Indians introduce Rolfe as coach

FORT DEFIANCE — Fort Defiance High School officially introduced Dan Rolfe as its new football coach on Friday.

Rolfe coached at Benedictine High School in Richmond, for the last four seasons. He compiled a 21-17 overall record with the Cadets and finished 9-2 last year.

Rolfe had lunch in the cafeteria, talking to football players, collecting e-mails and sharing his vision and the challenges he thinks will be ahead for the program.

“I know its not going to be easy,” Rolfe said. “Right now, I’m trying to get involved with community, get to know the parents and hire a staff. I think it’s going to be hard, but I think we’ll be ok.”

Rolfe knew about the departure of long-time coach Dale Spitzer, who headed the football team for 25 years before his firing in November.

“You know, sometimes ignorance is bliss,” Rolf said. “I know he coached here for a long time. I don’t know too much about the situation. I’m just going to focus on the future.”

The Indians have won two games in the last two seasons and Principal Larry Landes said it’s not about wins and losses, it’s about the team becoming competitive again. He said Rolfe could turn it around.

“Well, he’s got head coaching experience and we felt that was important because of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. He’s very personable, very positive and very energized,” Landes said. “We just felt that he was the best fit for us to be competitive as a team.”

One of the goals that Rolfe will work on is forming a tighter relationship with the Augusta County Quarterback Club.

“I did that in Richmond, with the youth program there,” Rolf said. “It’s a good way to get the kids introduced into the high school program.”

Rolfe spoke about his offensive philosophy.

“This probably will offend people,” Rolfe said. “But I try not to have one. Here’s the reason why: Rich Rodriguez is a considered a great offensive mind at West Va., he goes to Michigan and doesn’t have the personnel to run the offense that he wants to run. We’ll make up our offensive strategy, once I look at film and see what type of personnel we have.”

Rolfe will be visiting Fort Defiance a few times a month before he finishes out the school year with Benedictine.

Fort Defiance Athletic Director Jack Tucker does not think that the new coach will have a tough sell to his new team.

“The kids just want to get together and play football,” Tucker said.

Landes admitted that it could be hard for some kids, since they have been under coach Spitzer’s wing.

“Yeah, it’s tough. When you have someone like coach Spitzer that has been a part of this program for years,” Landes said. “Spitzer is not gone, he’s still teaching here. He’s still supportive of what’s best for our kids. Like Jack said, the kids love the sport and they would love it even more if they could be competitive.”