Staff Writer
ASHLAND – After coaching through two generations of Ashland athletes and heading six boys’ and girls’ sports, Bill Nemer stepped down from his varsity coaching career after leading the 2007-08 girls’ basketball team to the Eastern Maine runner-up title at Bangor Auditorium.
The decision didn’t come easily for Nemer. “It’s hard to say I’m getting done,” said Nemer, thinking back on his years at the head of many Hornet squads.
Nemer, originally from Skowhegan, took up his first teaching and coaching post at Ashland after replying to an advertisement for a girls’ physical education teacher and field hockey coach, a sport he hadn’t pictured himself training when he first graduated from the University of Maine at Orono. “I applied at the very last deadline, and the guy practically told me he was going to give me the job,” remembered Nemer.
Ashland still ranked among the Class C schools when Nemer first arrived and took up the post in Aroostook in January of 1981. He soon made a respected name for himself by helping Ashland varsity athletics earn regional and state titles.
In the fall of 1982 Ashland swapped field hockey for soccer and Nemer began his 24-year coaching career as the girls’ coach. Under his tutelage the soccer team improved, and went on to win Ashland’s first state championship in 1989.
Holly Chasse, then a freshman starter, remembers the winning day well as the Hornet who made the winning goal. Nemer’s encouragement and belief in the team pushed them to play their best. “He pulled my sister (Hope Doughty) and I and Diana Belskis into the gym toward the end of the season,” remembered Chasse. “He said we’ve had a great year and a great time and now we need you to step up because we can do this.”
During her four years playing soccer and basketball under Nemer, Chasse learned the importance of tenacity. “He taught us that if you work hard at what you’re doing and never give up, you can succeed at whatever you do,” said Chasse.
Nemer finished coaching girls’ soccer in 2005 with a record of 200-132-36. His teams entered the playoffs 20 times of the 24 years. Ashland also won an Eastern Maine soccer title in 1996 under his direction. As a girls’ softball coach from 1982 to 1985, Nemer’s teams totaled a 30-24 record and finished second in their league two times.
During his second stint heading the Ashland varsity baseball team, Nemer coached the Hornets to their only baseball state championship in 1998.
Chad Cyr played on the championship team in his senior year.
“He was a very good coach,” explained Cyr. “He was the type of coach that had enough knowledge of the sport to bring us from a losing team in ’95 and then go to the state championships in ’98.”
According to Cyr, Nemer had the distinct ability of earning the respect of his players while keeping the game fun.
“We were all teenagers and thought we knew everything there was to know about baseball, but we learned a lot more about the game from him,” said Cyr.
Nemer coached baseball from 1986 to 1990 and again from 1995 to 1999, making the playoffs seven of 10 years and competing in semifinals four times.
Nemer also assisted in adding a Gold Ball to Ashland’s trophy case, when the girls’ basketball team took the 1991 state championship. After leading the basketball team from 1986 to 1996 and again from 2006 to 2008, Nemer’s teams had a record of 175-102 and had two Eastern Maine runner-ups plaques.
Choosing the coaching career path came easily to Nemer who had played baseball since the age of 7 and in the American Legion League.
“When you’ve played your whole life, you learn a lot of things as a player that you’d like to pass on,” he explained.
While Nemer pushed his players hard, the pressure seemed to bring out the best in his athletes and bolster school pride. Nemer, in turn, will always feel proud of every team he coached, evident by the season scrapbook he put together for every athlete.
He will continue to teach physical education for the Ashland Community School District.
BILL NEMER
