Juanita's Loss, Bothell's Gain -- Bothell Tabs Fouhy For Head Football Job

Once upon a time, Craig Fouhy applied for three high-school football coaching jobs.

The first one he didn't get. The second one he didn't want.

The third one was just right.

So Craig Fouhy, 36, will succeed Dee Hawkes as Bothell High's head coach.

"I know we've kind of gone through this before," said Fouhy, who in March accepted the coaching job at Juanita, then backed out. "But this one feels real good."

Fouhy, a teacher and basketball coach at Explorer Junior High in the Mukilteo School District, spent the past KingCo Conference football season working as an assistant under Hawkes at Bothell. Hawkes retired after a 22-year stint.

After last season, he applied for openings at Kentridge, Juanita and Bothell.

He was the "overwhelming choice of the selection committee" at Juanita, said Rom Castilleja, Juanita athletic director. And he accepted an offer to coach and teach at Juanita. A week later, he reconsidered.

"The only thing I can say is when you've been a coach and doing something for 14 or 15 years, you want to make sure all the intangibles are right," Fouhy said then.

When asked then if his decision was based on pressure since-resigned Juanita basketball coach Craig Dexter was receiving from a parents group, Fouhy said, "I don't want to get too specific . . . But all the intangibles have to be there."

Larry Smith, Bothell vice principal, said what happened between Fouhy and Juanita does not concern him.

"We checked everything out and were satisfied there was no basis for that (concern)," Smith said.

Smith said bigger factors in his decision were Fouhy's ability to work with kids and his communication skills.

"And, really, as far as coaching goes, it was experience," Smith said. "He had quite a bit more head coaching experience than anyone we had interviewed."

Fouhy has been a head football coach at Lake Roosevelt, Coupeville and Tahoma high schools and an assistant to area coaching legend John Anderson at Sumner. He was also an assistant at the University of Montana and head football and golf coach at North Park College in Chicago.

"I'm chomping at the bit; I'm ready to go," said Fouhy, a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University. "It's been a long time coming."

Fouhy will continue teaching at Explorer while coaching at Bothell. He said he expected to meet with juniors- and seniors-to-be today.

Familiarity with those players should make the transition easier, he said.

"It really helps to get a sense of what's going on. It's not like I'm coming in blind at all," Fouhy said. "I know that Bothell graduated a lot of seniors, but there's some real good young players there. And there's a ton of excitement in the community and among the players."

On replacing Hawkes, who compiled a 137-125 record in 22 seasons:

"I really feel good about following Dee and what Dee Hawkes has done there," Fouhy said. "And there isn't a greater guy. I say that because I'm a personal friend, but at the same time, I saw the dedication he had for that job and the kids.

"I spent three years with John Anderson - one of the greats," Fouhy said. "Dee is in the same category."