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09/06/2018 12:00 AMBrian Gonsalves contributed to a big-time turnaround when he played ice hockey at Amity High School. Now, Brian is looking to lead a similar turnaround in Madison as the new head coach for the Hand boys’ ice hockey squad.
Brian was born in Rhode Island, before moving to Connecticut and joining the hockey squad at Amity. In 2003, he served as a senior captain for a Spartans’ team that went 12-6 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Division II State Tournament.
After playing for Becker College in Massachusetts, Brian joined Amity as an assistant coach and helped the Spartans reach the 2014 Division II State Tournament final, where they lost to Hand. This winter, Brian will take over behind the bench as the new head coach of the Tigers.
“I saw the opening online and was intrigued by the program through my years of coaching at Amity. I saw the team had fallen off a bit since winning the state title in 2014, and it all fell perfectly into what I’m about and enjoy,” says Brian, a New Haven resident. “I was part of a turning-around process at Amity when I played there, and I see a similar chance here.”
Brian says that one of the biggest influences in his life is Gary Lindgren, who was his head coach at Amity. Brian wants the Tigers to get as much out of their experience as student-athletes just as much as he did. That’s why he’s preparing them to succeed both on the ice, as well as in their lives beyond high school.
“As a coach, it’s about preparing them to be hockey players, but also adults in the real world,” Brian says. “Gary was a huge role model for me, and he made sure we knew how important it was to be a human being first before a hockey player. Coaches are so impactful to kids, and that is what I want to be to them.”
Brian likes helping his players sharpen their skills as they build character through the course of a campaign. He also gets great satisfaction when former players come back to express their gratitude for everything he’s taught them.
“I love seeing the kids getting better and also getting to know them better as a season goes on. It’s very rewarding,” he says. “I also love the conversations I have with players after they graduate and knowing I helped them become who they are today.”
Hand Athletic Director Craig Semple says that Brian brings a solid combination of attributes to the Tigers. Semple believes that Brian’s passion and pride for hockey will work well with the coach’s organizational skills as he tries to take Hand to the next level.
“The interview committee was very impressed by Coach Gonsalves’s passion for game and his understanding of an education-based program. He is very organized and has a respectful demeanor toward his players,” says Semple. “We feel he is a strong fit for our program, and we are looking forward to a season full of positive experiences for our hockey players.”
Brian appreciates the warm welcome that he’s received from the Madison community. He wants to return the favor by developing a top-notch squad that will by vying for conference and state titles in the near future.
“I sat in the coaches’ meeting a few weeks ago, and it was for five hours, and it was a great experience. The community here has been very receptive and accommodating,” Brian says. “My first goal here is to build a good foundation for the students to grow and create success in the program. We have a lot to prove, but we will play a new style of hockey. The big goal is to bring the team back to the top level of the SCC and compete for a state title.”