DANVERS — Next year, Essex Tech will no longer be a part of the Commonwealth Athletic Conference (CAC), as it will officially join the Cape Ann League (CAL) with hopes of bringing the school’s athletic program to another level.
Essex Tech’s boys hockey coach Mark Leonard said he’s looking forward to the move.
“To be honest, I was really excited about it. It’s a great league and has a great tradition,” Leonard said. “I think it’s good for all teams at Essex Tech to step up into a bit of a tougher league. I think it’s going to benefit all of us.”
Another positive – to get rid of a reputation he feels doesn’t reflect the school.
“Our teams were very competitive in the Commonwealth Athletic Conference, but the reputation was, ‘well, they can beat the CAC teams, but not these other schools,’” Leonard said. “I don’t mean to talk down on the CAC teams, because they’ve got good teams.”
The hope is that Essex Tech’s new schedule will help in the power rankings.
“From top to bottom, the CAL is a bit stronger. I think that’s reflected in the rankings with the way the power seedings work. The CAL teams are normally ranked pretty high because of the teams they play,” Leonard said.
Leonard has been coaching hockey for 28 years, and said he’s familiar with the CAL and some of its coaches.
“I’ve known Paul Yameen (Newburyport) for a long time. We’ve had battles when I was with Peabody. Jon Gardner at Lynnfield and Ryan Sheehan at Triton are all great guys and run good programs,” Leonard said.
Leonard mentioned the history of CAL teams, and enjoys the traditions of Newburyport, North Reading, and Triton among others.
“Traditionally, they’re great teams. Lynnfield is a strong team as well and Newburyport has been at the top for a long time,” Leonard said.
Although teams in the CAL are established, Leonard believes this is a great time – for his team in particular – to make the jump to the CAL.
“I think we’re going into it at a good time. We have 20 kids returning next year, so I think we should be competitive right away. It’ll be a challenge for sure, but I think it’s a good challenge,” Leonard said.
Essex Tech played a CAL team this past season, beating North Reading 6-3, but Leonard said he hasn’t played the other teams in a while. That said, he’s “seen them all play before, and they all play some good hockey.”
In Leonard’s mind, tougher competition will also benefit his players.
“I think it can only help us. It’s going to make our athletes better and work harder. Better competition makes better players I believe. Night in and night out, we’re going to have tough competition,” Leonard said.
The move also provides a geographical benefit for Essex Tech, which is located in Danvers.
“That’s the one thing no one really talks about. Most of the games are going to be within 15 minutes,” Leonard said. “It’s a much easier commute [and] we’ll have bigger crowds.”
All eyes will be on Essex Tech next year to see how it adapts to the CAL.
