Richard Smith

West Valley Preps

Willow Canyon athletic director John Williams said he was saddened to learn in late October that football coach Joe Martinez was stepping away from the program.

However, once the discussion turned to replacing Martinez, Williams did not need to look long or far for his next coach. Willow Canyon announced Justin Stangler, an assistant at the Surprise school for most of the last decade, as its new coach Tuesday.

Williams said Stangler's lengthy coaching and playing experience and his years of involvement in the Willow Canyon community made him the natural choice.

"He understands our talent and our program. He is invested in our community and he dedicated himself as much as anyone I've ever worked with, whether as a teacher or coach," Williams stated in a text Wednesday. "More than that, he's good for kids. He genuinely cares about the success of the individual as a part of the team."

Stangler played at Cactus High School, and coached on the staff of his mentor, Larry Fetkenhier, from 1993-2006. He joined the Willow Canyon staff in 2007 and has helped the Wildcats in various roles ever since — except for a one-year stint as special teams coordinator at Mesa Community College in 2016.

In a text, Stangler stated that in addition to Fetkenhier, his major coaching influences are Paul Williams, Bart Underwood, Mike Hudnutt, Rick Wellbrock, Ryan Felker, Chanelle Jones and Ben Mclvor. He also said the staff at MCC had a really significant impact on him.

"Football is the biggest classroom on campus and the "front porch" of your school. We want to develop character in our players on and off the field," Stangler stated. "We also want to instill a competitive edge in our young men because life is a competition and they need to start preparing now."

He joined Martinez, recently, and Williams in stating this program is poised for the leap. Spangler stated that the current administration, especially Williams, has done a great job of supporting all programs and developing a positive culture on campus.

Juniors played a fairly large role in the Wildcats' improvement to 4-6 this season. And in the next two-year scheduling block, the Wildcats trade a Northwest Region dominated by Centennial and Liberty for a Desert West Region with Agua Fria, Goldwater. Independence, Millennium and Verrado.

"Liberty and Centennial are top notch programs. They are what every program should want to build towards," Stangler stated. "I think the majority of the new regions are better balanced then before. I feel our new region is going to be very competitive."

Williams said continual improvement is the goal in football, as in all sports.

"I have very high hopes for all our kids next season, and I know Justin does as well. Losing is not acceptable. We don't lose, we either win or we learn," Williams stated. "I'm excited about the future, like an anxious kid on Christmas Eve."

The advent of year-round football practices not the motivating factor in making the hire within a month without an external search, Williams stated. It did help move the process forward a bit faster, but the belief in Stangler also expedited the search.

Now, Stangler is figuring out ways to work with other Willow Canyon coaches to create the right balance.

"It is taking some detailed planning on the part of all coaches. The communication has been really good and we are all like minded in not wanting to burn kids out," Stangler stated. "All of our head coaches want kids to be multi-sport athletes, it helps build a positive culture. We understand they still need to be teenagers and do other things. Maximizing the time spent at practices is key."