A Look At The Top Assistants In The Area
Broad Run's Adam Fortune has been fielding top notch defenses for over a decade, and he is a vital part to the success that the Spartans have enjoyed in recent seasons. He should be among the top choices for any Loudoun school that is looking for a young energetic new head coach in the future.
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Stone Bridge's Mickey Thompson gets most of the credit for building the Bulldog powerhouse in Ashburn, but he would be the first to tell you that offensive coordinator Matt Griffis is a major reason for the program's continued success. Griffis could succeed Thompson one day at Stone Bridge when the veteran coach calls it quits, but he could be snatched up well before then.
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Westfield's Kyle Simmons has helped guide the Bulldogs to two state championships in the past 5 years, and his defenses are tough every year. Simmons is a demanding coach, but one that his players love to play for. Look for him to be a candidate for head coaching positions in the years to come.
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DULLES, VA - Being the son of a lifelong football coach, you learn to appreciate all the hard work that the assistant coaches put in to help make a team successful. In no way am I taking anything away from the head coaches who work tirelessly too, but in some ways, the assistants don't get enough of the credit.
So as we wind down our camp coverage and get set for the 2009 football season to open up this weekend, I figured I would profile a few assistant coaches who I think are among the best in the region. They are faces you may recognize, but names you may not know. It is a good bet that these guys will be roaming the sidelines one day soon as the keeper of their own football program.
Matt Griffis: Stone Bridge Offensive Coordinator
Griffis is the quiet guy behind the powerful Stone Bridge offense, but he is far from someone that sits behind the scenes. He is in charge of grooming the Bulldog quarterbacks, and devising the game plans for one of the most unique offensive playbooks in the state. Griffis has been alongside head coach Mickey Thompson from the beginning, and without him, I'm not sure Stone Bridge would have had the success they have enjoyed over the last decade. In addition to coaching on the field, Griffis is the brains behind the video operations for the Bulldog program, and spends hours and hours breaking down film for the staff. He is soft spoken, but well respected by everyone in the business, and would be a super pick to one day be a head coach.
Adam Fortune: Broad Run Defensive Coordinator
Since 2000, Adam Fortune has been devising defensive game plans that flat out work for the Spartans. He is Loudoun County born and bred having played his high school football at Loudoun County for former coach Pat McManus. Fortune is a player's coach, but he is also tough, just like the defense he puts out year after year at Broad Run. His biggest strength is his ability to get the most out of his players, and yet still make the game fun for them as well. In 2005, Fortune considered stepping away from the game for a while, but head coach Michael Burnett convinced him to stay on board. I think looking back at Broad Run's historic rise to glory, it would be safe to say that decision was one of Burnett's finest moves ever. Fortune is young, and becoming a head coach might not be a big urgency for him, but if given the chance one day, he will be very successful.
Kyle Simmons: Westfield Defensive Coordinator
Simmons is a hard-nosed coach that demands excellence from his defense every year at Westfield. He is a student of the game, and believes in applying pressure at all times. Simmons is fantastic at putting his players in a position to be successful, and his schemes are often difficult to prepare for according to several offensive coaches. He has a sound understanding of how to hide coverage in the secondary, and that has resulted in several notable interceptions in big games throughout the years. The players at Westfield respect Simmons just like they respect Tom Verbanic, and that leads me to believe that he will make a very solid head coach one day.
Jason Rowley: Oakton Defensive Coordinator
Head Coach Joe Thompson would be the first to tell you that he is blessed to have a defensive coordinator as good as Jason Rowley. Rowley has been guiding Oakton's defense to dominant outputs year after year, and his kids play as hard as anyone on Friday nights. What makes Rowley special is his ability to put together a game plan that takes away the opposing team's best players. Last year it was Torrian Pace from Chantilly, and in 2005, it was the nation's top recruit in Percy Harvin from Landstown. Rowley is sound in how he teaches the game, and the results show season after season.
Look for Oakton's defense to be tough again this fall, despite having plenty of new faces. While Rowley doesn't draw much attention to himself on the field, those that coach against his defenses having nothing but the highest respect for his ability as a defensive coordinator. When given the chance, Rowley will be an outstanding head coach for some program.
Cary Vipond: Loudoun County Defensive Coordinator
Vipond isn't your typical looking coach. In fact, he looks like he could suit up and still play defensive back right now in his mid 30's. His energy is tough to match though, and he has been an important piece to Loudoun County's resurgence under head coach Todd Hill. Vipond runs the Raider defense, but he is much more than just an on-field coach to the many kids that play in the County program. He relates well to the kids, and you can see that they want to do well for him. The first person you see running up and down the sideline when someone makes a big play for the Raiders is Vipond, and he has helped bring the excitement back to Leesburg. The time is coming for someone to give this guy a shot at running his own program.
There are many more coaches that we can profile here, and that will be our goal over the next few months as the season progresses. If you would like to nominate your assistant coach, you can do so by emailing us at GamedayMagazine@aol.com.
Andy Hayes can be reached at GamedayMagazine@aol.com
