Family affairs

When a football coach has a son, it’s never a forgone conclusion he will end up being on the team one day; but it’s about as likely as a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-inches.

This year the Northeast A League will feature three fathers coaching their sons: Freeman High School coach Jim Wood and son Tyler, Chewelah coach Jim Fisk and son Sam, and Lakeside coach Brian Dunn and son Mike.

In the fall, every high school football player is immersed in his team, but it is a little different for a coach’s son. It’s rare when football is not the topic of conversation at the dinner table, in the living room or in the car.

On their ritual weekend trips to Pullman to watch Washington State games, Mike and Brian Dunn talk football. The conversation is not necessarily about strategy or the outcome of the previous night’s game, but stories and advice.

A center in his playing days, Brian Dunn passes along his vast knowledge about playing in the trenches to his son, who is an all-league starting center in his senior season at Lakeside. Mike said he looks for tid-bits from his dad about how to become a more efficient player at one of the most cerebral positions on the field.

“I always ask him what he would have done in certain situations,” said Mike.

Being able to do some off-the-field coaching is advantageous to both father and son.

Last year, Sam Fisk, then a sophomore, was thrown into the role of starting quarterback at Chewelah in the middle of the season after injuries sidelined the previous starter.

Orchestrating Chewelah’s sophisticated spread offense could be a daunting task for any high school quarterback, but Sam took the challenge in stride and has excelled not only as a signal caller, but team leader as well.

“I felt comfortable with Sam because of the relationship we had, and he understands the offense better than any of the other quarterbacks,” said Jim Fisk.

“It’s difficult in the respect that it’s your kid and that’s why he’s playing,” Fisk added.

Sam showed that was not the case and that he deserved the starting role. He had a stellar season, throwing for 1,600 yards in seven games last season and solidified himself as the starting quarterback this year.

At Lakeside, this season has been the culmination of years of familiarity between coach Brian Dunn and his seniors.

“We have six or seven former ball boys on this team, and up until about four years ago, I was just Mike’s dad,” recalled Dunn.

“I haven’t missed a home football game since 1997,” said Mike.

Mike and his friends have been immersed in the ways of Lakeside football since they could remember. They have run the same offense and defense since seventh grade, so by the time they get to the high school team they don’t have to learn any new plays. Practices are filled with technique drills and play repetition.

Coach Dunn has watched his team grow up around him. He remembers looking at pictures of their youth sports flag football team and everyone on that team is basically playing the same position on his varsity team.

“This year’s senior class grew up with me as the AAU basketball coach and Little League coach,” said Dunn.

“What we’re seeing now is the finished product,” he added.

The familiarity that comes with being Mike’s dad has only enhanced the coaching experience for Brian.

“They (players) know what I expect from them; I don’t have to get on them as much,” said Dunn.

Lakeside has more seniors turning out than any other school in the league, and all them have significant varsity experience.

Perhaps Lakeside’s biggest advantage will be its depth. No player has to play on both sides of the ball.

With a mixture of top-rated talent, senior experience and unparalleled depth, Lakeside looks to add another league championship plaque on the gym wall.