Karsten hired as new Posen football coach

by Peter Jakey– Managing Editor

The decision by the Posen Consolidated School Board of Education to hire new head football coach Wayne Karsten was easy considering they had only one applicant for the job. Karsten?s task of replacing the winningest football coach in school history, and trying to keep a program which struggled with numbers a year ago a float, won’t be so easy. That said, Karsten believes he is up to the challenge and has some ideas and surprises to hopefully peak the interest of the student/athletes, as well as the fans.

“I’m definitely excited about the new opportunity, and I’m looking forward to continuing the program,” said Karsten, who has been with the school’s football program since 2001. He coached one year as junior varsity football coach, a 1-8 season, which would be the last year the feeder program could be sustained at one of the tiniest high schools in the state.

KARSTEN REPLACES Glenn Budnick, who took Posen to six consecutive playoff appearances, the last being the longest, which took the Vikings to the regional title game at the Superior Dome in Marquette. The school board approved Karsten’s hiring, as well as assistant coach Greg Pietsch. But that wasn?t all. Just before board president Ken Wozniak asked for a motion to adjourn, Karsten asked the board for authorization to conduct a midnight practice, or ?Midnight Madness? as it is referred to in sports circles, on the morning of August 11, the first official date schools can start practicing football in the state. He also requested an expenditure of between $1,200 to $1,500 to purchase new home uniforms. The new jerseys are expected to be available for the final three homes games. The board gave their approval to both requests.

?MIDNIGHT MADNESS is going to be a fun practice where I plan on finding out what I’ve got,? said Karsten. ?I know the kids, but I’ve got a lot of new kids coming out.? The coaches will time the athletes in the 40-yard sprint, but they?ll also have a punt, pass and kick competition. ?First and foremost, you have to get the kids out,? said Karsten. ?You have to find different ways to get kids out there and get them interested in the game. Once we get them on the field, who knows

what will happen?? For more than a decade-and-a-half, Posen?s football teams have been known to run the ball, and they did it primarily out of a Wing-T formation, which was three backs lined parallel to the offensive line. It was a major reason why Posen racked up some amazing offensive totals in the early part of the decade.

Karsten was asked if they will be running the Wing T. ?Yes,? he answered. ?You will see the Wing-T.? There may be more, though. ?There may be some new things,? he added. ?I’ve looked into it. I guess most of them will be a surprise on that first Friday night when people show up.?

Karsten is a 1997 Grand Valley State University graduate and has been head coach of the Rogers City junior varsity baseball team for more than 11 years. He was the athletic director at Posen High School last year and works as a fifth-grade teacher in the district.