Mike Coutts is heading north to Alaska in search of big game – baseball.

The former University of Maine assistant coach couldn’t resist the state’s call of the wild, and of course, an opportunity to oversee the Peninsula Oilers of the Alaska Baseball League.

“They will fly my family out for the summer,” said Coutts, who heads to the land of the midnight sun some time in May. “The days are 18 hours long, and you can get a lot done in 18 hours of sunlight.”

Coutts, a Maine native who coached at the collegiate level for 18 years, gave it up in 2002 to become an owner and operator of Frozen Ropes baseball and softball training centers in Portland, and Franklin, Mass.

After coaching with the Black Bears for 12 years, Coutts went south to coach the Kettleers of the Cape Code Baseball League for six seasons, winning two CCBL championships. He was also named coach of the year.

While Coutts enjoys working with young athletes at Frozen Ropes, it didn’t take long before he started thinking about getting back into coaching.

“My whole life has been with college kids,” said Coutts. “I still have that yearning to coach and get back into it.

“I need to do it now and see where I am. Like I said, I miss and think about it all the time.”

North to Alaska

For the last two years, Coutts, along with his brother, Mark, and retired major leaguer Mike Bordick, put in long hours to get their two baseball training centers off the ground.

But returning to coaching was always on Coutts’ mind – especially after the business end of operating the two franchises began wearing on him. That’s when he began taking a closer look at coaching jobs in the NCAA. He saw an opening for the head coaching position for the Oilers and immediately e-mailed Ron Lucia, the general manager.

“Being a business man is not my passion,” Coutts admitted. “I might not ever get the perfect opportunity. Look, it is only two and half months, and the world is not going to end.”

So, in another five months, the Coutts family will fly across the country to Kenai, Alaska, which is a two-hour drive from bustling Anchorage.

Coutts said his son, Jack, can’t wait to see the state also known as “The Last Frontier.”

“It should be a great educational experience all around,” said Coutts. “It’s a good league. They are competitive. They have some good pitchers.”

“It’s a chance to get back in the college game at a level where I enjoy coaching.”

Baseball in the North Star State

The Alaska Baseball League is similar to the Cape Cod League where Coutts thrived for six years.

When Coutts applied for the heading coaching job, Lucia was taken aback.

“I was surprised when I saw the name,” recalled the Oilers GM, who was familiar with Coutts’ track record at the Cape. “I knew of him through word of mouth.

” I like his demeanor. He’s a good communicator.”

Lucia said there were three reasons why he hired Coutts. The GM added that the Maine native was open minded about keeping the two assistants around, his mindset, and his success in the Cape Cod league.

“I think we we will benefit from him being here,” added Lucia.

[email protected]