Courtesy photo New Gladstone football coach Craig Ness (right) talks with former Brave Jared Crow at the Gladstone High School football field.

GLADSTONE — The Gladstone Braves varsity football team turns to familiarity and experience in their new head coach, Craig Ness, for the upcoming 2022 football season.

Ness replaces longtime Braves coach Jeff Hansen who stepped down following the 2021 season.

“I’ve got to give Jeff a lot of credit,” commented Ness. “He turned the program around, pretty much, and he got a lot of kids involved and a lot of kids that want to come out play football. Basically, I’m trying to follow his example and keep the kids interested and keep us pointed in the right direction.”

Aside from the groundwork laid by Hansen, the Braves will have familiar faces filling out their coaching staff alongside Ness. The comfort in having the same staff, Ness commented, made the transition less daunting.

“Pretty much, we have our coaching staff — other than Jeff — everyone is returning,” Ness said. “It was kind of an easy choice and easy decision to make. I’m working with people I’ve worked with the last six or seven years. We all work very well together.

“Other than the fact I’m the head coach, nothing has really changed. We’re all comfortable around each other. It’s more of a team or group effort than one person.”

With the same coaching staff, sans Hansen, it makes the transition for the student-athletes easier as well, noted Ness.

“I really think the kids know what to expect day in and day out,” he said. “It’s not a big transition getting used to somebody new. Most of them I’ve coached at the JV level because I was the head coach there. So, I’ll be getting to re-coach some of the kids I’ve coached in the past.”

In addition to his seven years at Gladstone, Ness brings ample experience to the head coach position.

Ness began his coaching career in 1996 alongside Bark River-Harris head coach Al Stenberg as the pair coached the JV Broncos squad under Jim Bilski and Scott Johnson.

Following his time at BR-H, Ness joined the Escanaba Eskymos program near the turn of the century. He coached in Esky for the next 12 years spending time at all three levels before heading to Gladstone to coach at the middle school level and, eventually, the junior varsity team.

Ness shared his appreciation for his wife for her support as well as Gladstone Athletic Director Dale Hongisto for choosing him to head the program.

“I’d like to thank Dale Hongisto and Gladstone for giving me the chance at being the head coach. I think they had some good candidates, and I appreciate them giving me the shot,” he said. “I’d especially like to thank my wife. Without a very supportive spouse, coaching would not even be possible with the family life, and them sacrificing so I can coach through the summer and into the fall is always huge.”

For Hongisto, the first step to finding a good coach was solved pretty quickly with Ness.

“What I’m finding in my short one-year stint so far as our AD in hiring coaches is; I think finding half the battle is finding somebody who is just an absolute good person,” Hongisto said. “Craig is most certainly that. So, that checks one box.”

In addition to his experience, the familiarity and admiration the kids have for Ness made the choice easy, said Hongisto.

“After doing some due diligence and talking to people and other assistants who have coached with him, they love him, and they all reiterated that the kids love him,” he said. “And he’s got a bright football mind. I think it’s a great hire, and I think he’s going to do excellent things.

“Most importantly, the kids love him. I think when the kids are having fun, wins and losses will take care of themselves.”

Like Ness, Hongisto shared his appreciation for the work and years put in by Hansen.

“I’d like to say that Jeff Hansen did an outstanding job here, and Craig has large shoes to fill. But, I think that he’ll be successful in doing that,” he commented.