Coach Coombs returns for his seventh season at the helm of the Newport Gulls since taking over the team as field manager in 2005. Coombs guided the 2005 club to the NECBL Championship by winning the Fay Vincent Sr. Cup. In 2006, the Gulls broke the league record for wins in the regular season with 32. Coombs was awarded the NECBL 2006 Coach of the Year Award for his outstanding season as Field Manager and was named manager of the Southern Division in the 2006 All-Star Game. In 2007, Coach Coombs returned for his third campaign and led the team to the NECBL Championship series, but lost to the Vermont Mountaineers. In 2008, Coombs was named the Manager for the Southern Division All-Stars for a second time, and guided the Gulls to the Southern Division Championship advancing to the NECBL Championship series for the sixth time in eight seasons. The Gulls, however, lost to the Sanford Mainers. In 2009, Coach Coombs led the Newport Gulls to the Eastern Division Championship and advanced to the league championship series against the Vermont Mountaineers. The Gulls defeated the Mountaineers to win their fourth NECBL Championship. For his exceptional summer, Coombs was named Manager of TEAM NECBL which was to play against TEAM USA, Manager of the Eastern Division All-Stars and was named 2009 NECBL Coach of the Year.

Last season, Coach Coombs led the Gulls to a 27-15 record, qualifying the Gulls for another playoff position. The Gulls beat the Laconia Muskrats to advance to the NECBL Championship series against the Northshore Navigators.