EVERETT — Everett High School football coach Will Soren has resigned after nine seasons guiding the Seagulls.
“It’s been a great experience coaching at Everett and I’ve coached a lot of great kids and coached with some great coaches,” said Soren, who came to his decision on Monday. “I’m just ready to take the winter off and get ready for the next step, wherever that goes.”
Soren admits the decision to step down wasn’t easy after nearly a decade of building relationships within the game.
“It was real difficult,” Soren said. “I’ve been there for a long time and I’m still teaching there. I look forward to continuing to do that. It was a real difficult decision. I’ve met a lot of great student-athletes that I still keep in touch with today and a lot of great friends and coaches I’ve coached with and against. You do it for long enough that it kind of becomes a part of you.
“It’s going to be different.”
Everett’s athletic director, Ian Freeman, sent a letter out to members of the community announcing Soren’s decision to step down.
Among other things, the letter stated:
“Coach Soren has been the driving force behind many efforts to improve Seagull Football, including North Everett youth football, community partnerships with (the) strength and conditioning firm IRG and bringing notable alumni back to the program to positively influence players. Coach Soren has led the program through successful playoff seasons as well as challenging seasons, while helping numerous student-athletes pursue their dream by connecting them with college coaches. He looks forward to continuing to work with students as a PE teacher while supporting and cheering for Seagull football in a different way.”
The Seagulls finished 5-5 in 2011, but since then victories have been elusive. The team won just one game in each of the past three seasons.
“Not winning games, that will take a toll on anybody,” Soren said. “I’ve put a lot of time in and the kids put a lot of time in, but it’s about the process. I think we did things the right way and I think we treated kids the right way and we did the right things.
“Unfortunately, a lot of those (victories) haven’t come the last couple of years.”
Soren said he doesn’t expect to be away from coaching long, but doesn’t have a timetable for when he might return.
“I don’t see myself being out of football too long,” Soren said. “I’m going to take my time and kind of get into the winter and figure out what I want to do and such, but I’m still teaching at Everett and I have no plans right now to go out and do anything. I’m going to be around football, I just don’t know in what degree.”
Aaron Lommers covers prep sports for The Herald. Follow him on Twitter at @aaronlommers and contact him at alommers@heraldnet.com.
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