New Vikings coach up to the challenge

By JAMES TUBB on August 30, 2022.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

Scott Wendell spent his junior high years at Crescent Heights in the early 2000s before donning Hat High green in high school. As he makes his return to Crescent Heights this season as head coach of the varsity football team, he already can’t wait to take on his old school and former coach.

“It’s right at the end of the schedule here, I know that’s kind of how we cap off the season and I’m looking forward to that,” Wendell said. “I have so much respect for those guys (Hat High) and what they’ve done over the years. I’m really looking forward to the competition with them and any game in the city, whether it’s McCoy or Hat High, those ones are always quite intense and have a bit of a history and rivalry there.”

Wendell joins Crescent Heights as the Grade 8 humanities, social and language arts teacher, the same subject he taught at Dr. Roy Wilson to start his career and most recently at Alexandra Middle School last year. He coached the Junior Hawks while at Dr. Roy Wilson and was a part of Hat High head coach Quinn Skelton’s staff last season on the defensive side of the ball.

He said Skelton has already helped him with the administrative aspect, growing his appreciation for his former coach.

“It’s really eye opening to all the work that Quinn’s put in over his entire career there…” Wendell said. “In a lot of ways, I have a ton of respect for them but I would be lying if that’s the game that I wasn’t most looking forward to.”

Wendell said he’s always wanted to be a head coach to give back to the kids and ensure they enjoy football as much as he has.

“Crescent Heights has some really fantastic kids, the entire student body,” Wendell said. “But we’re really lucky with some of the athletes that we have here and all of our grades from the Grade 10s coming up and some really strong Grade 12s. So I’m thrilled to be able to jump into this role and also to be supported by some really fantastic student athletes and some great community coaches as well.”

He said he’s already enjoying working with the current group of Vikings and is looking forward to further getting to know them this season.

“They’re up to the challenge of learning some new football pieces but also discovering, learning and having them share with me their culture, the things that matter the most to them and what they value,” Wendell said. “I couldn’t be more impressed with the group of student athletes that we have. I know that we’re going to continue to find students from the hallways and as a coach, it’s our job to take those kids that are green and teach them the game.”

The Vikings get their season underway Thursday when they look to defend their trophy in the second annual Rick Boksteyn Bowl against the McCoy Colts. The Vikings won the inaugural memorial game for the former football coach last season. Wendell said he can’t wait to get that first play under his belt and go from there.

“It’s been a long summer and we’ve had a good start to our camp but for me, whether as a player or a coach, it’s about getting out there and getting that first play under your belt and letting it roll and see where the chips fall,” Wendell said. “There’ll be some nerves, some excited nerves, but I’m confident in what our players are gonna bring to the table on Thursday.”

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