‘I felt it’s time.’ Kennewick football coach steps down after 17 seasons

Bill Templeton always wanted to be a Kennewick Lion from the time he was 10 years old, going to the games as a young fan.

He played for the Lions, graduated from there in 1987, went to college at Montana State and graduated, then came back to the Tri-Cities to become a teacher and football coach.

He started at Pasco High.

“When I was at Pasco, I told my wife that I could see myself being an assistant coach for 30 years,” he said. “But then I started getting the itch to be a head coach.”

Templeton became head coach at River View High School in Finley for two seasons.

“I loved being out at River View,” said Templeton. “And I’d have stayed out there, if my alma mater hadn’t of called. I didn’t think I’d ever be the head football coach at Kennewick High School.”

He was. For 17 seasons.

But on Wednesday, he told his returning players that he was stepping down.

“I felt it’s time,” said Templeton in a phone interview on Thursday. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while. I’ve coached football for 26 years, 17 at Kennewick.”

Templeton, who will turn 50 in April, will still teach at Kennewick High. He teaches English, physical education and English as a Second Language.

Templeton’s record at Kennewick was 82-93-1.

He and his staff led the Lions this season to a 6-4 record that included clinching the Mid-Columbia Conference’s top Class 3A playoff berth to regionals. The Lions’ season ended Nov. 2 when they lost to Mt. Spokane 21-14 in those regionals.

“I feel like I’m leaving the program in good shape,” he said. “There were times we had 10 or 11 juniors on the field at the same time. The younger teams (junior varsity and freshmen) had good seasons too.

“Kennewick will have a very strong group of football players next year.”

Kennewick High athletic director Anna Harris said that the district will post the job opening after the Thanksgiving holiday.

“We plan to hire well before spring to help the new coach plan for spring ball and camps,” she said.

Templeton said he talked individually to each one of his assistants before telling the players.

Talking to the coaches was easier than telling the players.

“I wrote this all out and was reading it to them, but there were parts where I got real emotional,” he said.

What with weight training, summer workouts, spring practices, team camps, overseeing three teams (varsity, JV and freshmen) as well as numerous assistant coaches, and many other duties, the job is very time intensive. It can be a grind, especially as a head coach at a large high school.

“There have been very few days, in the last five or six years at least, where I haven’t thought about the football program,” he said.

That’s the life of a head football coach.

“I have been blessed with great coaches on my staff,” said Templeton. “And I had some great mentors. Ed Troxel, and my father-in-law (Craig Beverlin).”

Coaching is also hard to get out of your blood. Templeton even hedged his bet to never say never.

“I’ve told (my assistants) that I don’t know if I’m done for good in coaching,” he said.

But for now, he is.

“I love Kennewick football,” he said. “It’s been part of my life since I was 10 years old. But it’s time to re-evaluate. My family is in transition.”

It’s time to step back and help his wife, Kelli Jo, take care of family.

Their daughter, Hannah, has had health problems.

“She’s been struggling with Crohn’s Disease. She’s actually doing better and going to college,” said Templeton. “But she still has problems. We need to go back to Minnesota in a few months (to the Mayo Clinic).”

Oldest son Atticus, a senior, played for his father and will be preparing to go off to college next fall.

And Templeton still has two younger sons, Silas and Jonathan, coming up.

“It’ll be nice to sit in the stands as a parent and cheer for them,” he said.

But he’ll always cherish his time as the guy who ran the Kennewick Lions football program.

“I saw being the head coach at Kennewick as a ministry, if you will. A calling.”

Once a Lion, always a Lion.

This story was originally published November 15, 2018 at 12:42 PM.