1. Where did you grow up? Where did you go to high school and college? What sports did you play in school?

I grew up in Neola, Iowa and attended Tri-Center High School. I graduated from Dana College in 2007, but also went to Iowa Central Community College before transferring to Dana College. In high school I played football, basketball, track, and baseball. In college, I played football.

2. How did you first get interested in coaching? Did you have somebody who got you excited about coaching as a career?

Coach Mark Fritz was a large influence in my decision to become a teacher and coach. He was my head football and track coach my first two years of high school. He was demanding with an extremely high expectation level, but it was done in a way that was positive and uplifting. He had a presence about him that I try and immolate today with my own program. He made it easy to see that he cared about us as people more than athletes.

3. What would you have become professionally if not a teacher/coach? What appealed to you about that profession?

I’ve wanted to become a teacher/coach for as long as I remember. Athletics and competition have always been my passion, so nothing else has really been appealing enough to give it much of a thought. I have teacher and head football coach listed as my future profession in my 7th grade yearbook.

4. Tell us about the most memorable game ever played by a team you coached. Who was it against, what was at stake and why is it your favorite?

The most memorable game I ever coached came in 2014, in my second year as the head coach at Fort Calhoun. It was the final game of the year and we were sitting at 5-3 on the season. If we won, we were almost guaranteed a playoff sport.

Our offense marched down the field with only one second remaining and we were down by five. Our QB, Frederick Lehman, threw a fade route to wide receiver Tyler Ryan in the back of the end zone with no time remaining. Tyler caught the pass for the win in the back corner, advancing us to the playoffs. The emotion and looks on the players faces will always be unforgettable.

5. If you were starting your team from scratch what position would you want to fill first? Why?

Quarterback. Our quarterback has to be a great leader, be dedicated with time and effort, understand and be able to teach our offense to other, and uplift others around him to optimize our abilities as a team. As the one player that touches the ball on every offensive snap, he must know more and be able to diagnose more than anyone else in the program.

We ask more of our quarterbacks than any other position. In our offense, they must master pre-snap and post-snap reads in both the run and pass game. They are an extension of the coaching staff.

6. Please name three things which you consider vital to the long-term health and success of your program. Why do you name those three?

• Strength and Conditioning. We put a large emphasis on building as a team in our strength and conditioning program. Our goal is to maximize strength, muscle endurance, flexibility, linear/lateral speed, and agility, while building on the framework of relationships and team.

• Relationships Building. It’s essential to build positive relationships as a team, whether it’s administration to coaching staff, coach to player, or player to player. When we all understand that the person next to us is more important than our own personal goals and motives, football becomes a great experience and life long learning tool for everyone involved.

• Knowledge. As a program, we can’t be successful on the field unless we collectively understand our role and responsibilities and how they coincide with others around us. We have to master our own scheme while understanding what to expect from our opponents. Knowledge is power, and we do our best to empower our players to be great decision makers in football, school, and in the community.

7. Beyond the game, what is your favorite part of the week’s preparation? Why do you say that?

Our Thursday walk through practice and team dinner is my favorite part of the week’s preparation. After all the film study, breakdown, practice install, and meetings, Thursday’s practice is a culmination of hard work and dedication by our players and staff. It’s rewarding to see everything come together and make our final adjustments for the game on Friday night. Afterwards, we eat as a team and unwind while enjoying each other’s company. It’s a great day to be apart of.