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Let’s Play Football
Three coaching legends retire
October 23, 2020
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Freed, who spent five seasons as head coach in Houston, Minn., and led his team to a state Nine-Man championship. “I am not intimidated and I know Replacing a coaching legend at what my style and personality is as a any level of football can go both ways. head coach. Like anything, you’ve got It certainly worked for the Dallas to feel things out and find your niche Cowboys when Jimmy Johnson took with the kids and program. over for Tom Landry. The same is true “Having been in the program for when Bill Cowher replaced Chuck the past 11 seasons though has alJeff Ferguson (left) retired after winning eight state titles with Totino-Grace. AssisNoll for the Pittsburgh Steelers. lowed me to establish those relationtant coach Jay Anderson takes over the reigns. Gerry Faust replacing Dan Devine ships with kids and coaches on the at the University of Notre Dame? Not staff. Also knowing the foundation so much. The University of Florida’s that Coach Stolski left creates a peace choice of replacing Steve Spurrier of mind as well. I always say I know with Ron Zook was equally disastrous one way on how to be a football coach for a proud Gators’ program. and that is ‘all in’ and my philosophy is Regardless of results, the process very much like Coach Stolski’s which of replacing a successful coach in high is to create a football experience that school football is a process that can be kids want to be part of.” enduring, frustrating and rewarding. Freed went to high school in Among the names to debut as head Northwest Iowa before attending Lucoaches in Minnesota this season are ther College, where he helped coach Jason Freed at Brainerd, Mark Esch at for one year before heading to HousMinnetonka and Jay Anderson at Totton, which was a struggling program. ino-Grace. Added administrative duties are Throw in the fact there almost heavily increased as head coach, wasn’t a season due to COVID-19 such as hiring seven new coaches in and then having to prepare for a shortGrades 9-12. Those duties tend to get ened season in the way of in two weeks game-planning, is a recipe for “I am not intimidated and I know but Freed said overwhelming what my style and personality is as it’s all part of the stress. But, it’s a head coach. Like anything, you’ve process. Jason Freed (pictured) takes over for Mark Esch (pictured) will take over for all part of the “Like anyRon Stolski, who has coached for 58 Dave Nelson at Minnetonka. Nelson got to feel things out and find your job for both thing, you’ve got years and 45 of them at Brainerd High coached 42 years and owns two state rookie and vet- niche with the kids and program.” to get back into School. titles including 2004 for Minnetonka. eran coaches. – Jason Freed, Brainerd head coach the role of being “I am just a head coach, excited to be the but having did ply to build relationships and create a his success. He created a team-first coach of the Brainerd Warriors,” said that for five years prior gave me the culture of accountability. These are the culture and had tremendous relationFreed, who is in his 12th year on the confidence of where I needed to start building blocks for the ultimate goal ships with and respect from his playBrainerd coaching staff. “I know the with the program and then make a deof a ‘culture of character.’ A culture ers. We used the term ‘brotherhood’ job comes with its own challenges and tailed plan from there,” Freed said. “I that takes care of itself and benefits when describing our program, and it I knew that when I took it, but I am exam excited to be able to get the new everyone on the team. The community was so much more than just a word, it cited to get to work with the staff and coaches involved and mixed in with and football family has been great and was truly a way of life. There is always build upon the tradition that is Brainthe staff members who stayed on with totally supportive. The administration change and an adjustment period. Jay erd Warrior Football. I think the transithe program. We hit the ground runhas been great to work with.” Anderson is going to do a great job tion has been pretty seamless.” ning in March and have been sprinting taking over the program as the head ever since.” Assistant in at Totino-Grace coach, and we have so many talented Taking the reigns Anderson was a longtime assistant coaches on our staff that I expect the Every coach has their own philosSkipper of the Skippers for Jeff Ferguson at Totino-Grace. All transition to be smooth.” ophies. Finding that balance of reAs familiar as Stolski was in the Anderson has to replace is an 18-year specting their predecessor and impleNorth Country, Dave Nelson had the era that included eight state titles. Six Season different for everyone menting new strategies are among the same swagger in the Twin Cities area. of those championships came in Class Keeping the players motivated many challenges. Nelson coached for 42 years, win4A, one in 5A and one in 6A as Ferguand interested in a season that does Replacing Ron Stolski in Brainerd ning a state championship at Blaine in son believed in playing the best posnot have the carrot of playing at U.S. ranks among one of the more difficult 1988 and leading sible competiBank Stadium dangling at the end of tasks. Stolski was Brainerd football Minnetonka to tion. the line adds to the challenge for new since 1975 and coached for 58 years the big school “My philosophy as a coach is simply Ferguson’s and experienced coaches. In August, before retiring last fall. Stolski concrown in 2004. to build relationships and create a final record the Minnesota State High School fidently, intently and sometimes nerHe was at Minof 187-35 is League’s Board of Directors voted to vously roamed the sidelines of Central netonka for 17 culture of accountability. These are fourth all-time postpone the season until March due and Northern Minnesota with his Waryears and earned the building blocks for the ultimate among Minneto COVID-19 safety concerns. riors. 267 career victo- goal of a ‘culture of character.’ A sota coaches for That move was met by skepSeeing him lead his sea of blue, ries before hand- culture that takes care of itself and winning perticism from coaches, parents and white and silver-clad players down the ing over control benefits everyone on the team.” centage (.842). groundskeepers. Ultimately, the Board steps from the high school to the field to Esch, who He was a dereversed its decision, allowing teams was an intimidating site for visiting grew up playing – Mark Esch, Minnetonka head coach fensive-mindto play a six-game schedule with a teams. Stolski finished his career with football in tradied coach who to-be-determined playoff format and a 389-182-5 career record – which tion-rich Caledoearned accono more than 250 fans in attendance. ranks second in all-time wins behind nia. lades from his staff, including 12-year “It’s been an up and down year Verndale’s Mike Mahlen’s 401. StolUnlike Freed, Esch only had one assistant Anthony LaPanta. with COVID,” Esch said. “I’m proud ski’s Brainerd teams also won 10 secyear of experience with his new pro“Ferguson was the best defensive of how our kids have handled the tion titles and reached the Prep Bowl gram. Esch hopes to use the lack of coach I have ever known. He underrollercoaster of having a season, not in 2013, where the Warriors were beatfamiliarity to his advantage as he imstood the variety of offenses against having a season, then having a seaen by Owatonna. plements his style, strategy and perwhom we would prepare as well as son again. We have taken measures Filling Paul Bunyan’s shoes on the sonality. anybody,” said LaPanta, who coaches to implement social distancing and north side of town might be easier than “I try not to focus on following the Eagles’ defensive backs. “He unmasks and done our best to prevent the replacing such success on the gridiron. coach Nelson,” said Esch, who played derstood blocking schemes and how to spread. So far we have been success“Stepping into the role as the collegiately at Wisconsin-LaCrosse, defeat them. Whether it was an option ful. We take it one week at a time and head football coach at Brainerd High where he also coached for one year. team, the veer, Wing-T, or spread – he do our best to have fun.” School, the first name people think “I focus on doing what I do best and understood concepts and was as good of is Ron Stolski. He established an creating the best possible culture for at prepping a game plan and making – LEGENDS – extremely strong foundation for what success. in-game adjustments as anybody. continued on page 6 Warrior football is all about,” said “My philosophy as a coach is sim“But that was really just a part of by TOM FENTON Let’s Play Football
