Written by: Will Hoenike
Let’s be honest. If you were going to start a brand-new high school football program and had an opportunity to bring in a former NFL quarterback, one who appeared in 64 games, started 21 of them, and threw 16 touchdown passes at the highest level of football on the planet, you’d do it, right?
That’s happening in Coeur d’Alene with the football program at 1A (formerly 1A Division 2) Coeur du Christ Academy, a small, Catholic high school that only has 33 boys – former New York Jet, St. Louis Ram, and San Diego Charger Kellen Clemens is the team’s head coach.
And the back of his pickup truck serves as the team’s equipment room. The team doesn’t have its own home field, practicing on an unmarked field at a nearby elementary/middle school, and will play its home games this fall at the Marimn Health Coeur Center in Worley, the same home field as North Star League opponent Lakeside.
The school is in its third year but this is its first year as a full member of the Idaho High School Activities Association. There are 14 boys who turned out for the team this fall, including Clemens’ son, Grant, who plays quarterback, just like his dad did.
Other players who look to earn significant roles for the Saints this fall are senior OL/DL Joe Urbina and senior WR/DB Ben Connelly. Junior Greg Hayes also has an opportunity to earn playing time at receiver and defensive back alongside Connelly, with Patrick Schlader primed to see time at tight end and defensive end. Sophomore John Denke will look to lock down a role at running back.
Clemens says it isn’t uncommon for players to get to the practice field before coaches, so they’re excited and ready to kick it off on August 23, when they’ll play the aforementioned Lakeside Knights in Worley. The Saints host their first home game the following week against Wallace. The team will travel across the state line into Washington for a non-conference game against Wellpinit High School on September 13 and will play another marquee non-conference game against a good Deary team from the Whitepine League on September 27.