Coaching staff of the championship team

By Kelsie Hoitomt

GLENWOOD CITY – That old saying “It takes a village to raise a child” seems to apply to the football team as well, considering the amount of coaches and assistants that are a part of the Hilltopper football team.

Alongside head coach Shane Strong are assistants Tom Carlson, Chuckie DeSmith, Brandon Kieper, Jake Score and Jon Mrdutt, and volunteer coaches Mike Kadinger and Randy Peterson.

Aiding in the booth is Mrdutt, who has the head set on to help be an extra pair of eyes and ears as a spotter to Strong and Carlson.

Mrdutt has been helping the football for a year now and both his sons, Nick and Nathan, are a part of the team.

“He is very articulate and organized and he knows our system very well,” shared Strong.

Also in the booth is Kieper who is not only a new addition to the coaching staff, but to the school district as well this season.

His role on the coaching staff has been to write down the statistics for every game.

On the field is Carlson, Strong’s right hand man, who is the defensive coordinator. He also watches film each week and develops a defensive plan for games.

Carlson has been on the coaching staff for two years now and is the assistant who has been with Strong the longest.

Also on the field are first-year coaches Peterson, Kadinger, DeSmith and Score. Peterson is an assistant to the offensive and defensive lines. Kadinger coaches the receivers and defensive backs. DeSmith works with the running backs and is an assistant linebacker coach as well. Lastly, Score is a junior varsity coach, but come Friday nights he helps Strong as an offensive spotter and helps call a certain running play.

Kadinger and Peterson are volunteer coaches who dedicate their time during practices and games unpaid.

Strong himself is not only the head coach for the varsity football team, but he specializes in the offensive and defensive lines. He is also the one calling the plays for the offensive line.