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Varsity Coaches
Dave and Maureen Nelson with Jesse, Sarah & Josh Stephan and Ashley & Josh Larsen
Dave Nelson begins his ninth year as head football coach at Minnetonka and 33rd season overall. Coach Nelson helped lead the Skippers to the Minnesota 5A State Championship in 2004 and to win Classic Lake Conference Championships in 2004, 2006, and 2009. Dave is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Duluth where he captained the Bulldogs in football and baseball his senior year. Nelson was inducted into the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. Prior to joining the Skippers, Nelson led the Blaine Bengals to 10 conference championships and eight section championships during his 18 years as head football coach. The Bengals won the 1988 State Championship in addition to making it to the Prep Bowl in 1996, 1997, and 2001. He and his wife Maureen, have three children: Sarah is a 1st Grade teacher at Oak Grove Elementary School in Bloomington, Ashley is an elementary special education teacher in Bigfork, Jesse is a Graduate Assistant with the Minnesota Gophers.
Ryan and Lisa Carlson with Reece
Ryan Carlson is in his seventh year as the strength and conditioning coach at Minnetonka High School. He had previously served as the strength and conditioning coach at Chaska High School and also worked on the Minnesota Vikings Strength and Conditioning Staff. Ryan graduated from the University of Minnesota-Duluth with a degree in Health and Physical Education and recently earned his Masters Degree in Applied Kinesiology from the University of Minnesota. Ryan and his wife Lisa reside in Chanhassen with their son Reece.
Roger French
Roger French is in his second year of coaching at Minnetonka after a long and varied coaching career. He played football at Minneapolis Central High School and then attended the U of M, where he was a three-time football letter-winner, graduating in 1952. He began a long college-coaching career at the U of M in 1953 as a grad assistant. He then coached for ten years at the U of Memphis, where he had the #2-ranked defense in the nation. After four years with the Wisconsin Badgers as defensive coordinator, he returned to the U of M as an offensive coach from 1970 to 1978. The peak of his college career was probably at Brigham Young University, where he spent 20 years as the offensive coordinator and line coach. Since then, he has spent time coaching pro football in Europe and in the Canadian Football League with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. On his return to the US, he coached high school football at Bloomington Kennedy and Maple Grove, and for the last five years he has been the head coach at Patrick Henry High School. Among his many achievements were 10 bowl appearances with BYU, and a national championship in 1984. He coached 19 All-Americans, including Steve Young, Ty Detmer, Jim McMahon, Andy Reid, and Tony Dungy, along with 50 more NFL players. He was elected into the BYU Hall of Fame in 2004. Roger is married to Doty, and has two children, Kathy and Gail.
Greg and Debbie Clough with Katelyn, William, and Michael
Greg Clough is a graduate of Augsburg College and Montana State University. He previously spent five years at Minnesota State - Mankato, the last three were as Defensive Coordinator. He served as the Head Coach at Roseville Area High School for five years, the Defensive Line Coach at Montana State University for three years, and the Head Coach at Southwest High School in Minneapolis for two years. At Minnetonka, Clough serves as the Defensive Coordinator as well as the liaison to youth football. He and his wife Debbie have three children, Katelyn (15), William (9), and Michael (6).
John Croyle
John Croyle enters his fifth year of coaching at Minnetonka working with the Varsity Wide Receivers. Coach Croyle is a 2006 graduate of Bethel University with a BA degree in History and Social Studies education. John was a three year starter as a wide receiver at Bethel University under Steve Johnson, earning All-MIAC honors. John is currently a Social Studies teacher at Minnetonka High School and helps out with the team’s FCA group. He & his wife Mikaela currently reside in Minneapolis.
Bryan and Echo Dammann
Bryan Dammann enters his ninth season at Minnetonka working as the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator. He also works with the team’s FCA group and helps organize speakers and events. Bryan has coached previously at Brooklyn Center High School serving as an assistant for two years and as head coach for three years. He was also a junior high coach in St. Clair, Minnesota for two years. Bryan is a graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College and is a Math teacher at Minnetonka High School. Bryan and his wife Echo have a one year old son, Isaiah, and currently reside in Minneapolis.
Drew and Krista Danner with Ella and Madeline
Drew Danner enters his fifth season at Minnetonka and will coach the Varsity Defensive Backs. Before coming to Minnetonka he was the defensive coordinator at Jefferson City High School (Missouri). Coach Danner has also coached at the University of Missouri, South Dakota State University, Huron University and his alma mater, William Jewell College. Coach Danner has BA in Biology and a MS from South Dakota State University. He is a Biology teacher at Minnetonka High School. Drew and his wife Krista have two daughters Ella and Madeline.
John and Mary Ann Mattox have four children - Matthew, Liz, John and Michael
Coach Mattox enters his ninth year with Minnetonka as the assistant to Dave Nelson working with the Varsity Offensive Line. His coaching career began in 1947 with Wells Memorial Settlement House where he won the City League Football Championship - while still attending West High School. He attended Junior College in Santa Ana, California, where he lettered in basketball. He served as President and Regional Director for the Minnetonka Athletic Association and was the Head Coach of the Excelsior Jets where they won six MAA Championships. His coaching career has taken him to St. Louis Park, Blake, and Kennedy. He served as the Running Backs and Linebackers Coach for the Minnesota Fighting Pike. In addition to coaching, he was responsible for creation of the Nerf football. He and his wife, Mary Ann, have four children - Matthew, graduate of Blake, and Liz, John and Michael, graduates of Minnetonka.
Cullen and Brie Nelson
Cullen Nelson is in his fourth season of coaching at Minnetonka. Cullen teaches 7th and 8th grade Social Studies at Chaska Middle West. Cullen graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 2002. In 1998 he graduated from Northfield High School. Cullen and his wife Brie and their son Rigg live in Carver.
Dave and Alison Shoemaker with Nate, Erin, and Anna
Dave Shoemaker will be entering his seventeenth season coaching high school football and his sixth at Minnetonka. Prior to coaching at Minnetonka, he coached at Hopkins High School for eight years, the first four as defensive line coach and the last four as linebackers coach. He helped lead Hopkins to a section title in 1999 and advanced to the state semifinals losing to eventual state champion Cretin Derham Hall. Prior to that, he coached for three years at St. Louis Park where he served as defensive co-coordinator coaching linebackers and defensive ends. Dave graduated from the University of Minnesota where he played for the Gophers for a year after transferring from the University of Oklahoma where he played defensive tackle for four years. He played on Oklahoma’s 1985 national championship team. Dave retired as a police sergeant in December 2006 to pursue a license in special education. He currently works as a special education teacher at Minnetonka High School. He and his wife, Alison, have three young children; Nate, Erin, Anna.
Josh and Sarah Stephan
Josh Stephan will be entering his third season at Minnetonka and will coach the Varsity Defensive Line. Before joining the Minnetonka staff, Coach Stephan spent one season at Chaska as Defensive Line Coach, after two years as a Defensive Graduate Assistant at St. Cloud State University. He competed on two state final teams under Dave Nelson at Blaine High School, and went on to be a three-time letter winner for South Dakota State University at Defensive Tackle. Stephan holds a B.S. in Health and Physical Education from South Dakota State, and a M.S. in Education Administration from St. Cloud State. Coach Stephan works as an Embedded Health Education teacher at Minnetonka High School. Wife Sarah Stephan is a teacher as well, currently serving at Oak Grove Elementary in Bloomington. Josh and Sarah have a one-year-old daughter, Caroline Kay Stephan.
Terry and Robyn Westermann
Terry Westermann will be entering his fourth season coaching Minnetonka high school football. Before coaching at Minnetonka, Coach Westermann was head coach at Park Center High School for 10 years. Prior to being a head coach he was a defensive coordinator at Park Center. During his stay, the Pirates played in the section final for the first time in 19 years. Coach Westermann also coaches girls hockey for the North Metro Stars, which finished state runner-up in 2006-07 season. He teaches physical education and has been teaching for 28 years.
Coach Westermann is a graduate of Park Center and also St. Olaf College. He resides with his wife, Robyn, in Brooklyn Park and has three children, Tad, Ashley, and Zachary. His hobbies include hunting, fishing, and frequent visits to the cabin.
MINNETONKA FOOTBALL COACHES
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