Brenton Pinkus Boys Varsity Assistant Coach, 2004 - Present Burr and Burton Academy
CELEBRATING
FROM ATHLETIC DIRECTOR FROM FORMER ASSISTANT COACHFROM SOCCER COACH
I think of Pete as coach of the varsity soccer program. Over seventeen years he has written hundreds of paragraphs on his players, each one heartfelt and genuine, and always pointing out small details that showed those players exactly how much he noticed and how much he cared. First and foremost, Pete sees soccer coaching through a teacher’s lens, and that is what has brought both him and his players success on the eld, and in life. Geoff Chamberlain Former Boys Varsity Assistant Coach, 2018-2019 Burr and Burton Academy I had the pleasure of coaching with Pete for 13 seasons during his second tenure as head coach - winning 2 state championships and enjoying an 18-0 season during that time. We had some great victories and some tough losses but throughout, Pete remained a true gentleman. Never losing his cool or picking up yellow cards, he saved those for me (and one contentious red). He instilled hard work, respect for each other and the opposition, and always had room for a hard working tenacious player. As Geo has stated, he always found time to write up a great unique description of every player he ever coached and delivered it with heartfelt appreciation for that player. Nobody can forget the attempted bicycle kick during practice or the constant “Mull runs” out of the goal when he was playing keeper during practice - and he loved a good drop kick counterattack. But the best thing I will remember about Pete is the way he instilled that hard working never-say-die attitude in his players as he turned them from boys into great young men. It was an honor to coach alongside him.
Brenton Pinkus
Patrick Zilkha Dave Miceli Geoff Chamberlain Peter is a competitor at heart. And this speaks to his coaching style. When we play pickup soccer, he’s tenacious on the eld, grabbing, turning, pushing, pulling whomever he’s covering. He never stops his movement. When we play basketball, he does the same thing! He’s a wrestler disguised as a basketball player. With pointy elbows and sticky ngers, it’s di cult to separate yourself from him. And if he’s covering some one taller or faster, his instinct of when to swipe at the ball is second to none. There have been many times that an opponent, who Peter was covering, goes up for a sure re layup only to realize the ball has been swiped away. And I cannot count the number of times Peter has ended up sprawled out on the oor as he did every thing he could to break up a play or nd a loose ball. O the eld, Peter Mull cares about his students, players, and fellow coaches. As I see the words from his older players slowly streaming in, I get a chance to read some of the memories that his past players have thoughtfully shared. And I read what I expected - a fun, competitive coach who kept the practices alive and the players’ well-being at the top of his list. Peter is always ready to share his thoughts when it comes to high school practices, his approach to games, and his philosophy towards coaching. I feel lucky to have Peter as a mentor and I know that Manchester and the surrounding towns have been fortunate to have had Peter Mull as a part of our community. Thank you Coach. Patrick Zilkha Boys Varsity Soccer Coach, 2020-Present Burr and Burton Academy
Patrick Zilkha
COACH MULL
Brenton Pinkus Dave Miceli
Coach Mull hired me in my rst high school coaching job - JV Green Boys Soccer 1993. He knew I lacked soccer knowledge but believed in my ability to connect with athletes. Peter was generous and thoughtful in teaching the game to me so I could help my JV athletes move forward. Over the years, I have worked alongside Peter, he has worked for me, we have been teammates, friends and frequently are matched opposite each other for pick up basketball. I cherish his competitive level and his relentlessness. My thinking is stronger and convictions rmer because of Pete’s love of debate and the tireless way he challenges all things. Dave CurrentMiceliBBA Athletic Director Burr and Burton Academy
Geoff Chamberlain
thinkbeeniteasysaid.everythingwentsincerityintoheThatisnotaskandhasalwayswhatIofmostwhen
Pete came to Burr and Burton to teach just around the time I was graduating, so I never had him as a coach or a teacher. However, over the years we came to know each other through coaching and playing pick up soccer. I think my earliest memory of Pete might be him pulling on my shoulder as we were going after a ball. As anyone who has played any sport with Pete knows, he enjoys a physical game. I do too, so our friendship began there. I regularly play soccer, hockey, and basketball with Pete and he is a passionate and erce competitor who exempli es the grit and determination he instilled in his players. I was fortunate to assist Pete with the varsity over his last two years as head coach. As a teacher myself, I was most impressed with Pete’s devotion to his players and his desire for them to see the bene ts of commitment and teamwork through soccer. Like all good teachers, Pete was always focused on the bigger picture for his players beyond simply soccer. He also had a special place for the underdog who played above their ability and never gave up. That’s what being a true Burr and Burton Bulldog means to Pete. At the end of the year banquet I was always amazed at how much Pete would speak about every single player on the team, from freshman to senior, regular starters to role players. So much thought and
After my rst year of college, Peter made me his assistant coach! Fall of 1992. I got my rst coaching license that year. We traveled to Boston and met Chip and Geo rey Chamberlain there and stayed for the weekend. I watched Geo rey eat an entire large pizza by himself. No joke. We lost in the Semi-Final at Burke Academy that season.... but.... fondest memory still gives me chills when I think about it.....Arlington...John Werner’s powerhouse team....we were down, raining, spirit was low. Pete willed the boys back into the match with his heart and the lord above, lol. We tied it up with little time left - John Werner was steaming mad. Overtime! Peter Mull gave one of the most passionate speeches I have ever bore witness to. He reminded the team who we were and the moment we were in...... I'll never forget his nal words..... "This is it! We are here and the Arlington Mystique is over and the last thing they want right now is 20 more minutes of Burr & Burton Bulldogs!" The rest is history. I believe Katie Cyr's brother Tom put in the winning goal in overtime. Tom Towslee, Class of 1992 Crazy to think it has been that long for Pete. I was a part of the 1992 team with a bunch of guys who had played together for a long time, who were suddenly being told that their English teacher was going to be the varsity soccer head coach. What the heck! We all had known Pete in a much di erent role and had no idea what to expect from him. Well, as it has been said many times, and for good reason, we had a great experience. There was never a lack of enthusiasm, energy or support.
Carl Grey, Class of 1992
One of the memories that really sticks in my head is the memory of my brother and I getting into a massive ght during practice at the rec one day. I was already nursing a deep-seated resentment toward coach because my younger, and more athletically prone, brother Mike was rapidly usurping my starting position in mid eld. As anyone who has a close sibling might understand, the rivalry (at least from my perspective) was intense. Coach Mull broke up the scu e after a well-executed suplex by Mike and made both of us do ten laps around the eld while the rest of our teammates looked on, laughing. We swore at each other during all ten laps and I ultimate ly lost my starting position. My friends always take joy in reminding me of that day. Coach Mull was a big believer in conditioning. We often ran the loop, ran to the rec, ran hill sprints, ran up Equinox, ran laps around the eld, ran line sprints, ran to games, ran home from games.... He ran us after a win, ran us after a loss, ran us just for the hell of it. We gured we were a pretty well-conditioned team in the fall of '92, until we faced Burke Academy in the semi(?)- nals. It was a cold, rainy day, more typical of late November. The opposing team ran circles around us, wore us deep into our bench and ultimately beat us even though we had a substantially larger team and a better record. It was a tough loss but clearly proved to all of us that there was another coach out there who was even more of a conditioning freak than coach Mull. Ben Fisher, Class of 1993 I was fortunate to have Pete Mull as both my JV and Varsity Coach during my time at BBS (I refuse to write the words BBA). I’ll admit, I do not remember being impressed by coach Mull when I rst met him as a coach. He wasn’t particularly athletic nor did he have a big soccer pedigree and his style was much di erent than my other sports coaches, i.e Je Houghton. He was extremely passionate and constantly trying to pump us up and as easily embarrassed teenagers, it initially came o as overly enthusiastic. But the more I got to know Pete as a person and coach, I learned that his passion was very genuine and it became infectious. He was always very involved as I remember him often challeng ing us to race in practice to motivate us. He never came close to winning (I think Josh Wilson lapped him in a 100 yard dash once) but he earned our respect as he would always give absolutely everything he had, gasping for air after crossing the nish line. And several years after I graduated BBS, I came back Manchestertoand Billy Brownlee brought me to a pick up hoops game and there was Pete, giving his all, playing with teenage hockey players and once again gasping for air. He also once tried to spread that passion and school spirit to me. We were playing Brattleboro in a heated game and there was some trash talking between me and one particular opposing player. After I scored a goal, I let this player know with a couple not so safe for work (Continued)
JoshMemoriesSmith,Classof1990
CELEBRATING COACH MULL Memories CELEBRATING COACH MULL
Just a few short words on Coach Pete Mull. I played for Coach Mull in his rst season as Varsity Coach, my senior year. What Pete lacked in experience at the time, he made up for with his passion for the game and his structured and disciplined approach; we all needed it.
Front: Stephen Drunsic, Mike Drunsic, Donnie Batzel, Ian Jensen.
I remember having to stop (I think) somewhere on Route 100 to use a payphone to call the coach and let him know the news. He let us know that he had a healthy new addition to his family and that he was proud of our e ort under such adversity. Just really good stu Clearly that rookie year for Pete was just the beginning to a very successful and inspirational career. Congratulations coach! Job well done! Mark Kardas, Class of 1992
We were a good team, not great, but good. In our quarter nal matchup Pete was unable to make the game to be there for the birth of his child. We were not the same without him. We needed him there and unfortunately came out on the losing end. Although we thought that game was the most important thing in any of our lives, it turned out it wasn’t that important. What was important was Coach being there for his family. He taught us all that lesson and I will never forget and I am sure my teammates haven’t either. On a personal note, I was lucky enough to make the All State team that year. Coach took the time to come and support me at the Twin State tryouts. That is something he didn’t have to do but he did it anyway. I don’t think I ever thanked him for that but it meant a lot to me. Thank you Coach. Stephen Drunsic, Class of 1993
I attended Burr & Burton Seminary from 1988 - 1992. It’s my understanding that Peter Mull (has o cially retired). Not only has the school lost a great teacher and coach but they have lost a great friend! Pete has a knack of getting the best out of you! Not only in the classroom or soccer eld but as a person! I had the pleasure of being his student and hearing about his joys of children being born and also pushing me to my limits on the soccer eld. We played pick up early morning basketball at times. Pete took a group of youth soccer players from Dorset, Manchester, Danby, Londonderry, and so forth and made a soccer contender out of us! I will always consider Pete as a friend and a great teacher and coach!
I will always remember one of my earliest challenges, with co captain Vance Gri th, when Pete asked us to babysit for him so he could take his wife out to dinner. As you all know, the Mull clan is big, but this was early on so not too many Mulls to handle - however, it did include diapers. That was early in the year and as the season went on we did pretty well. One of the memo ries that stick with me as well is that last game in Milton. Carl Grey mentioned it and I agree that the whole experience was pretty crazy. Pete chose to stay home with his wife to see the delivery of the newest addition and in his place sent Steve Houghton …What? That in itself is funny. We ended up losing a pretty tight and tense game that really highlighted how much we missed Pete running up and down that sideline.
Middle: Martin Bruce, Mike Farkas, Kevin Hand, (missing name), Nick Weber, Josh Wilson, John Scienszka.
Back: Josh Smith (asst. coach), Richie Sweeney, Lucas PeterHofmann,Clough,(missingMorgensen,name),MalcolmCurtGurry,MattEvenHill,Mull(coach).
Greg Olmstead, Class of 1994 First o I have to echo how funny it was to see how Stephen’s story played out in real time and how Peter handled it. We had a really good team in the fall of 1992 and we were a motley crew with attitude to spare. The A-town win that wasreferencedSmithCoachoneof the most intense games I’ve ever played, and it was de nitely a highlight beating them in Arlington, under the lights, in OT, a man down after they tossed Lucas Mogenson ‘93 for ghting. Coach Mull did his best to keep our tempers from getting the best of us, but it was a physical/combative game. Losing to Burke was bitter sweet, as Coach had us really dialed in and we had great team depth that season. In the fall of ‘93 we came in with con dence and a solid team. For some reason Coach Mull thought it was a good idea to drag us down to Pennsylvania prior to the season to take on a couple of top teams that included some All-Ameri cans. Well I guess Coach was right, because after our athletic de-pantsing, we came back home a lot more humbled and a little more dedicated. I always felt like Coach put a lot of trust in us to go out there and perform. He always put re in our bellies. Sometimes it was the laughter that his rants could produce, but he always got us on point when we needed it, and I probably needed it a lot. I still talk about the sprints up the sledding hill to nish practice, you had to nish rst to be done. I knew I couldn’t beat some of the guys, so I learned to dog the rst couple till I knew I could beat the others, and I wouldn’t get totally gassed. Between Coach’s dedication to conditioning and his epic motiva tional speeches, which would commonly go right o the rails, and Coach Bruce Kerns tactical insightfulness, we threaded the needle to win an epic game in OT that everythingtook we could throw at Hartford to reel in the BBShadonshipchampithateludedforsome time.
MemoriesMemoriesCELEBRATINGCOACH MULL
Lucas Mogensen, Class of 1993
CELEBRATING COACH MULL
Thank you Coach Mull for the fantastic memories and for helping to develop the leadership and motivational skills I still use every day. Whether it was in your classroom, the basketball court at 6am, on the pitch, or on the street years later, you always pushed us to be the best we could be and I will forever be grateful.
words. He retaliated with a sucker punch that broke my nose. After I returned to school and practiced with a nose cast, Pete convinced me to paint the cast BBS colors of Green and Gold. I was skeptical to do it as I thought my peers on the team and in school would ridicule me but I did it anyway as Pete’s passion convinced me. Spoiler alert, I was right, my peers and teammates did ridicule me. In all seriousness, Pete never cared what others thought of his passion and enthusiasm, was never embarrassed and changed.neverAnd I can truly say that because of that, he gave me a ton of con dence and passion that has carried me through life. My memories of him now are all very fond and I will never forget him. I am very fortunate to have had him in my life as a teacher, coach and now friend. I look forward to staying in touch and wish you all the best Coach Mull, you deserve every bit of happiness that comes your way. John Scieszka, Class of 1993 1. Win the John James, 2. Win the States, 3. Work Together, 4. Stay Fit, and 5. Exercise, Leadership and Motivation. These are the ve goals Coach Mull set for us at the fall sports meeting each spring prior to the end of the school year. While not all goals were met each season, we were focused, motivated, and came together as a team under his leadership in our e ort to achieve them. Coach Mull led by example and we quickly got in line and followed. Whether it was leading our conditioning runs around Equinox Pond, hill sprints up to the observatory, or the numerous long runs from the school to the rec center and back, Coach Mull was there with us every step of the way, many times crossing the nish line rst. Our new English teacher had suddenly become our varsity soccer coach, and ultimately, a great motivator and friend. At the time I played, the John James Tournament was a huge regional event. Prior to the start of the 1992 tournament, I hosted the team at my house for a pre-game meal and “team-building” haircuts. I am not sure why we thought bow cuts were a good look at the time, but Coach Mull did not hesitate to jump in and join us by getting a bowl cut of his own. In our nal game of the Arlingtontraveledseason,regularwetowho at the time was our biggest rival (a lot has changed in the past 30 years for Arlingtonsure!). was riding a 36 game regular season winning streak and we knew it was going to be a hard fought game. Leading 3-1 with just over 4 minutes to play, we got a bit cocky and lost focus, giving up two goals which tied the game. To make matters worse, our starting sweeper and tri-captain, Lucas Mogensen, received a red card with a minute to play leaving us a man down heading into OT. Coach Mull gave one of the best motivational speeches of my career before the OT session. He turned the attitude of the team around and made us believe we could win despite what had happened. The team was ready to run through a wall for him as we took the eld in OT and we ultimately won the game, ending Arling ton’s 36 game winning streak. Coach Mull told us to take a victory lap after the game and I will never forget that feeling of pride and accomplishment that he helped us to achieve that night. In the state playo s that year, we lost a tough game to Burke Mountain Acade my. To this day it is still the coldest I have ever felt on a sports eld. Cold, rainy and at times snowing, Coach Mull kept us believing in ourselves and our team even though Burke was better, stronger and faster. Our season ended that year without accomplishing our goal, but Coach Mull left us feeling appreciative of what we had accomplished in our senior season and our time playing soccer for Burr & Burton.
My memories of BBS soccer and Coach Mull are some of the best memories that I have pre-family. I’ll admit that Coach wasn’t really prepared for the position as his background of soccer was clearly absent to start. But, what Coach Mull lacked in experience he made up with in passion and heart. I remember our senior year vividly. Practices were intense. I remember running and running. We ran behind school around Equinox Lake and Scott F and Mike F got lost. They ended up on Route 7 and hitched a ride back to school. I remember the horrible start to the year and crying in the locker room at Mount Anthony after we lost the rst game of the John Tournament.JamesWe were so con dent that we would play Arlington in the nals. Things gradually improved and we became a powerful team. The Arlington game, must be one of the greatest games ever played by a Burr and Burton team. After I was ejected for a BS call we went into OT, one man down, but as we know, ultimately won by a sick goal from Tommy Walsh. We did a victory lap around their eld before leaving. Not very classy but they deserved it. The next day we had a pep rally in the cafeteria and I remember Coach Mull taking the mic and saying, “Give me a B”, as the whole school started to chant B-B-S. Unfortunately our season was ended by freak athletes at Burke Mountain Academy. Those guys weren’t even from Vermont! It was a hell of a ride and to watch Coach Mull’s success in the years after has been amazing and so well deserved. But remember Mr. Mull, it was the 1992 and 1993’s that paved the way! Congratulations!
The 2007 season was not only a lot of fun, but it was some of the best memories I have of BBA soccer-from winning the John James to our overtime win against MAU under the lights at Applejack. He continued to run various coaching strategies by me and the other team captains, as we knew the competition very well from previous years. One thing I will never forget was when I broke my elbow at practice the night before the semi- nal playo game against Harwood. Coach Mull checked on me later that night and then after my orthopedic appointment the next day (game day). I think he was actually the person who gave me a hockey elbow pad to wear during the game as protection. Even though this happened to be my last game in a Bulldog uniform, he was checking on me constantly and understood that I was not going to let this injury keep me o the eld. Not only was Coach Mull a great coach, but he is an amazing person and teacher. He would join in the student-faculty pick-up basketball games that occurred at 6am before classes started. We would battle back and forth every morning guarding each other. He de nitely took me to school on the court a few times. The only bad thing that I can say about Coach Mull is that he is a Yankees fan. Through out my four years at BBA, he was always the rst person I would nd to talk trash about his beloved Yankees. All in all, Coach Pete Mull is an amazing human being and coach. So much of him is distilled in me today. I thank him for everything he did for BBA, both on and o the eld. Coach, I wish you all the best and hope someday to make it back for the Alumni game. Cheers!
MemoriesMemoriesCELEBRATINGCOACH MULL
Tom Walsh, Class of 1994
I have known Coach Mull since I was a young middle school soccer player. He used to referee my games as a kid and when I grew older, I would join in the local pickup games with him. I was fortunate to have Coach Mull take over the Varsity coaching job during my senior year. He t in perfectly with a team that had nine seniors who have been playing together for 5 years. He brought great energy to the team and had a vision from day one to bring us all the way. His personality and love of the game was perfect for the team chemistry. He would join drills during practice and also push us to our potential.
Chris Ogilvie, Class of 2009 I was fortunate to have Coach Mull as a coach for 3 out of my 4 years at BBA, starting with JV A and moving up to Varsity. One of my fondest memories on the pitch came during our weekly practices, and the shooting drill he would implement. Thunderdome! This drill consisted of moving the goals to be 20 - 25 yards away from each other, 4 teams of 5-6 players, rotating out after every goal and now the scoring team going in the opposite direction. Now Coach Mull loved this game so much that he would always play goal keeper. I can still remember him calling out next, after one team scored a goal and throwing or drop kicking the ball in the opposite direction, while saying the next team was up. It was always fast paced. Unfortunately at the time, now I see it was to get us stronger and faster, this fast pace game always nished with another one of his go-tos strongestthepractice…aeratingateld.Oneofthehighlights I can remember was during my junior year, it was the semi- nal against Harwood at Applejack Field. Most of the year I was a substitute winger, this game however he slated me as a starter. (Continued)
Steven Bayer, Class of 2008
CELEBRATING COACH MULL
Jamie Penge, Class of 1995 Peter Mull and I had a very back and forth relationship that has now turned into a great friendship. Pete wasn’t the most knowledgeable coach when he rst started but boy was his heart all in. Pete worked us hardmorning “fun runs” to the rec and back, hill sprints (I did a lot of these), Taconic loop, and oh so many more. He spent a lot of time on conditioning and we really never understood why until the state nals of 1993 against a tough Hartford team that had beat us a week prior for the MVL title. We went into the game hungry to bring home the rst soccer title since 1982 and it proved to be our biggest test. After 90 minutes the score was tied 1-1. Going into overtime with the chance of 8 vs. 8 sudden death. We nally understood what all that training was for. It was for this exact moment and Pete knew that we had it in us and that is why he pushed us so hard - so we could enjoy the spoils of all our hard work. And we did exactly that with a 2-1 win. In 1993 I also learned an eye opening lesson (after receiving a record amount of cards, mostly yellow!) from not only Pete but also the AD. That lesson was: it doesn't matter how good you are, people will remember your attitude and composure on the eld, not the goals you scored - it's bigger than soccer, it's about our everyday life. We went to many big games with Pete at the helm, some we won and unfortunately, some we lost, but we sure did have fun doing it. Pete has been such a big part of so many young people’s futures - as a teacher, coach, community leader, and friend. Enjoy your retirement and thank you! Congrats Coach! Josh Wilson, Class of 1995 Pete’s interest was always in the kids he taught. You could tell by the pure joy on his face & excitement that he loved what he did. We won it all in 1994 and he was on top of the world and his love for the game was undeniable. I will always remember those days.
It was tough being the new guy, moving up junior year from a Massachusetts soccer team that was more about strategy and fancy skills to join this 1993/1994 BBS Vermont team… a bunch of skiers and boarders that knocked me down a lot. Coach Mull helped me integrate with these great guys …and then we started to run together. Then we ran some more. A lot more. Coach taught me, and all of us; heart. He taught us drive and he taught us passion. Right up to how he would scream so loud during his motivational speeches that his voice cracked like a teenage boy. He was one of us. Running beside us & behind us when one of us slipped behind. A leader and a shepard to all of us.…with the exception of whatever Cracker Barrel type place that had us with the other kind of runs on that Pennsylvania pitch. From the tough loss at Burke in 1993 to the glorious win over Hartford in 1994, Coach made us stronger, he made us yearn... and he made us champions. I still look at images from that day to inspire me. Thanks to you Coach Mull. Sven Eklof, Class of 1995 I remember Peter Mull well and he truly inspired me to do more with soccer as I got older. I now coach the Essex Middle School Boys A Team and help run a youth soccer program in Essex. I believe I was a freshman when he became the BBA head coach and Peter’s focus on conditioning was the key to our success. At the time, BBA was a smaller school and thanks to his coaching style, we had success against much larger schools. Peter grew the soccer program not just in Manchester but for folks like me who lived in the mountains of Londonderry. Peter not only helped me in becoming a better soccer player, but he also guided me into becoming a better student, person and a community volunteer. I wish Pete the best of luck and I will always remember his passion and spirit for the school and sport. Ty Hansen, Class of 1995 Pete taught us novice soccer players that just as important as skill, is determination, endurance and will. We won many games against better competition with e ort. Pete was also a player-coach: ran with us, did hill sprints with us, and scored goals playing Thunderdome with us. It was fun!
Congrats Pete!
Ben Pierce, Class of 2010 I have so
We unfortunately lost in OT to Harwood, but I vividly remember the conversation we had after that game. He shared that despite the loss, the continued hard work I had put in over the season led me to this starting position, and one that was well deserved. Another memory, though not related to on the eld, was having him as an English teacher my Junior year. During the winter month’s the Winter Olympics was happening. One day during class upon our return from lunch, instead of completing the so called lesson plan, Coach Mull let the class continue to watch Curling. There are so many memories that I could share, but these few re ect what Coach Mull always committed to, a fast paced environment that was competitive and fun. Additionally he would always reward those who had grit, and worked tirelessly for their role. I wish you all the best Pete as you start your next journey…I’ve heard through the grapevine you’ve taken up the task of “referee,” hopefully you have upgraded your whistle. As always, we are the Dirty South! Thank you for everything!
CELEBRATING COACH MULL
Charlie Kepler, Class of 2010 I played under Coach Mull during the 2009-2010 soccer seasons during my junior/senior year. My rst memory of BBA, as a freshman who didn’t know anybody yet, is showing up to soccer practice at 6AM on a cold-foggy morning only to be told we would be hiking to the top of Mt. Equinox. I was not big into hiking at the time but this didn’t sound too di cult until I learned that it was less of a hike and more of a conditioning sprint up the moun tain. Ultimately we were told to be back down to the eld in two hours after reaching the summit (3.1mi/2840ft elevation change each way). I probably wasn’t in the best soccer shape, but I powered through and kept up with the group and was exhausted by the time we made it back to the bottom. I was ready to go home and rest up for the rest of the day until I learned we were doing two-a-days and had another practice that afternoon… I gured at least the afternoon session would be lighter/more fun (maybe some actual soccer) after the strenuous morning. Of course I was wrong, and the afternoon was lled with hill sprints, many miles of running around the equinox pond/the Ways Lane Loop, and not a soccer ball in sight. I was extremely close to quitting and simply not showing up for the second day, after the embarrassment of lagging behind the main group a bit and having a few seniors hang back with me to o er words of encouragement until we nished. Ultimately, I’m very glad I kept with it, as I learned a lot from Coach Mull over the years, and had a lot of fun along the way!
Billy ClassBazyk,of2012
What I remember most from my time with coach Mull was the infectious joy he brought to every interaction and occasion. He was my coach on both JV and varsity and the amount of growth and fun had during those years are a testament to him. We all were in awe of him, a respected English teacher, ripping his shirt o during shirts and skins scrimmages. Win or lose he was proud of us and always had a word of encouragement. My time on the soccer team was some of the best of my life, and that was due in large part to him. Thank you Coach Mull! Chris Antonez, Class of 2010 My favorite moment of Coach Mull was when he couldn't remember who was playing right back during a game, and then I reminded him that it was his own son, Steve. He also used to love playing sweeper keeper and keeping us on our toes at all times because he would launch drop kicks when you least expected it. Matt Rosenthal, Class of 2010
Playing for Coach Mull was an experience I will never forget. From winning the John James to putting the state championship in our back pocket, Coach Mull always cared about not only the soccer players he was training, but the men we would become in the future. Rafael Atanazio, Class of 2013 Coach Mull has always treated the players like a big dad, so we kind of had this family atmosphere because of him. He was very passionate about what he was doing and at the same time he had this great human side, which felt like a really good combination. I can only be thankful for having had the opportunity to have him as a coach Robert England, Class of 2013 My rst year on the varsity was the 2010 season, the team was in a rebuild after nearly the entire team graduated. I think we had the worst season in school history, didn’t even make the playo s which I’m pretty sure only required 3 wins…what happened after in the next 24 months was nothing short of incredible. Coach kept the team in the loop for the indoor season, we had a spring travel team, and summer pick up with the local crew at the rec and Maple Street. We all played together on and o through that time and it paid o We made the playo s in 2011 and we just didn’t stop winning after that. Our road to the state championship in 2011 was a challenge and we were underdogs against U32 but Coach made sure we were prepped and as Andrew Gayda mentioned, we could outrun and outlast anyone. The 2012 season was the most fun four months of soccer I’ve ever been a part of. Coach gave us the guidelines and playbook and let us make the most of it. He trusted us and gave us the freedom to make position changes on the eld and made sure we knew that we were here to win regardless of who was on the eld; we could do it with anyone. That “next man up” mentality was a key factor in our team’s success, and it was particularly apparent to me when I was injured for Senior Night and there wasn’t a break in our team’s collective stride. Everybody was always ready to step up and Coach kept us on our toes. Winning the John James tourney that year was awesome, mostly beating MAU, because, well, obvious reasons. Our semi nal game versus GMVS was arguably more epic than our champi onship game - overtime at Applejack with Sean Paradis scoring the game winner. Which was setup by Ian Conde o a goal kick, to Ignacio Puelma (2 touches), to Liam Kelleher (1 touch), to Sean who set himself up for a clean left foot, upper 90 goal that sent us to the championship. That 2012 state champion ship was against Montepelier, and they were also undefeat ed at the beginning of the game, it took us 90 minutes to change that. As Rafa said, Coach Mull was, and always has been, passionate about soccer and he taught us how to be the best we can be on and o the eld.
MemoriesMemoriesCELEBRATINGCOACH MULL
Coachhamstringbackyear.GreylockwestandsCoachplayingandwonderfulmanymemoriesappreciationforsoccerunderMull.OnethatoutwaswhenplayedMt.myseniorIwasjustcomingfrommysecondinjury,andMullwasalways
so patient and intent on my recovery. He believed I was fully healed like I’d assured him, and he had me mark the other team's best player, who had at least 6 inches on me and probably 40 lbs. He took me aside before the game and more or less told me to shut him down. The con dence he instilled in me always propelled me to be a better player. We won that game, and was probably my favorite playing for Coach Mull. He is also a man of strong character and steady walk with God, something I greatly needed to look up to during the formative years at BBA. Ben Comar, Class of 2010 Pete Mull is an awesome person. I had many great times at games and practices. We had lots of laughs. One funny time was when I got stuck in the tree. Thank you for letting me be manager and giving me pep talks. I loved it. It’s amazing that I got to know Coach Mull. Love from your best friend Ben Comar.
Devin Midura, Class of 2009
It was a great time on the pitch playing for Pete. Such memories from annual trips to the John James and battling to the D1 State Finals senior year get my addreneal pumping. It was always a pleasure seeing him in the Student-Faculty Hockey game and a privilege to coach alongside Pete to a State Championship in 2011.
I was walking back to the edge of the box when I heard coach yell my name and point at me. Thinking he was just congratulating me, I looked up and gave him a thumbs up and kept walking back. He yelled my name again and told me that I was taking it, giving me the opportunity in my rst Varsity game. This is something that has stuck with me over the years and a memory I won't ever forget. Thanks for all your help, Coach! You strived to bring the best out of us, on and o the pitch.
A memory of Pete Mull that has stuck with me- was senior year when we were playing at Mill River and we were winning by 1 or 2 goals but the starters weren’t playing as well as Pete wanted and he decided to sub all 10 of the eld players including me all at once. He was trying to prove a point by doing this and to me it meant that even though we were winning, we weren’t playing to the level that we should be and that everyone on the eld can be substituted regard less of their ability and status on the team and that we should always play to our full potential regardless of who the opposition is.
I think my best memory was my senior year when Coach made me a captain at the practice before our rst game. It was a huge honor and a little unexpected because I wasn't the best player by any means. It felt really good to have my leadership appreciated like that. There was also a time where he drew up a play one practice that had me being the goal scorer of the corner kick. Then, during our homecoming game senior year under the lights, he called that play - and it worked! And I ended up scoring the goal. Which was pretty crazy consid ering I am not a goal atscorerallbut he trusted me to head it in. The only time I ever scored and it beathomecomingwastoRutland, Ian Conde, Class of 2013 First o , I’d like to say a huge thank you to Pete for all he has given to this amazing program. While winning back to back state championships (2011 & 2012) will always stand out in my mind, my fondest memory with Pete was after we won the John James tournament in 2011. It had been a particularly wet fall, and on the afternoon of our nal, we noticed a huge puddle had formed on the nearside goal line of the BBA eld. As we pulled out of the circle headed towards MAU, Pete announced to the team that if we won the nal, he would do a celebratory slide through the puddle. Sure enough, after winning a thrilling nal, we returned to BBA on a cold September night and positioned the bus with its headlights illuminating the eld. Without hesitation, Pete took a running start and dove head rst into the puddle. It wasn’t for lack of e ort, but instead skimmingofacross,heimmediatelysankintothecoldand muddy water. As the team roared with laughter, Pete popped up and joined in the celebrations, soaking wet, shivering cold but absolutely ecstatic to celebrate another tournament win.
Reid Conde, Class of 2015 Thank you Pete for all the time and energy you put into the BBA boys soccer program. You are truly a Bulldog legend and your passion for the game rubbed o on all of us throughout your time as our coach. The 2011 and 2012 state championships are some of our fondest soccer memories and a testament of the hard work you put in daily throughout your time as our coach. What sticks out most for me, even more then the two state titles, was your ability to blend a winning culture with allowedenvironmentanthatusplayers to enjoy playing the beautiful game with our friends. You always knew when you needed to push us after a poor performance or when to make an adjustment to keep us on our toes. From hikes to the top of Mt. Equinox on the rst day of presea son, “Start on the top, end on the top” to chats about recent Premier League matches, you always had your mind on soccer and ways you could help us improve. You embodied what it means to be a Bulldog and are the heart of Bulldog Soccer! Wes Lord, Class of 2016
Ben Stewart, Class of 2017
Brock Pollard, Class of 2013
For the seniors who graduated in 2013, I think we can all agree that Pete was the perfect coach for everyone. Supportive and demanding, he had the respect of everyone while also listening and taking our thoughts seriously. I have felt angry at some coaches before in my life, but never Pete. Coach Mull will always have a spot in my memory and my heart. Even outside of high school, it’s such a pleasure to see him out and about. One speci c memory I have is senior year mid-season. I was sitting in English class with Mr. Hunter when Pete knocked on the door and asked if he could “steal Brock for a moment”. Everyone “ooo’d” as if I was in trouble. I honestly thought I was too. I met him in the hallway and he asked me to follow him to his o ce. I thought at this point I was for sure in trouble. I sat down in his o ce and he said the words “thinking about moving you to left mid, you cool with that?” I burst into laugh ter and said “coach of course I will”. I was so confused but also so excited-then he just sent me back to class like it was nothing. Such a great guy, such a great coach. Thank you for everything Coach Mull, you are a true Bulldog legend. Andrew Gayda, Class of 2014
Brock Pollard cheated in the mile run by cutting through the woods which turned the run for him into an almost quarter mile race. He mistimed how long to wait in the woods and ended up beating Robert England who at the time was a certi able tness freak. Robert England would go on two mile runs after practices everyday for extra cardio…a high schooler…and Brock beat him. Not even red in the face or gassed in the slightest, you congratulated him on how well he did. You had your suspicions but it really wasn’t a secret. We all went back to the start and ran the mile again. We did hill sprints while Brock watched us from the bottom - setting an example of what one does to his team if they cheat. For me, I’d much prefer to live in the world where Brock Pollard beat Robert England in a mile race.
CELEBRATING COACH MULL Memories CELEBRATING COACH MULL
I have a lot of great memories of Coach Pete, but one sticks out in particular was my Freshman year. I had just gotten called up to the Varsity team for the playo s. I was awarded a penalty and automatically assumed that one of the Seniors or regular starters would be taking it.
Tommy Grabher, Class of 2017
I de nitely don't miss the dozens of grueling hill sprints in the heat at the observatory on campus, although I will never forget our win under the lights against Mount Greylock. We were severe underdogs going into that game. I don't think they lost a game in three years. We went out there and played the best game I have ever seen a BBA soccer team play and I think we won 2-1. I still remember Danny beating the keeper and putting the ball into the side netting for the winner. Applejack was electric that night and it boosted our con dence so much that it took us to the state championship game that year. Thank you Coach Mull and congrats on a fantastic coaching career!
MemoriesNattiShaw,Classof2015
Thank you to: Patrick ExpressMelAlexDaveMarkMeredithZilkhaMorinTashjianMiceliVincentVirgilioCopy,Manchester, Vermont Jamie Knafel ‘23, Magazine Designer Burr and Burton Academy, Manchester, Vermont A special thank you to the BBA Coaching Staff and all the almuni who BULLDOGcontributed.STRONGEffortandAttitude BULLDOGSTRONGEffortandAttitude Thank you to: Patrick ExpressMelAlexDaveMarkMeredithZilkhaMorinTashjianMiceliVincentVirgilioCopy,Manchester, Vermont Jamie Knafel ‘23, Magazine Designer Burr and Burton Academy, Manchester, Vermont A special thank you to the BBA Coaching Staff and all the almuni who contributed.
