Mo Minicus Named National Field Hockey Coach Of The Year

The plaque for the 2010 National Field Hockey Association’s National Coach of the Year Award only has one name — Maureen Minicus — engraved on it.

However, the Darien High School field hockey coach is the first to tell anyone who will listen that it takes a massive village to win one national honor.

“It’s overwhelming. It’s humbling. I still don’t feel worthy of such an honor,” Minicus said. “I’m so appreciative of the coaching staff, the players, their families, the support of the Darien High athletic department and the town’s youth field hockey programs and their work. This is an award for everybody not me alone.

“This award does show what Darien High School field hockey is all about,” Minicus continued. “It’s a privilege. It’s a great representation of what Darien field hockey has become.”

Indeed. Four consecutive FCIAC titles. Four consecutive state championships. One tie and ZERO defeats in four years. An unbeaten streak on the same plateau as the University of Connecticut women’s basketball program.

That’s what goes into a National Field Hockey National Coach of the Year Award.

“The best part for me was that my husband and my parents were in Baltimore with me,” Minicus recounted. “We all knew about me winning the 2010 Mid-Atlantic Region Field Hockey Coach of the Year award. Then at the luncheon, they announced the National Coach of the Year winner. When he heard my name, my dad leapt out of his chair and started taking photos. It meant so much to me to be able to share the moment with them.”

If one listens to Minicus long enough, they might believe she is just the CEO of a giant corporation known as Darien High field hockey.

But the reality is that Team Darien Field Hockey did make the victories, the titles and the coaching honors happen.

The players score the goals. And the goalies make the saves. But Team Darien Field Hockey prepares the Blue Wave for action.

As the Darien football team and the DHS field hockey team work in harmony on each half of the 50-yardline of DHS’ football field, the staff springs into action.

Kari Johns (junior varsity coach, four years), Carrie Leonard (first-year assistant coach in 2010), Tara Blagys (freshman coach, six years), Robyn Spivey (goalie coach, four years), P.J. Johns (trainer), Kelly Vegliante (freshman, JV, varsity, five years) along with scorekeeper and media information coordinator Jim Smith (4th year) as well as home game timekeeper Carmine Vaccaro all handle their roles perfectly.

In fact, Vegliante received a Youth Field Hockey Coaching Award at the Baltimore convention for her work with the Darien youth field hockey program. Former Olympian Manzar Iqbal has worked hard for the FC United club field hockey team in Darien.

Minicus is the first to acknowledge that every player who enters the Darien High field hockey program is a finished product in terms of fundamentals and ability. That isn’t the case everywhere in the FCIAC.

However, the reality is that there are only so many spots available in the Blue Wave program.

“Everything that every player gets with us, they worked so hard for,” Minicus said. “Our overall success is all about individual work ethic and players who simply love the sport of field hockey. They treat playing varsity as a privilege not a birthright.”

Darien doesn’t simply show up and watch the victories leap into the scorebook. At their best, they are a breathtaking offensive machine to watch. The 2010 Blue Wave — with 13 seniors on the roster — had a sixth sense of knowing where everyone would be at any given moment.

“I want everyone that comes through our program having loved the experience and wanting to play field hockey in the future,” Minicus said. “The high school experience should be fun. Be inspired. Aspire to play more field hockey. Not be burned out under the pressure of competition. Always keep your passion for the sport. I want the girls to walk away having learned life lessons to carry well beyond field hockey for the rest of their lives.”