David Quinn speaks to high school freshmen about leadership, adversity

Boston University men’s hockey coach David Quinn had a young group of players this year, but Tuesday morning at Masconomet Regional High School in Topsfield, his audience was even younger. Quinn spent the morning speaking with the Masco freshman class, teaching them lessons on leadership and dealing with adversity.

Quinn spoke of his experiences, including some of the things he has learned in his coaching career as well as the adversity he faced when his hockey career was cut short due to hemophilia. Students then had a chance to ask Quinn questions, including, “What advice can you give to aspiring leaders?”

“The number one thing, I think, is obviously ‘When you see a wrong, right it,’” Quinn said to the high school freshman. “But it’s how you right it. I talk to our captains about this all the time. Your delivery is everything.”

Quinn, who preaches the importance of his players being well-rounded student-athletes, encouraged the same thing to the high school freshmen. He spoke in particular about the importance of treating people properly and not bullying others.

“Most people know right from wrong,” Quinn said. “I tell our guys, ‘If you see wrong, right it. But right it in a way that everybody can understand it and don’t do it in a confrontational way.”