Football coaching change: Wells succeeds Parks at Fort Loramie

Fort Loramie has named Spencer Wells to succeed Whit Parks as the Redskins head football coach. It’s the first head coaching position for Wells, who last season was the quarterbacks coach at Wapakoneta. He also has been an assistant at Marion Local, Celina and Allen East.

Wells is a Delphos St. John’s graduate and played on the Blue Jays’ 2005 Division VI state title team.

“Coach Wells’ experience at state level programs as a player and coach are invaluable as he steps into his role as head coach,” Loramie Athletic Director Damon Smith said in a statement. “He understands what it takes to run a championship program; bringing that culture to Fort Loramie will engage and positively challenge our players as they pursue their goals on and off the field. His commitment to education and passion for athletics are energizing at a pivotal time in our program’s history.”

Parks’ departure was unexpected because the Redskins were 8-3 last season, their first in the Cross County Conference and previously an independent in football. Loramie qualified for the Division VII playoffs, their second playoff appearance in three seasons Parks was there, and lost to eventual state champ Minster 40-24 in the first round.

Parks told the Sidney Daily News a school-sponsored survey soliciting anonymous online feedback was the reason for his departure.

“I really had no intentions of resigning after this season,” Parks said. “But it was pretty apparent from that survey and the comments that were made that they really don’t want our program there anymore. I thought it was best that I move on.”

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Loramie is a member of the Shelby County Athletic League in all other sports. Parks also was Minster’s coach prior to returning to head coaching at Loramie.

Wells’ appointment is the latest in an extensive change of CCC head football coaches over the last three seasons.

In 2017 there were new coaches at Arcanum (Jason Schondelmyer), Bradford (Chris Hawk), National Trail (Mark Hoffman), Tri-County North (Eric Wright) and Tri-Village (Robert Burk). Hawk was the fifth Railroaders coach in five seasons and oversaw a return to the CCC after the program was suspended for lack of players.

In 2016 new coaches were named at Covington (Tyler Cates) and Twin Valley South (Clint Bartlett). Mississinawa Valley changed coaches in 2015 (Pat Baker).

The three remaining CCC football programs that haven’t undergone coaching changes in that span are Ansonia (Eugene Hoening), Bethel (Scott Clodfelter) and Miami East (Max Current).

2018 FOOTBALL COACHING CHANGES

Butler: John Puckett succeeds Nathan Hyatt.

Fort Loramie: Spencer Wells succeeds Whit Parks.

Lebanon: Shawn Lamb resigned.

Middletown: Don Simpson succeeds Lance Engleka.

Monroe: Barak Faulk succeeds Bill Leach.

Ponitz: Jim Place resigned.

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