Class of '02 Hall of Fame Inductees

2002 Minuteman High School Girls’ Basketball Team

The members of the 2002 girls’ basketball team from Minuteman High School were true champions, both on and off the court. Cohesive and unselfish, they always demonstrated heart, character, maturity, diligence, good sportsmanship, an unflagging work ethic and passion for the game.  

Their coach, John Fusco, remembers them with pride and affection to this day.  Before every match-up, he would shout “Play!” and the girls would respond in unison by yelling, “Hard, smart, together!”

They lived by those words, amassing trophies and records which proved their excellence. The team won the Commonwealth Athletic Conference small school division with a 10-0 record, landed the State Vocational Championship and won the first MIAA game for a girls’ team in Minuteman history. Coach Fusco credits them with showing people that athletes from a vocational high school can be equally successful as their counterparts from traditional high schools. In fact, he said that he considers them to be one of the most successful teams ever from Minuteman. In his opinion, they won with respect and if they lost, they did it with class.

“This group, they were unbelievable,” Coach Fusco said. “That was the way they were from day one. They willed themselves to be the best they could be. They were a wonderful breath of fresh air to have as a coach.”

The team was also coached by Chris Danielson. The team members were Sharon Phelan, Kathleen Gildea, Brittany Gamber, Trista Manchuso, Sophia Mothersil, Kathy Montrevil, Hannah Leahy, Paris Sanders, Amie Beggan, Jen Kelly, Jaclyn White and Lisa Miller.