Page 12 PILLSBURY | FROM PAGE 9 fy 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: firstyear 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 participatTHE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, MArCH 22, 2024 WAGGETT | FROM PAGE 9 ed 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.” ways called me when he had a tournament or open gym that colleges were at. I still coach Baystate Games with him and John Collins. Michael Hashem was the principal when I was at Saugus and was a big influence on my development as a person. I now get to coach his daughter Kaitlyn who is a really great kid and great player. My mom always supported me in not only basketball but in everything I did; she was always my biggest cheerleader. But hands down my biggest influence was my first coach, my dad, Michael. I would not have accomplished anything without his guidance and help. He would take me to the park every day in the summer for hours. I can never thank him enough for the thousands of hours he put into my career, whether it was rebounding for me in the 90-degree heat at Stackpole – driving me all over the state for games – he never missed a high school game and watched every college game of mine whether it was in person or online. He always answered my calls in college no matter what time it was at when I was upset or excited over something. When I got hurt my sophomore year, I was told it would be really difficult to play basketball again at the level I was playing at, but he kept telling me I would get back to that level and then some. He helped me rehab and when I transferred to Salem, I played some of the best basketball of my life thanks to him. He believed in me way before I ever did. Advocate: What motivated you to return to Saugus High School as an assistant coach, and how do you feel about contributing to the program that shaped your early career? Waggett: Joe Lowe reached out to me right before the season started and asked to join his staff. I’ve heard nothing but great things about him as a coach and a person, so it was easy to say yes and join the program again. I have followed Saugus since I’ve graduated, and they have had success, but I think Joe will help them reach milestones they have never had before like this year winning our first tournament game in decades. He’s passionate about the game and the team’s success. I would have loved to play for him when I was in high school. He’s been the best mentor, and I’ve learned so much from him this year. I really look forward to seeing how much more he will accomplish here. The program had a lot of talent this year with the senior class. The underclassmen have a lot of potential to achieve even more than they have. I believe this is only the beginning of a lot of success. I read and heard about Peyton DiBiasio, and that also played a part in me deciding to come on. I wish I had a young female on staff who had been through it all before and was someone I could go to for any questions. She is such a great kid and always comes to me for advice. She asks to come early or late to practice working on her game. The younger kids look up to her and the other upperclassmen and this program really is a family that I’m so happy to be a part of. Advocate: How would you describe your coaching philosophy, and how has your experience as a player influenced your approach to coaching? Waggett: Coaching JV this year I focused on developing the girls’ skills. It wasn’t about winning games at the JV level. My goal was to prepare them all for varsity by creating good foundations and not get on them for mistakes. For girls it’s so important to develop their confidence and raise them up. If you put in the work, success will follow. It was great to watch the girls on JV like Kaitlyn, Ang, Vitt, Niki and Sydney become completely different players as the season progressed. They put in a lot of work and will help the program a lot next year. Advocate: Based on your experience, what key advice would you give to young players at Saugus High School who aspire to play college basketball? Waggett: I would tell young players that no dream is too small; it takes a lot of work to play at any level in college, but they have to first believe they can do it. Also, to love the process of getting better. Some of my favorite memories are down the park working out with my dad. A quote I always had in my locker was by Kobe Bryant that said, “The process is the most beautiful part of the journey because that’s where you figure out who you are.” And I think more kids need to live by that. Advocate: What do you find most challenging about coaching high school basketball, and how do you address these challenges? Waggett: High school has changed a lot in the last 10 years; especially with Covid I think the kids now don’t have the same social skills they had before. Teaching the girls responsibility and accountability is challenging, but we’re lucky to have such a great group who is receptive to feedback and work on those things every day. Advocate: Beyond wins and losses, how do you measure success as a coach, and what goals have you set for yourself and the team this season? Waggett: Watching kids grow into better people because of the lessons they learn in sports is how I measure success. When things weren’t going our way, sometimes the girls game together rather than snapping at one another. Helping create that sisterhood is the goal. Advocate: As a woman who has experienced basketball as both a player and a coach, what changes have you observed in the opportunities and challenges for women in the sport? Waggett: Women’s basketball has grown leaps and bounds over the past five years, especially at the college level. It’s so exciting to see that more people are watching women’s basketball than other sports. It’s great for young girls to see women being successful, and it becomes the norm and paves the way for future generations to have even more success. Advocate: Looking forward, what are your professional aspirations in basketball, and how do you plan to achieve them? Waggett: I’m really happy where I am at in Saugus coaching JV and assisting varsity. I can’t imagine another role. I’d really love to help make Saugus a girls basketball powerhouse. I’m hoping to get more involved in the youth program, get more girls involved at a younger age and help them develop a love for the game like I did. Advocate: What advice would you offer to young girls just starting out in basketball who dream of playing at the high school, college and perhaps even professional level? Waggett: Keep working on yourself; try not to compare your success to others; everyone develops at different times and in different ways. If you work hard, good things will happen. The journey isn’t easy, but you learn how to handle hard better and grow from the struggle.
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