By Wendi Reardon Price
Clarkston News Sports Writer
NORTHVILLE — Dan Carpenter reached a milestone in his coaching career and his Clarkston JV Football players were more than happy to dump water on their head coach following the season opener 14-13 win over Northville on Aug. 24.
The win was Carpenter’s 100th victory as a coach, to start his 23rd season in Clarkston and 18th year as a head coach.
He shared though his record is just above .500, he has seen his fair share of ups and downs.
Carpenter was an eighth grade coach for Clarkston Junior High School for nine seasons.
“I have coached a winless team,” Carpenter shared. “I am the last Clarkston coach to achieve that feat. I hope it stays that way. I have coached undefeated teams as well – that trend can continue.
“The boys on the winless team mean just as much as the ones from the undefeated ones,” he continued. “In fact, they mean more. It was my first season and I was clueless. I got into coaching for the wrong reason. I got into coaching because I loved football. That is not why you coach. Fans love football. Coaches love kids.”
Carpenter shared some words he has carried with him from former Clarkston Varsity Football Head Coach Kurt “KR” Richardson, “they do not care how much you know, unless they know how much you care.”
“If I could borrow the Delorean and go back to 2003, we should have won with Nick Shamoun and Chad Blackstone in my backfield,” Carpenter said. “But I can’t. The good news, those boys stayed with Clarkston Football, eventually got some quality coaching, and won a lot of games. Both are, as far as I know, very successful and are still around town. When I see them, they greet me with respect – that is what makes Clarkston Football special.”
He shared there are “life long bonds that are forged in the mud.”
“I received some good coaching too from Steve Himburg, Dave Whitehead, and Steve Wyckoff. Those guys were great mentors,” he said.
Carpenter was asked to take over the freshman program and was an assistant coach for two years.
“I was on the sidelines when Whitehead got his 100,” he shared. “All the varsity guys shook his hand. At that moment, I told myself, I am going to get that 100th, too. Now that I have it, I need 170 more to catch KR. So I better pick up the pace. If I never lose again, it will happen in 18 seasons.”
Carpenter added achieving the milestone was helped by his family.
“I could not have reached this without my family’s support and sacrifice,” said Carpenter. “Especially Grammy, my mother-in-law Shirley. I am gone a lot – all coaches are – 12 hour days are the norm, Saturday mornings. Clarkston Football is a grind.
“My wife, Jen, and I are celebrating our 25th anniversary. She has always been by my side,” he continued, adding they have three daughters, Evie, Ota and Eloa, and two sons, CJ and Emmett. “One of them lives in Spain. The other four attend Clarkston Schools. My son is playing for eighth grade. His coaches were my former players.”
Dan added a thank you to his current coaches, Andy Laidlaw, Tim Wisser and Lucas Sanders.
“There are great guys who work their butts off for Clarkston Football,” he added.
The Clarkston JV Football team is undefeated, 4-0, with their recent win over Stoney Creek last Thursday, 50-14.
“These boys are the last kids Himburg coached,” Dan said. “I saw him at practice the day he died. I shook his hand one last time. We have dedicated this season to Coach Himburg. The JV team is very good this year. We have a goal of going 9-0. It’s going to be brutal though. No cupcakes in the OAA Red. It looks like Harper Woods is legit. We end with Ike (Utica Eisenhower) who looks loaded. But to be the best, you must beat the best. We don’t want any handouts, for we are the Wolves.”
JV Football hosts Oxford this Thursday at Clarkston High School Stadium, 7 p.m.

  100 wins, Dan Carpenter, Football