Woodland manager fits right in
BEACON FALLS — Nick Oliveira shouted both encouraging and not-so-uplifting messages toward his teammates on the soccer practice field before Woodland's Class M second-round tournament game last Monday.
The Woodland senior is the manager of the boys soccer team. And he’s only the manager because he can’t play the sport he loves.
Oliveira has cerebral palsy, which requires him to either walk with crutches or use his electric wheelchair. But his physical limitations haven’t kept him from being as much a part of the team as anyone else.
A family affair on the pitch
BEACON FALLS — Tony Moutinho led the Woodland boys soccer team to an undefeated regular season record, a second division title in a row, the program’s first Naugatuck Valley League championship, and the top seed in the Class M state tournament this fall.
Moutinho employs a unique coaching style. He’s humorous but serious. He barks at his players while still letting them take care of business on the field.
