The Tenino school board approved at the district’s recent board meeting.
Zenisek, who last coached in college in 2001, has a strong coaching background in high school and college.
He spent five years as the head coach at Central Washington (1992-97), four as an assistant coach at Northern Iowa, a Division I Football Championship Series program (former I-AA), and five as the head coach at Division II Western State College in Colorado. He most recently was defensive coordinator at Mercer Island High. Prior to joining Central Washington in 1992, he was football coach and athletic director at Orcas Island.
In addition to his coaching duties, Zenisek will become Tenino’s athletic director, Tenino principal Jeff Johnson said. Current AD Randy Kramer plans to retire from athletics and become a full-time teacher.
“It’s a good deal,” Johnson said. “The school district made it a value and priority that the coach be in the hallways during the school days … in the classroom, weight room and be a positive role model.”
Zenisek replaces Kevin Ridout, who resigned in November. Tenino went 0-9 in 2009 and last made the state playoffs in 2007.
