MARS HILL, Maine — Mitch Ross is taking over as head coach of the Central Aroostook varsity baseball team.
Ross, the pastor of the United Baptist Church in Mars Hill, has served as an assistant coach for the Central Aroostook junior high baseball team since 2010. He replaces Roland “Butch” Richardson, who coached the varsity team for five seasons before stepping down after last year.
“When I heard that the varsity coaching position was open, I initially did not consider it due to my responsibilities as a pastor, which can be demanding,” Ross said. “As I shared with some who thought I should apply, my heart was saying, ‘Yes,’ while my head was saying, ‘No.’
Mitch Ross (Courtesy of Ross Family)
“Ultimately, after the urging of a friend and having the blessing of my wife Tammy and the leaders at my church, I went ahead and applied for the position and the rest, as they say, is history,” he said.
Ross said he has been a “baseball guy” since his early childhood while growing up in Houlton. He coached Babe Ruth baseball in Rockland in the late-1990s while serving as a pastor in that community. He then followed the baseball career of his son, Adam, through Senior Babe Ruth and American Legion baseball and ultimately at the University of Southern Maine.
Ross and his wife returned to Mars Hill in 2009.
“I am excited about the opportunity to coach a group of young men that I have already spent time with at the junior high level,” Ross said. “I will bring to the varsity level a passion for the sport and a desire to teach these young men to love the sport as I do.
“I am a teacher of the fundamentals and believe that if you do all of the little things well that you will be successful. It is also a great privilege for me to be involved in the lives of these players, teaching them not only the skills of a sport that I love, but also the life skills that come with it,” he added.
Central Aroostook’s baseball tryouts and practices began March 26. The team has an exhibition doubleheader at Woodland planned for April 21 and the regular season is scheduled to begin April 24 with a home game against Fort Kent.
