Samuel Kirk
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Yuma Catholic has officially hired longtime college coach Marty Schaetzle as its next head football coach, bringing in a leader with more than four decades of experience on the sideline.
Schaetzle spent 19 seasons as the head coach at Mercyhurst University, where he collected 97 wins and helped guide the program through its transition into Division II competition.
His résumé also includes stops at the University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University, Bucknell, and Shippensburg, giving the Shamrocks a coach with a deep background across multiple levels of the college game.
Schaetzle has already been familiar with the YC community he and his wife moved to Yuma three years ago, and he has been assisting the Shamrocks as an offensive and defensive line coach while settling into the area.
“I coached college football for 40 years,” Schaetzle said. “My wife is from Yuma, and when we moved here I was able to get into Yuma Catholic. I met Rhett, we talked football, and it was a good match. As things progressed and the opportunity opened up, I thought it would be a good idea — and I think I can help the students.”
Schaetzle said the school’s strong commitment to football was a major draw.
“They take football seriously. They want to do well and they provide you with the resources to have a good program,” he said. “The students are special kids. I’ve worked with the O-line and D-line the last couple of years, but now I get to work with all of them.”
As for what kind of team he plans to build, Schaetzle points to the same principles that shaped his college programs.
“I believe in playing great defense and running the football. If you want to win championships, those are the two things teams do — at every level,” he said. “You have to be physical, disciplined and not beat yourself. Take care of the little things and the big things take care of themselves.”
Although he stepped away from college coaching, Schaetzle said the drive to compete and innovate never left.
“You’re always watching film, looking at plays, seeing new wrinkles,” he said. “That never goes away. And I think the players here have so much to learn — not just football, but how to conduct yourself, improve yourself, and get ready for college and life after.”
With finals underway and winter break approaching, Schaetzle told his players their first priority is the classroom. Once they return in January, the program will gradually build toward next fall.
“You can’t get way ahead of yourself in January, and you don’t want to be behind in August,” he said. “We have to keep a good pace, keep getting ready, and before you know it, we’ll be teeing it up for the first game.”
Yuma Catholic now turns the page to a new era, placing its football program in the hands of one of the most experienced coaches in the state.
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The new Abelardo’s Mexican Food location at 2302 Mitchell Ave. is shown on Saturday in Midtown St. Joseph.
