Podcast: Westwood (Mass.) assistant Owen Hart and MIAA predictions

Westwood (Mass.) assistant coach Owen Hart with players Ryan Erdos (27) and Sean Callahan (16).

On this week’s episode of New England Lacrosse Journal’s “Chasing The Goal” podcast, host Kyle Devitte talks with Westwood (Mass.) High School assistant coach and New England Lacrosse Journal writer Owen Hart.

Hart just finished his fourth season as an assistant at Westwood and his first as the head coach the junior varsity squad.

A basketball player in high school at Westwood, Hart gravitated back toward the lacrosse team his senior year and played for head coach Todd Zahurak.

After graduating he went to UNH and began to work on his media career. In addition to writing for various lacrosse sites, Hart also films games and cuts highlights for players across New England.

In this episode, Kyle and Owen talk about their mutual coaching responsibilities as JV coaches and offensive coordinators, and break down some of the early results of the MIAA Division 1 and Division 2 tournaments.

Watch the full podcast below on YouTube. It’s also available on all major podcast platforms. If you enjoy it, please leave a rating and a review. Watch more episodes on the Chasing the Goal podcast channel.

Here are some excerpts from the podcast.

Editor’s note: This episode of “Chasing The Goal” was taped on Monday, June 3.

Kyle Devitte:  I like coaching with the guy who is a little bit less intense than I am. I know Coach (Zahurak) is not like that, but can you talk a little bit about your relationship with him now that you’ve been coaching with him?

Owen Hart: It’s weird to get a peek back at the curtain. Because when you play for a person, it’s like you have a different relationship. And then when you come in and you’re colleagues and you’re on the same level … you get a different side. Now he tells me all the behind-the-scenes stories I didn’t know about.

It’s a little weird. Even four years in, I’m still kind of getting acclimated to it. It’s interesting to see. For instance, he prints out a practice plan; he prints it out. 

KD: OK. Let’s pick a winner for D-1. 

OH: I’m going to go A-B.

KD: Really?

OH: I believe in Coach ‘A’ (Acton-Boxborough coach Pat Ammendolia). I think that they are the ones most fed up with the things. I think that they’re on a three-year quest now of going up against these juggernauts, and I think that they can take it this time.

KD: I’ll tell you what, A-B is the reason I’m putting in a zone next year. It’s definitely not because we’re losing our best defenseman to graduation, but A-B is the reason I’m putting in a zone. And I’m going to talk with Coach Ammendolia about it. 

OH: So who are you taking? 

KD: I’m taking St. John’s Prep and I feel fine about it, because I love Coach (John) Pynchon. I don’t care what anyone thinks. 

OH: He’s great. 

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