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New coach seeks new level of success

Tim Stevens, with 12 winning JV seasons at Land O'Lakes, takes over the varsity at River Ridge.

By STEVE LEE
Published May 7, 2006

NEW PORT RICHEY - Friday nights for Tim Stevens will be different this fall - a lot different.

For one, the former Land O'Lakes junior varsity coach will not watch games as he has for most of the past 12 years, atop a press box while relaying signals down to the varsity staff.

For another, Stevens will pace the sideline bedecked in purple and silver as River Ridge's new coach.

But the change of schools, as well as a different venue on game nights, Stevens noted, might depend on the Royal Knights' onfield performance.

"If things aren't going good I might go up there (in a press box), be barricaded in there," Stevens said jokingly.

Stevens, 41, replaced Mike DeGennaro in February. DeGennaro resigned in November after six losing seasons including an 0-10 mark in 2005. Stevens' goal is to return the Knights to playoff contenders, like the three teams that made the postseason between 1995-98.

"I don't know if I have the formula," Stevens said. "It's not like I've been a head coach for 20 years at three different schools."

But Stevens' JV teams had winning records in each of his 12 years at Land O'Lakes, including five unbeaten seasons. He attributes that, in part, to Land O'Lakes coach John Benedetto entrusting him with the program.

"John gave me the opportunity to run things on my own," Stevens said. "After the first couple of years, he let me handle it - game plans, scheduling practices, dealing with the parents."

For Stevens, dealing with players is what coaching is all about.

"The hardest part about leaving Land O'Lakes was saying goodbye to the juniors and seniors, the kids I know pretty well," he said.

Coaching at River Ridge will give Stevens a chance to meet players at a younger age and know them longer since the high school and middle school are part of the same campus.

"I look forward to dealing with these kids for four years," Stevens said. "By the time they're seniors, I'm going to know some of them for five or six years."

Stevens got to know his players a whole lot better this week in what will be a month of spring practices. More than 70 athletes showed up and Thursday they practiced in pads.

"It's little by little," Stevens said of becoming familiar with his team. "The kids have been just champing at the bit to get out here.

"So far this week, each practice has been better than the day before. My goal is to make progress every day."

Stevens also is looking for leaders to emerge, adding that virtually every position is up for grabs.

"Nobody's proven anything yet," he said. "It's a wide-open slate."

Still, Mike Houck, who will be a senior, along with up-and-coming juniors Shawn Ford and Justin Ayers, are expected to start as linebackers and in the offensive backfield.

[Last modified May 7, 2006, 01:10:18]