BIDDEFORD — The Biddeford cross country team will welcome a new coach this upcoming fall season as the Tigers look to follow up their impressive 2016 campaign.

After the unfortunate passing of former coach Will Fulford over the winter, Biddeford looked at its options and landed on Chris Quint, a local avid runner and former athlete. Quint is excited with the program he inherits, and was impressed with the level that Fulford brought the Tigers to during his time at BHS.

“I know Coach Fulford really built the program back up so I’m excited and confident in the program he developed. Based on what I’ve experienced so far and the athletes I have met so far, I’m excited about the season,” said Quint.

After coaching athletics at the youth level and participating in ultra marathons, Quint felt this opportunity was the perfect fit for his skills and experience.

“I’ve been wanting to step up to a role like this for awhile. I’ve been coaching youth sports for a couple of years, so I’ve been wanting to take that step up to high school athletics. When this opportunity came up I jumped on it,” said Quint. “I haven’t coached cross country before but I’m a runner myself — specifically ultra marathons. I finished my first hundred miler recently, I’ve been running for awhile, I’m very confident and excited at the opportunity that (Biddeford Athletic Director) Dennis Walton has provided for me.”

After a strong sixth place finish at states for the girls side and an improving group of boys, Quint hopes to help the Tigers continue to grow this fall.

“The goal is to always get to that ultimate level, the goal is to be the last team standing at the end of the season. My goal as a coach is to put the team in the best position to succeed,” said Quint.

More than anything, Quint hopes to also help teach his athletes lessons both on and off the course that they will carry with them in the future.

 “My strategy is very much being a coach but also being a mentor and a teacher,” said Quint. “If there’s anything I took away from being a high school athlete myself, it was the lessons I learned on how to also be a good citizen. The goal is for every runner to be able to look back at the end of the season and say I improved.”

— 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.