Page 4
Meet
HHS
Coaches
John Sporseen
Robust? Powerful? Vigor
ous? Stout? Brawny? Archie
Bunker?
Yea. The last one and all the
others, too. That's the best
way John Sporseen can be de
scribed.
Now, don't get that wrong.
Sporseen isn't the bigoted or
prejudiced type. It's just that
George Koffler
The guy you seldom see at
varsity football games, whose
name is on the roster as a
coach, usually just isn't there.
That's George Koffler. In
his capacity as junior varsity
coach, and assistant varsity
mentor, Koffler is usually on
the road on Friday, scouting
the team that Heppner faces
the coming week.
So when coaches say one
game at a time, that is a tad
bit ambiguous.
Koffler eyes the opposing
teams and does scouting re
ports, diagramming plays,
picking out jersey numbers
that seem to be the biggest
threat.
At the JV contests, he's
easily recognizable. He might
be barking out orders, patting
backs, smiling or frowning.
More than often, he's pleading
with his young Mustangs to be
to do it right.
The JVs run from the same
formations as the varsity,
gearing them for varsity play
later in their high school
careers. Koffler could be
called a groomer, grooming
the younger, inexperienced
gridders into players that will
be vying for the league title
next year.
Koffler adds the subtle
humor of a long time coach in
his short span as a mentor.
He'll chuckle about a play
where one of his kids is five
yards offsides and the JV refs
don't see it. But, he'll wrinkle
an eyebrow when the ref calls
pass interference and from his
view, Koffler doesn't see any
contact.
Koffler started coaching
junior high basketball at
Whitaker Junior High in
Salem. One year there and
then he came to Heppner.
Here, he is football and
baseball coach at the JV level.
His JV grid squad was M-l
last year. This season they are
$-1. bumping Oregon Trail this
week in a double overtime
clash, is 12.
"It's good JV club."
Koffler notes, adding that his
Mustangs "haven't played
well, but they're still winning,
so we must be good."
Koffler and his wife Debbie
have one son. Ricky, age II
months. They live In Heppner,
sometimes when he's barking
on the sidelines, he takes on
the definite appearance of
Carroll O'Connor, star of "All
in the Family."
He should take that as a
compliment. O'Connor is a
fine actor. But Sporseen
doesn't act. He lives.
The big man who took over
Heppner's Mustang gridders
two months ago has to be
happy. He came here in late
August, not knowing what to
expect of his Mustangs or any
of his Columbia Basin foes.
He won't scratch off any of
the opponents as easy targets,
but he's glad that the Mus
tangs kicked up their heels in
the right spots.
Sporseen adds something
that every team needs and
that many lack. He adds
humor, punch and wit to the
Mustangs coaching roster.
With Sporseen and Koffler,
coupled with the sternness of
Conklin, the trio is a winner.
If you don't believe it, check
the records!
Sporseen isn't a joker or
buffoon, he's just Sporseen.
Down the sidelines, he calls
Conklin "coach," and asks
questions he probably knows
the answer to as soon as he
asks them.
Sometimes he looks per
plexed and will scratch a curly
haired head. He gets excited,
too. Good and bad. More than
once he's thrown a clip board
down in anger. And more than
once, thank goodness, he's
thrown the same clip board up
in the air in exhultation.
Sporseen came to Heppner
after seven years at Scio, a
school about the same size as
Heppner, near Salem. There,
he compiled a 35-27-1 record
and tied for the league title
twice.
He stepped into the lime
light here this fall and with his
winning Mustangs, has won
the approval and gratitude of
a hungry Heppner fan club.
At the beginning of the sea
son, Sporseen said he wanted
to win every game. He's as
close to that mark as he could
be.. .right on target.
No. 64
. -- , i iv riff,
' I
Grieb
Jr.
194 lbs.
Ray Boyce
Insurance Agency
Heppner
676-9625
No. 68
' 5am
i Myers
Jr.
154 lbs.
Wayne's
Automotive
& Diesel Repair
676-9450 Home 676-9746
He saw good potential in
early practices. And, he's
rounded that potential into the
conference leader. Switching
men around in mid-season
hasn't bothered the head
mentor and with Conklin as an
able assistant, the duo seems
to be punching the right people
into the right spots.
Sporseen, who advocates
good discipline, is the kind of
coach every player must want
to have.
He busts you if you goof off
and lets you goof off when you
bust somebody.
A welcome asset to Heppner
High School, John Sporseen is
a winner.
That big guy with the slight
ly overgrown Bunker haircut?
That's John Sporseen, leader
of the Heppner Mustangs.. .the
Columbia Basin Conference
league leaders.
Dale Conklin
He's the man with the
square jaw, shortly cropped
hair that pounds up and down
the Mustang sidelines yelling
encouragement to his football
players.
Dale Conklin, former sports
editor for a La Grande daily
paper, is In his third year as
varsity assistant coach. This
is his first year under John
Sporseen.
The duo seem to balance out
nicely. Sporseen, a soft spok
en, humorous fellow that
usually simply talks to his
players and coaches, gets in
volved in the game.. .but out
wardly different than Conklin.
Conklin is obviously en
thusiastic. Sometimes to fans,
it may look as if Conklin is
outraged at players, lulling
them where to play and how
with loud, ear Jarring orders.
But inside the man is pride
and that pride is the evidence
of his coaching style. He barks
and sometimes even bites, but
he's proud deep down, of his
defensive task force. And, he
has ample reason, too.
He has molded the Mustang
defenders, many of whom had
(Continued on Page 8)
f $
i f ' if
.UH - J :
i ; , 1
X. T
No. 60
Doug
Ansotegui
Sr.
150 lbs.
Heppner
Gray's
Repair Shop
172 W. Linden Way
676-5541
it
No. 88 .
i Carl
i
Christman
Sr.
162 lbs.
Lexington Lumber
Yard
Lexington
989-8386