Sandpoint football has new head man

Mike Mitchell, a California junior college head football coach with extensive experience, accepted the head coaching job at Sandpoint High School on Monday.

Mitchell, 59, also accepted an assistant principal position, Sandpoint athletic director Cheryl Klein said. Mitchell will be recommended for hire at the next school board meeting, Klein said.

Mitchell has been head coach at De Anza College in Cupertino, Calif., the past six years. Prior to that, he was the assistant head coach/offensive coordinator at Humboldt State University. He was a high school head coach at five stops in Oregon – Grants Pass, Hidden Valley in Grants Pass, Oregon City, South Albany and Hermiston.

He said he’s been looking for an opportunity to return to North Idaho, where he lived one year and has frequently passed through on vacations. He attended the University of Idaho in late head coach Dee Andros’ final year. He followed Andros to Oregon State where he finished his college playing career.

“I wanted to return to northern Idaho,” Mitchell said. “I’m fortunate a caliber of job like Sandpoint opened up.”

Mitchell was one of five candidates interviewed last week to replace Sean Dorris, who resigned abruptly in late April over what he called philosophical differences with the school’s administration. The other finalists were: former Sandpoint head coach Satini Puailoa, who turned down the job two weeks ago; Sandpoint junior varsity coach Casey McLaughlin; Lake City assistant coach Ed DePriest; and a head coach from Ohio.

Klein said the interview committee was impressed with Mitchell’s lengthy resume.

“His background is strong in building programs,” Klein said. “He has a depth of experience that’s quite impressive. He will bring tremendous things to the program.”

Mitchell will return to Sandpoint on Friday when he will meet with players and their parents.

“It’s a good football community,” Mitchell said. “Overall they’ve been pretty competitive in recent years. I want to find out what the problems were and fix them. We’re going to turn the page and go forward.”