Cockermouth Wasps have appointed Ross Mills as their new coach for the 2022/23 season back in the Cumbria League.
Mills, 55, takes over from Chris Wright who has been coaching Cockermouth for the last 10 years.
Although Felixstowe-born Mills admits that most of his friends are from Cumbria following his time in the Border Regiment.
He married a Great Clifton girl and lives in Carlisle and last year was coach in the Cumbria League with Workington.
He played both union and league in the Army and later played club rugby union with Caldy and West Hartlepool as a back row forward.
His first involvement with the Zebras was briefly in 2009 and since then he’s worked overseas, coaching in the Netherlands, Dubai and Malaysia.
“I was fortunate to work with some very good players and had success in Dubai and the Netherlands, I tjink mainly because I was able to gel them together.
“I think I’m something of a pragmatic coach with a lot of work on defence and discipline, but I’m really looking forward to working at Cockermouth with Jeff Peet and Chris Wright as we all seem to be singing off the same hymn sheet.
“I see my job as coming in to continue the good work Chris has done with the side, perhaps with a couple of tweaks.
“I know there was an immediate shadow over the club because of the way people felt about being put back into the Cumbria League. But since I’ve come in and started training the lads there seems a united determination to get the club back to where it was.
“I felt a little dispirited last season because the training sessions at Workington were poorly attended but so far at Cockermouth there have been up to 40 and I’ve got a spring back in my step.”
His predecessor, former coach Wright said: “The players are looking forward to developing their game understanding and playing ability under Ross and have turned out in great number for his opening sessions.
“The club’s management committee is looking forward to working with Ross and supporting his vision for the club going forward.”
