Mets announce Robinson as head coach
New GM, AGM also named

PRESS RELEASE
September 11, 2007

The Hyannis Athletic Association announces the hiring of new Hyannis Mets head coach Rick Robinson and the appointments of new general manager Bill Bussiere and assistant general manager Rick Smedberg.

Robinson is the head coach of Young Harris College in Young Harris, Ga., where he has compiled a 419-131 record in nine seasons at the helm, good for the highest junior college win total in the Southeast over that period. In 2007, Robinson's Mountain Lions earned a trip to the Junior College World Series after capturing a district championship.

At Young Harris, Robinson also serves as the director of camps and showcases, drawing hundreds of young players to instructional camps each year and offering collegiate exposure to aspiring high school athletes. As director of placement, Robinson has helped more than 115 players advance to four-year programs. More than two dozen Young Harris alumni have gone on to play professional baseball, including major leaguers Nick Markakis of the Baltimore Orioles and Billy Buckner of the Kansas City Royals.

Robinson has also held coaching positions at Old Dominion University and at Brevard (NC) College, where he was the head coach. He was an associate scout for the Cleveland Indians and the San Diego Padres and a speaker at the 2007 National Baseball Coaches Convention.

Robinson holds a B.A. in Physical Education from Appalachian State University and an M.A. in Health and Exercise Science from Furman University. At Appalachian State, Robinson started in the outfield for a Mountaineers team that made the 1984 NCAA Tournament. Robinson is married with three children and resides in Young Harris, Ga.

Bussiere replaces former general manager John Howitt, who retired from the position in September after serving for nine seasons. A past president of the H.A.A., Bussiere has served the Mets in numerous capacities over the past 10 years. At the league level, he has served on the executive committee and on special subcommittees overseeing broadcasting, scheduling, umpiring, the Hall of Fame, and the All-Star Game, of which he was co-chair in 2005.

Smedberg has served the H.A.A. as a vice president and as the organization's current representative on the league's executive committee. Smedberg and his family have been active with the H.A.A. for over a decade, starting as a host family for Mets players. As a past coach and director of the Barnstable American Legion Post 206 program, Smedberg worked in cooperation with the H.A.A. on the upkeep and improvement of McKeon Park in Hyannis.