Lynnwood High School has found a winner.

The Royals have hired Mike Don, a product of the perennial championship contending Prosser program, as their new head football coach.

“He grew up in a program that breeds success,” said Lynnwood athletic director Rob McMains, who also went to Prosser.

“He knows what a winning program should look like. He has a winning mentality.”

McMains described Don as “young and enthusiastic.”

“He’s an energetic guy who’ll attract kids to the program.”

Don, an assistant coach at Woodinville the past two seasons, takes over a program which was 0-4 in the Wesco 3A and 2-8 overall last season.

“I’ve been looking to become a head coach,” Don said, “and a friend of mine on the (Lynnwood) staff told me they had the right kind of staff and the right kind of kids, they just needed to be headed in the right direction.”

Don said a new high school building, which opened in the fall, with all new facilities is a plus as well.

McMains hopes to find Don, who is a substitute teacher in the Northshore District, a position in the Edmonds District as soon as possible. Lynnwood has struggled with retention of football coaches in recent years and Don could leave, too, if he is forced to take a full-time teaching position elsewhere.

“It’s a gamble,” McMains said.

Don said he plans to cut back on his subbing during the football season, accepting only high school jobs close enough to Lynnwood that he can be in time for turnouts.