It was the Spring of 2008, and Billy D’Amico was sitting with anticipation as he awaited his turn to be lettered in the Revere track program, and while it may have seemed impossible at the time, in a little more than a decade D’Amico would find himself at the head of the very same program he cared so deeply for

Billy D’Amico graduated from Revere High School in 2011, and within his tenure at the school, he participated in a multitude of sports, of which track proved to have the greatest impact. Now as the 2023 track season inches closer, he has found himself at the head of the team he once competed for. 

D’Amico was a four year Varsity member of the track program during his time at Revere and upon his return to the district in 2018, he was quick to make an impact on the program he once competed for. He spoke on what the opportunity meant for him.

“It was very surreal because track meant so much to me. Over the years I have coached many different events, but to be chosen to be the head coach is pretty awesome, especially because it was such a huge part of my high school experience,” D’Amico said. 

Oftentimes coaches come into programs from outside a district, but in D’Amico’s case, this could not be farther from reality. D’Amico would rise up the coaching ladder until a coaching change following the 2022 season would grant him the opportunity to take the reins of the program. He explained how his experience within the program gives him a unique perspective. 

“When I first started coaching track, I really just helped out wherever I could and that gave me some great experience with a lot of the running events. Last year, I was our throwing coach, which was a major change, but gave me some perspective on that part of the program,” D’amico said. 

Aside from track, D’Amico also serves as the special teams coordinator for the football team and as the head coach of the eighth grade boys basketball team. The diversity in D’Amico’s coaching experience allows him to deal with a multitude of different athletes. He explained how he manages a variety of different athletes. 

“Going between three seperate sports seasons is pretty crazy. Early on, you realize the culture you are dealing with is completely different for every sport. Building a relationship with my athletes is really how I am able to have success in coaching, they want success and so do I,” D’Amico said.

As he heads into his first season as head coach, D’Amico expects success from his team. The team finished fifth in the Suburban League last season, and D’Amico expects his team to improve on that record this season. He explained his goals for the season. 

“I thought we were a better team than what the record reflected last year. This year, I would like to finish top three, potentially with a league title. I think we have enough kids coming back in, and we can really make a dent in the league this season,” D’Amico said. 

To achieve success, D’Amico has implemented new aspects to his team’s preparation to ensure that they will reach his expectations. A major part of that change is the implementation of weightlifting into the usual practice schedule, and with the hiring of Tanner Schroer as Strength and Conditioning coach in July, that process has become much easier. D’Amico explained how he has adapted the team’s training regime to ensure success.

“Coach Tanner lifting with my guys twice a week is phenomenal. Kids come into track and can show their athletic ability, bringing them together helps to have a nice, well-rounded team. Having a consistent lifting schedule should really positively impact the team,” D’Amico said. 

Although he has had success early on, coaching on such a level has its challenges. D’Amico explained the challenges he has faced, and how he has overcome them. 

“I have so many well rounded athletes that are really involved in the school; the only challenge is getting them all together for practices. Every day, I have to manage over eighty kids involved in a ton of different activities. It is great for the school, just hard to manage on my end. As long as my athletes continue to do a phenomenal job of communicating, my job gets a lot easier,” D’Amico said.

For D’Amico to put so much dedication into the track program, a love of the game is necessary. Throughout his years as an athlete, and now as the leader of those athletes, D’Amico has devoted a large part of himself to the program. He spoke on his experience with the sport, and why he keeps coming back.

“My athletes are what make this sport great. The dynamic of an individual sport built into a team based effort is really special. We need our top guys to score points to win, but even my guys that are not scoring me a lot of points are still important. As long as they are throwing their best, jumping their highest and running their fastest, that is all you really need. And seeing the kids get joy in that is really cool,” D’Amico said.

It is not rare for a coach to ask a former player to come back to a program and coach, but what stands out about D’Amico’s situation is that his former head coach now serves as a peer within the athletic program. David Heideman served as Revere’s head track coach for a multitude of years and was the coach for which lettered D’Amico in 2008, but Heideman would later step away from the position and now serves as the schools head tennis coach. Heideman explained what it means to see a former player in the position he once held.

“It is fantastic. I love seeing him excel and do a great job in the things that we love and care about in terms of coaching and facilitating another generation of student athletes. It is really exciting,” Heideman said. 

Aside from the connection between the two coaches, Heideman also recognizes the qualities of a successful coach that D’Amico portrays. He described the qualities that D’Amico exhibits and how that will lead to success. 

“He has coached so many different sports over several years and just done a great job. He is the perfect person for the head coach of the track team. He knows what he is doing. He is experienced. He has been successful as a student athlete himself, and he’s just going to do a great job with the program,” Heideman said.

The qualities that Heideman describes cannot grow overnight though and are built through years of experience. That does not mean, however, that there were no hints of the traits while D’Amico was still serving as a student athlete. Heideman explained what he saw in a younger D’Amico. 

“Billy was always dependable, trustworthy and very enthusiastic. He had the necessary drive and determination, all the key ingredients for being a great student athlete. And all of it is just translating perfectly into his coaching career,” Heideman said.

 Similar to D’Amico, many students migrate between a multitude of different sports, and in a few situations some athletes wind up within the very same sports. Thomas Christman is a Senior member of the track team and has also been a member of the schools football team throughout his high school career, both sports D’Amico plays a role within. Christman provided insight into what it means to have such high consistency within the coaching ladder.

“It has been really cool to have a coach like D’Amico supporting me in both track and football. Since he is so involved, we have been able to better understand each other, and that leads to success for both of us. Coach D’Amico has been really influential in my athletic career because of that,” Christman said.

It has not been very long since D’Amico competed for the Minutemen, but as he enters the first year of his head coaching career, with the experience he has gathered from his years of coaching and as a student athlete, success looks to be on the horizon. 

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