Pitt Meadows Secondary School’s Marauders football program will have a decidedly new look next season, as last year’s junior coach Kris Little replaces Dave Holleran as the program head.
Little coached the Marauders junior team last season, and took over the program after Holleran, last year’s senior coach, stepped down. Holleran, a former receiver with University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish, has been with the program since its inception and was co-coach of the first Marauders squad, the 2007 junior team, along with Scott Newbrough.
Holleran’s son, running back and safety Cody Holleran, graduates this year.
“They are definitely big shoes to fill,” said Little. “This program is still in its infant stage, but in the next five years I hope we can get to where we are consistently one of the top teams.”
Little graduated from Pitt Meadows secondary in 1994, and played with the now-defunct Tri-City Bulldogs and Abbotsford Air Force of the Canadian Junior Football League.
Prior to coaching for Pitt Meadows, Little coached with the Meadow Ridge Knights community football program for nine years.
“I encourage all of our players to play community football,” he said. “The more football they play, the better.”
Little will return to coach the school’s junior squad next season, while Matt Todd will take over from Holleran as the senior coach. Todd was formerly a coach at Pinetree secondary, but joined Pitt’s program last year as an assistant when Pinetree folded their football program.
“One thing we are looking at is switching the coaches at senior every two years,” said Little. That would allow coaches to develop their players over four years from junior to senior.
Little says an influx of new coaches at every level has helped ensure the future of the program, including at least four graduating players from this year’s senior team who have already expressed an interest to come back and coach next season.
“It takes a special kind of kid to coach,” he said. “It says a lot that they want to come back and help out.”
Little expects the school to field teams at all three levels - senior, junior, and Grade 8 - next season. However, the senior team will be much changed after losing the bulk of its starters to graduation this year.
“This will be a rebuilding year for the senior team,” said Little. “The team is going to be young. We’re going to try to bring up players from the junior squad, so they can get that experience, but there aren’t a lot of seniors playing.”
However, the junior and Grade 8 ranks are very healthy, he noted.
“I’m very excited about the future of this program,” Little said.