The 2018 high school softball season is fast approaching, and teams have begun their preseason workouts and getting back into the swing of things.

One team that has caught attention of many in the Class A South is Massabesic.

After a stretch of rough years, the Mustangs have slowly built themselves into one of the top programs in the conference and the state. Massabesic finished 2017 with an 11-5 record and made it to the Class A South semifinals before losing to Thornton Academy.

Massabesic has undergone many changes in the last few years, including hiring a new coach in MHS alum Kevin Tutt, who enters his fourth year at the helm.

Tutt, who was named the Southwestern Maine Activities Associations’ Coach of the Year in 2016, is excited for the direction the program is headed, and is proud of the work that his veteran players have put in.

When asked about the recent success of the program, Tutt is always fast to credit the athletes, and praise their dedication to the club.

I recently spoke with Tutt regarding this year’s group and the program in the big picture. Here is the complete interview:

AS: When you took over the team four years ago, what were your first impressions?

KT: When I took over the team what I saw was a program that was on its way in the right direction. I took over for Ray Magnant, who I really respect, and I saw the direction that he was trying to take the program. The four years since we’ve taken it to a different level. We’re primarily focused on giving ownership to the kids of the program and holding kids accountable.

AS: Did you make many changes when you started or just pick it up from where it was?

KT: I wouldn’t say we made drastic changes. The biggest change was more so with the culture and holding kids accountable. Ray came into a tough situation and was making the appropriate changes, so we took the direction he was going in and morphed it. Me, Coach (Sara) Gallo and my assistant coaches sat down and said, ‘these are our goals.’ The program before I took over was going in the right direction and now, coaching-wise we’re real comfortable with it … it’s now up to the kids with how far they want to take it.

AS: So it’s safe to say you’re pleased with the progress the team has made since you’ve been there?

KT: I am absolutely, 100 percent proud of the direction we’re going in. This year we’ve made a captain’s council, I’ve got like between 7 to 9 kids that have taken a lot of the duties of the coaching staff that me and Sara Gallo defined. We’ve delegated out to kids things that we would normally do and now they’re doing it. Now older kids are teaching the younger kids, being the mentors, and fixing things that throughout the years they wanted to fix. We’ve really brought them into the fold to give them a say on what we do and where we’re going.

AS: Would you say that the program is peaking or is still on the rise?

KT: We’re still on the rise. We have a lot of work to do but we’re definitely on the rise.

AS: Looking at this year’s team and the seniors you lost, what are some of the holes that you’re going to have to fill this spring?

KT: Honestly, we’re in a really good spot. I graduated out nine but we really only have to replace three or four kids. We’re going to be fine. There’s always room for improvement from the coaching staff down to your first kid, down to your 14th, 15th kid on the roster. That’s the basics of athletics, we’re going to be okay. I’m not going to promote us as the best team in the league because we’re not there … but we’re going to contend. These kids worked their asses off and will continue to work their asses off since they’re now taking control of the program.

AS: How motivated are the girls after being bounced in the playoffs last year?

KT: Motivation is a huge, huge attribute. I’ve got to say, the kids weren’t happy when we lost last year. When kids are unhappy when they lose that’s a good sign for the coach. They’re ready to go. We have 38 or 39 kids signed up so numbers are good. We’ll have two teams this year, a JV and a varsity. The work that we’ve put in with the community, we’re out there with the youth and giving back. This is a community I grew up in, so giving back to the community that gave me so much as a kid is what a lot of this is about.

— Associate Sports Editor Alex Sponseller can be reached at asponseller@journaltribune.com or at 282-1535 ext. 323. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports.

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