on when we have tough games or tough practices.”
After ending their season the past two years at TD Garden, playing for a state title, what does Oteri predict for this season?
“We have a strong senior class,” said Oteri. “I think they have really good leadership and really good teamwork. Over the past few years, these seniors have ended their season at the Garden. We have a strong crew back defensively, and Kaia is really strong in net. Our forwards are really gritty with backchecking. We did graduate a lot of scoring, so we’re going to have to work on that a little bit.”
Those scorers who graduated are now on to college programs across New England, and now Oteri finds herself keeping tabs on their college hockey careers. She hopes that hockey’s lessons stay with all of her players, regardless of if they play at the next level or choose to follow another path.
“It’s really rewarding,” said Oteri. “They are the ones who have stayed in contact with me. They reached out to me and said, ‘I scored my first goal,’ or ‘I’m dressing tonight,’ or ‘the coach gave me a compliment.’ It’s nice to hear. It reminds us why we do it, too. I’ve had a lot of success, but there’s a bigger picture out there. You’re developing relationships with the girls and giving them the confidence to play and perform at the next level. Hopefully, beyond that, they will have that confidence in life that they can score the goal in whatever they do.”
