MONROE—Scott Darrow, widely regarded as one of the top high school football coaches in the area, was honored as the Wesco South 3A Coach of the Year last season. He earned this accolade after leading the Monroe High School Bearcats to a Wesco 3A South title.
Darrow’s approach to coaching goes beyond winning games. He is committed to making football enjoyable for his student-athletes and helping them develop skills for success both on and off the field.
Football Origins
Darrow’s football journey began at the high school level in Arlington. Although he initially did not aspire to coach and was focused on establishing his teaching career, his path changed when he was hired as a teacher at Monroe High School in 2006. There, he joined the football coaching staff, focusing on coaching linemen and calling plays for junior varsity games.
“Somewhere along the way, I just fell in love with it. I became an absolute football junkie,” Darrow told the Lynwood Times.
Darrow recalls the challenging early years at Monroe High.
“When I first got here, we were bad. Monroe was the doormat in our league. We went through a four-year stretch where we won just seven games. We were the team everyone expected to beat,” Darrow said.
Determined to change the culture, Darrow set out to transform the program.
“It’s an incredibly difficult thing to change the culture of a football team, but we did it, and that might be the thing I’m most proud of,” Darrow said.
For Darrow, instilling self-belief in players was crucial to building a strong team culture from the ground up.
Learning from Others
As an assistant coach, Darrow had the opportunity to learn from several head coaches, including Steve Hannan, Dave Telford, Dick Abrams, Brett Jay, and former Seattle Seahawk Michael Bumpus.
In an interview with the Lynnwood Times, Darrow explained how he became the next Head Coach at Monroe High School.
“When Bump [Bumpus] stepped down in 2019, I figured I’d go for the head coach job. I felt I’d been here long enough and invested too much into this program to have someone else come in and potentially not do it right,” Darrow said.
Hired in February 2020, Darrow’s tenure as head coach was immediately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a 15-month shutdown of the program.
When football resumed at Monroe, Darrow seized the opportunity to implement his philosophy and approach to coaching.
“I am a teacher first and foremost. I treat football the same way I treat teaching. Players have to understand their jobs and be motivated to execute their assignments at a high level together,” said Darrow, Head Coach at Monroe High School.
Darrow believes that football should be fun, as enjoyment is a key reason kids play the game.
“I believe kids have fun when they see themselves improving, when they are competing, and when they experience joy while playing the game. We try to create those opportunities,” Darrow said.
Impact on Players
Blake Springer, a former quarterback for Darrow and Monroe, noted Darrow’s skill in utilizing players’ talents and making tactical adjustments.
“I think his secret is using the strengths of the players he has. Year by year, he will make small changes based on the personnel that he has,” Springer said to the Lynwood Times.
Under Darrow’s leadership, Monroe has won the Wesco South title multiple times. Darrow attributes this success to the preparedness and confidence of his players, as well as the strong bonds they share and their dedication to the program.
Building a Strong Staff
As Monroe’s head Coach, Darrow has assembled a solid coaching staff, which he views as an extension of his family.
“I have a combination of people I’ve brought in, and several former players on my staff. That is one advantage of 20 years of coaching. I’ve coached about a thousand kids over the years and have been able to bring a few of the very best back as coaches,” Darrow said.
Darrow also emphasizes the importance of being a teacher at the high school where he coaches.
“It is absolutely huge that I get to be in the school each day with our kids. I teach 12th-grade civics, and I have several players in my class. I see them all in the halls too, before and after school. It’s so important to be there with them. That relationship is everything; it was crucial even when I was an assistant coach,” said Darrow.
A Path to Success
As the Monroe Bearcats began their quest for another conference championship in early September, Darrow remains focused on teaching the game he loves to players who share his passion and dedication.
