The boys were whirling around and around in easy fashion, the hat was plopped on the back of the head, and the coach was a contented man.

"Yes--this club has possibilities," John White, coach of the freshman hockey team, mused modestly. "We may not be as spectacular as last year, but we have more depth, and that's a good thing."

A Yardling sextet that "has possibilities" and is coached by John White is indeed a very good thing. Amiable Mr. White won't need the spectacle of last year's squad--probably the best in the country, with a 21-1 record--to produce an excellent if not undefeated season. "You can't always replace a Cleary or a McVey. Maybe we had more finesse in a few men last year, but now we have the ability spread around."

White's "spread around" ability has shown well in the squad's first four, highly successful outings this season. Virtually all the skating team, which, with one exception, halls from somewhere within 20 miles of Cambridge, has figured closely in scoring so far. The punchy first line consists of two members of Belmont High's 1955 state finalists--Bill Collins and George Higginbottom. They have been joined by Dick Reilly, and since the season's start just four games ago, Coach White has noted real improvement in the arrangement.

Both Maurice Balboni and Dick McLaughlin, whom White says will be "very good when they get going," have won assignment to first defense. The fight for net-minding duties has been less conclusive: goalies Harry Pratt and Dick Cleary have alternated in games so far. John White isn't worried because the issue is not yet settled.

But the most encouraging tidbit that Coach White tossed off during practice last week was his comment on the reserves. Both his best, if inconsistent, shot, and his fastest skater are currently members of the second line, and the third line, well, "its much better than what we had last season."

The second line, bolstered by Dick Fischer, sole non-Bostonian from Buffalo, N.Y., seems equally productive as the first. Gordon Marlow, Dave Vietz, and Flscher rate the Yardling's hardest shots, and the latter two, in White's estimation, are the fastest skaters.

White is still in the process of making up his mind about second and third defense combinations. John Filoon, Dick Leeson, Bill Saltonstall, Larry Pratt, and Linzee Coolidge are all in contention.

The third forward line, presently composed of Bill Deford, Paul Kelley and Dave Birch, has seen much more action than its counterparts did last year, and from every indication they will be very effective in John White's undaunted search for a perfect 18 or 20 games this year.