New Coaches Start Season

FARMINGTON — Austin Lewis, hired over the summer as Farmington’s new head coach of the junior high football team, quickly found out how formidable of a challenge he faces.

The junior Cardinals begin their second season as a member of one of the elite junior high football conferences across Arkansas — the 7A West, which feeds Bentonville, Bentonville West, Fayetteville, Springdale and Springdale Har-Ber, plus Siloam Springs, which competes at the 6A level for varsity.

Farmington ranks as a Class 5A team in football and 4A for all other sports.

Lewis has drawn a vote of confidence from Farmington head football coach Mike Adams, who anticipated the addition of Lewis could help the program in the midst of changing dynamics.

“Austin is rock solid in everything he does. He’s not a guy who gets really excited, but he does a real good job teaching fundamentals,” Adams said.

As the head junior high coach Lewis has done a good job with those guys, in the eyes of Adams, getting everything organized.

“Coming in late into the covid era, he’s done a real good job of keeping everybody in line, and blending our staff together. You know, he’s in charge of guys who coached him, now. Steve Morgan and Clint Scrivner, those guys who coached him, but that’s been seamless,” Adams said. “That’s a real testament to his personality to go in there and have a right blend of responsibility and being in charge but also listening to the veterans and leaning on them for some help.”

For his part, Lewis, who had to familiarize himself with the 7A West Junior High teams, taps into the insight of veteran coaches experienced in competing against the 7A West.

“It’s good to talk to these guys, pick their brains, especially being in this conference we’re going to be going up against some good talent,”

Lewis said. “It will make us better in the long run and we all rely on each other to get prepared and we’ll keep on doing that week in and week out.”

“I’ve been real pleased with what he’s done so far. He’s working with our offensive line the varsity and doing a real, good job there,” Adams said.

Also joining the Cardinals is assistant coach Jarrod Mattingly, a Little Rock native, now in his second year teaching Algebra at Farmington. Mattingly played football a couple of years in high school, then moved to northwest Arkansas in 1997, and attended the University of Arkansas. After graduation he worked in baking for about eight years, then left the baking industry and got into teaching.

“He’s been a guy who’s real eager, been here every time we open the doors and been here early and working hard to learn,” Adams said. “He’s working primarily with our junior high linemen then working with our senior high guys some on the defensive and offensive lines so we’re fortunate to have him.”

Mattingly previously coached tennis at another school and has worked with his son’s Little League Baseball team five years now. Mattingly enjoys developing rapport with the other coaches and players.

“Fortunately, I’ve got a good group, who’s showing me the ropes,” Mattingly said. “I love it, I absolutely love it.”

The most enjoyable aspects of the job for him are the camaraderie with other coaches and being a leader for the boys.

“Being a positive impact in their lives, helping them to be able to do something they love, teaching them a little bit about the game of football, but it’s more about teaching them life skills,” Mattingly said.

He appreciates the district’s investment in the football program, working at the $16 million Farmington Sports Complex and Cardinal Stadium.

“It’s amazing, I haven’t worked in a facility like this,” Mattingly said. “It’s unbelievable. I’m just blessed to be a part of it.”

Mattingly

Lewis