Ray Yarbrough to be new Cougar grid coach
From our weekly issue dated July 9, 2008
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Ray Yarbrough (Photo courtesy of webfreaksfootballleague.com)
Ray Yarbrough, a 1995 graduate of Illinois Valley High School, is replacing Bob Thornhill, the head football coach who led the Cougars to their first undefeated season.
It looks like a case of one award-winning coach replacing another award-winner.
Under Thornhill, directing a talented group of athletes, the IVHS grid squad took the Skyline Conference championship with a 10-0 record last year.
Thornhill, a 1986 graduate of IVHS, is stepping down as head coach. He held the post since 2002.
Yarbrough was born and raised in Illinois Valley. He played football during all four years at IVHS. The year after graduation, he started coaching with the Boys & Girls Club, doing that for two years.
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He moved to British Columbia, Canada in 1999 and coached high school football; then moved on to St. Thomas More Collegiate, a Catholic school near Vancouver, BC. As offensive line coach, he led the team to a Provincial Championship in 2000.
In 2002 he began coaching at Kelowna Secondary School. He also coached the Okanagan Sun, a Canadian Junior Football team.
In 2003, Yarbrough was appointed the first head coach of Okanagan Mission Secondary School’s brand-new football program. He has coached the team to the Provincial Playoffs all four years.
Yarbrough said that he’s looking forward to returning to Illinois Valley and continuing a strong Cougar program.
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