Ford named Head Boys Hockey Coach

Coach Tim Ford with his family
(and the State Championship plaque!)

The CHS Athletic Department is thrilled to announce the hiring of Tim Ford as our next Head Boys Varsity Ice Hockey coach.  Ford replaces long-time hockey coaching legend Brian Shuman. 

Ford is no stranger to the Bulldog bench as he has served as a top assistant to Coach Shuman since 2014- contributing greatly to this period of unparalleled success for the program. His first visit to the Green and White's bench came as a player under Shuman where he learned what it really meant to be a part of the Bulldog Hockey family.

Ford now resides in Canton with his wife Jenn and two sons- Owen and Hayes. He works for the Canton Parks and Recreation Department where he is involved in managing the Ponkapoag Rink.  

Ford had this to say upon his appointment-

"It is an incredible honor to lead a program that has meant so much to me. I'm grateful for the opportunity to build on the tradition Coach Shuman and our staff established while helping our players grow as teammates, competitors, and young men. I am excited for what lies ahead for Canton Hockey. I'm Excited to lead the next generation of Bulldogs while honoring the programs proud history.” 

CHS Athletic Director Danny Erickson stated-

"We are really thrilled to have Timmy take the top spot in our boys hockey coaching staff. He is more than up for the job.  He told us early in the interview process that this was his "dream job."  It was clear throughout the entire process that was a genuine statement.  It is easy to see that he is passionate about developing student athletes both on and off the ice.  He is not looking to 'fill the shoes' of Coach Shuman. He is looking to forge his own path while maintaining the program's values. He is going to do a wonderful job.

Tennis anyone? Chin named new Girls Varsity Tennis Coach

Coach Brandon Chin

The Canton High School Athletic Department is happy to announce the hiring of Brandan Chin as our new Girls Varsity Tennis Coach. 

Chin has been an 8th grade Social Studies teacher at the Galvin Middle School since 2019. A lifelong tennis player, Chin played four years of varsity tennis at Walpole High School.  He served as an assistant tennis coach for the King Philip Regional high School Boys Tennis team for the past two seasons, where the team qualified for the state tournament both years. 

Chin had this to say upon his appointment:

“I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to coach the CHS Girls Team this upcoming season. The Canton community has been so welcoming to me in the 7 years of working here and I’m excited to share my passion for tennis with the players. Looking forward to contributing to an excellent Bulldog program!” 

CHS Athletic Director Danny Erickson had this to say on the new hire:

"Coach Chin is ready to hit the ground running with this team. He brings a positive passion to the position. I think the girls are going to love playing for him. Great tennis background and understanding, but an even greater leader and team builder."

Coach E's Summer Strength and Conditioning program

 CHS Strength and Conditioning Coach Mark Erickson is happy to announce the summer training schedule. This program is offered FREE OF CHARGE to all CHS students. 

To register- CLICK HERE.

A message from Coach Mark Erickson-

Hi CHS Athletes,

I am excited to announce the Summer Strength and Conditioning Schedule. This is a great opportunity, especially for those of you who compete in a Fall Sport to improve yourselves as athletes and create as much Strength, Speed, Agility, and Power as possible, so you show up to tryouts and practices in the best shape you have been in to date.

SUMMER STRENGTH & CONDITIONING SCHEDULE 

NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN!

Fall Sports-Specific info

Anyone interested in trying out for a fall athletic program MUST have a parent register you prior to the following deadline:

• All sports other than Unified Basketball- Wednesday, August 19th at noon
• Unified Basketball- TBA but some point in September

Meeting these deadlines and providing the Athletic Office with a copy of a recent physical (good for 13 months), will make you eligible for the first day of tryouts/practices. 

The easiest way to register is to visit the CHS Athletics website and complete the online registration available there.

Click here to Register now!

Click here for CHS Athletics Contest Schedules

Sport Specific information:

GOLF- Click here for all you need to know

FOOTBALL- The football season is fast approaching and we are excited about your interest in playing! The schedule is below. Please reach out to coach Eckler with any questions - ecklerj@cantonma.org

Equipment hand out will be Sunday, August 16th from 10am-12pm. Seniors 10:00am-10:30am, Juniors 10:30am-11:00am, Sophomores 11:00am-11:30am, Freshman 11:30am-12:00pm.

Media Day for team pictures is Thursday August 27th at 7:30am at the CHS Turf. 

First Week Football Practice Schedule beginning Monday, August 24th. 

Monday - 9:00am - 11:00am practice at CHS Turf (Helmets Only). 

Tuesday - 9:00am - 11:00am practice at CHS Turf (Helmets Only). 

Wednesday - 2:00pm-4:00pm practice at CHS Turf (Helmets Only).

Thursday - 7:30am team pictures at CHS Turf followed by practice 9:30-12:00 (Uppers).

Friday - 9:30am-11:30am practice at CHS Turf (Uppers). 

Saturday - Practice #1 8:00AM - 10:30AM (Full Equipment). 1 Hour Break. Practice #2 11:30am - 12:30pm (Helmets Only). 

Weight Room Hours for the summer will be available for anyone interested in off-season training. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. Go Bulldogs!

BOYS AND GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY- All athletes interested in running Cross Country should report to the parking lot across from the American Legion on Monday August 24th at 8 AM. Athletes should be prepared to run (proper attire/running shoes/water/etc.). Click here for the full pre-season schedule. If you have any other questions please contact Coach Brian Gotsell (briangotsell@cantonma.org)

BOYS SOCCER- CLICK HERE for information regarding the schedule for the first week or so. Tryouts begin on 8/24. Contact Coach Erickson with any questions. Get Registered ASAP!

FALL CHEEER- Cheer will officially start the week of August 24th! Currently, we do not have a head coach in place. We will be holding off with details around tryouts until the time we do name a new Head Coach. 

GIRLS FIELD HOCKEY-  Tryouts for Field Hockey will begin at 4:15pm on Monday, August 24th.   Tryouts will also be held on 8/25 at 7pm and 8/26 at 5pm. Players are expected to attend all sessions.  Please be at the CHS turf field on time and ready to play.  Please bring stick, mouthgaurd, shinguards and water bottle. Be prepared for both track and turf workouts by bringing both sneakers and turf shoes. Make sure you are registered and have passed in your physical prior to attending first session.   If you have any questions contact coach Chrissy O'Connor rsd.oconnor@gmail.com

GIRLS SOCCER- All girls interested in playing soccer should report to the turf/track on Monday, August 24th for a tryout from 11:15am-1:15pm.  CLICK HERE for more info on pre-season. 

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL- We welcome all girls interested in playing volleyball 

(no experience necessary) to join us for tryouts in the CHS gym. We field three teams: 

Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Freshman.

Tryouts are as follows:

Monday, August 24: 4 PM - 7 PM

Tuesday, August 25: 4 PM - 7 PM

Wednesday, August 26: 4 PM - 7 PM

Everyone is expected at all three tryouts. Practices for all three teams will start on Thursday, August 27 (times TBD).

Please arrive 15 minutes prior to start time. Bring plenty of water and some snacks for break time. 

Any questions? Contact Coach Pat Cawley:

781-910-7597 or patriciabcawley@gmail.com

Hope to see you there!  

Girls Track State Champions!

Hand-in-hand celebrating a history making victory

The Canton High School Girls Track and Field team are State Champions for the first time in school history. This caps off the last of three State Championships for Bulldog Athletics this school year (Golf and Boys Hockey.) What a year!

The CHS Track program has come a long way over the past decade. Rewind ten years back and the thought of one of our track teams being crowned State Champions seemed ridiculous.  Canton High was not a “track school.”  

But it’s a new day in Canton. Coach Anna Amico with the support of Boys Coach Brian Gotsell and a wonderful group of committed assistant coaches have built a strong culture in the Track program- a winning culture. From where I sit, the first words that come to mind when I think about this winning culture of our track team is DIVERSITY and INCLUSION. 

Our Championship Girls Track team may represent who CHS is, better than any other single athletic program in our school. Our team is made up of girls of many races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. They come to the CHS track daily to work together for a common goal, yet they are all coming from so many different histories, experiences and lives.  All of these backgrounds and life experiences come together to capture excellence.   They each put in the work to contribute to team success.  And they each put in the work building strong relationships with each other- these are the keys to championship success. 

Their strength is their diversity. Their strength is their effort to include everyone.

This year’s Championship Girls Track team’s racial breakdown is roughly as follows-

2026 D3 Varsity Girls Track & Field State Champions

86- Total team members

48- White  (56%)

20- Black (23%)

18- Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern (21%)

That is who we are. That is the makeup of our Championship Girls Track team. That is who CHS is today. And it is awesome!

I’m so fortunate that I work at-  and my own children go to- a diverse school that welcomes and includes all. Our Girls Track & Field team….yes our STATE CHAMPIONSHIP Track and Field team represents who we are- Diverse and Excellent. 

PS- Huge shoutout to our Individual D3 State Champions from our track program as well-

Lauren Raffetto- 800 meter

Addy Azar- 2 mile

Chloe Dubuisson, Lauren Raffetto, Grace Martinek and Addy Azar- 4x400

Lauren Raffetto- All-State Champion in the 800 meter (all divisions)

Members of Class of 2026 honored at Senior Banquet

The Senior Banquet was held on Thursday, June 4th at CHS's Morse Auditorium.  Thanks to the best coaching staff in the state for taking another night away from your families to come honor our Bulldogs. It was a night full of celebration.

165 of the 265 graduating seniors received varsity letters in each of their sports. That marks more than 62% of the class earning letters. 

(Big shout out to Georgia Campbell and Charlotte Powers- who served as Wellness/Athletic Dept. externs this spring and spearheaded the Varsity Letter project. They were amazing at this!)

Here are some Bulldog Highlights from the 2025-26 school year- led by this amazing class:

14 members of the class were three-sport letter winners this year-

Sony Chery, Shannon Dervan, Madi Downey, Maddie Driscoll, Chloe Dubuisson, Nora Giannacopoulos, Shane Kelleher, Lucas Le, Jack Masciarelli, Declan Monahan, Lexi Piazza, Caitlyn Reynolds, Teddy Shuman, Riley Swearingen and Matt Wright

Hockomock Davenport Titles- Field Hockey, Boys Hockey, Boys Swimming

MIAA State Tournament team qualifiers- Field Hockey, Girls Soccer, Football, Boys Soccer, Volleyball, Boys Hockey, Girls Hockey, Girls Basketball, Boys Basketball, Baseball, Girls Lacrosse, Boys Lacrosse and Boys Tennis

Deep MIAA Tournament Run-
STATE CHAMPIONS- Golf, Boys Hockey, Girls Track & Field
D2 State Runner Up- Girls Cross Country
Final Four- Field Hockey

Individual Honors

Hockomock League Scholar Athletes- Bharat Ramanathan and Alexi Piazza

Click Here for Blog Entry from last month's Hockomock Scholar Athlete Banquet

First Ever CHS Athletic Booster Club Award Winners- includes a scholarship-Bharat Ramanathan and Meaghan Donovan

Sammy Swardlick Spirit Cup-
(includes $500 scholarship)

Shane Kelleher- Honored for his
Bulldog Spirit

The Track & Field Sportsmanship Cup

Riley Swearingen- 1 of 2
Track & Field student athletes
honored for excellence

Maddie Driscoll- 1 of 2
Track & Field student athletes
honored for excellence

Paul Callahan Award

JJ Faulk honored for excelling in
sports that CHS Hall of Famer 
Paul Callahan excelled in.

The Bulldog Award

Teddy Shuman- 1 of 2 student athletes
honored for having the greatest impact
on their teams' successes

Chloe Dubuisson- 1 of 2 student athletes
honored for having the greatest impact
on their teams' successes

The Xavier Machuga Award

Jake Marcell- 1 of 2 student athletes 
honored for resilience, perseverance & grit

Kate Budway- 1 of 2 student athletes 
honored for resilience, perseverance & grit

The Captains Award

Nora Giannacopoulos-1 of 2 CHS 
captains honored for being leaders
among leaders

Vlad Francoeur- 1 of 2 CHS 
captains honored for being leaders
among leaders

The John Horack Award

Caitlyn Reynolds- 1 of 2 student athletes
honored for Heart, Hard-Work and
Dedication to CHS Athletics

Andrew Gillis- 1 of 2 student athletes
honored for Heart, Hard-Work and
Dedication to CHS Athletics

Fall 2026 Sports Registration now open

Fall Sports registration is now open! 

Anyone interested in trying out for a fall athletic program MUST have a parent/guardian register you prior to doing so.

In order to register, visit the CHS Athletics website and complete the online registration available there. See link below.

To secure your spot for the first day of the season, PLEASE register before the end of this school year!

The following sports programs are offered at CHS in the fall:

Boys Teams-

• Cross Country (Varsity)
• Football (Varsity, Froshmore)
• Golf (Varsity)
• Soccer (Varsity, JV)

Girls Teams-

• Cheerleading (Varsity)- Tryouts for Cheer are taking place in June. Keep eye out for info!
• Cross Country (Varsity)
• Field Hockey (Varsity, JV)
• Soccer (Varsity, JV)
• Volleyball (Varsity, JV and Freshmen)

Coed Team-

Unified Basketball- Please note that this program is currently open for registration but it begins roughly a month after the other sports listed. It runs into late fall. 

User Fees- 
There are three ways to pay the User Fee for CHS Athletics:
1. Submit a check with the User Fee Form
2. Pay through the FamilyID registration process at the time you register. (You may not want to choose this option if you are not sure your child will be on the final rosters.)
3. Pay through the FamilyID site at a time after you register but prior to the deadline.

User Fee payment deadline for the fall is September 9, 2026. 

Unified Basketball begins in late September. 

 
All other sports start on Monday, August 24th.  

DEADLINE TO REGISTER to be eligible for the first day of tryouts/practices is as follows:

• All sports other than Unified Basketball- Wednesday, August 19th at noon
• Unified Basketball- TBA but some point in September

But Register early and cross it off the list!

First Day Information for each sport will be updated at this blog as it becomes available. And that will be soon!

Click here to Register today!

2026-27 school year Athletic Fees update

 As we all plan for the 2026-27 school year, the Canton Public Schools has announced the fee structure for athletics for next school year. Due to continued rising cost and in conjunction with a system-wide look at our fee structure, the following adjustments have been made for next school year:

Athletic User Fee- $255/student athlete/sport (increased from $245 this year)

Athletic User Fee Family Cap- Four fees for the school year- $1,020

Facility Fee- These fees are designed to off-set roughly 50% of the cost of the facility rental for each program listed below. This fee is above and beyond the Athletic User Fee, which is also due for these sports. This fee is also not eliminated or reduced as a result of a family cap. 

Ice Hockey- $500 (increased from $350 this year)

Gymnastics- $200 (increased from $150 this year)

Swimming- $150 (increased from $100 this year)

Registration for Fall sports will begin next week. 

MIAA Spring Tournament Info

Updated June 3rd at 2:25pm

Baseball- Seeded #27 in D2 tournament

Next Round- Sweet 16- At #11 King Philip on Wednesday, June 3rd at 4:00pm

Previous Rounds- Round of 32- Defeated #6 Shepherd Hill Regional 5-4

CLICK HERE for D2 Baseball Bracket

Boys and Girls Track & Field State Championship Meet

Bulldog Girls Track team crowned State Champions- D3......First time in known school history!

FIVE D3 Individual State Champions for the Bulldogs! This is absolutely remarkable....rarified air kinda stuff!

Chloe Dubuisson- 400 meter hurdles

Addy Azar- 2 Mile

Lauren Raffetto- 800 meter and the Mile

Raffetto, Azar, Dubuisson and Grace Martinek- 4x400 meter relay

Next up- The Meet of Champions- Details to follow!

Eliminated Teams-

Girls Lacrosse- Seeded #21 in D2 tournament

Round of 32- Lost to #12 seeded Milton, 14-2

CLICK HERE for D2 Girls Lacrosse Bracket

Boys Tennis- Seeded #14 in D2 tournament

Round of 32- Defeated #19 North Quincy, 4-1
Sweet 16- Lost to #3 Duxbury, 1-4

CLICK HERE for D2 Boys Tennis Bracket

Boys Lacrosse- Seeded #11 in D2 tournament

Round of 32- Defeated #22 Burlington High School 13-7
Sweet 16- Lost to #6 Marshfield 11-9

CLICK HERE for D2 Boys Lacrosse Bracket

Current Canton High Athletics Coaching Vacancies

Are you a great coach or you know a great coach?  Consider throwing your hat in to join the Canton Bulldog Coaching staff. The following vacancies are currently posted in our coaching ranks:

Head Girls Varsity Tennis Coach- CLICK HERE for job posting

Fall Varsity Cheer Coach- CLICK HERE for job posting

Assistant Girls Varsity Soccer Coach- CLICK HERE for job posting

Co-Head JV Boys Soccer Coach- CLICK HERE for job posting

Co-Head JV Boys Lacrosse Coach- CLICK HERE for job posting

Head Freshmen Baseball Coach- CLICK HERE for job posting

Any questions- contact CHS Athletic Director Danny Erickson- ericksond@cantonma.org

Senyonjo steps down- Greenaway named new Bulldog Girls Varsity Soccer Coach

Coach Idris Senyonjo
stepping down at 
Bulldog Varsity Coach

It is bittersweet as the CHS Athletic Department says goodbye to Coach Idris Senyonjo and welcomes Coach Tom Greenaway as our next Girls Varsity Soccer Coach.

Senyonjo has served as the Bulldog Girls Varsity Soccer Coach since the 2020 season, leading the Bulldogs to much success over that time period including a Hockomock Davenport Championship and several deep MIAA tournament runs.  According to CHS Athletic Director Danny Erickson, "Idris brought a professionalism, soccer IQ, and caring heart to the program. He will be missed. We thank him for his time, care and energy."

Taking over the program is Coach Tom Greenaway.  Greenaway is new to high school soccer, but has been a mainstay in the local club scene for more than a decade. Many CHS soccer student athletes have participated in programs through Canton Youth Soccer and local clubs that Greenaway has led.

Newly appointed Coach 
Tom Greenaway

Greenaway has held numerous soccer coaching and leadership positions with FCUSA, Steel Sports and Seacoast United where he currently coaches and manages tournaments and events for the club. He has been a part of many summer soccer camps that scores of CHS student athletes have participated in in recent years. 

Coach Greenaway had this to say upon his appointment as Head Bulldog Coach- 

"I’m excited to join Canton High School as the new varsity girls head coach. This program holds a strong personal connection for me having coached within the youth soccer organization and worked with many of the HS players over the last 15 years. I’m also looking forward and being part of a great athletic community and developing a talented group of young female players."

CHS Athletic Director had this to say upon Greenaway's appointment- 

"I have known Tom for more than ten years. I've seen him work with youth players of all levels.  His soccer knowledge, organizational skills, and most importantly- his ability to build strong relationships- has been evident throughout. I'm very excited to see his coaching journey continue and grow here at CHS."

Piazza and Ramanathan honored by The Hock

Bharat Ramanathan and Alexi Piazza-
CHS's Hockomock Scholar Athletes- 2026

Thursday night saw the Hockomock League hold one of its most cherished, special events of the year when it hosted the Hockomock League Scholar Athlete banquet. 

Each year for more than 30 years, the Hockomock comes together in May to honor two student athletes from each of the 12 Hock schools.  Two graduating student athletes from each school are selected for excelling in both the classroom and on the playing field. It is really the award that best exemplifies and honors those who embrace the mission of educational athletics. 

It is extremely difficult to select recipients given that so many Bulldogs prioritize the "student" part of being a student athlete.  Canton's two award winners this year were Bharat Ramanathan and Alexi Piazza  Both Ramanathan and Piazza have earned amazingly high GPA's during their four years at CHS, while also contributing greatly to the many teams they have been a part of.  

Bharat Ramanathan has been a force on the CHS Boys Tennis team since he walked onto the Bulldog court 4 years ago. Following in his older brother Suraj's footsteps, Bharat made a major impact right away on the tennis team. He has been a Hockomock All-Star and a strong league 1st singles player. He has also contributed greatly to the Boys Cross Country team's continued growth. All of this while earning phenomenal grades in every one of his classes. 

Alexi Piazza has played a major role in the resurgence of both the Girls Cross Country team and the Girls Track and Field teams. Piazza is a major point-getter for the Girls Track team that has clinched at least a share of the Hockomock Davenport title this year. She is also a top runner on the championship Girls Cross Country team. She, like Ramanathan, has done all of this while performing like an MVP in the classroom as well. 

The CHS Athletic Department proudly wishes both of these soon-to-be graduates, the best of luck in the next chapters of their lives. 

The twenty-four Hockomock League Scholar Athletes from our League's 12 schools

Thank you Coach Shuman

Coach Shuman on the bench at
the Boston Garden- a familiar
spot for him over the years 

Last week, CHS Head Boys Varsity Hockey Coach Brian Shuman announced his retirement from his position here as a Bulldog. It is impossible to overstate the impact that he has made here over his more than two decade career. 

I will highlight Coach Shuman’s amazing career numbers and highlights further down this page, but to start with his statistical successes would distract from his real successes over the past 21 years at CHS. 

I recently was listening to a podcast where the Athletic Director at Middlebury College in Vermont was the guest. The interview made a major impact on me. He shared that the stated goal of Middlebury College Athletics is to “make the world a better place.” He goes on to explain that they strive to make that happen by “developing our student athletes to be the best individuals and team members they can be so they will go out in the world and make the world a better place.”

Hearing that immediately made me think of Coach Shuman. It is impossible for me to come up with someone who has made a greater impact on so many here at CHS over the past 21 years.  Coach Shuman sits atop a long list of transformational coaches I have worked with over the years. Through his coaching, he truly has “made the world a better place.”  

Observing and speaking with Coach Shuman over the years, it is clear to me that the following values/concepts are just some of the many that he demands, fosters and models:

• Teamwork

• Grit

• Hard work

• Gratitude

• Humility

• Perseverance

• Bravery

• Selflessness

• Pride

• Love

• Compassion

• Accountability

• Respect

As a result, hundreds of his alumni are making the world a better place by being amazing dads, coaches, friends, co-workers, husbands, role models, and just great people. He has made a huge positive difference in the lives of so many young men….and thus….in our world. 

Coach Shuman with his son and 
captain Teddy

As I transition into a list of his unparalleled successes on the bulldog bench over the years, I would be remiss if I did not state that Coach Shuman did “start at 2nd base” when he took over the Bulldog Boys Hockey program early this century.  Canton Hockey had been well established in this town since the middle of the 1900s. We had had many, many championship seasons prior to the arrival of Coach Shuman.  Our Youth Hockey program has been a bellwether for other communities to model. Our CHS Boys Hockey alumni from the 1900s will remind us all that we have always been a dominant program.  And they would be correct. However, Coach Shuman created something in the CHS Boys Hockey program that redefined what a successful, championship program really looks like.

Our run of success over the past 15 years is unlike anything the program had seen in the past. The team this year played a level of hockey rarely seen in any high school team…period. 

In no way am I diminishing those that helped make CHS Boys Hockey a powerhouse in the past. To the contrary, I would assume that all of those great players and teams are beyond proud of the foundation they built and the legacy that they have seen develop. The success of the Bulldog Boys Hockey team under Coach Shuman is something that our entire Canton community, and more specifically, our hockey alumni community, should be enormously proud of. 

Finally, with one of Coach Shuman’s own important values in mind- gratitude- I want to thank Coach Shuman for everything.  For being a great role model for his student athletes and his fellow coaches. For dedicating so much of his time, love and care to our boys. For setting a very high bar of excellence for all CHS coaches to continue to strive towards. And for making the world a better place. 

Coach Shuman by the Numbers- 

Coach Shuman (yes, that's him!) with his 2010 State Champions

• Career Record- 371-72-38

• Winningest coach in Canton High School history (all sports!)

• 5 MIAA State Championships

• 19 Hockomock League Titles

• USA Today’s NATIONAL High School Hockey Coach of the Year in 2019

• 3-time Boston Globe Coach of the Year

• Averaged 18 wins per season….with a typical regular season schedule of 21 games

• More than a dozen Sportsmanship Awards

• 2026 inductee to the Massachusetts Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame

Upcoming Fall Sports Info Meetings

Typically in May and June, many of our fall sports programs host informational meetings for students who are interested in participating.  As those meetings get added, I will share them through this blog entry.

Also an FYI- Fall sports begin on Monday, August 24th. 

GOLF- Important meeting for anyone currently in grades 8-11 interested in trying out for the golf team this fall on Tuesday, June 2nd at 2:45 in the CHS Distance Learning Lab.  Any questions or can't make it? Contact Coach Barucci baruccim@cantonma.org

Girls VOLLEYBALL- important meeting on Monday, 

June 8, at 3:00 in the Distance Learning Lab at CHS for all girls entering grades 9-11 who are interested in trying out for the volleyball team in the fall. If you need more information or cannot make it, please reach out to Coach Cawley at patriciabcawley@gmail.com. 

Girls SOCCER- Anyone interested in joining the CHS Girls Soccer program in the fall should attend a meeting on Tuesday, June 9th at 2:45 in the CHS Library. New Coach Tom Greenaway will be introduced. He will share info on the upcoming season. 

Boys and Girls CROSS COUNTRY- An important meeting for anyone interested in joining the cross country program this fall will be held on Wednesday June 17th at 3PM at the track. This meeting is for students currently in grades 8-11. Any questions or can't make it, please reach out to Coach Brian Gotsell (briangotsell@cantonma.org) 

Sweeney named new Varsity Boys Basketball Coach

Coach Joe Sweeney

The CHS Athletic Department is thrilled to announce that Joe Sweeney will be taking over as our Boys Varsity Basketball Coach.  

Sweeney took the reigns mid-season this past winter as our head interim coach and piloted the 'dogs to a tournament bid and a tournament game win.  He also served as our Freshmen Boys Coach for the entire 2025-26 season. He is no stranger to our Bulldog Basketball program. 

Sweeney played basketball at Pembroke High School before heading off to Bridgewater State University where he minored in Coaching. He has worked with the Level Up Hoops AAU program out of Hanover. He has been with the CHS coaching staff for the past two seasons. 

Sweeney had this to say about his appointment- 

"It’s an honor to be named the next varsity basketball coach at CHS. This is a tremendous opportunity to serve our student athletes and represent our school community. I believe in building a program that emphasizes unity, hard work, perseverance, and consistency. I’m excited to grow connections with our players, families, and supporters as we work together to build a program the Canton community can be proud of.”

CHS Athletic Director Danny Erickson had this to say about this hire-

"Joe has made a huge mark here at CHS in just two seasons. When we made a mid-season shift this past winter, it was clear to everyone, from our coaching staff to our student athletes and to me that Coach Sweeney was the way to go. He has a very high basketball IQ. He is a student of the game. But more importantly, he truly is a coach fit for today's student athletes. He prioritizes joy and competing. He gets how to get the most out of his kids. I'm excited to watch his journey here."

A Joyous Championship

Elation in the Garden

As we all know by now, our Boys Hockey team was crowned 2026 MIAA Boys Hockey D2 State Champions.  This week, the Boston Globe ranked us #1 in the final Globe Top 20, which rates the top 20 high school teams in the state (roughly 175) across all divisions. The 'dogs are at the very top. 

When our Bulldog teams win this ultimate prize, there are usually things that stick out as indicators of how they achieved such greatness. This year's Bulldog Boys Hockey team is no exception. To me, the thing that made this team excellent- more excellent than any other team in the state- was easy to see- JOY. 

Yes, Joy. Not the joy of winning it all, which was incredibly apparent by watching our boys on the ice after the final buzzer on the biggest stage- the Garden.  The joy I'm referring to is more permanent and powerful. It's the love of each other and the joy of the journey.

This team clearly loved each other and played for each other. They not only supported each other- they truly rooted for each other. On a team that could have been destroyed by egos, the opposite happened. It is so easy and even natural for teammates to envy each other and thus chip away at a strong team culture. That is NOT what happened with this amazingly talented group. The team was ONE.

None of this is a new, foreign concept. Many of the best coaches in the world have recognized over the past 20 years that LOVE/JOY and strong relationships are as important/more important than other key ingredients of team success like talent, discipline, hard work, resilience, desire, and mental toughness.

Some of these amazing coaches include Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors, Patrick Roy of the New York Islanders, Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool FC, Sean McVeigh of the LA Rams, Pete Carroll (let's focus on his time in Seattle!)....and clearly Canton's own Brian Shuman (despite the photo of him in the Citizen on the bench in the Garden looking like he is Darth Vader scanning over the destruction of the Rebel Alliance!) 

Don't get me wrong, legendary Notre Dame Football Coach Lou Holtz (note- Lou Holtz was NOT a "Joy" coach!) was not wrong when he said something like this (paraphrase): "You can't win without talent, but you can certainly lose with it." 

Teddy and Matt soaking in the state 
championship moment

A state championship does not happen without talent, discipline, and hard work, but add the secret sauce of JOY, and a championship becomes a whole lot more attainable. Coach Shuman knew that. His leaders on this team knew that. And they all leaned in heavily to the idea that Love will lead to a championship. 

Warriors Coach Steve Kerr said this- “When you have joy, you play better. You share the ball, you defend better, you connect.”

Islander Coach Patrick Roy said this- “Hockey is a game. We want the guys to enjoy it again. When you have joy, you’re going to perform better.”

Signs of this joy and team love were evident throughout the entire 2025-26 championship season- particularly during the playoff run. Microphones were put in the faces of many of these boys as the games got bigger and bigger each round. If you heard what they each talked about when asked "Why" it all happened, the common thread was- We love each other, and we love working together to win. They credit each other and deflect praise away from themselves. They throw the love on their coaches and teammates.

Ryan Elrick, after the title game- "I think it's just sticking together. We are a brotherhood. We have never been on a team this close- any of us."

Cam Guerschuny, after the title game in which he scored the game-winner- "I definitely credit our coaching. Coach Shuman prepares us every day. He knows what he needs to do and Coach Ford and the other coaches. Also, just the upperclassmen- our seniors and captains- we wouldn't be able to do it without them. I mean, we are a brotherhood, and that's what older brothers do."

Teddy Shuman after the Semi-Final- "It's a Canton High School Hockey brotherhood in there. We are all playing for each other.  And we love each other, so we are going to give it all we got, and that's what wins championships."

So- Bulldogs of our future teams...those starting their spring seasons now, those who will get going in August or next December, and those who are still in elementary school, take note of the 2026 Boys Hockey Championship team. The "secret sauce" is no longer a secret. We all need to learn from this team if we want to experience success of our own.

They loved each other.

They rooted for each other.

They found joy in all parts of the journey. 

They were Champions. 

MIAA STATE CHAMPIONS- The Canton Bulldogs
ALL photos by Caitlin Tureski