After math teacher David St. Martin stepped down from his position as head coach of the boys’ varsity basketball team, Walpole High School had trouble finding someone to fill his role. WHS wanted someone who would bring the same levels of enthusiasm and success that St. Martin brought for years. In the fall of 2019, Athletic Director Ron Dowd welcomed Oliver Vil as the new head coach. 

“Walpole High has always been one of my dream coaching spots. It’s a great sports town. Great community support. So, when the position opened, I didn’t think twice to apply,” Vil said.

Vil has been involved in basketball for the past 30 years, whether it be coaching or playing himself. After playing throughout high school and college, he took on a new role on the sidelines, as the eighth grade boys head basketball coach at Easton Middle School. After his successful season, Vil was appointed head junior varsity coach at King Philip High School for one season, but he ultimately decided to return to Easton as the assistant varsity coach at Oliver Ames High School.

As a coach, Vil has worked to motivate his team by instilling his confidence in each player. His main goal at WHS is to change the culture of basketball through positivity and hard work.

“Everyone on the team loves the staff and what they do for us,” junior captain Jack Connell said. “Although our record might not show it, his constant belief and confidence in the team has got us through our rough patch.”

Vil believes his team has all of the necessary qualities to be both competitive and successful in the Bay State Conference. 

“I am excited for the future of this team because of the willingness of each player, their dedication to improve, and the hard work they have put in so far,” Vil said.

With only three returning players, the boys believe that by practicing together more, they will see the results they are looking for. The coaching staff hopes that while working with the new athletes, they can fully implement a new system that fosters an understanding of the game and success. 

“We all haven’t really played a lot of games together, so it took some time getting used to the different play styles of everybody,” sophomore Ryan King said. 

In the future, the team hopes to clinch a spot in the MIAA Division 2 South Sectional Tournament, something the boys’ basketball program has not done since 2018. With this end goal in mind, the team hopes to focus on each game individually as a stepping stone towards their final target.

“Coach told us in the beginning of the year that our goal is to make playoffs,” King said. “This means that every game matters, and we all have to put in everything we got into each game to achieve that goal.”