Brewer High School

Harry “Skip” Estes, Coach 2006-Present: Softball

What does it take to be a coach, more importantly a winning softball coach at the high school level? Of course, it takes a person with knowledge of the fundamentals, an ability to mentor and guide students, and one who has strong leadership skills. But it may also be a bonus to have an innate competitive gene. Harry “Skip” Estes, the current softball coach at Brewer High School, represents all those skills and more. Coaching and athletics are in his blood. His Father coached Brewer freshmen football, including many of the players of the legendary 68-70 football teams, and started the youth football program known as BRO. Coach Estes is honored to share his induction with his mother, Shirley Quirion Estes, who was a member of the Brewer High Girls’ Athletic Association, an organization that is being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022 as well. The competitive spirit emerged when Estes was in high school.  At 15 he purchased his first race horse. At age 17 he had his own stable and by the age of 20, he raced over 110 horses.

Fast forward to Estes, the family man…he had a young daughter who was playing softball in the Police Athletic League (PAL) for Brewer. His daughter’s coach, Mickey Hogan, convinced him to start umpiring to help the league.  He was hooked!  He helped coach the team which led him later on to becoming the Commissioner of PAL from 1999-2006. In 2005, Estes joined the High School coaching staff and became the JV coach.

In 2006, Estes became the varsity softball coach at BHS.  Within 2 years the Witches went on to win the Class A State Championship with a 20-1 overall record.  These student-athletes brought a great deal of pride to the entire Brewer community. They were top seed in Class A North five times between 2004-2014. During his tenure, Brewer was reclassified to Class B.  Estes has coached the softball teams to 5 eastern Maine championship appearances, winning three.  In addition to the 2008 championship, Estes guided his teams to the 2018 and 2019 State B championships. The team was undefeated in 2018 and earned a 19-2 overall record in 2019. It is significant to note that to date, his overall record of wins and losses is 203-88.  When the current Brewer Athletic Director, David Utterback, was hired at Brewer, he asked Coach Estes if there was anything he could do for him.  In the style of a man on a mission to provide the best competitive environment for his athletes, the Coach replied, “Stay out of my way!”  Utterback was happy to oblige and he soon realized he had a coach who knew how to motivate his student-athletes and how to help them develop their athletic skills.  As Larry Mahoney reported in the BDN, Estes considered stepping back from coaching as the COVID-19 pandemic intensified his work demands at Gilman Electric Supply. Utterback convinced him to return because he felt it was in the best interest of the players.  Estes was glad he returned. Under his purview, 12 players went on to play Divisions 1 and III softball. He was recognized as the KVAC 2010 Coach of the year. In 2019, the Maine Principals Association, as part of the National Federation of High School Sports, and the Portland Press Herald selected Estes the Coach of the Year.

Larry Mahoney summed up the substance of Estes as a softball coach: “Skip Estes is one of the most dedicated coaches he has ever covered in his 50 years at the Bangor Daily News. He is involved in their summer program and worked with players all the time. You will find him working on Coffin Field before and after games. His 17-year record and three state championships speak for themselves. He is a class act who cares deeply for his players on and off the field. He makes softball an enjoyable and memorable experience for all of them. They become better people as well as better softball players thanks to his guidance.”  

With the right person, a coach has skills that can transfer among sports. In addition to coaching softball, Estes has been an integral part of the development of field hockey in the area. In 2004 he started the middle school field hockey program in Brewer. In 2012 he was the assistant coach under his Head Coach daughter with the Old Town Coyotes field hockey team which played in the Eastern Maine Field Hockey Championship.  In 2014 Estes and his daughter Sarah returned to Brewer when she was offered the varsity coaching position. He was the JV coach in field hockey and volunteered as assistant coach with the girls’ basketball program.  Additionally, he coached the 2014 and 2015 girl’s freshman basketball team.

Estes is the Manager of three CED electric wholesale businesses: Gilman Electric of Newport, Gilman Electric of Camden/Rockland and Goings of Farmington.  He has worked for CED for 39 years and has resided in Brewer with his wife, Susan, for 40 years. The Brewer Athletic Hall of Fame is honored to welcome Coach Harry “Skip” Estes as a member of the 2022 inductees.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE INDUCTION AND ACCEPTANCE SPEECH OF SKIP ESTES

Inductee Skip Estes and Presenter Deidra Davis