BREWER – The man who started the Brewer High School golf program in 1969 has returned to coach the team this season.

John Norris, who retired as the Witches golf coach in 1996, has taken over for Mark Hall.

Hall left the coaching position to run the golf department at the new Dick’s sporting goods store in Bangor.

Norris was a longtime science teacher at Brewer High. He retired from teaching but stayed on for another five years as the golf coach until 1996.

When Hall resigned just before the season started, the school approached Norris about coaching again. He agreed, and so returns to a team that is the defending Penobscot Valley Conference champion.

Norris figures he’ll coach this season while the school seeks a more permanent coach.

“They asked me if I was interested and I asked them if they wanted to find someone who was young with some vim and vigor,” said Norris, who also coached the Brewer boys basketball team from 1969 to 1974. “But I’m retired and I have some spare time. Maybe in another year they’ll find somebody to do it.”

The Witches never won a golf state title under Norris – although he recalls coming within one stroke at a state tournament in the 1970s with son Mike, now one of Maine’s top amateur golfers, on the team – but did earn several PVC titles over the years.

Norris said he never had a losing season at Brewer – although he had a few .500 seasons, he conceded with a smile.

Brewer will likely have a strong team again this year with 19 players combined on an “A” squad and a “B” squad. The Witches’ top two scorers at the Class A state individual championships return to the team this year.

“I think we’ll do good this year,” Norris said. “I’ll just let those horses go out and pull the load and I think we’ll do well.”

Chris Wilson shot a 70 at states last year, which was tied for the second-lowest Class A score, while Davey Perry carded a 75 to make the top 10.

Brewer was sixth at last year’s Class A team championships. Wilson, Perry and Sam Walls helped contribute at states.

Norris credits Hall with leaving the program in good shape.

“He’s brought a lot of these kids around,” Norris said. “I’m just working with correcting a few of the little things that I see. He gave me a pretty good core. If I don’t coach next year I know there’ll be something left for the next coach.”

Norris sees plenty of changes even in the seven years since his retirement. The Witches used to play eight local teams twice a season to make up a 16-match schedule. Now Brewer plays teams like Presque Isle and Central of Corinth, and George Stevens of Blue Hill.

The proliferation of golf courses seems to have drawn in more youngsters.

“The kids are getting a lot more exposure to the game on TV and there are a lot more golf courses now,” said Norris, who has been a member at Pine Hill Golf Course in Brewer for more than 40 years. “They’re just sprouting up. If you have some pasture land and a little money and a plow and a bulldozer you can do it.”

And scores have gotten lower and lower over the years.

“Kids have better equipment and good teaching and they’re spending more time playing,” Norris said. “They’ve advanced a lot.”