Leader of the birds

Josh Brookshire lands Issaquah Eagles head football coaching position.

By Shaun Scott • May 4, 2019 1:57 pm
Josh Brookshire, who coached for the past two seasons for the College of Idaho Yotes football program, was hired as the Issaquah Eagles head football coach on April 19. Photo courtesy of Josh Brookshire
Josh Brookshire, who coached for the past two seasons for the College of Idaho Yotes football program, was hired as the Issaquah Eagles head football coach on April 19. Photo courtesy of Josh Brookshire

A new face will be leading the Issaquah Eagles football program on the sidelines this fall.

Josh Brookshire, a 36-year-old who was an assistant coach for the College of Idaho Yotes football program in the Frontier Conference the past two seasons, accepted the Eagles head football coach position on April 19. Brookshire will also teach physics at Issaquah High School when the 2019-20 school year commences this September. Brookshire met with parents and players at a Saturday night gathering on April 27 at the Issaquah High School library.

“I think it’s a fantastic group of kids and a really great group of adults. You can tell everyone is very involved and very invested in the program. I’m really excited,” Brookshire said.

Brookshire, who said his in-laws live in the Western Washington region, is a staunch disciplinarian who believes in team camaraderie at all levels of his football program. Brookshire was in the Navy from 2001-2011.

“I think discipline and enthusiasm are critical. Football is the ultimate team activity. If we’re not all on the same page, then we will definitely fail together. I always use the Ben Franklin quote: ‘We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately,’” Brookshire said.

Leaving his hometown of Caldwell, Idaho was a difficult decision for Brookshire.

“It was a tough call. I’m an alum (College of Idaho). I grew up down the street from the school. It was emotional for me. Going to Issaquah is a fantastic opportunity and it was a good time for my family to make a change. I have a 13-year-old son who is going into the eighth grade next year. If we were going to make a move, we wanted to make one before he got to high school. It was perfect timing,” Brookshire said.

Brookshire plans on sticking around Issaquah for the long haul.

“We are going to generate a family atmosphere centered on love and discipline. I think that if we’re going to win that the wins will come out of that as a result, but we’re not going to necessarily focus on that (winning),” Brookshire said. “I just want our guys to be playing and coaching for each other. The right things will happen if we are doing that.”