It’s been a special season for the Finocchiaro’s

When you talk to Austin Prep boys? hockey coach Lou Finocchiaro, there’s a sense that family is a big part of what’s defined the success of the Cougars? program in recent years.
For the long-time Austin Prep coach and Saugus resident, who led Saugus High to a state title in 1999 before becoming an assistant at Merrimack College under the late Chris Serino, this season has an even more special meaning as Finocchiaro is coaching his son, Louis, on the boys’ team and watching daughter Olivia excel for the Austin Prep girls’ team.
?It really has been a special season,” Finocchiaro said. “We had a similar run last year with the girls making it deep into the playoffs and being a game away from being in (TD) Garden. And we were there with the boys. That really would have been special.”
How chaotic has Finocchiaro’s season been? On Wednesday he ran his team through a final practice before Game 2 of their best-of-three series tonight at 6 at the Tsongas Center against Central Catholic. After that, he hopped in the car and headed over to Woburn to watch the Cougar girls take on Watertown in the Division 1 quarterfinals.
?I was thinking about this the other day,” Finocchiaro said. “I get to coach my son in the Super 8 and watch my daughter play in the tournament. How much better can I want it?”
Finocchiaro allowed his kids a choice of what they wanted to do athletically, even though he was having plenty of success on the ice. But he is glad that once they chose to pursue hockey, they have enjoyed it.
?I’ve been coaching for a long time, even before they were born, so I never pushed hockey on them,” Finocchiaro said. “Olivia was a figure skater starting out and then she saw the fun her brother was having playing and she decided to try it. I’m kind of glad she did because girls? hockey is growing so fast in this country.”
When his son was getting toward the age at which he would be playing high school hockey, Finocchiaro began to entertain the notion of stepping aside and just being a parent in the stands.
?I had thought at times about getting out before Louis got to high school. That maybe it might not be best to coach him,” Finocchiaro said. “But it came so fast that it was hard to walk away. With both of them, especially Lou, it?s a special relationship. It works out really well.”
Of course, there is the inevitable time when the elder Finocchiaro has to become the fiery coach, even when it involves getting a point across to his son. It’s something that took a little bit to get used to.
?We’ve had a lot of conversations in the car where I’m talking as a dad. But once we get to the rink, I’m talking as a coach,” Finocchiaro said. “I try to treat him like I would any other player. If I’m not yelling at them to do stuff, I’ve kind of given up on you. But it’s been a learning process for him and me.”
Until this season Finocchiaro had never been on the bench for one of his daughter’s games. But when he had the chance to help out with her select team, it gave Finocchiaro a new view of what coaching on the girls’ side is like.
?The girls are like sponges,” Finocchiaro said. “They listen and absorb. It was the first time that I had the chance to be on the ice with her and have the experience to coach girls and it was really enjoyable.”
Olivia Finocchiaro has become one of the go-to players for coach Stephanie Wood and the Austin Prep girls, who spent most of this season ranked in the top three in Massachusetts. Despite being a relative newcomer to the game in terms of experience, her talents haven’t gone unnoticed.Last summer, she was invited to be a part of the US development program in St. Cloud, Minn.
?That camp really was an exciting time for her and it was for us as a family also,” Lou Finocchiaro said. “She really has a great supporting cast around her at Austin with a lot of great teammates and a great coaching staff. She’s enjoying it and that’s how I want it to be.”
Having the chance to coach his son has given Finocchi