Dave Brown was too good at what he does – coaching basketball and building a winning program – to stay on the sidelines for long, so it is not unexpected that he has been named the head coach of the St. Mary’s High School boys basketball team. The job that Dave did as head coach at Winthrop High was in a word, tremendous, as he took a team from the smallest school in the Northeastern Conference and made it a potent one and ultimately a state champion. But more important, he motivated his players to work hard in the classroom and develop their skills not only during the basketball season himself, but in the off season as well. Dino Mallios, who led the nation in assists at St. Anselm College, is one example of a player who put in the time and became a great college basketball player. And if not for an incredible New Mission team, Dino and his backcourt mate, Gavin Mahoney, and their 2010 team would have garnered the much sought-after state title that would come one year later in 2011.
Dave Brown, who is an officer with the Winthrop Police Department, left a tremendous legacy in Winthrop basketball and his accomplishments rank up there with some of the terrific coaches in Winthrop sports annals such as Henry McCarthy, Ron Spinney, Tony Fucillo, Bob DeFelice, Pat McGee, Warren McPhail, Bill Falasca, and Peter Grimes (who led the Winthrop boys to a state title in 1995).
We congratulate Dave Brown on his appointment as head coach at St. Mary’s and wish this high school and college (Westfield State) basketball star the very best – except of course when they play our Winthrop Vikings – which no doubt will be an emotional meeting for Coach Brown.