There have been many new changes lying ahead for the 2016-2017 Westside football season. Coaches are retiring from the program, promotions are being made and and some are joining the staff for the first time. Art teacher and previous offensive line coach Shawn Blevins is one coach who will be leaving the program for good.

“It will be different for the guys, but it is a great staff that we have coaching and a great football program, so it won’t change much,” Blevins said. “Everyone is just going to move forward with business as usual.”

Blevins believes that the students on the football team are very fortunate to have such a great program.

“The football program is a program that is based on creating great young men and great character. There are a lot of coaches here that care about their players and [players] are really lucky to play here at Westside. It’s an awesome place with great facilities and the players should make sure they thank their coaches for all of their hard work and the time they put into the program.”

Marketing teacher and wide receiver’s coach Brad Metzler will help coach the Varsity team next season, a step up from coaching the Freshman football team the past three years.

“We are losing two really good coaches, two guys that have been around for a really long time and have done a lot for our program, so we are going to miss this presence, but we are very excited with what we have going forward,” Metzler said.

Metzler plans on meeting with his wide receivers sometime next week to see if they can get out on the field.

“We are excited for next year and we have a great group of kids, we have been putting in a lot of hard work and that hard work will intensify over the summer,” Metzler said.

Sophomore Dylan Plautz feels the upcoming season will be one to remember.

“I am looking forward to the whole year next year,” Plautz said. “Mckeever has been here for a long time and we will miss him because he has really helped players, especially in the weight room. He has been a good mentor for the receivers. He will definitely be missed.”

Even though the football team will be working with a renovated coaching staff, the players remain hard at work for what lies ahead.

“Being on the team is fun and it is a family atmosphere. I think that we are going to have a great season next year and the new coaches will be great,” Plautz said.