When the Maryland Arrows need an emotional lift, they need look no further than Bill
Coghill. The spunky Coghill just never stops moving and hustling and moving and hustling. This
can prove menacing to opponents, but it may inspire those he plays with and those are
the only players Coghill worries about pleasing.
“This year Cy wants me to score and motivate others,” Coghill said recently. “If the
guys see you giving 110 percent on a shift, they’ll want to do the same thing. “Ninety percent of motivation comes from yourself and the other players,” the popular Arrow continued. “Cy tries to get you up, but he can’t do that every game. You’ve got to do that for yourself and anyone can tell when you’re down for a game.”
Coghill’s abundance of motivation should come as no surprise. He grew up with it, not
necessarily because of an enlightened childhood, but simply because any other attitude
would have ruined both himself and the team he played for.
Growing up in the small community of Alderwood, Coghill performed on a team with
just 12 players. Going up against bigger cities would have scared many teams, but
Alderwood paid no attention to what should have happened and went out and won several championships.
Coghill would love nothing better than to add another title this year right here in
Maryland and he figures the Arrows have an excellent chance if they can learn just one thing.
“We’re an explosive team,” Coghill said. “We can score five goals in a minute, but we
haven’t learned how to kick the other guy when he’s down. We’re having trouble finding
that, instinct. Once we find it, we’ll be okay.”
With an expanded 56-game schedule, the Arrows will have a lot longer to find the
killer instinct and hold than they did during last year’s 40-game set. But the 5-8,
180-pounder doesn’t think anybody will be around to help keep up the momentum all
the way.
“I don’t think anybody will last 56 games,” said the 25-year-oid Toronto native. “The
travel is the worst part of it. Twice this season we play three games in a row and the
middle game is at home and the other two on the road.”
Worrying about that kind of schedule can cause ulcers, but Coghill does as little
pre-game thinking as possible. “I try not to think about a game before I get to the arena or I’ll get sick. I guess I’ve got a weak stomach,” says Coghill. “I just try to relax and get the adrenalin going.”
When he does that, the opponent” are in trouble.