Ballard has hired alum Ross Humphries as head football coach for the 2016-17 season.
Humphries was most recently an assistant coach at Bishop Blanchet for six years under Aaron Maul, who's now at Seattle Prep. Humphries, who graduated from Ballard in 2003, has also coached at Mount Rainier, West Seattle, and Ballard.
Humphries replaces Joey Thomas, who stepped down in January after five years at the helm. Ballard finished with a 8-3 record last season and made its first state tournament appearance since 2003.
Here's more from the press release from Ballard Athletic Director Carrie Burr:
Ross Humphries was hired last week as Ballard's new Head Football Coach. Humphries graduated from Ballard in 2003 and started coaching at Ballard in 2004. Thirteen years later, Humphries gets a once in a lifetime offer, to be the head football coach at his alma mater: Ballard High School. "I am truly excited to have Coach Humphries as our new Head Football Coach. He's a Beaver through and through! His passion and loyalty for Ballard Football and the Ballard community run deep as does his staff, all of whom are Ballard graduates. They are family and would do anything for each other and cannot wait for the opportunity to give back to their alma mater," Athletic Director Carrie Burr states. "The staff and I are incredibly excited to get back into the Ballard community! We have a responsibility to give back to the school that gave us so much. We are fired up to work with the students and develop relentless competitors both on and off the field we are excited to run a program that will bring pride to the Ballard community," Coach Humphries.
Coach Humphries has most recently coached under Aaron Maul the last 6 years where he was the Assistant Head Coach. Before that, he coached at Mt. Rainier, West Seattle, and Ballard, where he was the coordinator in all three phases of the game. He's currently getting his Special Education teaching certificate.
