Enfield Native Wins Statewide Coaching Award In Massachusetts

DANVERS, MA — When Billy McSheffrey played ice hockey and baseball at Fermi High School in the early 2000s, the team nickname was the Falcons. A decade after his graduation in 2005, he went to work as strength and conditioning coach of the Springfield Falcons, the American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL's Arizona Coyotes.

Since Fermi's consolidation with Enfield High School in 2016, the local teams are now known as the Eagles. Coincidentally, McSheffrey's current career stop finds him working with a different group of Eagles, as strength and conditioning coordinator at St. John's Preparatory School, about 20 miles from Boston.

His impressive resume includes a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology from the University of Rhode Island, a master’s degree in applied exercise science from Springfield College, and stints in the Buffalo Sabres and Arizona Coyotes organizations. His expertise in his field has led him to be selected the 2021 Massachusetts Coach of the Year by the National High School Strength Coaches Association.

"It's nice to be recognized by your peers, but this award isn't about me," McSheffrey told Patch. "My staff consists of many talented, hard-working coaches and I have the unwavering support of our administration. I enjoy the challenges this role presents every day. It's less about the X's and O's of program design, exercise selection or logistical considerations at this point. We're at a place now where I can spend the majority of my time and energy helping a student connect with their own personal wellness, empowering them to be a better version of themselves and building a championship culture throughout our school."

St. John's Director of Wellness Steve Brown said, "In his four years guiding our strength and conditioning program, Bill transitioned it from one that consisted only of unstructured open gym workouts to one that today most colleges would be envious of. Bill's impact on our athletics department, physical education programs and our school culture is immeasurable."

The onset of the coronavirus pandemic last March presented difficult challenges for student-athletes and coaches, but McSheffrey more than responded to the task, according to Brown.

"Bill leaned into that adversity and created an online database so that all members of our campus community could engage in the physical dimension of wellness," Brown said. "He tirelessly communicated with student-athletes to help them devise training plans that they could implement in their homes. In the summer, he coordinated our summer workout program that adhered to state guidelines, and supported our students' bio-psycho-social needs. This was the first large program our school ran after being remote in the spring, demonstrating the confidence our school administration had in Bill."

Jameson Pelkey, director of athletics at St. John's, said, "The plans that Bill puts together for our teams, whether it be in-season or out-of-season workouts, have been extremely impressive and beneficial for our entire athletic program. To see the improvement that some teams make from the beginning of a season to the end, in regards to speed, strength and conditioning, honestly is quite remarkable."

It's been quite a road for McSheffrey since his playing days at Fermi. He was part of some of the most successful ice hockey teams in school history, as the program posted a combined 33-5-2 regular season record in his junior and senior years. The senior-laden Falcons were seeded first in the 2005 Division I state tournament with a 19-1 record, but dropped a 5-4 heartbreaker to Notre Dame-West Haven in a quarterfinal battle at the Enfield Twin Rinks in McSheffrey's final game.

"I have fond memories of my Fermi days," he told Patch in 2016. "Those hockey teams were special. The pride you felt putting on the Fermi jersey. The crosstown rivalry with Enfield. Walking out for the first time to see the rink jam packed at those games. I've never really felt anything quite like it before or since. I kid with other Fermi alumni that my senior year was the best Fermi hockey team of all time. Of course, it's just one of those fun topics up for debate."

A highlight as a player was one of the most remarkable goals in Fermi history, scoring on an impossible shot while falling with his back to the net in a victory over crosstown rival Enfield in a game broadcast on local television.

"It's one of those plays you couldn't do again in a thousand tries," he laughed. "Just dumb luck. We called it the "slow-mo" goal because someone had slowed it down for the end of the year banquet. It's laughable to see it go in the way that it did. I think I enjoyed my teammates laughing about it more than actually scoring. A fun memory."

Frank Genovese, his hockey coach at Fermi, said, "Billy always made people feel comfortable around him. He has a zest for life and was well-liked and respected by his teammates. His personality is second to none, and he was a pleasure to coach."

Former Fermi baseball coach Mark Dube said, "Amazing man. It was an honor to coach him and have him in class. Billy is an all-time great human being."

McSheffrey cited the influence various mentors at the youth and high school levels had in developing his own coaching style.

"Make no mistake - our space is demanding," he said. "We challenge the students every time they come to see us. At times, that means they are going to fail. But through those experiences, they've shown greater resiliency and resolve. They deserve all of the credit. It's been truly a blessing to be a part of it."

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