The Rockland cheerleading team should have a very smooth transition as three-year junior varsity coach Becky Howard will take over the varsity squad this winter. And it’s a good thing, because the Tigers are expecting to have yet another successful season.

Howard replaces co-head coaches (and mother-and-daughter team) Mary Sidelinger and Rachel Collamore, who both moved to Colorado earlier this year.

Sidelinger and Collamore guided the team to eight straight Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B titles, the Class B state title in 2003, and third-place honors last year.

Howard, a Rockland graduate, has served as the official junior varsity cheering coach at her alma mater for three years, which is when she graduated from Husson College. But even when she was in school Howard always found ways to help Sidelinger and Collamore whether it was working with the town pee-wee program or taking over the occasional practice.

“There’s isn’t much I haven’t seen,” Howard said with a laugh.

And who can blame her for not wanting to miss anything? The Rockland team has been one of the most successful Eastern Maine Class B programs in the state. And there’s that eight-year KVAC streak.

Continuing that run is one of the team’s goals every year.

“Oh yes,” Howard said of the Tigers’ streak. “We’re focused on KVACs. The girls are really determined and they want it bad.”

Howard works as an assistant at Penobscot Bay Urology in Rockland.

Richards to replace Poulin

Longtime Winslow High coach Jim Poulin is still active as an assistant for the Black Raiders’ football team.

But his health problems – Poulin has multiple sclerosis – have forced him to give up his post as girls basketball coach.

Former Lawrence of Fairfield girls coach Jim Richards will take over this winter.

“Jim has a real good background,” Winslow athletic director Sean Keenan said. “He’s very knowledgeable about the game, very passionate. We think he’ll do a good job with our kids.”

Richards coached the Bulldogs of Fairfield from 2000 to 2002, and the team showed improvement each year, going from eight regular-season wins to nine and then 11 in the 2001-02 season.

He also served as an assistant coach on the 1998 Skowhegan High boys team which won the Class A state championship that winter.

Keenan said Richards is a teacher at the junior high school.

Winslow had no seniors on its roster last year and went 14-4, which means Richards should be in a fine situation this winter.

Poulin took over the Winslow program in the 1993-94 season and won at least 10 regular-season games all 11 years. He had indicated late last season that his health was making it hard for him to coach basketball. His regular-season record with the Raiders was 143-55, including an 18-0 season in 2002.

He manages fine in football, however, sitting in a golf cart on the sidelines.

“We’re hoping he can go in football a little while longer,” Keenan said. “… He’s the best. Jim’s certainly got big shoes to fill.”

Lee has Pickering’s number

By the time Shelby Pickering ends her high school career, she will likely be one of the most decorated athletes ever from Lee Academy.

The honors continue to pile up for Pickering, who had a nice surprise at last week’s fall sports banquet when it was announced that the school has retired her No. 13 soccer jersey.

The senior forward scored 177 goals in her four-year career, a state record regardless of gender. She led the Pandas to the Class D state title in 2003.

Lee also won the Eastern Maine title this fall but was held without a goal in the state title loss to Waynflete of Portland, the first game in which she didn’t score a goal since the 2002 state title game.

The Pandas also won regional crowns in 2001 and 2002.

Pickering also ran cross country, helping lead Lee to the Class D state championship.

Oh, and for good measure, Pickering scored the game-winning goal in the recent Maine Soccer Coaches Senior Bowl, a 4-3 win for the East senior all-stars.

Next up for Pickering? The second-team All-Maine basketball star and the rest of the Lee girls basketball team will try to defend their Eastern Maine Class D title as practice got under way Monday.

Jessica Bloch can be reached at 990-8193, 1-800-310-8600 or jbloch@bangordailynews.net.