Chris Thurlow was a former All-Eastern Maine Class B defenseman at Orono High School and has spent 15 years as an assistant coach, 10 under Greg Hirsch at Orono and five with Denis Collins at Old Town-Orono.
Now he will get a chance to run the program.
Thurlow has been named to replace Collins, who retired after leading the Black Bears to a 20-1 season and the Class B state championship last season.
“I’m really excited. I never needed to be a head coach because I just liked coaching. But once I thought about it, I feel I’m ready to be a head coach now,” the 42-year-old Thurlow said.
“Coming in as a first-year coach after a state championship is a lot of pressure. But I’m OK with that. At the end of the day, I know our kids are going to play well, and it’s a real special group. I really enjoy coaching these kids. We’re going to go out and have fun,” Thurlow said.
Thurlow said he learned a great deal coaching under Hirsch, who had played for legendary University of Maine head coach Shawn Walsh, who led the Black Bears to two national championships.
“Greg learned from the best, and I just sat back and tried to take it all in,” said Thurlow, who added that he also benefited from coaching with Blair Marsh, who assisted Hirsch.
Orono High athletic director Mike Archer said Thurlow, is “great with kids, and he loves the game of hockey. He has earned this opportunity. I know he is excited to build on what coach Collins and their staff created over the past five years.”
Old Town athletic director Jeremy Bousquet added that Thurlow, “is respected among the league’s coaches and officials. He has been coaching for 15 years. He has put a lot of time into our program. He has a lot of hockey knowledge and he knows the kids.”
Thurlow was one of only two applicants for the job, according to Bousquet.
Thurlow graduated from Orono High in 1995 and earned a business degree from the University of Maine in 2000. He played for several coaches at Orono and said Charlie Carroll and his assistant, former UMaine defenseman Tony Link, were particularly helpful.
Thurlow played a year at Suffolk University in Boston before transferring to UMaine.
He said Old Town-Orono will be doing a lot of the same things they did a year ago with a few new wrinkles in the practice structure.
“We’ll have a lot of speed, so we’re going to play fast-break hockey. But we will be committed to defense first,” Thurlow said.
Thurlow, a salesman for Southern Wine and Spirits, said his Black Bears lost a bunch of quality players such as Class B North Player of the Year Jacob Dubay and Ben Allan-Rahill, who teamed up on the game-winning goal in the 3-2 overtime win over Greely of Cumberland Center in the state final.
Talented defensemen Josh Wheeler, Austin Soucy and Antti Jarvicare also must be replaced.
But Thurlow said they have a strong nucleus returning led by forwards Tyler McCannell, Tanner Evans, Trent Lick and Sam Henderson along with defensemen Cam Tower and Dylan Street and veteran goalie Kohle Parker.
He also will welcome 16 freshmen, including several impact players.
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