When Lonney Steeves thought bringing in another assistant coach would benefit his Winthrop girls’ basketball team, he knew where to look for one.

Steeves, in his second season as the Ramblers varsity coach, went to Ray Convery. The long-term Winthrop coach, who retired after 20-plus seasons in 2002, jumped at the chance and has returned to the Rambler bench as an assistant.

“He brings 20 years of experience, and he brings a lot of years of working a lot with kids at different levels,” said Steeves.

Steeves had thought about asking Convery last year to help out. He knew how hard it had been for him to walk away from coaching, yet he knew Convery wouldn’t want to jump back into the fray so soon.

When Winthrop got off to a difficult start this year, Steeves thought about making the offer again.

“I kind of thought he’d be interested in doing it,” said Steeves, who had Convery back in the fold the week before Christmas. “We got off to a slow start, and he’s helping us get better everyday.”

It is an awkward situation to some degree. Steeves took over the program after being Convery’s assistant for 15 years. Winthrop went 14-4 and reached the Western C semifinals in Steeves’ first year, but the Ramblers have just three players with much varsity experience.

“We’re trying to slow down and back up a little bit instead of going 100 miles an hour,” said Steeves. “We’re trying to take smaller steps.”

Convery was adamant about limiting his role and not trying to unseat Steeves as the head coach. Only Anna Warner and Renee St. Hilaire had played for him before, but most of the team had Convery as a teacher in middle school. So it has aided the transition, especially since Convery, whose daughter is on the varsity, followed the program last year.

“It’s not like he’s been away from the program,” said Steeves. “It’s kind of funny in practice. He’ll go to run a drill or do some skill stuff and it kind of feels like old times. It’s relaxed me a lot, but it really feels like old times again.”

Besides his ability to teach, Convery brings knowledge of the game that only helps Steeves, JV coach Scott Eldridge and the players.

“It’s just another set of eyes – eyes that can detect that one important piece that can make you better in games,” said Steeves.

A difference is already evident in practice. Convery has been given his opportunity to run practice at times and has given the kids a little refresher course of what has made Winthrop basketball what it is.

“One of the nice things is that it’s given three of us a chance to run drills and work with kids in practice,” said Steeves. “It’s really brought up the energy level in practice.

“I’m hoping it will be like old times and get the kids to realize what it takes to be good and what the energy level is that we have to be at.”

The Ramblers went 1-5 to start the year. The schedule is a little friendlier in the New Year and the Ramblers were still well within reach of a playoff berth in the first Heal Points standings. To date, the Ramblers have played 13 (regular season, preseason and Christmas tournament) games and have had just 13 practices because of weather cancellations.

“That’s not the way you get a young team up to playing,” said Steeves. “Now we don’t have the tough teams. We’ve got a lot of good teams still on the schedule, but they’re games that could be won.”

300 wins and counting

Dirigo coach Gavin Kane reached a milestone with his club’s victory over Winthrop just before Christmas. It was his 300th win as a varsity high school basketball coach. In his 10 years at Dirigo, the Winthrop game gave him 190 while 110 wins came with the Rangeley boys’ program.

“Everybody I talk to tells me it’s something I should be very proud of,” said Kane. “I’m really not much into personal recognition. If I were to reflect quickly on my coaching career, it would start with the wonderful kids I’ve been around the wonderful young men and ladies in the last 19 years, and the great assistant coaches that I’ve worked with.”

Kane was honored after the victory and presented a framed poem signed by all the players. He has just six regular-season losses in his career at Dirigo, the last coming in 1998. The club has a state record nine straight Western C titles and five state titles during that stretch. He also won a Class D state crown with the Lakers.