It was a promotion that Nicole Lovejoy wasn’t expecting – at least not for a few years.

After coaching the Poland JV team last year, the former Knights pitcher was expecting to continue building upon that season.

“I wanted to build the JV program and then take the step up – maybe,” said Lovejoy.

This spring season didn’t get very far before those plans changed.

“It was literally two days into the season, pitcher and catcher’s week,” said Lovejoy, who graduated from Poland in 2003. “(Poland co-curricular director) Don (King) was like ‘You want to coach varsity?’ I was like ‘I didn’t really have a choice.'”

The program started the season with Tarka Anderson returning to the helm of the Knight’s varsity team. She coached the second day but was forced to resign because of illness. By Wednesday of the first week of practice, Lovejoy was the new varsity coach.

“I was running pitcher and catcher week by myself,” said Lovejoy. “I was thrown totally into it. I had the mentality of being a JV coach and then was jumping into varsity.”

Making it an even tougher situation is the fact that Poland lost 12 seniors from last year’s squad. Much of the Knights’ roster now is made up of Lovejoy’s former JV players . Only seniors Taylor Girouard and Kristy Gray are returning players. The rest of the squad is mostly juniors and a few freshmen and sophomores.

“They don’t know varsity,” said Lovejoy. “I told them I’ll do as much as I can do and tell them as much as I know.”

Lovejoy knows the pitching aspect of the game but is still learning as a coach. She had coached at the rec level in Mechanic Falls before taking the JV job last year. Aaron Rand, the girls’ soccer and boys’ hockey coach, is her assistant and has been a significant help in adjusting to the role as varsity coach.

Though Poland started off the season winless, the Knights have been competitive with most teams.

“Coach Rand is helping me out so much,” said Lovejoy, who works at a local day care center. “He knows the little stuff. I can look at the big picture, and I can pick little things out, but it’s a matter of fine-tuning the little stuff.”

Patriot Games

Gregg Eggleston wanted to coach this spring but wasn’t sure where he might find an opening. After losing his coaching job at Columbia -Greene Community College in New York, Eggleston couldn’t stand the thought of not coaching.

“We got hit with some budget cuts at the college,” said Eggleston. “I wanted to coach this spring. So I hopped online and by the grace of God, I’m here.”

Eggleston found a position at Gray-New Gloucester. He joined a team that not only features one of Western B’s top pitchers in Laura Getchell but also a tourney contender that also has all-conference talents Taylor Damon in the outfield and catcher Abby Ryan

The Patriots went 12-4 last year and lost to Fryeburg in the Western B semifinals.

“I don’t know how I ended up here, but I did,” said Eggleston. “It worked out pretty good.”

It was a risk to take a job in another state and move, but it has certainly paid off. He’s also a special education teacher at the school.

The Patriots were fortunate to find an experience coach to step right in. Eggleston coached six years at the varsity level in New York before coaching two years in college.

“When I originally applied, it was strictly for softball,” said Eggleston. “On the ride home, they called and said that there’s a teaching job too if you want it. It worked out great.

Different faces, same results

The Telstar softball team has a new look to it this year but is producing the same results. The Rebels graduated five starters from last year’s team that lost in the Western C final. That left Telstar with plugging some holes with inexperienced players, but the Rebels haven’t missed a beat, going undefeated until losing to Georges Valley Monday in a nail biter.

“We’ve got kids that had to step up,” said Telstar coach Jim Lunney. “We only have four starters back.”

Pitchers Candace Hall, Kayla Merrill, third baseman Whitney Mills and outfielders Hannah Morin and T. J. Cowin are the only regulars back from last year.

Morin saw starting time in the outfield and is joined by Cowin and Sarah Averill this year. In the infield, Sam Largess is done well behind the plate.Nicena Walker has been strong at first while Lindsay James has produced as well at second.

“We’re young but we’ve been playing softball for years,” said James. “Now it’s our turn. We’ve been taught well. This is what we do, and we’re just getting started.”

Lunney says this team has room to improve. With Merrill and Hall giving the Rebels one of the best pitching duos in Western C, Telstar should be a contender again, especially if the defense and bats continue to improve.

“A lot of the girls, the freshmen, are stepping up and the girls that weren’t playing last year are stepping up,” said Merrill. “We’ve all been working together since we were young. So we’re all very familiar with each other.”