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THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022
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Stanfi eld’s new football coach is ready for battle
Stadley working
to build a
championship
football program
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
S
TANFIELD — James
Stradley knows he is
young and dipping his
toes into the shark-in-
fested waters of the Blue
Mountain Conference, but
the Stanfi eld football coach
is confi dent his team will be
ready when the season rolls
around.
“Any of that nervousness
I had has been washed away
by excitement,” he said. “I’m
going out and building a
program people can be proud
of.”
Stradley, 20, is a 2019 grad-
uate of Stanfi eld High School,
and was an honorable mention
selection his senior year as a
lineman in the BMC.
Stradley replaces Davie
Salas, who stepped down
with two games remaining
last season after failing to
follow Oregon’s mandate that
required teachers, staff and
coaches to be vaccinated.
Stradley said he saw there
was an opening and it seemed
like a good time to throw his
hat in the ring.
Yasser Marte/East Oregonian
Stanfi eld High School’s new football coach James Stradley on Thursday, June 30, 2022, pre-
pares for a new season. Stradley discussed his excitement for the community to watch his
team hit the fi eld.
“I saw they were hiring
and thought now was as good
a time as any,” he said. “I have
a job with a fl exible schedule.
I didn’t know when it would
come up again. I also wanted
to wait until anyone I played
with in high school had gradu-
ated so they wouldn’t view me
as just a friend.”
Stradley works as an
information technology and
marketing manager for Boylan
Realty in Hermiston. He keeps
the website fresh, takes drone
photos of homes and takes care
of the business’s social media.
“It’s enjoyable to be able to
do this as a living,” he said. “I
go out and make the home sell-
er’s dreams come true.”
Stradley said his age came
up in the interview, but in the
end it wasn’t an issue.
“My age was a concern,”
he said. “They thought that
may arise in the community.
Everyone who was part of the
interview, I have had conver-
sations with. They know my
character and commitment.
That erased any shadows they
may have had.”
Switch to
nine-man-football
The Tigers play in the Blue
Mountain Conference, which
has the likes of powerhouse
Heppner, Weston-McEwen,
Union and Grant Union.
This year, 2A teams are
switching from 11-man foot-
ball to nine-man, which will
help programs with smaller
teams, such as Irrigon, River-
side, Umatilla and Stanfi eld.
“As far as nine-man goes,
there isn’t a lot of information
about it,” Stradley said. “It’s
exciting more than anything.
We will be able to have a JV
program and allow under-
classmen to get playing time.
I’m excited for the whole
season to see these kids grow.
You hope as a coach you coach
the players as the next man
up, whether it’s graduation or
injuries.”
When the team held an
informal meeting in the
spring, there were 24 youths
who showed interest. Strad-
ley has had about eight players
show up for summer work-
outs, but that is not unusual.
“Seniors and juniors have
jobs, there is All-Star base-
ball and stuff ,” he said. “I’m
excited to get more and more
kids out.”
Key returners Stradley
has put eyes on are defensive
back/kicker Gator Goodrich
and defensive lineman Bodie
Braithwaite — both who were
fi rst-team conference selec-
tions last year.
The Tigers will need some-
one to step into the quarter-
back role that was held by
Kaden Combe for three years.
“There are some young
guys who are interested,”
Stradley said. “It will come
down to the eff ort they put in
come game time.”
Stanfi eld Athletic Direc-
tor Lorena Woods brought in
coaches Steve Pyne and John
Guthrie from 2021 6A state
champion Central Catholic
in June to hold a three-day
clinic for Stradley and assis-
tant coach Cody Griffi n, also
a 2019 Stanfi eld graduate.
“It was amazing to have
that opportunity and learn
so much from a decorated
coach,” Stradley said of Pyne.
Woods said her coaches
will keep in touch with Pyne
and Guthrie throughout the
year.
“They will mentor them
throughout the school year,”
she said. “It was really
awesome. They talked about
building a championship
culture. We are happy to have
them aboard with our kids.”
Stradley also will take a
little of what he learned from
Salas and meld it into his
coaching style.
“I love the mentality of
controlling what you can
control that Davie brought, but
I am also looking forward to
bringing in my own culture,”
Stradley said. “I want to start
strong with a culture that
people want to play for.”