PORTLAND — After 14 seasons as Deering High head football coach, Greg Stilphen has resigned.
“It’s time for me to do things I haven’t been able to do,” said Stilphen, 51, who told his players Monday. “I have a number of interests. I’m going to experience life and put all my attention to my family.
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“Fourteen years is a long time to be a head coach.”
Stilphen’s resignation came as a surprise to many, including last year’s starting quarterback, Jamie Ross, who was a finalist for the Fitzpatrick Trophy.
“I didn’t see this one coming at all,” said Ross. “I never played for a coach like him. He was like one of us, a kid trapped in a big coach’s body. Coach Stilphen had a unique way of getting players pumped up.
“He put in countless hours of preparation. His door was always open. He was more than a coach. He is a friend and someone you can look up to.”
The Rams under Stilphen qualified for the Western Class A playoffs in nine of the last 10 seasons. In 2003, Deering went 12-0 and won the state championship for the second time in school history.
The Rams appeared in three Western Maine finals under Stilphen, including last fall when Deering and Cheverus staged a memorable contest, with the Stags pulling out a 35-34 win en route to the state title. Deering finished 8-3.
“That game was representative of what high school football should be about,” said Stilphen. “Two teams giving everything they have. In one game, you saw the value of athletics.”
Stilphen, a lineman at South Portland High and the University of New Hampshire, has been a head coach for 22 seasons, including eight at Massabesic.
Asked what his record at Deering was, Stilphen said he wasn’t sure.
“I don’t really care about those things,” he said. “I cared about giving everything we had and being the best team we could be. That’s all.”
Stilphen, who teaches U.S. history at Deering, said he will continue to teach.
“It’s been a privilege to work with the young men at Deering,” said Stilphen. “I hope I’ve impacted their lives as much as they have impacted mine, because they have definitely done that.
“The whole experience — being involved with past and current players and their parents — has been fantastic.”
Stilphen said it’s unlikely he would be a head coach again, but he left open the possibility of being an assistant coach.
“We appreciate the job Greg has done for the program,” said Athletic Director Bill LeRoy. “His teams have been very successful, no question about it. We wish him the best.
LeRoy said he hopes to have a new head coach in place no later than May 1.
“We hope to get a good pool of candidates,” he said. “We will advertise the position shortly.”
Staff Writer Tom Chard can be reached at 791-6419 or at: tchard@pressherald.com
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