EASTON, Maine — Bryan Shaw enjoyed his two years as athletic director at Easton, but the opportunity to coach again proved too tough to pass up.
“I missed being on the sidelines so much and missed working with the young athletes, so it was a pretty easy decision,” Shaw said.
Shaw is back for his second go-around as the coach of the Easton girls varsity basketball team. His first stint lasted seven seasons (from 2013-2020). He returns to the program following the departure of Emily Hill, who coached for two seasons.
“After seeing this group of young girls persevere last year and improve, it felt like something I wanted to be part of and I’m hoping to serve them well,” he said.
It has been a rough stretch for the Bears, who have won just one game in the past two years. But Shaw is confident the team can achieve success and feels they have the potential to “come out with a good number of victories based on our schedule.”
Kaylee Boyce was the lone player lost to graduation, but her presence will be missed.
“Last year she was helpful in pressure situations getting the ball up the floor and we will definitely need to fill that role,” Shaw said. “It hurts to lose that experience and consistent scoring from the lineup.”
Shaw likes what he has seen from his Easton squad during early-season workouts.
“I like the competitive edge I am seeing so far and we have several girls who spent hours on skills at summer camps and weekly workshops put on by [Bangor-based] basketball trainer Ben Teer,” Shaw said. “There is a lot to work on from a fundamentals standpoint, but we will be conditioned and ready to play.”
Once again, Easton’s roster includes only one senior in Kenzie Legassie, who should provide intensity on the court and leadership for her teammates, according to Shaw.
Junior Amelia Bate is the most experienced player on the team and Shaw said she puts in a lot of time to develop her craft. She added height over the off-season and will look to make her mark for the Bears.
Junior Madison Seeley is a tenacious defender and sophomore Madison Bridges has also gotten taller, which could make her a presence in the frontcourt. Mackenzie Kinney, a junior, should earn considerable minutes as a key role player for Easton.
Sophomore Grace Sloan is a threat to be a consistent scorer and has spent a lot of time working on her game. Laynie Brewer is another 10th-grader and the team’s tallest player and will be counted on to grab rebounds and supply second-chance points.
Shaw said freshmen Olivia Bate, Chloe Blackstone and Ashton Embelton will also battle for playing time. He added a few eighth-graders will be added to the roster once the middle school season ends for the chance to build critical varsity experience.
