Shone takes the reins at PHS

PORTSMOUTH — Brint Shone’s time coaching soccer in the region dates back to the salad days of Seacoast United in the early 1990s, shortly after he wrapped up his own collegiate career at the University of Maine.

In more than two decades of coaching since then, he’s honed a number of philosophies — and one bedrock feeling:

“I hate watching bad soccer,” he said. “We all do. What we want to do is make the players better players. Just being an athlete isn’t good enough.”

Shone, a Strafford native who played at St. Thomas Aquinas, will be the dominant voice that the Portsmouth High School girls soccer team hears on Monday morning, when they gather for their first practice of the season. It’s the first day of practice for soccer, field hockey, cross country, volleyball and golf teams across the state.

Shone replaces Cyd Scarano, who stepped down after four seasons in the spring to fill the opening at Oyster River, her hometown program where she’d previously served as an assistant. Her record at Portsmouth was 48-22-4.

“It was a very, very difficult decision,” she said back then. “When I was first presented with the opportunity I really hesitated. Portsmouth is a quality program with great players and a great administration, very supportive.”

Shone’s hiring was announced in June, along with the hiring of new girls varsity lacrosse coach JoJo Curro.

“First of all, we think we hit a home run with both of them,” said Portsmouth athletic director Rus Wilson. “Brint’s been involved with our program for some time now. The girls all know who he is.”

Through his Fusion Soccer Academy, which he runs with Caleb Paterson, Shone has coached several of the Portsmouth players, particularly the younger ones.

His style favors possession, and he leaned on three points of emphasis for players preparing for the season: ball control, fitness and soccer IQ.

“Everyone’s got their own style,” said Shone. “It’s not throwing stones at Cyd, it’s just a different style.”

The only returning member of the soccer coaching staff is Lauren Casimiro, a physical education teacher at the high school. Hanna Strong, who played collegiately at Syracuse and has coached for Shone at Fusion, comes aboard as a varsity assistant.

In addition, two former Clipper standouts who went on to play in college — Ian Troost (Westminster and later football at the University of Pittsburgh) and Charley Prevost (George Washington) — will be working with the sub-varsity teams.

“They both expressed interest,” said Wilson. “They’ve finished school and are back in town.”

Paterson, the former PHS boys coach, and former SNHU player Austin Britt will also be involved with the program.

“We’ve got a great makeup of coaches,” said Shone, who has also coached with the Portsmouth City Soccer Club. “If one of us doesn’t have the answer to something, we go to someone who does.”

Portsmouth was an almost annual contender in Division II before a new classification cutline bumped them up to Division I last season. The Clippers finished in the top half of the standings at 8-6-2 but lost in the first round of the playoffs.

“We expect to stay up there, to be in Division I for a while,” said Wilson.

Shone, who lives in Portsmouth with his family and is employed by Chinburg Property Management, had been approached by Scarano during the winter about taking on a larger role helping out at Portsmouth.

Now, as the program continues its transition, he’s the one running the show.

“I know the girls and I’m excited about it,” he said. “It’s not a burden. The cards just kind of fell this way.”