It was an opportunity that Sam Farrell just couldn’t pass up.
When winter’s coaching changes left the girls’ basketball job at Greely High School vacant, Farrell couldn’t resist the temptation to apply.
“Greely’s basketball program is one of the best programs in the state,” said Farrell. “I’ve been pretty familiar with that team the last few years. I thought it would be a great program to be a part of.”
On Monday, Farrell was hired as the new Rangers coach. He informed his Winthrop girls Wednesday that he was leaving.
“That was the hardest thing, telling them I wasn’t going to be here,” said Farrell. “If there was anything that was going to keep me in Winthrop, it was those kids. That’s a close-knit family. It’s always tough to have to say goodbye.”
Farrell replaces Jim Seavey at Greely. The former Edward Little, Oxford Hills and Gray-New Gloucester coach took the girls’ job at Scarborough. Farrell had coached at Winthrop for just one season, going 14-4 for fourth in the Western C standings. The Ramblers lost in the Western C semifinals to the regional champions from Hall-Dale.
Winthrop, which had just two coaches in the first two decades of the program, now looks for its third coach since 2002. The Ramblers have just three summer basketball games left on its schedule. Assistants Scott Eldridge and John Scott will handle the rest of the summer slate. Farrell hopes to add to Greely summer schedule with some games in late July.
“I’d like to spend as much time with the team as I can,” he said.
Farrell is a South Portland native and a Maine grad. He was the JV coach at South Portland for two years before coming to Winthrop. He had also coached at the middle school level in Bangor. He lives in Lisbon Falls and teaches at Brunswick High School. So coaching in Cumberland makes it a much easier commute.
“It saves me about an hour round trip every night,” he said.
Seavey had over 100 wins, two regional titles and a Class B state championship in six years with the Rangers. Greely has been one of the state’s consistent winners since the program turned around after an 0-18 season in 1996 and a 6-30 mark over two years.
“I’ve been pretty pumped,” said Farrell. “It was pretty tough waiting.”
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