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When it comes to high school athletics, coaches never know when they will get the call.
For Mark Smolak, it came over the summer.
That’s when Kevin Bisson, who had guided the Woodstock boys’ ice hockey program for three years, took a new position in Massachusetts and had to step aside.
“He called me to say he was stepping down and that he had recommended me for the position because of the way I worked the kids and my understanding of the game. I was kind of panicked at first because I had only one year of experience and had wanted to learn from Kevin for a couple of more years,” Smolak said. “Kevin has such a great hockey mind and sees the game so well. He sees it from a different perspective. Being able to talk and communicate with him and see how he sees plays develop, how he saw how our guys worked was really very beneficial for me to even feel comfortable about taking this next step.”
Smolak was the junior varsity coach under Bisson last season but it will be his program this winter as Woodstock elevated him to head coach of the program.
“There is a lot of young talent and some experienced kids coming back and I think it will be a good transition year for Mark. He’s been with the program now and really has a good handle of the pulse and the direction that the program is going. Kevin left it in very good shape,” said Woodstock Academy acting athletic director Brad Favreau.
Part of the reason for the different perspective from Bisson comes from where Smolak has played on the ice.
He is a goalie and worked with the Centaurs’ goalies last season as well as serving as coach of the JV program.
Smolak was a late bloomer in the sport.
He first put on the pads as a sophomore in high school in Everett, Mass., and his first year and a half was a learning experience.
“I got some reps as a senior with the varsity team but once I got out of high school, I start playing in high-level men’s leagues. I got pretty good at it after high school and was involved in a number of leagues in the Boston area,” Smolak said.
But he is not a one-trick pony.
Bisson was confident enough with Smolak last year to turn over the reins of the defense to him.
That happened despite the fact that Smolak feels more confident working with the offense.
“I actually have more of an understanding of the game offensively than I do defensively which is kind of weird. Having coach Bob (Donahue), who has been with the game forever, is a huge asset. Anything I have questions about, he has something for me. (Last year) He pulled out a bunch of plays written on paper and I looked at the date and it said, August of 1987. I was like, ‘Bob, this is a year and a month before I was even born’,” Smolak said.
Bisson also left Smolak with a lot to work with.
The Centaurs finished with a 15-7 record, played in the Nutmeg Conference Championship game and advanced to the CIAC Division II quarterfinals. As a bonus, the top four scorers, Noah Sampson (42 points), Don Sousa (32), Maxx Corradi (28) and Max Larkin (19) are all likely returning.
“The Blue line (Sampson, Sousa, Corradi), as we called them last year, was one of if not the best top line in the State,” Smolak said. “To have kids coming in as sophomores and freshmen and be that dominant in a Division II league is huge. We’re kind of spoiled because they’re going to stay a line, as far as I know, as juniors and seniors.”
The Centaurs are also blessed at goalie with senior Kaiden Keddy and sophomore Dante Sousa.
“We’re set,” Smolak said. “Dante came in as a freshman last year and really showed stuff. He was always calm and level-headed. Kaiden has taken a huge leadership role already. He is trying to bring everyone together and he looks really good in workouts. He’s been staying active, playing all summer. There are not too many teams in this division that can show you two No. 1 goalies.”
If there is a question mark, it will be on the defense.
Kyle Brennan, Brendan Hill and Shawn Wallace all graduated and junior Jared Neilsen is likely gong back on offense.
Jacob Jurnovoy is the only returning member of the group of top four defensemen from last season.
“I think we have six kids that I know about coming to compete for three spots,” he said.
He does, however, want to find a defensive-oriented mind take over as the Centaurs assistant varsity and JV coach.
“It’s going to be a young defense and having someone who has a solid base defensively can certainly help develop these kids,” Smolak said.
Smolak is also a social studies teacher at Woodstock Academy.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy

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