Tualatin High School football coach Dan Lever was recently named the Three Rivers League Coach of the Year, following the team’s win at the district championship. Lever has been a part of the football program at Tualatin since 2017. In this interview, he reflects on the work that the coaching staff, players and whole program put in to make this achievement possible. Responses have been edited for clarity and length. 

What does receiving this award mean to you?

“It’s really a staff award. It means that I have a great coaching staff. I think head coaches get too much fame and too much blame sometimes. This is a staff award. I’ve got a really good team. It’s humbling because there’s a great group of coaches in the Three Rivers League. But really this is about the kids and my assistants.”

Why did you decide to become a coach at Tualatin?

“I thought Tualatin was a great place. I love the vision Ted Rose had for his team here. I became a coach because that’s what my dad did. That’s what his dad did, and that’s what his dad did. It’s the family business.” 

How do you keep your players motivated, especially during this long season?

“It’s a long year, especially because we didn’t get done playing in the spring that long ago. The turnaround time was pretty quick, so we’ve just tried to get our work done and have fun doing it. I’m not going to lie, there’s been weeks that I’ve wanted to pull my hair out, but for the most part, they’ve done a great job staying focused.”

Is there anything that is different about this season from previous seasons?

“Yeah, we just keep winning.”