ASHLAND, Maine — Ben Lothrop is excited about beginning his second stint as coach of the Ashland girls’ varsity basketball team.
Tryouts began Monday and Lothrop said last week that after being 12 years removed from closing out his first coaching term, which lasted nine years, he was ready to return to the sidelines.
Lothrop coached the Hornets to the Class D regional championship game in 2005, which was his final season.
He replaces Whitney Flint, who resigned during the off-season due to what she called “family and personal life reasons.” She had coached the team three of the last four seasons and last year guided the Hornets to a 9-11 record and their first tournament berth since 2008.
Lothrop, 47, was involved in education for 20 years as a teacher and administrator, with stops at Limestone, Ashland, Mattanawcook Academy in Lincoln and Van Buren, and is now the human resources manager at Maibec Lumber in Masardis.
“While I have enjoyed my new job at the mill, I have missed working with the kids and the school atmosphere,” said Lothrop, who resides in Ashland. “When I heard there was an opening, I approached the school administration with my interest and I’m glad it worked out.
“Whitney did a great job getting the girls back to Bangor and I hope to build on that success and continue moving the program forward,” he added.
Lothrop is a 1988 graduate of Ashland Community High School and holds a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Maine at Presque Isle and a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Maine at Orono.
He also coached varsity baseball and cross country at Ashland and has held numerous middle school coaching positions in various sports throughout the years.
Lothrop served on the Maine Principals’ Association basketball committee for six years during his time in education, a position that allowed him to watch nearly every tournament game each of those years. He hopes to make it to the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor next February and enjoy more post-season games as a coach.
“We have a few returning seniors and a lot of talented youth,” he said. “These girls have clearly been very successful in soccer and softball and I have no doubt they can be successful on the basketball court.
“As with anything, it will take hard work and dedication, but I know the girls are up to the challenge. It should be fun,” Lothrop added.
