As Matt Mincone looks around his spotless office at the West Tisbury police station, flashes of his hockey coaching career are showcased throughout the space.

A gift from a former player depicting his 200th win decorates one wall. A black and white photo of him in the tunnel at the University of New Hampshire arena during an annual tournament is framed on another wall. A book depicting the 2022-2023 season sits by the window. That season, the National Hockey League released a documentary featuring the team titled Hockey Island: Martha’s Vineyard.

Coach celebrates 200th win with his team. — Aaron Wilson

Now after 27 years of coaching the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys’ varsity hockey team, Mr. Mincone is retiring. In his long career behind the bench — he has been head coach for 24 years, after serving as assistant coach for the first three years — he helped coach the team to two state championship wins, with the second title win occurring in his first year as head coach.

Recalling that euphoric win, he doesn’t even mention the game itself.

“I just remember the ride home from that game,” he said. “I looked for that feeling for 24 years. I wanted that for every player that I’ve had since then.”

But for Coach Mincone, wins, losses, stats on a scoresheet and records aren’t the main point.

“There’s one year we won four games,” he said. “I probably had more fun that year than I had in awhile, because every accomplishment was an achievement. [The team] worked so hard to get those four wins.”

Born and raised in Raynham, Mr. Mincone started playing hockey at the age of four. After high school hockey and a year of junior hockey, he changed course and decided to pursue his other dream — working as a police officer.

“I chased the dream like anybody else would have, and got to a point where I thought, how do I keep relevant with hockey?” recalled Coach Mincone, who has been the West Tisbury police chief since 2018 (he is not retiring as chief).

About hockey, he said: “I never thought I’d be coaching for 27 years in high school.”

He said one of the most rewarding parts of coaching has been the connections he’s made with all his players.

“Day in and day out, watching the successes and the failures that they have, but in the end, the successes they go through as young men,” he said. “I’ll miss that and the responsibility of being part of guiding them.”

He said he always wanted his players to be competitive but mainly aimed to instill important values off the ice.

“[I always emphasized] respect for your opponent, respect for the game, respect for your teammate, respect for your parents and the Island you’re representing,” he said.

And while he doesn’t call his coaching style old school, there were times when he took a more traditional approach.

Every player’s stall had to be uniform. Gloves and pads needed to be put in the same place, and every stall had to look pristine. If even one was out of place, after a warning, Coach Mincone would pile everyone’s gear in the middle of the room.

On and off the ice, coach led his team to wins. — Mark Alan Lovewell

Former team captain Stephen Greenberg, who played for Coach Mincone from 2004-2007, took the lessons to heart. “If one person is doing something different, then it affects the whole team,” he said. “It’s hard to get that through to teenagers and he was teaching us that details matter.”

Mr. Greenberg said while Coach Mincone had a great hockey mind, he made the most impact off the ice.

“He cared about winning games but he cared about developing young men to be contributing members of society and making sure they were respectful and structured and organized,” he recalled.

Nate Averill, who co-captained the team this past year, remembered other lessons Coach Mincone taught him.

“He was big on not looking for that easy button,” he said. “No matter when you’re going into the corner for a battle or if you’re just doing life, it’s never going to be easy.”

Giving back to the community has also been a key theme for Coach Mincone’s hockey team. Wearing specialty jerseys, his players raised money for various Island nonprofits. This past year, the team skated to support the Martha’s Vineyard Cancer Support Group.

“That’s a bigger thing, for the kids to give back to everyone that’s given something to us,” Coach Mincone said.

Hanging up the skates wasn’g an easy decision for Coach Mincone, but he said he knew it was time.

“My wife said recently that everything has a shelf life, and she’s big on expiration dates.” Mr. Mincone said. “I never saw my expiration date . . . but I didn’t have that first year energy [anymore]. I got to that point that handing it off to that next person became very easy for me this time.”

Every season has been a chapter in the overall story and each chapter has had its memorable moments, he said.

“The Monday after Thanksgiving,” he said. “The first day of tryouts. Knowing the first day that it’s the first page, starting a new chapter. That’s what I’ll miss most.”

Coach Mincone is grateful to the Island for giving him the chance to “have a couple shifts” in their lives.

“I couldn’t be thankful enough for the [opportunity],” he said. “The relationships I’ve had throughout the years, from the off-Island bus drivers to all the rink staff that’s been there, the administration at the high school, the parents, the players.”