Alicia Pelletier had been thinking about making the jump to a higher level of coaching

After six seasons coaching girls’ soccer at Lewiston Middle School, Pelletier was interested in a new challenge and opportunity. When she returned from vacation in early August, that job unexpectedly presented itself.

Pelletier was named the new girls’ soccer coach at St. Dom’s this week and takes over a program that’s been a force in the Mountain Valley Conference in recent years.

“It’s definitely exciting,” said Pelletier, who played soccer at Lewiston High School. “I’ve wanted to coach varsity for a while. I think this will be a great spot to start. St. Dom’s has some very good athletes and a very good group of girls. I’m very excited to be part of that coaching team.”

Pelletier replaces Kathy Little, who accepted a teaching and coaching job at Cheverus. The Saints won multiple MVC championships and a regional title during Little’s 10 years.

Little stepped down in late July. With the first meeting with players this Monday and the first practice of the season the following week, the school was pressed for time to hire a new coach.

“Less than three weeks to go before opening day, you start scrambling,” said St. Dom’s athletic director Gene Keene, who was on vacation in July and returned to learn that Little had resigned. “We advertised, and we got a couple of bites. At the same time, having been in the business for 35 years and making a lot of contacts, you start thinking about who’s out there and who might be interested. Alicia’s name came up. So I gave her a call and asked if she’d be interested.”

Keene has been a family friend for years. Norm Ford, Alicia’s father, was an assistant coach with Keene during his tenure as the Edward Little softball coach, which included back-to-back state titles. Pelletier had been away that week and was unaware the job had recently opened. Keene encouraged her to apply but made no guarantees.

“We went through the interview process with her and some other candidates and decided she’d be a good fit for the position,” said Keene.

Pelletier teaches at Edward Little and works with Jon Berry, the Saints’ girls basketball coach. She decided it was an opportunity worth pursuing.

“I’d been looking to move up,” she said. “It was a great opportunity for a varsity coaching position in soccer, which I’d wanted to do.”

The Saints graduated veterans like Sarah Trott, Emily Poulin, Kayla McLellan, Kelley McLellan, Katie Emery and Courtney Costello. Still, the Saints had some underclassmen show great promise last year including Marley Byrne, Emily Caron, Kirsten Conner, Faith Grady, Emma Byrne and Kelly Pomerleau. With a younger group with some promise, it might make a good time for a new coach to step in.

“It’ll be interesting to see when we have our parents meeting on Monday, which is for all St. Dom’s fall sports, to see the girls we have coming out and meet them for the first time,” said Pelletier. “Some I’ve probably coached against because I know there are some girls from Auburn that have transferred there.”

Her familiarity with Keene may be a help as well. As a veteran coach and administrator, he can offer a wealth of experience to a new coach.

“It makes it easier,” Pelletier said. “He’s done a great job at Brunswick and Maranacook before. He really knows the job. It makes it easy to come in as a first-time varsity coach to have someone with such a great background at a high level. He’s also someone who is very familiar with me and knows what I’m about.”

With the first practice scheduled for Aug.19, it forced Pelletier to alter her schedule once she was confirmed as the new coach.

“I actually had to change my plans,” she said. “My brother is getting married on the 17th. I was going to be driving home with my parents, and I wasn’t going to be back until the 21st. So I had to book a flight home on the 18th so I could be back for Monday’s practice.”

Replacing someone like Little, who has been an integral part of the program for more than a decade, is always a challenge, especially on short notice, but Keene is pleased to find a coach that he feels can step in and make a difference right away.

“We’re excited that Alicia is going to be with us,” said Keene. “I think she’s going to do a good job. Obviously, I’ve known her for a long, long time. I’ve worked with her father for a long, long time. I think it will be a good fit, and I think it will be a good transition.”

kmills@sunjournal.com