Dear fellow Hanoverians:
\nMany of us in Hanover knew and loved John Goslin, a charming man,
\ndevoted father, and dedicated community servant. When he tragically
\npassed on March 1 of this year at age 46, it seemed to me like the
\nentire town mourned.<\/p>\n
However, there are over 14 thousand residents in Hanover, and many of
\nus did not know him, or do not know his family\u2019s story. As we
\nprepare for a November 3rd road race in John\u2019s memory (mark your
\ncalendars; details to follow) and continue to care for his family as a
\ncommunity, I am grateful to author William Wassersug for the following
\narticle that appeared before John’s death in the October 4th, 2011
\n\/New England Lacrosse Journal\/, as follows:<\/p>\n
12-year-old displays heart of a champion
\n\/by William Wassersug\/
\n\u201cChampionships are most often won by the best athletes, the ones who
\ncover themselves in glory on the field.<\/p>\n
But when a team from Hanover won the U-13 division at the World Series
\nof Lacrosse in Providence, R.I., in July, the celebration was about
\nmore than the trophy. It was about life and how the game sometimes
\nbrings out the best in people, and means everything to those lucky
\nenough to share in it.<\/p>\n
Sean Goslin was not the best player on the field that day for Hanover.
\nFar from it. But he was one of the most important to the team\u2019s
\nsuccess, because his teammates learned a lot about life from him, and
\nhe was able to overcome obstacles in his time with them.<\/p>\n
Goslin and his twin sister, Julia, were born three months prematurely,
\nwith a number of health problems \u2014 including fluid on the brain \u2014
\nthat led to surgery.<\/p>\n
Sean needed one operation; Julia has had 25.<\/p>\n
\u201cSean\u2019s major surgery was a shunt in the brain,\u201d said his
\nfather, John, one of the coaches on the Hanover team. \u201cIt\u2019s a
\npressure-release valve in the brain. You can get this from head
\ninjuries, concussions. A lot of athletes get it in their 50s and 60s
\nafter they\u2019re done playing. There\u2019s a spot in the right hemisphere
\nin the brain where there are no synapses. It causes weakness on the
\nleft side.\u201d<\/p>\n
The twins are now 12 years old, starting the seventh grade. While Sean
\nplays, Julia is a staple on the sideline, the team\u2019s biggest fan and
\nunofficial mascot, says her father.<\/p>\n
It hasn\u2019t been an easy road.<\/p>\n
When he was in third grade, Sean suffered the equivalent of a stroke.
\n\u201cHe had an event that caused even more weakness on his left side,\u201d
\nhis father said. \u201cHis foot was uncontrollable. He went for lots of
\nphysical therapy.\u201d<\/p>\n
John Goslin played college lacrosse at Mass Maritime, and began
\ncoaching in Hanover in 1996 with neighbor Dave Hasenfuss. He stuck
\nwith it after the twins were born, and Sean soon was part of the
\nsport.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the kids were about 3, Sean started coming out and hanging
\naround us,\u201d John recalled. \u201cHe was a team mascot. He always had a
\nstick in his hand. The kids on the team really took to him.\u201d<\/p>\n
So did Landon Hasenfuss, his neighbor and son of the co-coach; Landon
\n\u2014 one of the stronger athletes in town \u2014 and Sean were always
\nplaying catch.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s like big-brother encouragement,\u201d John Goslin said.
\n\u201cLandon pushed him along and made sure everyone played with Sean.\u201d
\nIn fourth grade, not long after the physical therapy, Sean told his
\ndad that he wanted to play on a team, not just watch.<\/p>\n
\u201cSean said, \u2018Dad, I want to play. It\u2019s something I\u2019m good
\nat,\u2019\u201d John said.<\/p>\n
After talking with Sean\u2019s mom and league officials, including
\ncurrent Hanover High School coach Paul Zaylor, John let Sean play, and
\nvolunteered to coach his team.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when the magic started for Sean.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought I\u2019d put him in for a few minutes,\u201d John Goslin said.
\n\u201cThe older kids knew his situation and protected him. Then he just
\ngot better and better.\u201d<\/p>\n
This year, John became friendly with Neil Mullane, and the pair
\nstarted coaching together. It has worked out well. \u201cWe had a
\nfantastic year,\u201d John said. \u201cWe had a town team and a NESLL Select
\nteam. We rostered Sean on the NESLL Select team; we dressed him and
\nhad him on the sideline and got him into games when we were up big.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe kids saw him practice and how hard he works and decided he
\nshould play,\u201d John said. \u201cThe kids know the situation with Sean,
\nand they work to get him the ball and try to get him some goals.\u201d
\nSean scored three times this year. It was, his father said, \u201cpretty
\nexciting.\u201d Sean also found his way onto the field playing goalie.
\n\u201cSean\u2019s not afraid of the ball,\u201d John said. \u201cWe padded him up,
\nand he was our third goalie. He won six games in net.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Sean was winning over the hearts of his teammates, they were
\nhelping him win off the field. \u201cBeing part of the team has made him
\nmore a part of school,\u201d John said. \u201cHe had been on the outside,
\nbut our philosophy and coaching motto is \u2018One Team.\u2019 We preach
\nthat. We talk about \u2018One Team, One Heart,\u2019 not just on the field,
\nbut all the time. The kids all play that way, and Sean is the heart
\nand soul of the team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite his obvious hardships \u2014 Sean runs with a slight limp and he
\ngets winded easily \u2014 lacrosse and the team elements of the game
\nbrought Sean out in ways that Boy Scouts never could.
\nPart of the reason the teams took to Sean so easily is the way he
\ncarries himself; he\u2019s smart, able to make others better around him,
\nand selfless.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s awesome to be around the team,\u201d Sean said. \u201cThey\u2019re
\nreally good kids. I talk a lot. I try to keep everyone\u2019s motivation
\nup. I\u2019m always telling everyone not to get down on themselves. They
\nlisten. I\u2019m also ready to play whenever they want me to play.
\nThat\u2019s the best motivator.\u201d Sean also likes to keep things light.
\n\u201cI tell a lot of jokes,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Mullane, whose son Tim is on the team, said he enjoys having Sean on
\nthe squad. \u201cWith a kid like Sean, you see the bigger picture,\u201d he
\nsaid. \u201cSean is an extremely funny kid. He has challenges. He\u2019s a
\nlittle slower and his balance is affected, but he\u2019ll do any drill.
\nHe has the biggest heart in the world. He\u2019s fearless. He\u2019ll jump
\nin there in net. One game in net, he took one in the belly and went
\ndown hard, like he was shot. \u2026 Sean said he had to come out. Then he
\ncaught his breath, asked the ref how long there was left until
\nhalftime. It was 3\u00bd minutes. Sean said he could play and stayed in.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe kids treat him like a big brother. Every kid knows he\u2019s
\novercome a lot. The kids won\u2019t put him in harm\u2019s way. They want to
\nprotect him and want him to enjoy it.\u201d Sean, meanwhile, works to
\nbetter himself all the time, especially in net. \u201cGoalie is the best
\npart of the game,\u201d he said. \u201cI study it. I watch clips on YouTube.
\nI learn where to have the stick and learn from them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSean is a plethora of knowledge,\u201d John said. \u201cHe\u2019s always
\ninjecting some term or something to make light of the situation. After
\nthe (medical) event a couple of years ago, a lot of kids would be down
\non themselves. He looks at the bright side and what he can bring to
\nthe team.\u201d<\/p>\n
The team also has been a big help for Julia. \u201cJulia comes to every
\ngame,\u201d John said. \u201cShe\u2019s a part of the team. It has really
\nhelped her confidence. She knows all the popular lacrosse kids. The
\nother girls want to know how she knows them all. They think it\u2019s
\ncool. They brought her out of her shell, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\/This article originally appeared in the September-October 2011 issue
\nof New England Lacrosse Journal.\/<\/p>\n
Donations may be made in John’s memory to: John Goslin Memorial Fund,
\n114 Bates Way, Hanover, MA 02339.<\/p>\n
For “Around Town on the Web”,
\nCathy H-B<\/p>\n
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Dear fellow Hanoverians: Many of us in Hanover knew and loved John Goslin, a charming man, devoted father, and dedicated community servant. When he tragically passed on March 1 of this year at age 46, it seemed to me like … Continue reading