December 12, 2022 - Story by Mark Blaudshun, photos by Joshua Ross
The game is the challenge for Roland Millien, whether he is playing it, coaching it, or teaching it.
Millien is in Phase 3 right now, coaching the girls varsity at Hingham High School.
But it wasn't that long ago when he was a player, a two year captain at Stoughton High, which morphed into a career at Bridgewater State.
But the long term goal for Millien, who likes challenges of all types was to move from playing to coaching.
That period began when Millien began a coaching odyssey which started as a boys assistant coach at Milton Academy, five year stint as the girls varsity coach at Milton and finally, starting last season, the girls' coach at Hingham, replacing long-time coach Gene Buczynski.
"It's a little easier the second year," conceded Millien, who will guide his team in its opener on Monday against Quincy High. "Because you have done things for a year, but it's an entirely new challenge this year because we have to replace seven seniors from last year's team."
That team won 127 games and was guided by Perry Blasetti, part of a dynastic force in Hingham basketball which had produced a Blasetti (and her sisters Ryley, Haley, and Sydney) for ten consecutive seasons.
"I was only around them for a year," said Millien, "but the leadership they provided will be treasured, it will be different."
That is another challenge for Millien, who has challenge as part of his DNA.
Take his normal day during the season, which begins at his home In Middleboro, moves to a job as a special education teacher's assistant in Stoughton and then moves to his job as the coach of the Harborwomen's basketball team.
"During the season, it is a full day," said Millien with a laugh. "But being here (in Hingham) is doing something I love to do."
What Millien is trying to do is build on a tradition of excellence at Hingham, which expects high level performances.
Millien is hesitant to produce numerical goals.
"Our expectations involve hard work and getting better,'' he said.
When asked for specifics on the way he plans to accomplish that, Millien again laughed. "We will PLAY defense," he said. "And we will work hard."
Millien says there are no short cuts. He likes his core group of players which includes such leaders as senior captains Colette Hanney and Sarah Holler.
But the satisfaction will come in watching progress being made, even if it comes in smaller steps with new faces and new leaders to work into the rotation.
"I'm doing something I truly love to do," says Millien.
The fun starts against Quincy on Monday.