Waltham Coach Hits Milestone Victory

WALTHAM, MA — Waltham High School hockey coach John Maguire hit a milestone 400th career win Thursday, joining a small group of coaches across the commonwealth to do so.

"It's a milestone that very few coaches attain," said Athletic Director Steve LaForest. "It's a combination of success, and being able to coach for a long time in one place. We're very lucky."

On Thursday night, the Waltham Hawks varsity hockey team won the Dual County League game against Concord-Carlisle, with senior captain Matt O’Toole hitting a penalty shot into the goal with six minutes left, marking the team's 400th victory under Maguire.

"It's a pretty cool thing," said Maguire, who has been coaching Waltham varsity hockey for the past 36 years. He's the third hockey coach in the school's history. The school's hockey program began in the 40's or early 50's, according to LaForest.

"When you get into coaching, you want to win obviously, but you want to establish relationships with the players," he said. "[Hitting the 400 mark] wasn't something that I looked at in terms of career goal. As years go on, you look at the numbers once in a while, but that's not the point."

Maguire got his start for hockey watching Bobby Orr on the Bruins. He joined his first team at age 6 and played through graduation at Waltham High, then went on to play at Babson College under coach Steve Stirling.

When Maguire started teaching business at the high school, he took on a coaching role in 1985 and loved it. At one point, he was coaching not only hockey but also baseball and girls soccer while teaching business. He has since let go of coaching the soccer and baseball teams and recently retired from teaching, but his passion for hockey and coaching keeps him going with the support of his family.

What's behind his success at coaching?

"He's very detail oriented very organized," LaForest said. "But he's not a screamer or yeller. You watch him coach from the bench, and he's really calm. It's because he's put the work in during the practices. He lets them play the game, and they're not afraid to take chances; and if they make mistakes, they just learn from them."

Maguire is more modest in his response.

"We've had a lot of good players, a lot of good goalies and got a lot of good assistant coaches helping the effort," Maguire said.

When Maguire thinks of career highlights, what jumps to mind is winning the state championships in 2002 and then again in 2018, and going to the Super Eight four times. But being able to coach his son, who graduated in 2012 and now working alongside him, is another highlight, he said. In 2011, with his son Chris on the team, Maguire marked his 300th victory.

The team has received four different statewide sportsmanship awards, and regularly works with the East Coast Jumbos, a nonprofit that sponsors an ice hockey program for athletes with autism and other developmental disabilities.

"When I think of him, I think he's the perfect example of what we would like all our coaches to attain," LaForest said. "He puts in the work and, as a result, the success shows because of it."

It hasn't always been easy.

On the third day of the season this year, the team had to take a 14-day pause because of a coronavirus scare on the team. It came back and had a few more practices before someone else came in contact with the virus that causes COVID-19.

They were only able to play three games before winter sports was shut down, he said.

"It's been an absolute disaster," Maguire said.

It was only last week that the team was able to play again, and it came back to win two games, including the contest Thursday, his milestone.

So the 400th win is bittersweet, he said. "It's been tough, every phone call I get, every text message, I'm nervous that something happened and one of the kids got it, or a family member did," he said.

It's been especially difficult, he said, watching the seniors on the team who lost their spring sports to the pandemic at the end of last school year.

"It's been touch and go," he said.

But to LaForest and the team, that nervousness doesn't show.

"We are really appreciative of having John be our coach, especially right now, when no matter what the day brings he seems to be able to roll with the punches and helping the team focus on what they can control," LaForest said.

With 36 years under his belt and 400 wins, what's next for the coach?

"Good question," Maguire said. "Some would say I've been going too long already, but I'm gonna keep doing this as long as I feel healthy and my family support me and the school wants me. I'd say a few more years."

Maguire said he's eying 40 years but is taking it year to year for now.

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how.