Guthrie head football coach Rafe Watkins is one of two finalists for the head football coaching position at Broken Arrow High School.
Watkins and current Broken Arrow assistant coach David Alexander have been named as the two finalists.
“It’s one of those three of four jobs that I would ever even talk too,” Watkins said in a phone interview.
Watkins and Alexander were just two of several candidates to apply for one of the elite jobs in the state.
“There were nearly 50 applicants for this position, and the pool included some of our current coaches, as well as multiple in-state and out-of-state candidates,” Supt. Dr. Jarod Mendenhall said. “Only 15 of those applicants received an interview with our committee, and of those 15, Rafe Watkins and David Alexander are the two candidates who have been recommended as finalists.”
Last week, GNP learned a screening committee narrowed the search down to the two candidates. Now, Mendenhall will interview the finalists and select the successor to Steve Spavital, who resigned after four seasons because of health reasons.
“I appreciate the work of the interview committee, and I am eager to meet with both of these gentlemen,” said Mendenhall. “One of them will be our next head football coach, and so I am excited to have a conversation with them and learn about their plans for our football program.”
Watkins, who also serves as a co-athletic director, has compiled a 133-30 record in his 13 seasons on the BlueJays sideline, including all four state championships (2002, 2007, 2011 and 2013) in school history.
“I did interview and I guess I am a finalist. If I get it’s for my family and if I don’t it’s no big deal because I got a great job here,” Watkins told Guthrie News Page as well as his team on Tuesday afternoon.
Alexander is the current running back coach at Broken Arrow High School. Alexander came to Broken Arrow from Jenks Public Schools where he was teacher and coach, and he also spent time as the coach for the Tulsa Talons Arena Football League. He is a graduate of the University of Tulsa and played in the National Football League for ten years, eight with the Philadelphia Eagles and two with the New York Jets. Alexander has been a member of the Executive Board for the Indian Nation Football Conference, and has been inducted into both the Broken Arrow and TU Athletic Halls of Fame.
The final announcement will be made at the Feb. 10 Board of Education meeting.
Did he really say its for his family, what a good example of a family man
Bye
Broken arrow, good riddence
You’ve done many great things here and I wish you the very bes
T of luck!
Winning record, made Bluejay football a powerhouse in 5A, and one of the most successful coaches in the state of Oklahoma. Why are we not seeing what it would take to keep him?? Why aren’t we, as a community, not begging him to stay?? I’m just going to say it, if we let him leave without a fight, Guthrie football will never be the same. His private life is just that & he has helped raise hundreds of young men in this town & they are better men for it. If no one else is saying it I will, thank you Coach Watkins for everything you have done for this town and our kids. There are many of us who respect you & hope you stay. Go Jays!