University of Maine Men's Track

Lech is primarily responsible for coaching the distance runners as well as both cross country teams. Under Lech's leadership, the track and cross country teams have flourished on the track and off. He coached the 2009 women's cross country team to a runner-up finish after being selected fifth in the preseason poll behind America East champion Corey Conner. Conner would go on to compete in the NCAA Championships after finishing ninth at the NCAA Regional. Lech also was instrumental in guiding Riley Masters to the 2009 America East Indoor and Outdoor Most Outstanding Rookie awards as well as becoming the first Black Bear to break the 4-minute mile barrier. Masters would go on to the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships in the mile where his fifth-place finish would get him All-American honors. Lech's teams have also been instrumental in the classroom as the 2009 men's and women's track and cross country teams were named All-Academic by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association. He came to Maine after spending 15 years as a student and as a coach at Northeastern University. A 1979 graduate of Northeastern, Lech was a two-time All-American for the Huskies, placing second in the nation in 1978 and third in 1977 in the 800-meter run. He also competed in the 1980 Olympic Trials in the 800 meters. His time of 1:48.10 in the 800 meters in the 1977 New Englands still stands as a record. After graduation, he coached cross country and track at Newton North High School and Brandeis University before returning to his alma mater in 1987. He was involved with coaching the Northeastern cross country and track and field programs in various capacities from 1987 to 1998, including heading the men's cross country and track and field teams. As the head coach, he earned seven conference Coach of the Year honors between cross country and track and field and was named New England Intercollegiate Athletic Association Division I Coach of the Year for both indoor and outdoor track in 1991. He led the Huskies to ten Conference Championships and annually produced the leading contenders for the New England Championships. Lech led the Maine men's country team to a second place finish at the America East Championships in 2000 while the 2004 team won the conference championship. Both the men's and women's cross country teams were also honored in 2001 for having the highest grade point average of all the teams the previous year. Lech and Jim Ballinger were honored as the 2004 Cross Country Coaching Staff of the Year.

Skall was a National level decathlete in Austria. He graduated from the University of Salzburg with his B.S. degree in 1979, followed by his M.S. degree in Physical Education in 1981.  Prior to college he joined the Austrian Army and holds the rank of Lieutenant.  Prior to moving to the U.S.A. he taught physical education and geography at a local high school and coached track and field, gymnastics and volleyball. His first American coaching duties were as a Head Gymnastics Coach at the Penobscot Valley School of Gymnastics in Bangor, Maine, and also as the assistant track and field coach at Orono high school. He then took over as head coach at Orono (succeeding long time great head coach Cliff McCormick when he retired). In 2005 Coach Skall moved to the University of Maine to assist in coaching the field events. His primary duties have been assisting with the throwers and helping in jumping events as needed. He utilizes his great experience with the European coaching methods and expertise necessary in providing excellence in coaching, teaching and improving the athletes' skills and success. He works quite well with the other coaches on staff, in a team approach. With Skall's assistance the throwers have continued to improve greatly in their personal bests, competition performances, and in their character development.  He retired from teaching Physical Education at Caravel Middle School in Carmel, Maine in 2012 after teaching there for 25 years. Since then has been serving as the full-time Assistant Coach for Throws and pole vault for the men's and women's track and field team. Skall's four children all graduated from college in the last 10 years and have successful careers in the business world.

Flynn comes to the Black Bears after serving as an assistant coach at Bowdoin College the past year and a half. While at Bowdoin, Flynn assisted in all aspects of the track and field and cross country programs. He was responsible for recruiting student-athletes and coordinating the training of sprinters and jumpers for both the mens and womens programs. He was also responsible for the strength and conditioning of the sprinters and jumpers. Flynn assisted in meet management for all home track and cross country meets. Prior to Bowdoin, Flynn served as an assistant coach at Springfield College from September 2011 through May 2013. He assisted in all areas of the program in addition to recruiting. He coordinated the training of the womens sprinters, hurdlers and relay teams in addition to the jumping events for both the mens and womens teams. He also assisted in the management of the 2012-13 ECAC Championships with 97 schools and 1,400 student-athletes. Prior to Springfield, Flynn was an assistant womens track and field coach at Worcester State University. Flynn was a four-year student-athlete at Westfield State College in Westfield, Mass., where he was a member of the indoor and outdoor track and field teams. He received All-Conference and All-ECAC accolades in the long jump and triple jump while at Westfield State. Flynn is a May 2007 graduate of Springfield College with a degree in criminal justice. He has completed his masters degree in physical education; concentration in advanced level coaching, from Springfield College where he will graduate in May of 2015. He is USATF Level 1 certified and has his USATF Level 2 certification in the area of jumps. He also has his USTFCCCA sprint, hurdle and relay specialist certification.