Chris Woodside knows he has sizeable shoes to fill as the new boys varsity basketball coach at Calais High School.
But he likens the challenge of replacing Ed Leeman to a similar coaching transition he followed just after completing graduate school at the University of Connecticut.
“At a much, much smaller scale I can relate it to UConn and Kevin Ollie coming in and overseeing the program after [Jim Calhoun] left,” said the 28-year-old Woodside, a 2004 Calais High School graduate. “Ollie’s been super successful in his short amount of time, but Calhoun’s still a major figure.”
Leeman, who guided Calais to a 171-31 record with three Class C state championships and four Eastern Maine crowns during 10 seasons as head coach, stepped down this summer after accepting a regional manager’s position with the Jobs for Maine Graduates program.
Woodside’s nomination to become the Blue Devils’ boss was approved by the local school board Tuesday night.
“I almost feel like I’m still dreaming,” he said. “There’s an alumni game we all play in every year, and the motto is ‘Once a Blue Devil, always a Blue Devil.’ We always talk about Blue Devil Pride, and that’s certainly something that flows through me. I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity.”
Woodside played soccer and basketball during his high school days at Calais but graduated one season before Leeman took the basketball job.
Woodside began his own coaching career at age 18 while an undergraduate at Eastern Connecticut State University, guiding travel team and AAU squads.
After he completed his master’s studies at UConn in 2011, it was the job market that brought him back Down East — specifically to Washington County Community College in Calais, where he oversees the school’s Outdoor Adventure Center and serves as assistant director of residential life.
Woodside began coaching basketball locally the next spring, and last winter, he served as junior varsity head coach and varsity assistant.
He was instrumental in running this year’s Calais summer basketball program, which included a 31-game schedule.
“We have the four seniors back who are mainstays in Andre [Paul], Nathan [Newell], Kyle [Johnson] and Tyler [Niles], they will continue to be the heart of the team,” Woodside said. “We integrated them this summer with three freshmen and a sophomore. They were the corps of eight that played together.
“You couldn’t ask for a better first group of kids to come into as far as attitude goes and how hard they want to work. They have one mission in mind: to play as hard as they can and to be very successful and hopefully we’ll have that opportunity,” he said.
Calais, which finished 16-4 after advancing to the Eastern C semifinals last winter, is considered among the contenders for top regional honors again in 2015.
Woodside understands those expectations, as well as the pressure inherent in being Leeman’s successor.
“Following Ed, who’s probably one of the best coaches that’s been in Maine at the high school level, there’s going to be pressure no matter what,” he said. “In a small town, it’s going to be one of those things where if we don’t do as well, the first thing people are going to say is Ed would have run it this way, and if we do do well, they’re going to say it’s because he has those four kids that played for Ed.”
But rather than worry about comparisons, Woodside will seek to capitalize on his relationship with his predecessor.
“He’s told me already that anytime I need to talk about something or if I have any questions he’s available,” Woodside said. “You don’t turn down that kind of knowledge when it’s out there, so I’m certainly going to maintain a close connection throughout the year.
“I know one thing. We’re going to play Blue Devil basketball, hard hats and boots and go out and play defense,” he said.
