Brian Mini always had the makings of a future hockey coach, reaching out to his sister, Bridget, and his brother, Chris, as they developed an interest in the sport in the Everett Youth Hockey program and then encouraging them to work hard and improve at every level of play.
Mini became a respected leader on and off the ice during his solid hockey career at St. Mary’s High School in Lynn where his team came very close to winning a state championship. Bridget also took her well-polished athletic skills to St. Mary’s where she contributed to two state championship teams. She is now a member of the University of Southern Maine hockey team.
Chris is a captain of the Everett High School boys hockey team and the recipient of the prestigious Molloy Sportsmanship Award.
Brian Mini is now giving back to the game he came to love as a skater in the Everett Youth Hockey program. Mini is in his first season as a freshman hockey coach at Malden Catholic High School.
A Class of 2006 graduate of St. Mary’s, he played two varsity seasons there after playing two seasons at Pope John XXIII High School. At St. Mary’s, he was a part of one of the most exciting high school hockey games in North Shore history, a double-overtime loss to Gloucester in the North final before a packed house in Chelmsford. Gloucester went on to win the state championship.
“That game was a heartbreaker and it’s still with all of us,” said Mini. “It’s one of the greatest games I’ve ever been a part of – probably the best. We knew the winner of that game was going to be the state champion.”
Mini attended New England College where he received a degree in Business in 2010. The 22-year-old Everett resident is pursuing a Master’s degree at Endicott College and working part time at Comcast.
But hockey is still very much a part of Mini’s life as he progresses on the hockey staff of Malden Catholic head coach and athletic director Chris Serino.
“Mr. [Chris] Serino gave me a call and asked me if I’d like to get into coaching and I couldn’t turn it down,” said Mini. “I wanted to coach. It’s really fun. I’m learning a lot.”
Mini looked on proudly during Everett High Senior Day Saturday as his brother, Chris, presented gifts of appreciation to his parents, Bob and Ann, at a well-orchestrated ceremony before the game.
“I’d like to take a little credit for helping to teach my brother and sister how to play hockey,” said Mini. “I guess I showed them the ropes. Chris is probably the best skilled player out of the three of us and he’ll have a future in hockey. He’s looking at prep school.”
Mini is enjoying his rookie season as a coach at MC and said he’d welcome the opportunity to be a head hockey coach.
“I’d love to be a head hockey coach one day,” said Mini. “It’s something that I think is the next step for me in hockey. Going from being a player to a coach, you see the game differently. I’d love to coach – absolutely.”