There are six new head coaches in Clark County high school football this season
Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com
Editor’s note – In a five-part series, Clark County Today reporter Paul Valencia takes a look this week at new football coaches at Columbia River, Heritage, King’s Way Christian, Mountain View and Seton Catholic high schools
The first week of high school football practice can be a challenge for all coaches, even the most experienced ones.
There is a lot to coordinate, after all.
For new head coaches, that first week is a milestone, even if it is a little crazy.
There are six new head coaches in Clark County this year. Two have been head coaches before, while four got their first experiences of being in charge when the whistles blew for the first time, officially, for football practice.
Oh, most of the coaches have been working with their new players during the offseason workouts, spring and summer drills. But last Wednesday was the first official day of football practice.
We visited all six new head coaches and their football programs last week. We also talked to a team leader from five of the schools. Here is an update on how things are going with the transitions at Columbia River, Heritage, King’s Way Christian, Mountain View, Seton Catholic and Union.
King’s Way Christian Knights
New coach: Dale Rule
Dale Rule spent years at Camas, helping young Papermakers grow into becoming stars on varsity.
This past offseason, he felt a calling to try to help a small program build something impressive.
The freshmen teams he coached at Camas had twice as many players as the King’s Way Christian program has, but if Rule executes his plan, that will not always be the case.
He’s already attracting new players and former players.
“We have 10 kids who didn’t play last year. We’ve got three or four kids who have never played before,” Rule said. “The athletes are here. Now it’s a matter of selling me, selling the vision of the program. We just have to build that culture.”
When all is said and done, by the time school starts, Rule said he expects the Class 1A program to have 40 to 45 players this year.
“I was shooting for 70,” he said with a laugh. “I was inviting everyone under the sun to play. We’ll get there.”
Running back/linebacker Ryan Charlton will be doing his part to get more of his friends out for football.
“I think it’s great for the program, having a new coach, a new spark, coming from a bigger school,” Charlton said. “He has a successful history at Camas. His freshman teams, every year, had 70, 80 kids on them. That’s our goal for the next year, to increase the number, increase the number, and increase the fun for everyone playing football.”
Rule just needs his players, and the King’s Way Christian community, to have some patience.
“The difference between where I’ve been and where I am is the amount of kids, depth,” Rule said. “We have to train well. We have to keep kids healthier.”
His message the first week of this new beginning at King’s Way Christian?
“Believe in what we do,” Rule said. “Trust the process. I said it a million times. Trust the process.”
The players at practice last week are doing just that.
“I expect us to play hard and never back down and go 100 percent,” Charlton said. “I’ve only got two more years here. Just don’t take any moment for granted. Give it everything.”
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