By: Katherine Trowbridge
It’s spring and while you may be thinking baseball, football season is just a toss away. With that in mind, we caught up with the new head football coach at CHS. It’s likely you’ve heard of him. Scott Forsyth has served on the CHS football coaching staff since 2009, starting as the running back coach. In 2017-18, he moved to the role of offensive line coach. “So that probably prepared me more for the head coach job than any other thing I’ve ever done,” he said, “just because the offensive line is your most important position group on the field in terms of teamwork and cohesiveness. If your offensive line isn’t performing well, it makes the rest of your offense struggle. Taking on the offensive line and understanding running schemes and passing protections and stuff like that has been extremely beneficial for me.”
Forsyth was lucky enough to coach in four state championship games as an assistant coach, with CHS winning two of those. “Connell has a rich championship history,” he said, “our goal is to work our butts off to get back to our championship winning ways.” He added that it is rare for schools of our size to get to experience any of that level of competition. “We are blessed.”
This week Forsyth begins plans for the spring football season as he meets with prospective players. The team will have about two weeks of practice before they move into scrimmage games/summer camp in mid-June. The first “Jamboree” will be hosted at Royal on June 13 with a variety of teams including Moses Lake and Hanford. Forsyth stated, “We won’t play Royal but we’ll see a lot of schools in the area up there and get some good competition.”
The team will have a scrimmage with Pasco on the 15 of June, and the team will host Grandview at CHS on the 16. The goal is for the team to get a lot of experience. Technically, the plan is to run air raid passing concepts while incorporating a power run scheme, and standard run pass options (RPOs) and zone with your quarterback. Team building activities will be part of an overnight experience as part of the camp schedule including a movie night and lots of practice.
Forsyth shared that strong men make a strong team and weight training is crucial. However, a big portion of the team (2 out of 3 communities) is not able to easily access the weight room at the high school as they live out in the county and work during the summers. So, Forsyth has worked with Sally Cottrell at the Bailie Memorial Youth Ranch to bring the weights to the players. They just invested $15,000 in equipment to transform a former laundry room at the youth ranch into a weight room. While the youth ranch put up the initial funding, donations are being accepted to cover the cost.
Coaches and players assisted in the transformation removing the washers and dryers. The weight room will be equipped with multiple squat racks, deadlift racks, bench presses, bars, weights, etc. The weight room is available to all CHS athletes, not just football, in the Basin City/Mesa area. Coach Brian Anderson lives nearby and will oversee the weight room there.
“Our hope is that we’re going to give them a weight room when it is so important. Like it’s literally the most important thing,” Forsyth said, “football is a game played by strong people and if your opponent is stronger than you, it’s very difficult to win and you got to be really good at your scheme and what you know.”
Not only is Forsyth looking to build strong men, he is also wanting to build good young men with character. His motto for the team is, “Be your best”, with wristbands to remind them. The goal is for them to not just be strong in football or the weight room, but also in the classroom and in the community.
Forsyth said, “It’s being your best in school, in the classroom, in the weight room, and on the football field. You know, how you interact with your friends, your family, your teachers, in the community; the great message to be your best in everything we do. You know, it’s not be the best. Like that’s almost impossible. Only one person can be the best but you can always be your best self.”
Throughout the football season, each week will feature a different character theme led by the coaches and seniors on the team.
Forsyth is also implementing a point system entitled “earn your wings” where players will get points or feathers for various things like weight training goals. These points earn them feathers that will build on their helmets into “Eagles” wings.
Speaking of spring sports, boys track is looking towards taking this year’s state championship for two in a row under Forsyth’s leadership. Forsyth also coaches wrestling and track. He encourages kids to play in all areas of sports. “There are lots of good athletes here,” he said.
Forsyth shared that “the beauty of this district is that they do everything within their power to make it possible for every kid to play.”
Forsyth spoke of how students who are good in wrestling or can really run or kick (track or soccer) never think to play football but, could really excel. “You just gotta give it a try,” he said.
During the interviews for the head coach position, Forsyth spoke of building future Eagles. As a board member of the Jr. Eagles sports program he is supporting that goal with their summer youth camps for incoming third through sixth grade students.
The football team will be hosting a football camp July 17-20.
“Football is a really fun game. It’s unique in that the relationships you build are lifelong lasting,” Forsyth shared, “That’s one of our goals, to build good relationships. Have football be fun, something they’ll remember for the rest of their lives”
The regular season kicks off with the first practice on August 16. The first game against Othello will be held Sept. 1.