Published March 10, 2021

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

LYNNFIELD — Adam Dell’Aria is the new head coach of the Lynnfield High girls’ indoor track and field team. Dell’Aria takes over for longtime head coach Nani Benson, who stepped down last fall.

“I found out she was stepping down back in November,” recalled Dell’Aria, who is an English teacher at Lynnfield High. “I applied right away and got the job in January.”

Dell’Aria is a 2010 graduate of Malden Catholic where he threw the shot put and discus. He then got his Bachelors Degree at Regis College in Weston in English Education. 

After graduation, he taught at Wilmington High for one year before moving to Lynnfield High the next year.

Dell’Aria was a girls’ indoor assistant coach at Wilmington High for two years. He then assisted the Lynnfield boys’ indoor team the last five years under head coach Christine Smith.

He will continue to be an assistant coach under Smith in the spring season.

“Christine and I work very well together,” said Dell’Aria. “In the winter, the boys and girls teams train together so the transition has been very easy for me.”

This first year will be very unique for Dell’Aria due the COVID-19 crisis that has thrown high school sports out of whack this school year.

The indoor track season is being held in the new Fall 2 season created by the MIAA last summer. The Fall 2 season started with tryouts on Feb. 22 and will end on April 25 with no MIAA postseason.

Indoor track will actually be played outdoors for this Fall 2 season.

“It feels like it will be just one, long outdoor season that will last until July,” said Dell’Aria, since he will be coaching both seasons. “In a regular year, we would be starting practice in mid-March anyway.”

Last winter, the Pioneers tied Ipswich for first place in the Cape Ann League Baker division going 5-1 overall and 4-1 in the CAL Baker.

It was the first league title for the team since way back in 1984.

The Pioneers lost five seniors to graduation including the three captains. Those captains were Lily Rothwell (55 meters and relay), Jenna Freni (shot put), and Amelia Noto (55-meters and relay).

The other two seniors were Megan Battaglia (high jump- 55 meters) and Danielle Perkoskic (300 meters- relay).

When the team started practicing a couple of weeks ago, they worked on conditioning and they will have a very long preseason as the first meet will not be until March 29 (the schedule has not been decided as of press time).

“I am very excited about this year, even though it will be different,” said Dell’Aria. “We have a great group of girls.”