Coach’s Outlook for 2024 Season

Each year when the calendar turns to August with football season right around the corner, my excitement for the new team increases and hopes that all our off-season preparations will lead our team to success on the field. To stand on the sidelines and coach such an outstanding group of young men who work so hard; to have the support from an amazing administration, community of teachers and the best student body around, and a group of parents who cheer so loudly on Friday night for everyone on the team, makes me proud to be part of Summit High School. Summit Football is more than wins and losses, it is a family that teaches character, hard work, integrity, and loyalty. Our motto for Summit Football is “One Way, The Right Way, Community, Classroom and Field.” Our coaches and players hold that standard extremely high. Over the last three seasons it all came together on the field and in the classroom. We play one of the toughest non-league schedules in the State each year which prepares us for what we will face later in the season. In 2021 our team made it to the Quarterfinals in 6A, the 2022 season we won the State title and last season we made it to the semi-finals. This is the best three-year run-in school history. We are proud to have led the state with the highest team GPA the last three seasons. We have had the highest team GPA 10 years in a row in our classification. We hope that our players look back on their experience playing football 10, 20 or 30 years from now and will be able to say the experience they had playing football made them the person they are.

This year’s team has the ability to challenge for another State title if we can gain the experience necessary and stay healthy, while once again playing the toughest schedule in the State. The 2024 team has a smaller senior class, but they had significant playing time last season, so they are battled tested. They will need to rely on a very talented junior and sophomore class members who will help build out our roster. They not only understand the team comes first but will do whatever is necessary to win. What has stood out to the coaches this off-season and summer is the bond that this team has formed by putting in the work and encouraging each other to succeed. A great team has a unique ability to form relationships that can overcome any obstacles that it might face to come out on top and this team shows that. Over the past several years, our JV and Freshman teams have been developing a talented group of underclassmen who will play key roles in our team this season.

Our goals don’t change from season to season. The key every year is to be the “City Champs.” With three other programs in Bend who are well coached and talented, we feel that if we can win the City, this will set us up for a league championship. If you win the league title you host a first-round play-off game in November in the High Desert, that can be a challenge for a team from the Valley. To come over the mountain and play at 4,000 feet in elevation with temperatures and conditions that they might not see all winter, is not an easy feat. Every high school coach and player’s ultimate goal is to practice on Thanksgiving Day. When you have accomplished that, you have had a remarkably successful season.

I want to thank all our coaches for their dedication to being outstanding coaches and mentors to our players. I also would like thank Summit’s Athletic Director Mike Carpenter and Athletic Assistant Karen Caylor for all the advice, support and help it takes to run a successful program. Most importantly I could not do my job without the incredible support from my wife, Kristal. Kristal has taken on the role of Director of Football Operations the past couple of seasons and has improved many aspects of our program. I once heard a well-known football coach say that the most important person in a football program is the wife of the Head Coach. They do so many things that go unrecognized but if not done, would be noticed. Kristal lives for the success of our players, and she can be found in her little corner of the stadium each Friday night.

GO STORM!