Wednesday, February 22, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
7
Neil Fendall named Outlaws football coach
By Rongi Yost
Correspondent
Neil Fendall was recently
chosen as Sisters High
School’s new head football
coach. Fendall comes to the
position with over 20 years
experience at both the high
school and collegiate levels,
and has quite a list of accom-
plishments under his belt.
Fendall played free safety
at Portland State University
(PSU) 1992-1996, and gradu-
ated with a bachelor’s degree
from PSU, and a Master of Art
in teaching from Concordia
University in Portland. From
there, he immediately started
to coach.
From 1997 through 2006,
Fendall held assistant coach-
ing positions at Milwaukie,
Grants Pass, and Oregon City
high schools, and always
coached more than one sport.
Neil coached high school bas-
ketball, track, youth baseball
and softball.
“In my first year of teach-
ing, I coached three sports and
was the ASB director,” said
Fendall. “It was a nightmare
of a year. It’s a good thing I
wasn’t married then.”
From 2006-2012, he was
an instructional associate, the
assistant football coach, and
the strength and condition-
ing coach at Linfield College
in McMinnville. Neil was
named the Division 3 National
Strength Coach of the Year in
2012.
In 2012, the Fendalls
moved to California, where
Neil was the assistant coach
for defensive backs and also
the special teams coordinator
at Cal Poly University in San
Luis Obispo.
Fendall told The Nugget
that the move was a good
opportunity for professional
growth and also offered a
pretty nice place to live.
Several highlights mark
Fendall’s coaching career thus
far, the first of which was to
help take his Grants Pass team
to the state quarterfinals in
1999.
Several great things hap-
pened while Neil was at
Linfield College. In 2009, the
team made it to the National
semifinals. Linfield was the
NW Conference Champion
in 2009, 2010, and 2011.
In 2012, they were the Big
Sky Conference Champion,
with appearances in the FCS
(Football Bowl Subdivision)
playoffs.
Fendall is excited about his
new coaching role and said
that his coaching philosophy
is rather basic.
“It has to be fun, it has to
be fast, and we have to be as
efficient as possible with our
time,” said Fendall.
Neil also shared his goal
for the Outlaws football squad.
“My goal is that every kid
looks back on their football
experience and finds value in
participating with their peers
in shared struggle. Rewards
come in different forms, but
they never come by taking
the easy path. We are often
taught to take the easier, more
“Bee” pr epared...
convenient path, and I want
my players to understand that
the easy way is not good for
them, and there can be no
authentic reward by choos-
ing it. True reward is found
through earning it. Win the
lottery tomorrow and tell me if
you’re fulfilled five years from
now ... the odds say you’ll be
broke and depressed.”
Although Fendall has per-
sonal football experience and
years of coaching experience,
he said that no coaching job is
easy.
“Every level, sport, age
group and gender provides its
own challenges,” said Fendall.
“My past experience has
helped shape who I am, but it
doesn’t make my job at Sisters
any easier. I will learn just as
much here as I have anywhere
else. It will be equally chal-
lenging and full of growth.
We’ll have a good time with
it, though!”
Current Athletic Director
Gary Thorson (Tim Roth
has taken a teaching position
in Germany) is thrilled that
Fendall will be taking over
the reins. Thorson said, “The
Outlaw football program is in
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Neil taking the
reins. His résumé
and accomplish-
ments speak for
themselves, but
more importantly,
he is the type of
coach his players
will respect and
play hard for. He
is not only a great
football coach,
but he is a great
PHOTO PROVIDED
educator of young
p e o p l e , w h o Neil Fendall is the new Outlaws coach.
makes everyone
around him bet-
ter. He is the type of coach and we want and/or need,” said
teacher I would want my own Neil. “We researched the
kids to play and learn under, school and felt the combina-
and we are blessed to get him tion of academic rigor, arts
in this role.”
and music, as well as the ath-
Neil is married to Lynne, letic programs were an excel-
and they have lived in Sisters lent match for our family. The
since the summer of 2015. flight science was a huge part
Their move to Sisters was of our choice, as Taylor is
based on what they wanted for dying to be a pilot. Programs
their kids, a son Taylor who is like the Americana Project
a freshman, and two daugh- were also a difference-maker
ters, Hannah and Gracie, sixth- for us. We enjoy the small
and third-grade respectively.
town and small schools and
“It was time for us to settle hope that we can stick around
down, and this area and school Sisters and see our kids gradu-
district provides everything ate from Sisters High.”
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