CHALK TALK with KEVIN FAHEY

Head Club Ice Hockey and Assistant Field Hockey Coach

"Chalk Talk" is a feature that will focus on our outstanding coaches on staff at St. Joe's.
The Royal Blue faithful will learn more about our coaches as they are asked various questions about their experiences as a coach as well as their life away from athletics.

Kevin Fahey recently completed his third season as an assistant field hockey coach and is in his fourth year as the club ice hockey head coach at Saint Joseph's. His field hockey coaching career began in 1980 at Bonny Eagle High School where he put in time at both the freshman and varsity levels. He also coached softball and indoor/outdoor track for the middle school and started the Scots' ice hockey program and led the team for five seasons. Fahey retired in 2006 after teaching at Bonny Eagle for 31 years. He currently resides in Sebago, ME with his wife of 38 years, Patricia.

Background information about Fahey's playing days:

I played football, starting center my senior year, at Waltham (MA) Senior High School. Our team was undefeated my senior year (9-0) and were Eastern Massachusetts Co-Champions. In hockey, I played goalie and started my junior and senior years at WHS. We made the final four of the Eastern Massachusetts Tournament my senior year. We ended up 3rd in the rankings and were selected to play in the New England High School Tournament (last official one). We lost to St. Dom's (Lewiston). I then attended Hebron Academy (ME), where I played ice hockey and baseball.
I went on to play hockey at UNH, or as I like to put it, I was on the team. I did not play a lot, but my picture is in the Holt Gallery at The Whittimore Center.

When did you realize that you wanted to be a coach?

Pretty much since I can remember. I grew up at a time when Little League and other such organized athletic programs were first instituted. There was a group of dedicated, mostly men (my dad included), who gave countless hours of their time to the youth of Waltham (MA). As corny as it sounds, I am trying to pay those men back.

Who is/was your biggest influence as a coach?

My high school football coach, Hal Kopp, was a great coach, greatest I ever played for at any level in any sport. I think of him a lot during the season(s). David Petterson, who has coached hockey in Portland and Bonny Eagle for years, has been a great influence on me as I've entered my second phase of coaching ice hockey. I'm also a firm believer of Bill Belichek's one game at a time and it's all about the team philosophy. I really admire the commitment the Pat's have towards their system.

What is your most memorable moment as a player?

I can't pin it down to just one. I'm a member of Waltham High School's 1965 Undefeated Class A Football Champions. The entire team was inducted this past November to the Waltham HS Football Hall of Fame. I'm very proud of that, though I missed the induction ceremony as I was at the NAC Field Hockey Championship Game in Castleton, VT. Funny but I told my teammates, what would Coach Kopp do if given the choice between accepting an award or coaching his team-in a conference championship game? Decision was an easy one. Heck Coach Kopp would've opted for his team if it was a preseason scrimmage.

My WHS ice hockey team was semi finalists (final four) in the state tournament in 1966. We also were chosen to participate in what was to be the last official New England High School Hockey Tournament. That was a memorable time.

As a coach?

Suffering like we all do from myopia when asked questions like this my first reaction would be to say going to the NAC finals in field hockey this season. We did not win, but it was a memorable occasion. While coaching field hockey at Bonny Eagle I also was involved in several league championships including, but not limited to, Class A State Finals in field hockey, and winning the Western Maine title AT Sanford was huge. I coached the Bonny Eagle freshmen field hockey team that year and we beat Sanford at Goodall in the last game of the season, 1-0. That was the last field hockey game I coached at BE (after 25 years) and it is something I'll always remember. Also, and I've wanted to tell this story for years but never had the platform. It was just a regular season 7th grade softball game, but we were leading Kennebunk 5-2 in the bottom of the 7th. First two batters reached base. Next batter hit a lazy looper to our short stop and short story is she turned it into a game ending triple play. I will always remember that.

What is your funniest or most embarrassing moment as a coach?

Nothing comes immediately to mind, I've never left a player at a game or anything! Only thing I can think of is I threw my car keys, they were in a bag, into a dumpster at a softball game at Westbrook. I realized it when we got back to school. Luckily, the game was only at Westbrook and not say Noble or Marshwood.


Favorites:

Movie: JAWS, the first one.

Food: Seafood

Pro sports team: Patriots

Pro athlete and why?

I admire many NHL goalies for their abilities and commitment, but if have to pick one favorite player, I guess it would be Sidney Crosby. He's from the Maritimes, has handled all the pressure, despite his age, quite well. He's put the NHL back in the limelight in the USA, as much as can be expected. He's a fantastic player, and he played Timbit Hockey!

Most famous person you've met:

A lifetime friend of my father's used to hold a celebrity golf tournament in Massachusetts. One year I met and got to walk around the course with Bobby Orr! Great experience and he was a real down to earth, nice person. Though I was almost brought to tears because Bobby limped around the course. All those knee operations!

If you could meet one person, past or present, who would it be and why?

This is really tough. I'm now in such a sports mode, I can't think of anything else, like a famous person from history. Jacques Plante, who revolutionized goaltending in the 60's with his style of play and he was the first to wear a mask in the NHL, he'd be a logical choice but I met him at a hockey camp, and I don't speak French.

Lord Stanley...that's my choice. I would like to first off thank him for donating the Cup. I could talk to him about the Cup, where he got it, why he chose to donate it, etc. While we all may have our favorite sports and I realize that ice hockey is not number one on many lists, I think it would be hard not to agree that the Stanley Cup is the greatest trophy of all the major sports team championship trophies. All the names on it alone! Ever see the Pat's run around the field carrying the Vince Lombardi Trophy? Is there a pecking order for who'll hoist those other trophies over their heads, like there is with the cup? Ever see a MLB player kiss that trophy with all the flags sticking out - that could be dangerous. Who in the overall scheme of things is Larry O'Brien (NBA)? The history, the traditions, the stories, the Cup!

Tell us something about yourself that most people don't know:

Given the opportunity, I would move to Atlantic Canada (aka the Maritimes) in an instant. Though don't tell Brian (Curtin)!!

Hobbies away from your sport:

The easy answer to this USED to be spending time with my two daughters, but they are grown now and living in Canada and Northern California. I don't really have any hobbies, pretty much spend my spare time taking care of the house and yard, snow removal and lawn maintenance and the like.

What you look for in a player when recruiting:

Skating ability (ice hockey). Size and everything else notwithstanding, when I go to a game to look for prospective players I look for those who can skate.

What do you do in the off-season?

The quick and easy answer to this is that I work in the food service industry.
What are some of the challenges associated with coaching a club team?

For four years now we have struggled to define what a Club Team is. I think we finally figured it out, and it has to do with finances/funding and not commitment. THAT has been the biggest challenge to establish a team identity and all that goes with it to a club.

What expectations do you have of your team every year?

While it is nice to win and I hate to lose as much as anyone, I expect my team to be competitive, to play at their best at all times, and as Sidney Crosby says, the first goal is to have fun.

What did it mean for you and the field hockey team to be in the NAC this year?

I can't speak for the team but for me it was HUGE. Except for Notre Dame Football, I never really understood the Independent concept. Last year when we'd play an away game they'd always announce it like "Welcome to today's NON Conference game between St. Joe's and...In fact, most of the time the customary pre-game stick check wasn't even performed by the officials when we were an independent!

Being in the North Atlantic Conference really gave our team a goal, to make it into and do well in the conference playoffs. As an Independent, it's very difficult to earn an NCAA berth, but when a team wins the NAC tournament, they're automatically in.

Anything else you feel the web site readers should know about you/your program?

Field Hockey - that we really appreciate all the support from the school, even though most don't know all that much about the sport.

Ice Hockey - That we're back, we're committed to maintaining a competitive ice hockey program here at St. Joe's and we'd love your (continued) support. Last year the fan base was great. Hockey is an exciting sport and, while playing our home games off campus is not an optimum situation, we hope fans will continue to give us the usual fantastic support that all SJC teams have come to expect. They make royal blue sweatshirts as well as royal blue T-Shirts!!