ATM Football

[FBObserver42]

Heard from several sources that they have hired a new head football coach. New head coach is Jerry Jensen. He was the DC at Mt Vernon last year and previously the DC with Ward at ATM. He was a assistant under Ennis and played for him at Cascade. Heard he has also hired several former Ennis assistant coaches, including Ennis' son, to be part of his staff.

Not sure if this is a good move by the ATM administration or if they are still living in times gone by.

 

[fooballfan7]

Jensen is a great coach lots of experience. Not anything like Ward I think he left becuase of the way things were being ran... Also heard among finalist for the job was Kyle Wilkins former player of AMHS and DC at King's HS. Heard he was excellent for a young guy I still wonder who was a better choice though? But either way they'll be good with Jensen.

 

[FBObserver42]

Just because someone played for a legendary coach and played in college or the NFL it does not make them a good HS coach. He was the DC for a team that went 3-7 last year and in charge of a defense at ATM that was subpar by their standards. Concerns that I have heard from ATM parents, past and present, are that he does not connect with the players. Once practice or the season is over he's not around. Does not spend anytime with them in the off season. If he is to be a successful HC, he better start doing that.

I do question the hire as being the best choice, as some of the ATM community are, especially when I hear that a longtime assistant at a local longtime dominate program had applied for the job. I wonder if they did this to appease an over bearing booster, who was at the root of all their turmoil last year, instead of what is best for the programs present and future.

This coming season for ATM will be very interesting to watch.

 

[fooballfan7]

Just wondering who is the longtime assistant from a dominant local program that you speak of? Because I don't believe any team in the local area is as dominant as AMHS? Just curious....

 

[FBObserver42]

From what I have heard from parents and friends that are current HS coaches, the assistant that applied was from Bellevue. I would say with confidence that Bellevue has been considerably more dominate than ATM in recent years.

 

[fooballfan7]

Of course they are more dominant... When you say local I think of Snohomish County teams. Don't know the guy still so I can't comment on him one way or another. Of course coaching at a successful program is a plus but in coaching it's all who you know not what you know. As far as the Booster you speak of, I hear you there. I believe that AMHS has had too much outside influence via boosters & parents. What they need to focus on is putting a great program with lots of talent and potential back on course. The biggest problem with archbishop is the parents now take their kids there expecting to be stars, and when that doesn't happen they get pissed. The program has gone from a dominant respectable program to a program with players, coaches and parents that only care about themselves. What Terry Ennis did is run the program his way, and no one was bigger than the program. Ever since he has gone too many people have had their hand in the cookie jar. The only problem that I have with the hiring is this: they hire dave ward, he turns the program into a Sh*# Show kids do what they want and act how they want the whole program just lost respect even though they won games. This went on for 4 years of Ward and DC schmidt fighting, actually fighting. Then they bring in a safe choice Marsh, great guy terrible coach he quits. This is AMHS biggest problem, you have people in charge there trying desperatly to recreate the Terry Ennis era. Terry ennis was the greatest coach in Washington High school football history in my opinion. What he did with the program in a short time was incredible and I would never ever say anything bad about that. However when people try to emulate someone else I have found that it doesn't work. They have now brought in 4 former ennis players to bring the style back to AMHS. I do believe that Jensen is a good coach but I don't think that what they are trying to build will work as well as what ennis built. I wish them the best of luck but I think that the Wing-T of terry ennis is not the same without him and never will be.

 

[FBObserver42]

I couldn't agree with you more about Terry Ennis. He was a great coach and person. I was lucky enough to have our paths cross on several occasions and always enjoyed our conversations. He was a resource that I could always go to when I needed. Terry is irreplaceable and there will never be another like him. That is why I think this is a bad hire for ATM. They are trying to recreate something that will not happen. They need to start on a new path and bring in a new direction for the program, someone with a proven track record or someone that has had sustainable success. Jensen just does not have a proven track record of success as a coach or program builder (rebuilder in this case). So why make this hire when you have another more qualified and experienced applicant available who is highly regarded in the football community.

Leaves me and a lot of others just shaking their heads at a very questionable move by the ATM administration.

 

[fooballfan7]

Very valid points... I am not going to speculate on the future success that Jensen will or will not have. I do believe that rather than a rebuild at ATM it's more of a reroute. They did make it to the quarter finals last year and just flat out did not have as good of team talent wise as they have had in the past. I do agree with you in one sense though a new face might have been beneficial to their rebound, however I think that they were spooked with the hiring of a non ennis guy in Dave Ward & Marsh. I believe that Marsh was a good guy with limited football knowlege, Ward is a decent coach terrible guy that just had phenomenal athletes wasted away state championships and drove down the respect for the program. I hope that the coach that you speak of gets his chance if he is good he will.