By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
SALEM, Ore.– Monday evening was just another day at the office for longtime West Salem Head Coach Shawn Stanley.
The Head Coach, who’ve been around the school since 2005, was floating around as his defensive coordinator in Damien Ramirez was running practice with the focus on defense in preparation for Friday’s playoff game at Nelson to open the 6A State Championship Bracket.
It wasn’t too long ago that Stanley won his 150th career game as Head Coach. October 10 to be exact against North Salem. The next week, Stanley began his march to 200 career wins with his 151st win over South Salem on October 17. All of his 151 wins to this point came at West Salem High School. All against some of the toughest teams in what was initially 4A in the old 1A-4A system before the current 1A-6A system that we’re in.
Stanley, a 1989 Sprague-grad and a Western Oregon University-grad, jokes that there’s no ‘I’ or ‘Me’ in those wins. He credits his coaching staff like Ramirez and all those who’ve helped prepare the boys for that level of success. He credits the players for trusting in what they’ve told them in practice through the years and executing them coming Friday night’s.
“I’m uncomfortable with the words ‘I won 150 games’ because I never played a down,” laughs Stanley. “Players win games. I’ve had so much help from my coaching staff around me. You ask around. We got some of the best men anywhere and great coaches that have help. The support from the school and everybody.
It’s been consistency that has made the Titans a respected program coming out of the Salem area on an annual basis. And for Stanley, being a local kid himself, it’s been an amazing accomplishment in what they have created.
“When you’re going to some other places, you realize that there’s a lot of great things about this town. The schools in Salem and the community, I’m really happy, and I have no regrets,” said Stanley.
“Kids quickly find out that we care about them way more than just football players, and once the kids know that we love them and trust that we love them, it’s a different level of commitment beyond football,” Stanley continues about building the program in his vision. “I hope that players who have played for me and play for us now, as our coaching staff can say definitely, that we made all the right decisions or not that bottom line that we care about them, care about after football and school at West Salem. To see the kids, regardless of how good they were as football player here, go on to be successful.”
Monday’s practice saw the squad do like a mental defensive practice. Walking through strategies and preparing for the Hawks in the opening round. A few plays here-and-there in the last two weeks against South Medford and Grants Pass could’ve had the Titans 8-1 entering this point instead of 6-3, but they’re embracing the challenge as they hope to extend their season beyond this week.
“To be in that top bracket is where everyone wants to be, and we’re lucky enough to be in it. Obviously, it’s a challenge playing a team like Nelson. But like I told our guys, if we want to win Championships, you’re going to play like a team like Nelson so let’s get it out of the way, rip the bandage off and if we’re going to be that kind of team we’re going to find out,” said Stanley.
Kickoff is slated for 7pm on Friday night.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
