Rochester expected to name Shaffer football coach

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Football

The Rochester School Board is expected to name Ron Shaffer the new football coach at Rochester High School at its next meeting April 19.

RHS athletic director Ryan Johnson said that an interview committee of coaches, teachers and administrators selected Shaffer and recommended him to the board.

“Coach Shaffer’s experience, knowledge of the game, and dedication to student-athletes makes him a great choice for our school and corporation,” Johnson said in an emailed statement to the media. “We are excited to have Ron lead the staff and student-athletes of Rochester High School.”

Shaffer spent the 2020 season as an assistant coach on coach Sean Kelly’s staff. Kelly resigned in February, citing personal reasons.

Though he has never been a varsity head coach, Shaffer has over 20 years of football coaching experience.

In addition to the year at RHS, Shaffer also had assistant coaching stints at Maconaquah and Lewis Cass high schools.

Prior to joining the RHS staff, Shaffer was the offensive coordinator on the Lewis Cass team that went 11-2 and won a sectional title in 2019.

Shaffer is a math teacher at Rochester Middle School. He is also an assistant coach on the RHS track team, specializing in discus and shot put.

Rochester went 0-8 in 2020. Their last win was a 43-22 win over Delphi in a sectional quarterfinal on Oct. 25, 2019.

Girls tennis

North Judson at RHS, ppd.: The North Judson-RHS girls tennis match scheduled for Thursday was postponed due to rain and rescheduled for April 15. Start time is 5:30 p.m. at RHS.

The Lady Zs will now open their season at the John Glenn Invitational at 9:30 a.m. Saturday.