Shepard Takes Reins of Drury Football Program
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- Former Drury High School football standout Seth Shepard will be taking over the role as head coach this season up on the hill.
Shepard was a member of the squad from 2003-2007; playing wide receiver, tight end, and defensive back. During his time playing with the Blue Devils he was a part of the team who broke a 17-year draught to losing to rival Hoosac Valley. After breaking the drought, his team won the next three years.
“Our senior year we beat both Wahconah and Hoosac to close out the season and make the playoffs,” Shepard said. “We lost to Wahconah in overtime, 23-22, without our star player, Sean Trottier. We had a very special group of guys those couple of seasons.”
Aside from Shepard’s time spent on the football field, he was also a four-year varsity baseball player. During his four years at Drury he played under the coaching of Francis Millard, Jim Freeney, Frank Casuscelli, Al Marceau, Bob LeClair, and Pat Boulger.
“I’m grateful for each interaction and lesson these men taught me, and I’m lucky to still have a relationship with them,” he said. “Drury athletics made me who I am today, even the sports I didn’t play; I supported friends and classmates in every game.”
The “Most School Spirit” class superlative was given to Shepard for a reason as Drury athletics was and now is the foundation on which he continues to build.
After graduation from Drury in 2007, Shepard went on to Johnson & Whales University. During his college years he interned at Brown University with their football program. He spent his internship learning how a Division I-AA program is run -- taping practices, camps, recruiting and much more under the supervision of Phil Estes, Kyle Archer, and Chris Nappi.
Shepard’s internship then led him to his first job upon graduation. He went on to Mount Ida College, where he took the role as the wide receivers coach.
“Mount Ida gave me the opportunity to coach my own group of collegiate athletes,” he said. “I coached alongside Hoosac Valley alumnus Mike Tatten, who is now at Oklahoma State, as well as Williams College alumni Kevin Gilmartin, who is head coach at Salve Regina University.”
After Shepard’s first season down in Newton, Mass., at Mount Ida, he returned home to the Berkshires where he then reached out to Bill Bryce to volunteer his time with the football team.
Shepard will be entering his third season with the Blue Devils, but this time in the lead role.
“My decision was really made by the support and confidence that former head coach Bill Bryce gave me,” Shepard said. “He approached me a few months prior about the possibility of becoming head coach and has really helped me through the process. It was something I wasn’t expecting, but greatly appreciate.”
The Blue Devils finished last season 3-6 with close loses to Lee, Mount Greylock, and Taconic. Last year, they had their first season as a cooperative team with St. Joseph, a partnerniship that will continue this fall.
“A lot of Berkshire County teams are facing challenges with the number of players, but I’m very excited about our response this season with the student body,” Shepard explained. “It takes a special student to come out for football and this year it looks like we will have over 35 athletes; that’s a positive sign for our program.”
Last season’s squad had about six St. Joe players, which Shepard said benefited the team quite well -- not just with their talent, but the bonds that were built between the two schools.
With just a few weeks to go before pre-season, Shepard and his squad are excited to start this season’s journey.
“I’m not sure I can explain the excitement to continue to coach at my high school,” he said. “The program, the history, the education that gave me these incredible experiences early in life and now I get to help pay it forward to our current student athletes.
“I never imagined coaching, as my initial plan was to be a college football administrator, but my experiences have led me back here for a reason.”