Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

September 26, 2012

UMaine softball adding another Coutts as coach

Mike Coutts, fresh off a regional title with Scarborough High baseball, joins his wife in Orono.

By Mike Lowe mlowe@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

Mike Coutts and Lynn Coutts have talked about working with each other for years. Finally they found the perfect situation.

Mike Coutts was recently named an assistant softball coach at the University of Maine, joining his wife, Lynn, who is entering her second year as the Black Bears' head coach.

He is leaving his position as Scarborough High baseball coach after leading the Red Storm to the Class A state championship game last June.

"This was a natural fit for us," said Mike Coutts, a former baseball player and assistant coach for the Black Bears.

"We both love to coach, we both love getting the opportunity to work with kids. That's pretty much all we do at home, that's all we talk about.

"It's going to be fun."

The two have been married for 24 years.

But it wasn't easy leaving Scarborough.

Coutts had been the Red Storm's coach for two years, following two successful years at Deering, where he led the Rams to the Class A state championship in 2009.

"I had a great experience there for two years," he said. "The kids were awesome, the families were awesome, the administration was great. And we just had a great year. With all things considered, I feel we really got it right at Scarborough, which is why it was tough to leave."

But Coutts was away from his wife while she coached in Orono last year.

It was time for the family to get back together. Their 14-year-old son Jack is an eighth-grader at Orono Middle School and their daughter, Maggie, 10, is in the fifth grade.

"The family being together was obviously more important than staying in (high school) coaching," he said. "That's the bottom line."

Lynn Coutts said she couldn't have found a better assistant.

"Just his simple experience, professionalism and loyalty," she said. "He coaches, he teaches."

She said the two had talked about the prospects of coaching together but didn't get serious until recently.

"Sometimes when something is right in front of you, you overlook it," she said. "I asked him and he was up to it."

Mike Coutts will work with the infielders, catchers and hitters, Lynn Coutts with the pitchers, outfielders and hitters.

"We've got about 50 years of (coaching) experience," said Lynn Coutts.

"It's our lifestyle."

Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at:

mlowe@pressherald.com

Twitter: MikeLowePPH

 

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