ADAMS, Mass. -- In the third inning of Friday’s Little League game at Beaver Bard Park, home plate umpire Martin K. Bush called timeout to do an equipment check on the catcher.

 

And then he bent over to help the youngster tie his shoe.

 

A coach’s work, it seems, is never done.

 

But Friday was an evening to recognize that one phase of Bush’s work has come to and. The longtime coach and president of the Adams league has told his board this is his last season at the helm.

 

And the community took the opportunity to thank him for his 13 years of service.

 

“Absolutely not,” Bush said when asked if expected to serve the league for more than a dozen years when he first started coaching.

 

“It was an accident that I got into it. A coach left, they needed a coach. That’s when I started, and I’ve been here ever since.”

 

For five years, he has served as president, a job that begins in October and does not end until July, it was noted during Friday’s remarks.

 

Of course, all that work behind the scenes is not how Bush will be remembered by the dozens of youngsters who have played for him over the years.

 

“He would never yell at us for mistakes that we made, but he would show us how to fix them,” 12-year-old Joshua Weslowski said in remarks delivered to the crowd at the field. “He showed us tricks to stop any bad habits. … Marty is the best coach ever.”

 

Bush said Friday that he will still be around next year to help his still-to-be-named successor make the transition. But this is a good time for him to step down from the top post.

 

“I’ve got one son in high school who plays lacrosse,” Bush said. “He’s got two years left, and I’d like to see some of those games. My other son is moving up [from Little League] to something else, and I’d like to watch that. I’ve got two in college; one swims and one plays football. I’m just trying to free up some time.

 

“Coaching is fun. It’s very rewarding. The kids get ya.”