The Rolla football team has had many new faces come and go throughout the years. With each person there comes a story and an impact that they have made on the beloved program and the athletes in it. This season, there are many new faces in the RHS bulldog family, and they’re excited to be here. Assistant coach Isaiah Wright helps out with the team’s receivers.
“I came from S&T. I played receiver there. Coach [Derrick Heflin] got me here, coaching receiver. So that’s a great opportunity. Going into the season is going to be a great season. Win a lot of games, it’s going to be just exciting,” Wright said.
The linebacker assistant coach, Shane Rowland, is joining the team from out of state. Rowland is feeling excited and ready for this year’s season, despite the season’s unusual schedule.
“I’m very excited. I am enjoying my time being here. I enjoy being around the kids and working with the other coaches. I came from Colorado, so there’s a lot of times that we played on Thursday, Fridays, and Saturdays, so it is tough on some kids, sometimes when they haven’t done it [played on Thursdays], but…you just got to be prepared to go out and be ready a day early,” Rowland said.
Head coach Derrick Heflin isn’t new; however, he has introduced his daughter to the team this year.
“She loves the kids. She’s really good at giving high fives. That’s her new favorite thing. Friday night after the Jamboree, she was given lots of high fives, she was so happy. So as long as she’s happy, Dad’s happy,” Heflin stated.
Early mornings and long hot practices have brought this team together as one.
“[The players are] very close-knit. Lots of these guys, you can tell, played together from the time they were young to now, in high school. And that makes it something special to have, when you play from a young age to when you get older. I grew up in a town a lot like this, where I played with guys from seventh grade on and even into college. I played college ball with guys that I’ve played high school football with,” Rowland said.
The community has shown immense love towards the program, and the new coaches feel very welcomed.
“So everybody feels like family already. I’ve only been here a couple months, but it feels like I’ve been here for a lifetime. Just everybody’s great, like I said, faculty, players…just the whole community itself, just welcomed me in with open arms, allowing me just to be myself,” Rowland said.
