By Anvil Welch
awelch@joplinglobe.com
Jesse Wall, offensive coordinator the past three seasons, has been elevated to the position of head football coach at Carl Junction High School.
Wall also is an assistant principal and athletic director at the Big 8 Conference school.
Bret Gosch, who Wall assisted for four years, resigned as head coach of the Class 4 school after last season.
Wall, who came to Carl Junction after a stint at Midwest City (Okla.) as head coach and athletic director, served under Gosch as defensive coordinator for a year.
“The decision actually happened in a short period of time,” Wall said on Thursday.
“Part of that is because of budget cutbacks,” Wall said. “Also, right now, we don’t have a lot of teaching positions available. The other part was that it was determined this would be the best way to go for our program.”
Wall, who’ll be starting his third decade in education, said that one of the goals — perhaps the biggest of his reign — will be to increase the number of kids playing football at the high school level.
“Our numbers are good in the youth programs,” Wall said. “I believe we’ve had 60 or more playing at the different levels.
“The amount of involvement between the school district and the youth program has improved,” Wall said. “Mark Satterlee, with the youth program, and Coach Gosch have done a great job. We want to continue that relationship.
“I believe we began with 70 kids playing football and about 60 finishing at the seventh-grade level last fall,” Wall said. “We were satisfied, too, with the eighth grade. It started with about 45 and finished with about 40.
“We have to figure out ways to keep these kids out for football at the high school level,” Wall said. “Numbers are very important.”
Wall, a two-time NAIA All-American offensive lineman at Pittsburg State, assisted at Webb City before serving as head coach at Carthage, Joplin and Midwest City.
“I love coaching,” Wall said. “I’m excited about this opportunity. Hopefully, we can do some things to improve the program.”
