Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY

Gardiner hires Ross to coach hockey team

By Bill Stewart bstewart@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

GARDINER -- Jeff Ross figured someday he'd return to the high school hockey coaching ranks.

That day has arrived for the 35-year-old South China resident.

Gardiner Area High School athletic director Jeff Turnbull said Ross will take over the program from Matt Dineen, who resigned after he was charged with three misdemeanor counts of unlawful sexual touching in April.

"He comes with a lot of knowledge," Turnbull said of Ross. "He has a lot of hockey experience and he'll run a proper program the way we want it to be run. He knows what he's doing."

Turnbull said Ross emerged out of a pool of "six or seven" candidates.

Ross, who coaches the Maine Moose U-18 midget league team, is a physical education teacher at Medomak Valley.

He last coached high school hockey three years ago, when he was an assistant under Norm Gagne at Lewiston.

He also was an assistant hockey coach at Waterville Senior High School, under both Gagne and Dennis Martin.

"I decided to apply when the job became available," Ross said. "I knew the job would be out there with what happened with Matt (Dineen). I thought about it for awhile. I thought it was time to get back into high school coaching, and Gardiner was the perfect fit for me. I wanted a situation I thought was right. Gardiner has a lot of tradition, and it's a bit of a hockey town, too."

Ross coached at Lewiston from 2005-2008.

When Gagne took a coaching job at Scarborough High School, Ross joined the Maine Moose, to coach the Elite team in the International Junior Hockey League.

The Moose will field two Maine midget league teams this season after pulling out of the IJHL.

Ross became interested in high school coaching again after the births of his two children.

"The Moose was a lot of weekends away," Ross said. "I realized as much I wanted to pursue coaching, I really enjoyed being a father, too. The high school schedule allows me to do both."

Gagne worked Ross in slowly before increasing his responsibilities.

"When he first came on, I didn't give him much to do," Gagne said. "I told him to just listen and watch and ask questions, and he did that. In my second year I had him work with the forwards. He became an excellent coach. He has a good rapport with the kids, and he's really professional with what he does. He knows the game well and I think it was time for him to be a head coach. I really miss having him with me. He'll do great in Gardiner. He's going to a good situation. They are lucky to get him."

The Tigers struggled last season after moving to Western B. They finished 5-12-1 and were shut out of the regional playoffs.

"He's patient, which will be good," Turnbull said. "He teaches the game in a good way and will be a role model."

Added Ross: "Patience is a little of it, but it implies you won't be successful for a couple years. I think we can be successful. It's a matter of implementing what we want the program to be like early."

Bill Stewart -- 623-3811, ext. 515

bstewart@centralmaine.com