For the week of February 5 - 11, 2003

Blackman resigns,
coach search begins

At Wood River High

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By JEFF CORDES
Express Staff Writer

John Blackman’s football coaching career at Hailey’s Wood River High School started with a flourish and ended with a flourish. He rescued the grid program twice.

His first game as head coach, in 1985, was a 42-8 win at Filer that had over 500 yards in offense and ended a 15-game losing streak. His final game, back on Oct. 25, was a school-record 62-8 home victory over Gooding—with 627 yards in offense.

Putting up the longest football coaching stint in school annals, he coached 102 varsity games over 12 seasons. Blackman was involved in the Hailey grid program for 16 years.

Besides the stability he brought to a long-suffering program that didn’t even field a team in 1976, what was most significant about Blackman’s long coaching tenure was his emotional attachment to his players.

Wood River athletic director Ron Martinez said Friday, "I don’t think he’s ever made a decision as coach that wasn’t good for the individual kid. His compassion for the kids was evident. He has a huge heart."

Blackman resigned as Wood River’s football coach Jan. 27, stepping aside to concentrate on his relatively new duties as vice principal at the high school. Before, he was an art teacher for 18 years at the school.

"It’s not going to be easy to fill John Blackman’s shoes," said Martinez, who added that the search for a new football coach is underway. "He deserves the highest respect and utmost gratitude for what he’s done."

Applications for the football coaching job are now being accepted by the school district, Martinez said.

A committee that will include an Optimist Football League representative is being formed to interview the final candidates on the list. "We realize that our new football coach will have to be a significant member of the community," said Martinez.

Blackman, 43, a Bellevue, Wash. native who played college football for Montana State, had a 17-42 record in his first head coaching stint at Wood River, from 1985-91. He took a couple of years off, then came back as an assistant coach from 1994-97.

Without Blackman at the helm Wood River’s grid team won only 10 of 50 games from 1992-97.

Blackman returned after Wood River’s near-disastrous winless season of 1997 to enjoy his greatest success, going 18-25 in five years from 1998-2002 including a 9-11 home record and 13-12 league mark.

Overall, his coaching record was 35-67 including three 5-4 winning seasons—in 1989, 1999 and 2000. Blackman did particularly well at home, winning 19 of 48 games, and was also 23-30 against SCIC teams.

Wood River’s new football coach in 2003 will face an eight-game schedule that is similar to last year’s. There are home games against Wendell, Glenns Ferry, Declo and Filer, and road games at Jerome, Kimberly, Buhl and Gooding.

 

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