Coaching is twice as nice for Biggs

Doug Biggs never even gave it a second thought. When Hal Leighton stepped down as the women’s soccer coach at the University of New England in July, Biggs said he’d be glad to take over the women’s team even though he was already the men’s soccer coach.

Biggs, in his fifth year as the men’s coach, said things have gone smoothly.

“Things are going very well,” said the 46-year-old Biggs. “I’m enjoying it. I’m very pleased. Hal Leighton did a tremendous job. He laid a very good foundation. It has been very easy to step in.

“Soccer is very enjoyable,” added Biggs. “Being with young people keeps you young. It’s fun to work with them.”

The practices are generally staggered but Biggs said they sometimes overlap a bit.

“We have a lot of similarities when it comes to how we try to approach the game,” said Biggs. “A lot of the warm-up stuff and individual ball skill drills are the same. Both teams work on the same things, granted they are at different levels. Certain days they might warm up or practice at the same time.”

There is only one scheduling conflict and women’s assistant Slyne Cherfils will coach the women’s game while Biggs is with the men.

Biggs said Chefils and men’s assistants Joe Legere and Jean Paul have made his job easier.

“And we just got an equipment manager (Art Descoteaux), which has eased my load considerably. I used to spend all my time doing laundry,” chuckled Biggs.

Biggs said the only drawback has been that he hasn’t had much opportunity to watch his son, Andy, play soccer at Middlebury (Vt.) College.

“But that’s part of coaching,” said Biggs.

Biggs, who coaches lacrosse in the spring, said he is very fortunate to have a supportive wife (Susan).

“She’s a lovely person who has a great understanding of the demands of the job,” said Biggs, whose wife is a financial officer for Neil Gunter Inc. in Scarborough.

Biggs likes the recruiting aspect of the job, saying “I enjoy getting out. And many times, when you stop at a school that is a good boys soccer school, it’s also good in girls soccer. A lot of recruiting is done in the summer and I get to see people in Olympic development programs.”

His teams have struggled to date, the men are 0-4-2 and the women are 1-4, but Biggs said both have played well and expects both to continue to improve steadily and rack up some wins.

CORNER KICKS…. University of Maine Coach Jim Dyer is contemplating moving senior midfielder Todd Sniper up to striker and senior stopper Gary Crompton up to the midfield. “We’re just not getting production from the forwards,” said Dyer. “Not just in terms of goals, but they haven’t been holding the ball.”

The 1-3-1 Bears have scored only four goals. On a positive note, Dyer said they are starting to get some injured players back. Fullback Robbie Thompson (knee) could be back this weekend and striker Charlie Carroll (ankle) has an outside shot at playing for the first time this season.

Fullback Jim Berg (knee) has resumed light training and FB Mike Camelo has finished serving a five-game suspension and can start training if he passes a fitness test. Striker Michael Enos had facial surgery to repair four broken bones, has returned to school and could be back in three or four weeks.

“The bottom line is that regardless of our injuries, we must play better as a team,” added Dyer. “Our biggest weakness is we lose possession off the ball and turn it over too many times.”

Maine travels to play Delaware and Drexel this weekend.