Elliot, Winnisquam still seeking support
By Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com
He's the lowest-paid high school head coach in the state. His name is John Elliot and he'll be calling the shots at Winnisquam Regional High School this fall.
Elliot, a 38-year-old Northfield resident, is in his first season as Winnisquam's head coach and he'll be coaching for free.
"We're a self-funded program," Elliot explained. "The school gives us no money. We're fully sponsored by our booster club. We do everything with fundraising, so it didn't make sense to pay me to coach."
Winnisquam began practicing for its third year of varsity football Wednesday. The Bears went 1-7 in 2005 and 1-8 last season, after which Ed Walker resigned and Elliot was elevated from an assistant on the Winnisquam staff to the program's head coach. Elliot said Walker will remain with the program as an assistant coach this season.
Elliot, a 1987 Winnisquam graduate, served as Winnisquam's defensive coordinator last season, and has been an assistant coach with the program since 2003.
"I've always had a passion for the game," Elliot said. "We're trying to build a winning program, a successful program. I had no desire to leave."
Elliot said low-participation was the progam's No. 1 problem last season. The Bears finished the season with 18 players. He said 54 players signed up to play this season.
"I'm projecting between 35 and 40 will show up and play," Elliot said. "We have a good class coming back. We lost six seniors and I think three of them were starters.
"Having a good number of kids this year will help turn it around."
Elliot said he's hoping the program will begin to receive support from the school in the near future.
"It's small-town politics," he said. "I think it will happen, it's just a matter of time. Things are looking up."
