Document text
Fourth time a Charm? Heat�s new coach promises to stick around By Kris Henry The third time may not have been the charm for the Southern Oregon Heat, but owner Kevin Wells says he�s confident his indoor football team is finally on the right track with its fourth head coach. Embodying the stability Wells needs these days and a maturity well beyond his 26 years, Eric Vanderwegen is a week into his new job as head coach and promises that he is here to stay. "I see this as a great opportunity," Vanderwegen says. "Being the head coach obviously is a little bit stressful being 26 years old and not having a tremendous amount of coaching experience, but I�m going to do the best job I can and see where we can go from there." Vanderwegen replaces Brett Wells, the Heat�s third coach in its first season. Brett Wells, no relation to the owner, was suspended by the National Indoor Football League prior to the Heat�s season-opener for a probation violation resulting from a 1998 DUII conviction. He was also the team�s defensive coordinator. The league apparently was willing to lift the suspension on Brett Wells, but would replace the suspension with a fine of $10,000 against the Heat for conduct detrimental to the league. Kevin Wells chose not to pay the fine, thereby cutting ties to Brett Wells in a move the owner says was difficult but had to be done for the good of his team. "Instead of making a decision purely on team and players, I made a decision based upon business," says Kevin Wells. "Unfortunately I�m sure there are a lot of people who didn�t understand that and probably didn�t agree with it, but my goal is to make this team a success in our first year and not to be bankrupt. "We�re on the edge, anyway, at least for a few more games. I just didn�t feel I could do that to the 30 other guys on the team." Without its head coach, the Heat still managed to put forth a strong performance in a 27-21 home loss to the Yakima Shockwave on March 28. Kevin Wells took over on-field coaching duties, while Vanderwegen maintained his role as offensive coordinator and Will Salade stepped up as defensive coordinator. Due to his previous relationship with Vanderwegen and Salade, Kevin Wells felt comfortable promoting each to take over responsibilities previously held by Brett Wells. "I�m pretty confident with where the team�s going to be and how we�re going to work around everything," says the owner. "I think we�re headed in a great direction." Kevin Wells, Vanderwegen and Salade all have ties that date back to their days in the semi-professional Oregon Football League. Wells was the owner and coach of the Rogue Valley Blaze, while Vanderwegen was the quarterback and later offensive coordinator of the Rogue Warriors and Salade was a defensive coach for the Blaze. Vanderwegen led the Warriors to two OFL titles as quarterback, and was a big pain in Wells� side in continually upending the Blaze � although Wells is quick to point out the Blaze did break through for one win over the Warriors. Salade�s role in the OFL had a lower profile, but the former Southern Oregon University star was integral in providing the defensive adjustments in the Heat�s NIFL opener. "Will understands defenses very, very well and is a great on-floor leader," says Wells. "He has a great eye for developing defenses for weaknesses. I have no worries whatsoever in what Will is going to come up with." Salade, 24, also has the respect of Vanderwegen, who says he plans to leave all the defensive scheming to Salade and his cohorts. That trust suits Salade fine, although he downplays his role as defensive coordinator. "We all have a lot of respect for each other," he says. "I hope they respect me not so much for being a coach but for being a player that has been working hard with them the past few months. "They all know the situation that was presented to Eric and myself and we�re just all trying to make it work." In truth, Vanderwegen says little has changed about the way the Heat approaches its practice regimen or game planning. "Obviously the responsibility now of getting the team prepared is a little more on my shoulders, but that�s about it," says Vanderwegen. After suffering a torn right pectoral muscle in the Heat�s first game, Vanderwegen�s player-coach role has been cut in half. He says the earliest he could return to the playing field would be April 26 when the Tri-City Diesel of Kearney, Neb., comes to town. That, of course, is if Vanderwegen opts to return to his role as quarterback. The reason he agreed to join the Heat was to get started on a coaching career. With newcomer Andy Hixson assuming the QB role over the next few weeks, Vanderwegen says there is a chance he may find his role as head coach more enticing than quarterback. "Somewhere in my heart I�d really still like to play," he says. "But if Andy steps up and plays and is winning with the team, then it�s his team to quarterback and I�ll just go ahead and coach." Although the transition would be relatively painless, it wouldn�t come that easy. "At quarterback especially, you�re so used to having control all the time that letting go of that is pretty tough," adds Vanderwegen. "But that day will come. It has to some day." Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.