The foursomes are sold out, but don't worry, if you cannot golf, you can still attend the dinner and awards presentation, and/or make a contribution to the TD Club! Parents and students should feel free to come out, volunteer and enjoy the celebration in honor of Barrett. It should be a great day. There are many sponsors and many prizes that will make this a fun event.

It's a 12:15  shotgun start with a cookout, awards program, and raffle to follow immediately after golf. Raffle tickets are $5.00 per ticket or five for $25.00.  

Prizes are as follows:

RAFFLE PRIZES Florida Condo - one week stay; Southern California Condo - one week stay; One AHS Summer Weight Room Training Pass; One AHS 2010 Graduation VIP Pass; One AHS 2009/10 Student Parking Pass; One AHS 2009/10 Athletic Participation Fee Waiver; Two AHS 2009 Football Season Passes; Lawn Mower; AHS Math tutoring; Large Hockey picture; Practice Putting Green pre-event contest - winner announced during raffle.

Summer Weight Training began June 8 with a record number of players. Coach Bartlett was impressed with the turnout and work ethic as plans for 2009 get underway.  Currently, the Varsity team is working on the new offensive formations, along with new weight training and conditioning drills.  One tip from the players is it starts promptly at 8:00 a.m., so arrive early, as magically there will be less running!

Varsity/JV - 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Freshmen/Sophs - 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

To participate, download the flyer from the link below, or they are available in the Activities Office; turn forms into Coach Bartlett or Coach VanderLinden.

The next Touchdown Club booster meeting will be Tuesday, July 14, from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Paul Johnson's mansion; 4600 Vinewood Lane North in Plymouth. All parents are encouraged to participate. The current club is supported by only 15% of all the parents.

Even though it's summer, preparation for the season happens now! Given the current needs of the program,  the club needs your support to plan for the upcoming season. Please reach out to prospective Freshmen players' parents and invite them as well. TD Club provides all financial support for coaches' salaries, equipment, training, the weightroom and more!

The tradition of "Meet the Falcons" continues in 2009 with an all you can eat pizza and silent auction at Davanni's in Golden Valley. Silent auction donations are needed, please contact Kath Hammerseng @ kathhammerseng@edinarealty.com.

Notes from the mandatory player/parent meeting on May 16 are linked below. The folders with the sign up information are available in the activities office or from Coach Bartlett. Players need to pick up a folder ASAP.

Players, start thinking about logging your Community Service Hours.  Beginning this year, to earn the Falcon helmet logo for the upcoming season, the following hours need to be served: Sophomores = 6 hours; Juniors = 8 hours; and Seniors = 10 hours.

Armstrong football welcomes new Head Coach, Ryan Bartlett. Coach Bartlett graduated from Irondale H.S. and from the University of St. Thomas in Physical Education. He played both football (WR) and baseball (3B). His college career started in baseball at Northland College in Wisconsin, where he started at 3rd base his freshman year. His first coaching job was with Irondale H.S. in 2003, coaching the Varsity receivers. He moved up to Varsity Offensive Coordinator and QB Coach his last two years. When the whistle isn’t around his neck, he can be found spending time with his fiancée, Amy, watching sports, going out with friends or family. He says he likes to laugh and make people laugh – we’ll see if that’s true after the first day of fall camp. In addition to Head Coach, Ryan will also be co-offensive coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach.

Favorite movies: “Friday Night Lights” and “Rudy”

Contact information:

Ryan Bartlett Head Football Coach Armstrong High School

rrbartlett@stthomas.edu

651-428-7366

Scroll down for more nformation on the football coaching staff!!

Charlie Vanderlinden – Weight and Conditioning Coach

Charlie, aka, Coach "V" is an Armstrong Graduate where he lettered in Track and Football. He played college football at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Minnesota State University, Mankato; finishing up at UW Stout where he played football all five years. He is in his third year at Armstrong, where is also works in the Special Education & EBD departments. When not working he enjoys time with the kids, and normal everyday activities such as lumberjack games, tractor pulls, alligator wrestling, noodling for catfish, competitive pizza tossing and the Caber toss.

Steve Ellis – Varsity Defensive Backs

Coach Coach Ellis is a native of Madison, WI. He attended Madison Edgewood High School and competed in four varsity sports. He graduated from the U.W. Stevens Point, where he doubled majored in P.E. and Health. He played and coached in the Men's Basketball program. His Masters degree is in Educational Leadership K-12 and a post Masters Program in Teaching Excellence K-12. He's starting his fifth year with the Robbinsdale Public School District and enjoys his teaching and coaching positions. He loves to see student athletes have fun, work hard, work smart, and work together. Ellis and his wife Krissy, are the proud parents of two daughters, Makenzy and Saharla. Skittles is the family cat. Coach’s favorite activity besides family and work is golfing. Someday he'd love to be able to say that he golfed every course in the state of Minnesota.

Michael Vinson - Varsity Offensive Line Coach

We welcome Coach Vinson to Armstrong this year. He spent the last two years as the varsity offensive line coach and special teams coordinator at St. Agnes High School. Prior to that, he spent one year at Rockledge High School, three years at Orlando Lutheran Academy, and five years at Lake Highland Prep, all in Florida. Vinson has been involved in all phases of the game including offense, defense and special teams, as well as the academic and strength and conditioning of student-athletes. Coach Vinson played football in High school and had a chance to play at Northwestern, before finding out about a genetic back injury that ended his playing career. Vinson is currently going into his third year as a Master of Divinity student at Luther Seminary and will be serving as the Vicar at Redeemer Lutheran Church in North Minneapolis. Vinson has a wife, Jasmine of twelve years have two children, Matthew is eleven and Emma is seven.

Paul Dotter – Varsity Co-Offensive Coordinator and WR Coach

Coach Paul Dotter joins the Falcon Varsity football staff this fall as Co-Offensive coordinator and Wide Receivers coach. He has six years of coaching experience which includes: one year at Maple Grove High school [2003], three years at Totino-Grace High School [member of varsity coaching staff on two Prep Bowl winning teams in 2004 & 2006], one season at Macalester College in St. Paul [2007] and a run to a third Prep Bowl appearance as WR’s and passing game coordinator at DeLaSalle High School [2008]. Prior to entering coaching Coach played defensive back for four years at St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN and was a member of 2000 team which appeared in the D-III championship, losing 10-7 to Mount Union College. Outside of football Coach Dotter enjoys movies; he lists Man on Fire, Seven Pounds and The Dark Knight among his favorites. He also likes to stay competitively active by playing softball in the summer and broomball over the winter months. Coach Dotter has been teaching English at Armstrong for the past two years while residing in St. Anthony, MN.

Jeff Schuh – Varsity Defensive Line Coach

Coach Shuh is a 1976 Armstrong High School Graduate and member of the AHS Hall of Fame. He graduated with BA degree from Metropolitan State University. Prior to that, he played football outdoors for the U of M from 1978 – 1980, earning first team All Big Ten Defensive End honors and MVP Defense in 1980. He also was All-American Defensive End with North Hennepin Community College in 1976 and 1977. After college Coach Shuh played OLB for the Cincinnati Bengals 1981-1985, Green Bay Packers 1986 and Minnesota Vikings 1986. His coaching career includes the University of St. Thomas 2003-2007 - Defensive Line Coach, Wayzata Youth Football 1996-2002 and as a Graduate Assistant for the University of Minnesota in 1984-1985. Currently, Jeff is an Investment Advisor for UBS Financial. He and wife Barb live in Plymouth and have two sons; Brandon 26 and Cameron 20.

Dave Hansen – Sophomore Head Coach

Coach Hansen is entering his 10th season as a sophomore football coach for the Armstrong High School Football program and 25th over-all. Coach Hansen is a 1975 graduate of Armstrong High School. He graduated from St. Cloud State University in 1980 with a BS degree in education. His college career (Both Football and wrestling) was cut short his freshmen year because of a career-ending knee injury, suffered during a wrestling tournament. Coach Hansen has a Masters degree from St. Mary's University in education. He also received a DAPE and special education certificate from Mankato State University. Coach Hansen and his wife Joan have been married for 20 years. They have three children, Kelsey, Elizabeth and Rachel. Both Joan and Dave are employees in the Robbinsdale School District: Joan at Sandburg Middle School, Dave at Plymouth Middle School.  

Rob Ruhland - Sophomore Assistant Coach

Rob graduated from Eden Valley Watkins High School and attended Normandale Community College where he played two years of football. The team was first year junior college national champions and second year runners up. He then attended Bemidji State University playing football two more years. Rob lives in Plymouth, is married with two boys, and has coached youth football for nine years and baseball for ten. His passion for Baseball is due to playing 26 years for his hometown league, coaching Little League and now in the Robbinsdale traveling program. While not carrying an equipment bag or a whistle, Rob enjoys live music, basketball and weekends at the cabin with family and friends.  

Ryan Sommers – Sophomore Assistant Coach

Coach Sommers is a graduate of Apple Valley High School. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Biology and his Master's degree in Education from the University of Minnesota. He has been teaching science at Armstrong High School for four years. This is his second year coaching the sophomore football team. He also coaches shot put and discus for the Armstrong Track team.

Cameron Shuh – Sophomore Assistant Coach

Coach Schuh attended Wayzata Schools from K-12, graduating from Wayzata in 2007. He’s lived in the same house in Plymouth since he was three-years old. He played quarterback from 4th-12th grade and loved every second of it. As a junior at Wayzata, they won the state championship. He is currently finishing his second year of college at the University of St. Thomas. His dad, Jeff Schuh, was my biggest role model in my football experience, and he still is today on and off the football field. In his free time he likes being on the boat, at the cabin, golfing, playing guitar and working out. Coach is excited to transform into the Falcon red this fall.  

Mathew Wilson (Chilly) – Sophomore Assistant Coach

Matt Wilson is a 2001 graduate of Armstrong where he played baseball, basketball, and football. He attended and played baseball for Neosho County Junior College transferring to Pittsburg State University to play baseball. Matt is recently married and back in school to finish his LD and EBD degrees in the Special Education. He will then pursue a Masters in DCD. Coach Wilson works in the DCD room at AHS in his second year with the District. He is also the current coach of the sophomore baseball team and will be entering his 3rd year for football in the fall. Outside of coaching, Chilly runs the intramural leagues at AHS.

Kelly Jans – Freshman Head Coach

Coach Jans has been teaching at Armstrong since 1993 and has been part of the football program since 1994. He also is the Junior Varsity Girls basketball coach at Armstrong. Kelly graduated form Fulda High School, received his bachelors degree from St. Cloud State University, and Masters from Hamline University. Kelly and his wife Danelle have two children, Lynsey who is 11 and Hunter who is 7. Coach Jans enjoys his time away from Armstrong by spending time with the family, golfing, sports on TV or on Wii, and odd jobs around the house.

Roy McPipe – Freshmen Assistant Coach

Coach McPipe is entering his seventh year coaching the freshman football team. He graduated from Totino-Grace High School, where he played defensive back. In college he played one year at Northland Community College, earning All Region First-Team, and All-Conference First-Team. His football career was cut short due to multiple injuries. Coach is married to Jessica and they have two children Elle (5) and Rylan (1). In his spare time he likes to travel, the outdoors, and spending time with family.  

Dean Pogatchnik – Freshmen Assistant Coach

Coach P is in his 8th year teaching and 3rd year coaching freshmen football at Armstrong High School. He graduated Elk River High School in 1995 and played both linebacker and fullback for the Elks. He attended Bemidji State University graduating in 2000 with a major in Science Education. Aside from the correcting the pronunciation and spelling of his last name, Coach P teaches Pre-AP Physical Science anc coaches Freshmen baseball at Armstrong.  

CALENDAR IS UP! - player and parent meetings, fundraisers, some summer programs, scrimmages, and 9A, 9B, 10th, JV and Varsity game schedules. Click on "Calendar" to your left.