SOAP LAKE – Garrett Devine will step into a new role with the Soap Lake Eagles football program this season, now serving as the team’s head coach.

“Effort, attitude and toughness – that’s what we’re going for this year,” Devine said. “We want to teach the kids how to work hard, how to have a positive attitude about working hard and how to be tough when things get tough.”

The first-year head coach brings in prior coaching experience from serving as a middle and high school defensive coordinator, as well as coaching in the Amateur Athletic Union circuit.

“I played football in high school at Ephrata,” Devine said. “Kind of got away from the game for a little while but always been a huge fan. I have an older brother who’s a coach – he coaches basketball, actually – and I started coaching AAU basketball with him a little bit.”

Devine said that while coaching AAU basketball he started a team in Soap Lake, he “fell in love” with the community.

“I ended up starting my own AAU basketball team here in Soap Lake, and just kind of fell in love with the community, the kids, everything about it really.”

With the exodus of graduating seniors, Devine is looking to establish a new identity early in his first year at the helm.

“You’re trying a lot of new stuff,” Devine said of finding an identity. “We got to go to a scrimmage this spring where we scrimmage four different teams, I think that was huge to do. Everything sounds good in your head until you go out and try it.”

Although the Eagles lost contributing seniors from a year ago, other players will be stepping up into more significant roles to lead the team.

“My first years I feel like I was pretty nervous going out on the field, but I feel like the experience I’ve had the past few years I feel pretty good this year,” junior running back Alexander Bustos said.

Now with the Eagles, Devine looks to navigate the byproducts that come along with coaching a smaller school, such as the roster size.

“We play eight-man football, and you got guys playing both ways, special teams – all of it,” Devine said. “These guys don’t leave the field on Friday nights a lot of the time.”

Two main issues that Devine spoke of were eligibility issues and injuries, noting that the program is instituting a mandatory study hall to emphasize work in the classroom. He also said that the team has been working hard in the weight room throughout the offseason.

“You get a couple of guys ineligible, you get a couple guys injured, it’s a big deal,” Devine said.

With playing eight-man football, Devine spoke of the importance of speed on the field, and how his team has been working in the offseason to use athleticism to their advantage.

“Speed,” Devine said of what separates eight-man football from typical 11-on-11. “Speed kills. It’s a game of speed, it’s a game of misdirection. If you get three guys to guess wrong in 11-man, you still got eight guys to clean up the mess. If you get three guys to guess wrong in eight-man, it can be a different game.”

Soap Lake will kick off its season on September 2 on the road against Wilbur-Creston-Keller. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.

Schedule

Sept. 2 - @ Wilbur-Creston-Keller - 7 p.m.

Sept. 9 - @ Pateros - 6 p.m.

Sept. 16 - @ Bridgeport - 7 p.m.

Sept. 30 - @ Waterville/Mansfield - 7 p.m.

Oct. 7 - vs Tekoa-Rosalia - 7 p.m.

Oct. 14 - vs Entiat - 7 p.m.

Oct. 21 - vs Bridgeport - 7 p.m.

Roster

1 Skylor Wilson, Junior

3 Sevyn Curtis, Sophomore

4 Jairo Lopez, Sophomore

9 Logan Northup, Freshman

10 Alex Bustos, Junior

15 Giovanni Campos, Junior

22 Sam Schopf, Sophomore

40 Kaleb Weaver, Junior

50 Marcos Contreras, Junior

53 Anthony Contreras, Sophomore

68 Abram Cox, Freshman

80 Kyle Ayers, Sophomore

99 Jesse Morales, Sophomore

Dima Burich, Sophomore