ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Mar. 1) – Pocatello, Idaho has a storied tradition of championship football. It's the atmosphere new Central Washington University Head Football Coach
Chris Fisk grew up around.
The Idaho state football champions list is littered with a trio of names that have won 13 5A Idaho State Football Championships since 1989. To Fisk, Jim Koetter, Brent Koetter, and Gino Mariani aren't just Pocatello legends, they are mentors.
The Koetter family's football lineage in football can be followed from Pocatello to the NFL, where Jim's eldest son, Dirk, is currently the Offensive Coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons. Jim won state championships with Pocatello in 1989, 1990, and 1992. Brent won state championships with Pocatello in 1994 and Highland in 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2000. The Koetters made their impact on Fisk during his days as a high school player and later as he roamed the sidelines as a member of their coaching staffs.
"We learned football the right way," Fisk noted. "By the time I was in high school, you could say I had a master's degree in football at a young age from a guy who should have been coaching major Division I football. I've been blessed to be around great coaches and I've been able to see it done a different way every stop I've been at."
Mariani is the current head coach for Highland High School, where he became the winningest coach in program history after winning his fourth state championship in 2018. Fisk played for, and later coached alongside, Mariani. Fisk was part of Mariani's staff in 2001 when Highland reached the state championship game.
Between both Coach Koetters, Coach Mariani, and Bud Etzold (Jamestown) they're the reason I went into coaching." Fisk said. "They laid the foundation. I learned to be a head coach from guys like Myron Schulz (Univ. of Mary), Craig Howard (Southern Oregon), and Ian Shoemaker."
Pocatello isn't just where Fisk learned to play football, it's also where he met his wife Jessie. The couple were high school sweethearts and have two daughters, Avery and Shaunessy. Avery is a track and field athlete for the Wildcats.
"I want to thank my wife, Jessie, and my daughters, Avery and Shaunessy, for their support through the years," Fisk said. "Nobody knows what a coach's family goes through and what my family has persevered through over the last 20 years. Whether it's moving, changing schools, changing jobs, they've been through it all. I am extremely grateful for them and this job is a tribute to them."
Fisk spent nine seasons under Schulz at the University of Mary (N.D.). Schulz led the Marauders to the NAIA Elite Eight twice and the NAIA Final Four once. After nearly a decade in Bismarck, N.D., Fisk joined Southern Oregon University in 2011 under Howard. The Raiders twice appeared in the NAIA National Championship, taking home the title in 2014.
During SOU's championship run in 2014, Fisk's offense ranked first in the nation with 5,745 passing yards and was second in the nation with a 48-percent conversion rate on third down. In 2014 the Raiders set school records for total offense, passing offense and scoring.
"I've been a part of multiple national championship runs," Fisk said. "There isn't a difference in terms of what it looks like from NAIA to NCAA Division II. It's a daily grind on your vision and the standard of performance you establish."
For Fisk, the standard of performance is an integral part of his head coaching philosophy, along with the core values of character, strength, and honor.
"We want to establish a standard of performance that is above anything else," Fisk added. "We want to do things better than they have ever done before. It's a standard which has to be adhered to by everyone and anything that touches our program.
"Not only do we want to build men of character," Fisk continued. "We want to build strong fathers, husbands, citizens, and employees. We want them to be strong when things are tough. By building men of character and strength we are going to honor those who built the program.
"You look at Coach [Tom] Parry, [Mike] Dunbar, [John] Zamberlin,
Bruce Walker, Beau Baldwin, Ian Shoemaker, and many more, it's humbling to be in charge of something so many people love. I'm going to spend every day to make them proud and honor the past."
Each head coach brings with them a unique perspective and mindset. Fisk's core values of will be the foundation of his program.
"Coach Fisk is a caring, ambitious coach with a passion for shaping men not only on the field, but off," former CWU quarterback, and current Parma Panther,
Reilly Hennessey said. "He has incredible foresight and is a big picture guy, yet understands the intricate details of every day to make the big picture come true. He comes from a great coaching tree under. He makes everyone around him better every day. Central Washington is extremely fortunate to have him there. He is an offensive guru and knows how to coach the offensive line better than many coaches I've been around. I'm excited for him and excited to see the direction he and his staff will take Central Washington."
The core values are not just for players, but coaches too.
"Our coaches the role models for what we do around campus, on the field, and in our personal and social lives," Fisk said. "Our coaches, just like our players, are men of character, strength, and honor.
On a less philosophical note, Fisk plans to build around a strong defensive core.
"We'll play to our defense," Fisk said. "One of Coach Shoemaker's strengths was doing things in this program that were defensive friendly. That's not going to change, we are going to play great defense at Central Washington."
The Wildcats won back-to-back GNAC Championships in 2017 and 2018 during their climb to becoming one of Super Region 4's top programs. Fisk takes over the program after an 8-3 season, in which the Crimson and Black finished 7-1 in GNAC play.
"Our young men have battled their tails off over the last three years to put me in this position," Fisk noted. "This opportunity is only possible through their dedication and performance. I feel really good about where we are heading and continuing the work that Coach Shoemaker started. When [Director of Athletics] Dennis [Francois] introduced me to the team and I saw the team's reaction, I was humbled in that moment. I am excited for the opportunity and the challenge. I want to thank President [Jim] Gaudino, Dennis, and [Vice President for Advancement] Scott Wade for their support and trust."
Fisk will continue to coach the offensive line, a task he has performed since joining Central.
