(Exira) Exira-EHK’s school board has approved the hire of a new football coach. Former Spartan standout Drew Buckholdt will lead the team.
Buckholdt played college football at Waldorf and has been on the Exira-EHK staff the past few seasons. “I’m very excited for it. It’s a great opportunity. I got to be an assistant for Tom Petersen for 2-3 years and that was great experience for me to get. Learning from one of the best. It’s not like he’s not going to help me out, so it’ll be a good shoulder to lean on.”
Coaching has always been in the cards for Buckholdt. “Absolutely. I’ve always wanted to be a head coach someday for a football team. I didn’t know if it was going to be for the Spartans or not, but it came about and the opportunity was there.”
He comments on what he’s learned as an assistant. “Some of the main things would be trying to get the players to play hard for you. You have to show them that you really care to get the most out of them. You could have the best schemes drawn up, but if the players don’t buy in nothing is ever going to work for you.”
Buckholdt inherits a roster that projects to have at least a few multi-year starters returning. They went 4-4 last season and half their losses were in one possession games. “There are going to be high expectations. Nobody rises to low expectations We do have a good senior class coming back. They are very talented. They have to start putting in the work now. Once the season rolls around that’s where games are won and lost are right here in the offseason. Long before they ever touch the field on a Friday night.”
He says he jumped at the opening right away. Buckholdt will put an emphasis on running the football. “I want to bring it back like the old days. Running the football and establishing the line of scrimmage. I really truly believe that’s where games are one and lost, so bringing that physicality back.”
Buckhodt follows Tom Petersen as head coach. Petersen led the Spartans to a pair of state semifinal appearances including a runner-up finish during Buckholdt’s freshman season in 2013.
Exira-EHK coach Drew Buckholdt:
