“It’s time for me [to go]. I’ve been doing this a long time”: Coach Anderson Steps Down as Varsity Football’s Head Coach

DeShawn Anderson, Blake’s Varsity Football Head Coach, has coached his last season with the Bengals after seven consecutive seasons at the helm. He will not be returning to lead the program.

“I’m going to focus on my family,” he cites as his main motivation for the change. “My son has started to play football and I’m getting [into] training him and coaching him… Being in the pandemic made me realize how much stuff I was missing with my kids because I was spending so much time [in football] and coaching.”

He didn’t officially make the decision to step down until after this past season, which was highlighted by Blake football’s first playoff win in school history. 

He explains, “Truthfully, I prayed about it, I talked to my family about it, weighed out some pros and cons. I’ve been playing football and been involved with football since I was six. It’s been a long time. But, it takes a lot of energy, it takes a lot of commitment, a lot of effort.”

He will, however, stay in Blake’s academic community, continuing to teach Foundations of Technology and Advanced Tech. He does have plans for him and his family to move to Australia in the near future, but within the next five years or so.

So what does this mean for Blake’s most high profile sport? Athletic Director Jared Fribush says Blake will begin advertising for the new position by the end of this year and start interviewing applicants in January. But, the process is very, very thorough.

Applicants will usually go through a multi-interview process, including one with a panel consisting of Mr. Fribush, an administrator, another coach, and a staff member. It will be Mr. Sinclair who makes the final call, based on input from the interviewers.

Coach Anderson hopes to stay connected with the team, even if at a distance.

“I’m not leaving [Blake], at least for the next couple of years,” he says. “So, I will be here and can be a resource not only to the new head coach but also to the players and continue to help them… You develop a relationship with these guys and you want to make sure they continue to be successful.”