Not too long ago Rock Springs High School introduced Mark Lenhardt as the Tigers’ new head football coach. The announcement came just in time as the school year comes to a close in a few weeks.
From what I’ve gathered, Lenhardt comes from a successful Torrington football program that he has spent the last eight years building. I haven’t spoken to Lenhardt, but the act of leaving behind Torrington speaks volumes to his determination to rebuild the football program at RSHS. Not only is there a determination, but a belief in the potential of the program.
Rock Springs will pose a similar situation that Lenhardt found in Torrington when he first arrived. Rebuilding a sports program is no easy task. I believe that the key to this rebuild will be patience, the same investment that eventually paid off for Torrington who made the 3A state championship game the last two years under Lenhardt. Patience from staff, players, parents, students and the media will all be required. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
The Tigers have only had one winning season since 2003. It’s understandable that frustration and immediate expectations have grown over the years. However, I would invite all of us to welcome in coach Lenhardt and allow him to set the expectations for the upcoming season.
The rebuild will commence this week as Lenhardt will meet with a few previous staff from last season. Best of luck to coach Lenhardt and the Tigers. I look forward to the start of offseason activities!
Beyond the Game Podcast
SweetwaterNOW will be launching it’s first podcast series entitled, “Beyond the Game.” I’m excited to be a part of the new podcast that will be offered on a variety of podcast platforms.
In the next few days, Beyond the Game will launch it’s first episode. The goal of the podcast is to look at sports stories in Sweetwater County in a more personal and thought provoking way.
The first episode will feature WWCC wrestler Jake Thompson. Jake is a great example of someone with a work ethic that is hard to find. Our conversation leads us to reflect on obsession and how it plays a role in each of our lives.
We hope that you’ll make the podcast a part of your day. Make sure to keep an eye out for it on our website and Facebook page. If you have an idea or know someone who has a story that would be great for the podcast, feel free to shoot me an email at brayden@sweetwaternow.com. I look forward to hearing your feedback on the podcast!
Brayden is a sports and community reporter for SweetwaterNOW. His column, Flack Friday, will be posted every Friday. You can submit comments, questions or ideas regarding the column to brayden@sweetwaternow.com.
