Tenino hires former Shelton, Franklin Pierce assistant as head football coach
Cary Nagel hopes to offer some stability to a Tenino High School football program that has seen three coaching changes in the past four seasons.
Nagel was approved by the Tenino School District on Monday as the school’s next head coach, by 3-2 vote, and said Tenino is a place he and his family “hope to call home for a very long time.”
“Tenino was appealing in the fact that, of everybody I talked to, it felt like the community was really behind their football program,” Nagel said.
“Having that is a big deal in a successful football program.”
This is the first head coaching job for Nagel, who played offensive and defensive line at Shelton for coach Matt Hinkle in the 1990s, and later played in college at Alabama State.
He was an assistant under Hinkle for a decade in Shelton before taking over as the offensive coordinator at Franklin Pierce the past two years.
The Cardinals finished 9-2 last season, and advanced to the Class 2A state regionals.
Franklin Pierce won an undefeated 2A South Puget Sound League title with a thrilling, last-second touchdown pass against River Ridge in October.
Franklin Pierce finished with 5,755 yards of total offense, averaging 249.5 yards per game passing and 273.7 yards per game rushing.
The Cardinals averaged 49.5 points per game, and never scored less than 28 in Nagel’s final season as the offensive coordinator.
“All of my roles leading up until now have been on the offensive side of the football,” Nagel said. “I feel like, over the years, I’ve put together a system with the help of some amazing coaches. ... I just kind of settled on a system that works for me.”
Nagel describes that system — a spread — as one that has an explosive, downhill running game, and a passing game that takes advantage of the defense.
“I’ve learned a lot from a lot of really good coaches along the way,” Nagel said. “I think a lot of what I do stems from my years playing under Matt Hinkle, and coaching with him, and the amzing things they’re doing at Franklin Pierce.
“That helped me take that next step.”
Nagel replaces Tim Bullus, who resigned in February citing family reasons, Tenino athletic director Chiska Leigh said.
Bullus, a former defensive coordinator at Camden Catholic High School in New Jersey, coached the Beavers for one year.
Tenino won its first three games last season before losing six straight to miss the 1A Southwest District playoffs.
Randy Swilley was Tenino’s coach for two years prior to Bullus’ arrival.
Leigh said bringing stability and continuity to the position was one of the hiring points panelists — which consisted of staff members, players, parents and community members — keyed in on.
Nagel fit the right mold, and he noted his appreciation for the community support he felt Monday night.
“He’s from the area, he works in the area, he has the intention of sticking around — that’s really important for us,” Leigh said.
“We can’t build a program from the top down when everyone is moving. We wanted to make sure we had someone who would commit to being here.”
Nagel was one of 15 applicants for the position. Four applicants — all from Thurston County — were interviewed.
Nagel lives in Lacey with his wife Sarah, and daughters Hayden, 16 — who plays softball at Timberline — and Shealynn, 10.
He said Tenino’s interest in building a football community, and the desire to bring the program to a championship level align with his own.
“It’s about trying to build a culture and community,” Leigh said. “We just had to make sure to find the right person to take that on.
“Coach Nagel has communicated to us that he feels confident he is that right person.”
This story was originally published March 28, 2017 at 5:42 PM with the headline "Tenino hires former Shelton, Franklin Pierce assistant as head football coach."