Michael Arnold’s first reaction when informed that Central High School football coach Mitch Olson was leaving the school for a new job was one of sadness.
After spending six seasons as a member of Olson’s staff, the departure didn’t immediately appear to be an opportunity.
“I was sad that a friend of mine and a mentor of mine was leaving,” Arnold said on Friday. “It took some time to get past that, but as that moment came and went, (pursuing Olson’s former job) became a no-brainer.”
Other coaches on the staff discussed the situation with him and expressed support and encouragement. After nearly a month of acting as the team’s interim coach, Arnold was officially announced as its coach on Friday morning.
Arnold takes over a team that tied for the MVC championship the past three seasons and has played in the WIAA Division 2 postseason five straight times.
With that in mind, Arnold said not to expect much to change in the land of the RiverHawks.
“I don’t necessarily think of it as a changing of the guard in a big way,” Arnold said. “What we have been building at Central is something the other coaches and I have bought into. We will still do a lot of things we’ve been doing that have led to our success.
“My little flavor will come in little things we do in practice or traditions we might start. When it comes to what Central football will look like on the field on Friday nights, I don’t think much will change.”
Arnold’s six seasons as a general assistant for Olson have allowed him to work with both the offense and defense — although defense has been his biggest focus.
Without the title of coordinator, Arnold was given the chance by Olson to learn about all aspects of what the team was trying to do.
“Coach Olson gave me a lot of freedom over the past couple of years to do different things,” Arnold said. “It was special that he put that trust in me, and I picked up more roles.”
Arnold played football — he was a running back and corner back — at Stillman Valley High School in Illinois. He also served as an assistant coach there for three seasons before heading to the Coulee Region.
