Conner High School football lost more than just its head coach in June; the program’s core was also gone.
After leading the Cougars since 2007, Dave Trosper abruptly departed away, leaving the team, school, and community in mourning. Trosper was the impetus behind the program’s identity for almost 20 years, influencing the culture and numerous athletes.
The shock was severe.
Senior quarterback Grayson Montgomery stated, “We were devastated.” He is still missed. To bounce back and realize that we’re still aiming for a state championship, we’ve performed incredibly well as a team, even though certain individuals may still be struggling.
The school looked to one of the most reputable people in Kentucky high school football for both direction and healing as the season drew near.
Noel Rash, the former head coach of Beechwood, came out of retirement on June 19 to take over, not only because of his experience but also because he had a strong desire to assist and a personal connection to Trosper.
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Andy Wyckoff, the principle of Conner, stated in a press release that it was obvious to hire Noel Rash. He loves Dave and wants to uphold his name and coaching heritage in addition to being an amazing head coach with years of experience and a stellar record to back it up.
Rash, who played in more than 200 games at Beechwood and won eight state titles, made it apparent that this season would not be characterized only by wins and losses.Aydin Depenbrock lays out in anticipation of a potential catch. Charles Bolton’s file photo
“At the end of the day, if this thing is just going to be about wins and losses, it’s a very empty feeling,” Rash remarked, referring to the several successes we had at Beechwood. That is undoubtedly one of the objectives, but the main one is to learn how to join something greater than myself. If that is the only goal, then I am not carrying out my duties as a high school teacher in the proper manner.
Rash had little time to settle in. He joined in the middle of the summer, and the emphasis soon shifted to establishing rapport and trust with the staff and players while picking up their system rapidly.
Conner’s team reacted promptly, going back to practice and accepting the process of getting used to a new coaching staff. A large portion of the assistant coaching staff from the previous season remained, offering stability amid a period of transition. Along with a number of new position coaches, Rash also brought in new offensive coordinator Tom Spritzky, a former head coach of Dixie Heights.
Rash stated that adding heat to a transitional phase that is taking longer is not a good combination. However, the kids are working extremely hard to get there as we figure it out.
As he enters his senior year, Montgomery, the full-time starting quarterback, has assumed a greater leadership role.
“I’ve always been a leader by example, but I’ve had to really step up my vocal leadership with everything that’s going on,” he said. Just making sure that everyone is getting to practice and is aware of what is happening.
The Cougars aren’t letting their high standards be lowered in spite of the hardship.At quarterback, Conner’s Grayson Montgomery will assume command. A picture is given.
“Winning that state championship is our ultimate objective,” Montgomery stated. Winning districts and advancing past the first round of the playoffs are the initial steps. Knowing that we could go out there after everything we conquered and won would be the greatest feeling in the world. Being able to recover would mean a great deal to the community and to us players.
However, this season has a purpose beyond football for Rash and the program.
“I hope we put in a lot of effort and show Coach T our full respect in every way possible,” Rash stated. We’re going to concentrate on the process of trying to get there, regardless of whether we succeed or fail.
For a program built on the foundation Trosper laid for nearly 20 years, that process now continues under new leadership, with his legacy guiding every step.
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