PRESQUE ISLE – Presque Isle hockey coach Carl Flynn admits he wasn’t sure how things would work this season when it came to his senior captain and his freshman starting goalie.

You see, along with being the Wildcats’ coach, he’s the father of the captain, Adam Flynn, and the goalie is Adam’s younger sister, Jillian.

Additional Photos

Freshman goalie Jillian Flynn, left, and her senior brother, Adam, are coached by their father, and their Presque Isle team appears headed to the Eastern Class B hockey tournament. Submitted photo

“I’m thinking I’ll have my best scorer coming home saying he scored three goals but we lost because his little sister let in however many. And at the same time, I’ll have her walk through the door saying, ‘I did my best, I only gave up five. Why did he only score three,’ ” he said. “But that hasn’t been the case at all. They’ve gotten along very well. It’s been great.”

Welcome to the world of the Flynn family — where it’s hockey, hockey and more hockey. Dad, son and daughter wouldn’t have it any other way.

Carl grew up playing in New Brunswick. He’s a doctor for Pine Health Services and Cary Medical Center in Caribou. A typical day during the season goes like this: Hospital rounds start at 6 a.m., office paperwork at 6:45, start seeing patients at 7:30, leave about 2:30 p.m., travel to the Presque Isle rink for practice at 3:15. Flynn said he’s never missed a practice in his eight years as varsity coach.

“I’m a pretty organized and structured guy. I don’t require a lot of sleep,” he said.

Adam is one of only two seniors on the team this year. Just last week he recorded his 100th career point (he has 44 goals and 58 assists). Dad said Adam fell in love with hockey as a youngster watching “Hockey Night In Canada” games and has played every level growing up.

Jillian, the freshman goalie, watched her brother play when she was about 5 years old. She quickly picked up the game after getting a chance to play the goalie position. She has a 7-3 record with a 3.1 goals-against average.

“I’ve grow up playing on all-boys teams,” said Jillian, the only girl on the Presque Isle team. “I’ve played with almost every player on the team at some age group of hockey. I consider all of them like my brothers.”

But only one of the brothers gives her the stare, and that’s Adam.

“Sometimes after she gives up a goal I’ll go to center ice, not say anything, I’ll just give her a stare. She knows what it means,” said Adam.

“Yeah, it means I should have made the stop and it means I have to pick up my game,” said Jillian.

Adam is quick to point out that he’s been impressed with how his sister has handled the whole varsity experience. The Wildcats are 7-7 and appear headed for one of the seven playoff spots available in Eastern Class B.

When the Flynn family does get the chance to sit together at home for a meal, all three admit there is a lot of hockey talk. And if even more hockey talk or practice is needed, they take it to the front yard, where Carl has built a 60-by-40 rink.

“I built that in my spare time,” he said.

PVC/EMITL: Aleta Looker of Ellsworth (800 meters) and David Frederick of Orono (pole vault) broke league records last week.

That makes five events with record-breaking performances this season.

The league championship meet is Monday. 

OLD TOWN senior Garrett Libby finished as Big East Conference Class B scoring leader for the second straight season. Libby averaged just under 23 points per game. 

BANGOR vs BREWER: The Rams and Witches played the last Class A game at the Bangor Auditorium on Thursday night. The ceremonial opening tip recognized the first game back in 1955.

Former UMaine coach Skip Chappelle (Old Town) and longtime high school referee Wayne Lawton (Bangor) represented the two teams from that game. 

Related Stories