HURON — After a three-year stint as head coach of the Huron football program, Scott Spanton has resigned from the position.
“It was a tough decision, as the young men that we had competing and making progress in getting in the weight room, etc… Football is not an easy sport and it takes physical and mental toughness, and I thought our kids displayed that every Friday night,” said Spanton. “Especially the past two seasons dealing with a pandemic. Something I had never experienced anything like it in my 35-plus years in coaching.”
During his his 3-year tenure, Spanton guided the Tigers to a 13-19 record, including a pair of appearances in the Class 11AA semifinals.
“I felt we made strides in our program despite the concerns by some overall numbers. My biggest concern was focused on the ones that were willing to lay it on the line each and every Friday night,” Spanton said. “The highlight of my tenure here was just the opportunity to continue doing something I have devoted my entire life to and that is coaching kids and witnessing their development and confidence grow.
“The core values we tried to instill in them was something I felt strongly about to utilize long after their playing days end,” he said. “Those are the most rewarding things that come from coaching more so than wins and losses.”
In Spanton’s first season as coach in 2019, Huron posted a 6-5 record. The Tigers then backed that up with a 5-6 mark in 2020 before going 2-8 this season.
“Making two state semi-final appearances, having the first winning season in a number of years and hosting a home playoff game were also among the highlights,” he said. “Lastly, the Watertown homecoming game was probably the best environment we had as far as a football game and the energy the kids fed off the crowd that was in attendance.”
While he is uncertain what the future holds for him, Spanton says he is extremely grateful for the time he has spent at the helm for the Tigers.
“I would like to thank all the athletes, coaches and everyone else who supported Huron Tiger football. I would like to especially say thank you to Terry Nebelsick for trusting in me to lead this program and giving me the opportunity to do so,” Spanton said. “Lastly, to Jeff Duffy who is the voice of Tiger Football (Athletics), for his coverage of our games and his support for all the sports. He truly bleeds Orange and Black.
“There were a lot of people behind the scenes that put in a lot of time to help support Tiger Athletics,” he said.
The search for Spanton’s replacement will begin immediately, according to Huron Activities Directory Terry Rotert.
“The Huron School District appreciates the time and commitment Coach Spanton has given to the football program the past three years,” said Rotert.
