Printer Friendly Version - Graves Named State’s Assistant Coach of the Year

Branford resident Bill Graves was named the Assistant Coach of the Year for boys’ hockey by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association after helping the Indians have a historic season. Photo courtesy of Bill Graves

For the past several years, Bill Graves has played an instrumental role in the unprecedented success of the Guilford boys’ ice hockey squad. The Branford resident recently received some big-time recognition for his efforts in a town that he holds near and dear to his heart.

Bill grew up in Hamden and later spent a decade coaching at various levels in the Yale Youth Hockey program. Through that program, Bill met Guilford boys’ ice hockey Head Coach Ralph Russo, who told him about an opening for an assistant coach position with the Indians. Bill recently completed his sixth year as Russo’s right-hand man on the bench—a season that saw Bill win the Assistant Coach of the Year Award for boys’ ice hockey from the Connecticut High School Coaches Association.

While Bill was happy to receive the award, he knows that the Indians’ success wouldn’t be possible without the contributions of everyone who’s involved.

“Ralph is a great man who is respected by the refs and in the community here, and it’s been a great ride here, and I wouldn’t be able to do it without him,” says Bill. “Winning the award is an honor, but what we do here on a daily basis as coaches, we do it for the kids. It’s about preparing them for life. The kids have bought into everything, and they love it. They were so excited when they heard I won this award, which was special for me to see that. We have some great kids in this program.”

Bill says that he and Coach Russo don’t just focus on teaching Guilford’s players how to make the best pass or take the hardest slap shot. Both coaches also emphasize the skills that their athletes need to move further with their education and careers.

“We have the boys for four months, but it’s more than just about hockey; it’s about life,” Bill says. “My mantra has been that we are about fun, skill development, but also preparation for the next level. We have to prepare them for education at the college level and applying for jobs with prospective employers. It’s a lot more than teaching the game of hockey.”

The Indians saw a difficult ending to a great campaign this winter as they lost to the Farmington Valley co-op squad in Division II State Tournament final. Despite the defeat, Bill felt proud to see the Indians give everything they had through final horn, and he believes their returning athletes will come back even hungrier next season.

“We got beat by a good Farmington team in the finals. It stings and hurts that we couldn’t repeat as state champs, but the guys laid it all out,” says Bill, whose team also won its second straight conference crown this winter. “We need to spend more time in the weight room to get bigger, faster, and stronger, which will drive us next year. Ralph always talks about competing in every shift. To see the development of the kids and them excel every day is rewarding.”

Russo praises Bill for giving the Indians’ athletes good advice and inspiring words to live by, while also practicing what he preaches as he helps them progress into young adults.

“Coach Graves shows a positive can-do attitude with our players each day and is infamous for sending out and posting motivational quotes for the team. He constantly reminds our players of the value of making good choices every day regarding nutrition, training, and practice habits,” Russo says. “We want our players to approach their high school hockey experience with habits that will develop lifelong skills. Coach Graves is a student of the game in the sense that he follows and shares the habits of successful college and professional coaches and players. We are fortunate to have his dedication and passion for our high school hockey team.”

Bill appreciates that he has the opportunity to contribute to a prestigious program at Guilford High School. He also feels grateful for all the people who work behind the scenes to make every intricacy of the season so special.

“It’s a great community here. The fundraising the boosters do is greatly appreciated by the community. The generosity of the town to support these kids is great,” says Bill. “It’s a small community, and everyone is connected. Without the support from them, we wouldn’t be able to do things like traveling to Maine for games. I can’t thank this community enough.”