The word is used all the time by Edward Little coach Craig Latuscha and his Red Eddies. It’s a word you’ll find more than once inside this year’s Edward Little program.

But it’s more than just a word. It symbolizes a bond between a group of young men of different age groups and backgrounds coming together to form a common goal. 

“This team and this program is all about, obviously, academics but really about family,” Latuscha said. “We spend a lot of time together. I often tell my wife during the hockey season it seems like I’m divorced because I’m with these boys so often. It’s not just me, my assistant coaches are as well. They spend a lot of time on the ice and a lot of time off the ice whether it be a team meeting or a team dinner or whether it be a team bonding activity that we do or a casual talk on the sidelines about grades.”

While the Red Eddies are a big, happy family, they do have actual family members on the roster: a pair of cousins — senior forward and three-year captain Branden Dyer and senior defenseman Cade Chapman — and brothers, Zack and Brady Guimond. Zack, a junior, skates on the varsity squad, while Brady is a member of the junior varsity team. 

Dyer and Chapman are two of four seniors on the team. Chapman is the lone senior defenseman. Through their four years in a Red Eddies sweater, both have fully bought into the family dynamic. 

“We’ve all been playing as a team,” Chapman said. “It’s more like a family. Freshman year was more of getting used to the high school hockey game and I’ve played varsity every since. We’ve been a family the whole time. It’s a great atmosphere to be in.” 

Said Dyer: “The coaches have done a really good job with me coming in not being the best defensive player, and they really turned me into a good defensive player and really turned me into more of a man. It’s not just the playing aspect here it’s more about shaping us into young men, academics and everything.” 

Even if Edward Little isn’t practicing, it’s a safe bet you can find Dyer at the rink. He assists with the “Learn to Skate” program on weekends at Norway Savings Bank Arena, where he can also be found tutoring some of his teammates before practice during the week.

“He’s the kid that stays late, cleans up the bus, cleans up the locker room, takes care of his locker room,” Latuscha said. “He’s just an overall good kid. He’s here every weekend for “Learn to Skate,” dedicating his time to the (youth programs). He’s always here. If we could practice on Sunday, Dyer would be there. He wants to practice and the fact we can’t practice bothers him.” 

By Chapman’s own admittance, his four years with the Red Eddies have been a roller coaster of emotions. He had some growing up to do as a freshman and, to his credit, he’s done just that over the past two seasons. Chapman led the team in scoring last year with 17 goals and is doing it again this season with eight goals and 11 assists. 

“Significant improvement on and off the ice,” Latuscha said. “He started off with a bit of a chippy attitude when he was a freshman and as he’s grown up he’s gained not only positive attributes on the ice, but grown into a leader off the ice.” 

Chapman said the coaching staff has had a major impact on his development over the years. 

“He’s all about family,” Chapman said. “He’s all about being equals and being a family and it’s been nice.” 

Latuscha also coached Chapman’s brother, Seth Champagne. 

If there’s one thing Chapman’s known around the state for, it’s his shot. Chapman has a cannon from the point, which he’s perfected during his time at Edward Little. He has a net set up in his basement, which he uses almost every day to practice his shot. Chapman said he takes about 50 shots a session. It hasn’t gone unnoticed by teammates.

“He’s just got a snipe,”  junior defenseman Tyler Couture said. “He goes bar down every game. It’s a rocket. He brings the team up when he scores and we all just find a fire and keep going from there.” 

Chapman and Dyer have a strong relationship on and off the ice. But blocking Chapman’s shot in practice has caused Dyer some pain. 

“I’d say he has one of the harder shots in the league,” Dyer said. “I’ve taken it a couple times in practice and I know I wouldn’t want to be on the other side of it.” 

Chapman’s slap shot was on display against rival Lewiston earlier in the season when he scored two first-period goals from the exact same spot at the blue line. He recorded a hat trick against Cony in Edward Little’s next game.

While Chapman gets his goals from the point, making him a fixture on the power play, Dyer works the dirty areas around the net for his. He’s recorded five goals this season, including a hat trick against Yarmouth in Edward Little’s second game of the season. He’s tied with his cousin for the team-lead in assists with 11. 

Many times, Chapman and Dyer help set up each others’ goals. Chapman has assisted on three of Dyer’s goals, while Dyer has assisted on two of Chapman’s tallies. 

“We know where each other are and it’s created a chemistry and bond on the ice and off the ice,” Dyer said. “It really works having a teammate that you’re so close to and know so much about.” 

The Red Eddies have seven regular season games remaining before the playoffs start. Since they’ve known how to skate, Dyer and Chapman have played hockey together. Latuscha has had the luxury of coaching them for four years and knows it will be difficult to see them go. 

“They’ve been with me for four years, they know it’s getting toward the end of their high school career,” Latuscha said. “They give everything they have. They do a lot off the ice. They really bleed EL. They wouldn’t play anywhere else.”