BELFAST — After nearly four decades with George Ross at the helm of Belfast Lions baseball program, a new coach will be leading the team in 2019. Ross retired at the end of the last season and taking his place will be Chris LaValle, who is, himself, no stranger to the school’s athletic department. 

LaValle has been tabbed as the new head coach of the school’s varsity baseball team, which finished the 2018 campaign with a 9-8 record and was eliminated 2-1 by Gardiner in the preliminary round of the Class B playoffs. 

“I am so honored to have the opportunity to continue working with the program, having been a part of it for over 10 years,” said LaValle, who has assisted the school’s junior varsity and varsity teams. 

Ross stepped down from the Belfast baseball team after being its head coach for 37 seasons. 

“I had the pleasure of coaching with Coach Ross for a long time,” LaValle said. “I learned a lot from him over the years. He is a fantastic coach, and an even better person and I feel honored and privileged to follow in his footsteps. I feel fortunate to continue coaching the great group of boys that are in the program and can’t wait for the snow to melt.”

LaValle said he plans to continue building on the foundation that Ross laid 37 years ago. 

“He and I share a love for the game of baseball. He has so much baseball knowledge, picking his brain at practice or on a long bus ride is something that I will certainly miss; however, I know that he will always be there for us if we need anything,” LaValle said. 

LaValle said the two have strikingly similar coaching styles as both are teachers in the classroom who take that approach into the world of coaching with both emphasizing the game’s fundamentals, doing things the right way and hard work plus the rewards of hard work. 

The new coach overseeing the Belfast baseball program says there will likely not be a significant change in how the team plays the game. 

“Coach Ross’ teams have played a certain way in the past, and I believe that we will continue playing the game this way, the right way,” LaValle said. “I think that a fan of the program won’t really notice a difference. Maybe the kids will be wearing eye black or sunglasses, but they will still be hustling and playing hard 1-out at a time for 21 outs, and doing it with class and respect.”

On top of his experience with the Belfast baseball program, he has been the head coach of the Belfast Babe Ruth baseball team since 2012 and took over the Midcoast Junior League baseball team this past summer. 

Over the years, LaValle spent time coaching the Episcopal High (Virginia) junior varsity team, St. Stephen’s and St. Anges School (Virginia) varsity team, Capital City (Washington D.C.) Little League and Collegiate School (New York) junior varsity and varsity teams. 

LaValle spent 12 seasons as the head coach of the Belfast varsity girls soccer team. 

Reach George Harvey and the sports department at: sports@penbaypilot.com.