By Chris Parker
Willow Springs football has a new head coach but a familiar face in Logan Schwalm taking over this season.
Schwalm previously served as head coach at Willow Springs from 2017 through 2020.
“I love football. I love our kids. I believe there are so many important lessons to be learned on the football field; commitment, discipline, consistency, work ethic, teamwork, grit, accountability, and perseverance that young men need to be successful in their lives and careers in the future,” Schwalm said. “I learned those lessons on the football field, and I hope to instill those same characteristics in current players and future players that will translate onto the field but also to their lives currently and in the future.”
He will look to turn around a program coming off a winless season.
“We have been fortunate enough to add some really good coaches to the program that will help improve the football program at Willow Springs,” Schwalm said. “We also need all those characteristics (commitment, discipline, consistency, work ethic, teamwork, grit, accountability, and perseverance) to be amped up and for our players and community to be excited about football. We have been working hard in the weight room all summer and on our contact days. It takes a great deal of commitment to be successful on the football field. We have had a good group of guys but not all showing up day in and day out, so we are going in the right direction. People who aren’t accustomed to what it takes to be successful don’t understand the amount of commitment and drive it takes from a lot of parties. We also have some talented/hard-nosed underclassmen who will push the older guys every day. We will try to keep that group together and excited to step into big roles as they grow and mature.”
Willow Springs returns seven or eight starters on each side of the ball according to Schwalm.
Kayden Woolsey will step into the quarterback role with Caden Lee also providing young talent.
John Baugh, Asher Smith, Tucker Bryan, Isaac Murphy and James Dean are all in the mix at wide receiver and tight end.
Anthony Shortridge, Everett Smith, Perry Younger and Woolsey could all see carries at running back.
The offensive line group of Ethan Stephenson, Aiden Messex, Andrew Buckner, John Jones, Talon Harrelson and Garrett Sloan will be a strength of the offensive unit.
“I hope the offensive line will be (a strength),” Schwalm said. “We are in the process of creating toughness and physicality with this group. The offensive group will only be as good as the offensive line.”
The defensive line will feature Messex, Younger, Jones, Stephenson and Harrelson.
Murphy, Shortridge, Sloan, Leric Chaney and Carson Smith will be on the second level at linebacker.
The back end of the defense will feature Everett Smith, Asher Smith, Woolsey, Baugh, Gavin Glenn and Smith.
“We have coached them hard all summer to try and fast track the improvement this program needs,” Schwalm said. “They have taken all of the coaching in stride. We hope in the end they were a relentless bunch of guys that aren’t afraid to hit you in the mouth.”
Willow Springs will travel to Mountain Grove for a jamboree with the host Panthers, Thayer and Houston on Aug. 23. The Bears open the regular season on Aug. 30 at Lincoln. Their first home game is Week 2 against Pleasant Hope.
“I would like to see our team become fundamentally better, stronger, and to be competitive weekly,” Schwalm said. “Obviously, I want the win column to increase. More than anything I want to lay the foundation for a successful program based on hard work, toughness, and commitment. I want every opponent we play to know that they are going to have to fight for a win because we will battle for four full quarters every Friday.”
