The announcement was posted quietly on-line on the Sunday afternoon of Independence Day weekend, but caught many in the city of Keizer off guard.
McNary head football coach Jeff Auvinen announced Sunday that he is stepping down from his post after seven years at the helm of the program. The search for a new coach will begin this week.
In a brief statement on the McNary football Facebook page, Auvinen said that “It has been an amazing thirty years in the program, and I wouldn't change a minute of it. I want to thank my family, the community, the administration, and most importantly, all of the amazing athletes that have been through the program in those thirty years.”
Auvinen has been a major player in the McNary football program, going back to the regime of longtime coach Garry Swanson. He became head coach in 2007 after Isaac Parker resigned to pursue an assistant coaching job at Lewis and Clark College.
The Celtics were always in the playoff hunt under Auvinen’s direction. This past fall, the Celts finished fourth (7-4) in the Mountain Valley Conference, but were in every game thanks to the athleticism of Celtics quarterback and MVC offensive player of the year, Tyler Copeland. Auvinen also served for several seasons as the head softball coach at McNary, and has also been a baseball assistant coach.
Although he is stepping away from coaching, Auvinen is not retiring yet, remaining at McNary as a science teacher. He and his wife, Kristi, both work for the school district.