Social studies teacher Beau Labore took over for the retired Scott Hoffman in the spring of 2011. He brought in the Wing T offense, which has been very effective thus far.  Labore also led the charge to provide the Ponies with new equipment starting last year, and has been active in the community as well.

One area the program had been struggling in prior to Labore’s arrival was the quality of the equipment. The team had been using some of the same equipment for over a decade. Before last season, Labore led an effort to replace all helmets with Revolution 360 and Speed Helmets, which are more concussion resistant.

Senior David Peterson, a captain for the Ponies, said,  “The quality of the equipment, especially helmets and shoulder pads, has dramatically improved, leading to a higher quality of play.”

Labore has been known to drive his players hard when it comes to giving max effort,often mentioning previous failures and how close the team was to succeeding on critical plays, only to fall short.

Senior Ryan Peltier, an emotional leader for the ponies, said Labore always stresses,  “The importance of inches, especially in relation to the past couple seasons, where one or two plays could have changed the season.” The Ponies have been knocked out of the playoffs in each of the past two seasons as a result of a poor final play, so his message surely resonates with the players.

Due in large part to the relatively new scheme brought by Labore, the Ponies have been effective on offense for the past several years. This fall has been no exception. Running behind a veteran offensive line that averages 260 lbs, Knox leads the conference in rushing with 1450 yards and set team records for yards in a game and carries in a season. Additionally, junior Matt Anderson ranks amongst the conference leaders in receiving yards and touchdowns.

Peltier said,  “Our experienced and large offensive line and our experienced backfield helps contribute to our success.” Junior Matt Anderson echoed that sentiment,  “We have a very big, experienced offensive line, and we are also very talented at the skill positions.” Labore’s Wing T has certainly been effective at Stillwater, as it relies on strong lineman and tough running backs, something Stillwater has always been able to produce.

Though last fall’s conference championship was impressive, Labore’s greatest accomplishment has likely been his ability to reach out and become more active with the community.

Peltier said,  “Labore has made big strides in community involvement with the Ponies Touchdown Club and the team’s website. Also, the VAA program is now more connected with the high school.” These improvements not only aid the program, but helps in bringing the football community closer together.

Coach Labore has greatly changed the football program for the better, and has laid the foundation for a very successful long term outlook, all the while getting the community more involved. Stillwater has found its ideal coach.