high schools

You will run, not walk, while on the football field. You will never place individual before team. You will be an upstanding member of the community. You will never accept defeat.

You are a member of the Brotherhood of Cardinals.

First-year Coon Rapids football coach Jon Young swears by the system of his own creation. His players swear to uphold it. They acknowledged as much prior to the start of the season when they -- and their parents -- put their commitment in writing.

Despite being a program that de-emphasizes individual achievement, players and parents alike are said to be completely on board. While Young won't be talking anyone up in the local papers, he has vowed to do what he can to make sure college programs are aware of potential recruits.

They are reminded of their commitment by the message printed on the T-shirt every player is expected to wear under his uniform on game day -- the letters B.O.C. printed on the front, the words "Brothers Forever" on the back.

They are reminded of that commitment during pregame introductions, when instead of having members of the starting offense or defense announced, the Cardinals take the field together. Selflessness, Young said he believes, is the key to success, and he is committed to bringing success to a school and community that is hungry for it.

While Coon Rapids boys' athletics is known for its success in baseball and wrestling, "We want football to be king," Young said.

Young, 32, is a former Cardinals quarterback who has used six years as an assistant coach at Coon Rapids and two as a graduate assistant at North Dakota to prepare himself for his first head coaching job. He has been a keen observer along the way, taking notes about successful strategies used by other coaches and programs.

Young was just a kid when the Cardinals won their only state championship in 1983. Now, with a young son of his own, he is putting his own plan into action, to the delight of those in and around the program.

Senior running back Jesse Trimble said it took less than a day for all the players to buy into the program. Senior lineman John Kath, who has been a varsity player since his sophomore year, said he's never seen the team so unified.

Asked how his family has reacted to the changes, Kath said, "We all think it's the greatest thing to happen to the program since we won the state championship."

The Cardinals are off to a good start. After falling to Maple Grove in two overtimes in the season opener, they beat Elk River last week.

The only choice

When former coach Clayton Copple resigned following the 2006 season, athletic director Kelley Scott and principal Chuck Achter [since retired] quickly offered Young the job. Scott is the nephew of former Coon Rapids football coach Ron Scott, who had a 25-year run with the Cardinals from the mid 1960s to the late '80s.

"Knowing what community members wanted and expected out of their coaches, I knew Jon was the right fit," Scott said. "I look for coaches who will make it fun for the kids and will turn out kids who are going to be good citizens beyond high school. All it takes is one meeting with Jon to know he is the right person for the job."

The coaching staff headed north last winter for a two-day retreat to dissect everything associated with the program. After examining what they liked and didn't like, they assembled a game plan for this season. It's a game plan, Young said, that will be judged by much more than wins and losses.

"I want a 2008 alum to come up to me in 2018 and tell me he loves life, his wife, his family and his job," Young said. "Then I will know this program has helped this young man become a productive member of society. We are a four-year mentoring program that wins football games on the side."

Jim Kath, John's father, said he already has seen Young's affect on the players. Kath attended a youth clinic held by the high school and was impressed when the Cardinals players shook hands with the kids' parents when the clinic ended.