LEWISTON — Mike Child is no stranger to local softball fields.

Over the past few decades, he’s either played on them, umpired at them or coached from their dugouts.

Child has been an umpire in recent years, but this spring, he’s looking to change his perspective of the game.

He’s no longer calling balls and strikes from behind the plate. He’ll now be focused on the runs, hits and errors of the Lewiston High School softball team. In his return to coaching at the varsity level, he hopes to bolster Lewiston’s perspective, as well.

“I’ve been umpiring for 16 years,” Child said. “When I heard that the Lewiston job opened up, I wanted to try something else. I wanted to get back into coaching varsity. I put my name in. I was excited. I didn’t know if I was going to get it or not. (Lewiston athletic director) Jason (Fuller) told me I was the one, and he’s given me the opportunity.”

Child last coached a varsity sport when he guided with Jay boys’ basketball team Prior to that, he’d coached the Buckfield and Lewiston girls’ varsity basketball teams, and he’s also coached at the subvarsity level for a number of years, including being the freshman coach at Lewiston from 1996-2000.

 “I’ve already met the girls,” Child said. “They’re excited. I’m excited. I’m looking for big things. We have a lot of young kids, but they’ve played a lot of ball. I’m hoping that their ready to take that next step.”

Child felt that he was ready for a new direction and the Lewiston coaching job offered him that. It was after his stint with the Lewiston program years ago that he went into umpiring. He replaces Erica Crowley, who resigned after last season and has now taken a coaching position with the Oak Hill program. 

“Right after I stopped doing that, I went into umpiring,” said Child, who also played fast-pitch softball for years. “I had a pretty good career doing that. I did some regional finals and some state finals. I was proud of what I accomplished in umpiring, but I wanted to get back into coaching.”

The Blue Devils have been a young and inexperienced team in recent years, winning just five games the past three seasons. Lewiston, which went 1-15  last spring, has struggled to rebuild and find consistency on the field and with coaching. Crowley coached for three seasons and was the program’s third coach in as many years when she took over. Crowley did a fine job with the team, but was always trying to build with an inexperienced squad.  Child is Lewiston’s fourth coach in the past six years.

It will be different coaching again, Child admitted, and he said he’s learned a great deal from watching others. He’s looking forward to working with the athletes and helping them enjoy the game.

“The knowledge that I learned from guys like Norm Davis and Bill Lawler on umpiring the game and being professional and watching these other teams like Coach (Cindy) Goddard and Coach (Elaine) Derosby at Oxford Hills and Edward Little and all these other coaches,  I think it’s going to be different,” Child said. “I’m not calling balls and strikes, but I also know the rules.”

The outlook is good for the Blue Devils this season. Lewiston only graduated a couple of players and return a promising sophomore class that saw action last year. Child said the team already has more than 30 players signed up to play, including nine pitchers. That will enable Lewiston to have a JV team once again.

“This is to have fun,” Child said. “I want the girls to enjoy themselves, but we’re also going to play an aggressive style. We’re not going to kick back and let teams dictate to us how we play the game. We have some young girls, but they’ve played a lot together and they have to be ready to take that next step.”

Child is thrilled with the coaching staff he has to work with. Meagan Marcoux returns as a varsity assistant. She is a former player and has been with the program the past few years. Nicole Lovejoy, a former pitcher at Poland and CMCC, will be the pitching coach. Recent Bates grad Kira Shaikh is also joining the staff. She was a standout player at Bates before graduating last year.

“The coaching staff that I have, they all bring something different to the table,” Child said. “These three ladies are going to bring something great to the program.”

Pitchers and catchers begin practice next week and the entire team starts practice March 28. It has been a while since the Blue Devils have challenged for a playoff spot. Child hopes Lewiston can take some positive steps this spring.

“I’d love to be able to get the program in that direction,” Child said. “We had nine girls sign up for pitching and three or four sign up for catching. This is exciting to have this all going on again. They didn’t have a JV team last year. I’m excited because from what I hear, this is a great group of girls. They’re willing to learn and willing to play hard. As a coach, that’s all you can ask for.”

kmills@sunjournal.com