Leslie Mourmouras has watched closely as Thornton Academy’s field hockey program has regained its footing the last couple of years. Now the TA graduate will try to do the same at her alma mater’s biggest rival — Biddeford High.

Mourmouras will begin coaching field hockey at Biddeford this fall — the third coaching position she holds at Biddeford.

“My mission is to rebuild the program a bit,” said the 41-year-old Mourmouras. “It used to be the equivalent of football (for girls) here.”

Her first practice will be Monday, the starting day for all fall sports teams.

“I’m a little nervous,” said Mourmouras. “I recently found all my old folders from the last time I coached field hockey. They included the practice schedules, parent meeting information, things like that. And I’ve taken them out a couple of times.

“I’m just going to go in there with the glass-is-half-full attitude and do my thing.”

Mourmouras is one of three new girls’ coaches at Biddeford this year. Darren Boynton is taking over the girls’ soccer position and Brian Heal, a former assistant at Westbrook, was named the girls’ basketball coach, replacing Ron Cote.

Mourmouras has coached indoor and outdoor track teams at Biddeford (and also coached cross country before giving that up) but looked forward to taking on what she called “a classic team sport” after watching her daughter, Mallory, play in middle school.

“It piqued my interest,” she said. “I coached it 10 years ago (as Deering’s junior varsity coach) and after watching it the last couple of years, I got the team thing going again. I would be making plays in my head. I feel a little blue leaving cross country, I don’t feel my job was done there yet.

“But I’m eager to getting back to a team thing.”

Robert Gomez was hired as the Tigers’ cross country coach, replacing Mourmouras.

Dennis Walton, Biddeford’s athletic director, said Mourmouras was a natural fit for the Tigers’ program, which was 3-10-1 last year after annually contending for a Western Class A playoff berth.

“We know Leslie, what she believes in, what’s important to her, and it’s certainly consistent with our philosophies,” he said. “She knows the game, and we know she’ll continue to work to get better.”

Walton said low numbers have hindered the program recently but that Mourmouras should help there.

“She’s got a good rapport with the kids, she’s likeable and respected,” he said. “I think she’ll get the numbers back up.”

Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at: mlowe@pressherald.com