On Monday, February 20, 2023 Cameron Conder was named the new Plainsmen head football coach. He came to Enid in 2015 to help Steve Hays and has been the offensive coordinator the past eight seasons. I sat down with Coach Conder and asked him some questions about his first year at the helm of the Plainsmen football program.
Question: What is your major highlight or achievement as an athlete and as a coach?
Coach Conder: I was a three sport All-State player in Arizona. As a coach, in 2012, I coached a kid by the name of Daniel Davidson. I just saw something in him and named him starting quarterback with not much support from my staff. He threw for 4900 yards and 54 touchdowns as a junior and 4800 yards and 52 touchdowns as a senior. It took some work, but I knew he had it in himself.
Question: What is your greatest strength and how does that help you be a good coach?
Coach Conder: My greatest strength may be a weakness. I am a workaholic, up really early, always working, no-nonsense kind of guy. I really don’t have any hobbies to offset the grind and stress of a season.
Question: How do you deal with the wins and losses and the pressures and criticism in every season?
Coach Conder: You have to take it one practice at a time, one game at a time. We have to worry about ourselves being prepared and being ready to give great effort each practice, each game. Pressures and criticism, you get that no matter what. That is just part of it and I have handled it before.
Question: How do you develop balance between academics and athletics?
Coach Conder: (Coach Conder showed me a cap with “Effortville” on it) It is an important part of our program culture to stress being your best in the classroom and the best you on the football field. My influence and the coaches can make a difference in a young man’s life.
Question: What is the biggest challenge most athletes face today?
Coach Conder: Athletes today have so many options, choices. One of the biggest challenges is the fear of failure. The coaches have to work on that every practice, every game.
Question: What are your top five priorities?
Coach Conder: To create a program that develops players with good academics and players becoming the best version of themselves. We need toughness, be physical, play hard, give great effort, attitude (little things matter), coachable. That’s probably more than five.
Question: Name three key players.
Coach Conder: We are young this season and there are a lot of young men that need to step up and play well in our new power spread up-tempo offense. Quarterback Aidan Robinson, linebacker Brittain Combs and offensive lineman Brock Sullivan are three key players that will need to stay healthy, play well and provide leadership.
Question: What about your staff?
Coach Conder: I have a good, diversified staff of older and younger guys. Each one of them has their heart in the right place and wants to influence kids in a positive way. Rick Luetjen will be the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. Defensive coordinator will be Kareem Sears.
The Enid Plainsmen finished 6-6 last season in 6A-1 and won a first round playoff game before losing to Bixby. The Plainsmen had a successful season. Success is different everywhere you go. It is a process, not an event! Enid is on its way to more successful seasons and they have the right man to lead the program.The Plainsmen open up their 2023 season at Muskogee on August 25th and play at Ponca City on September 1st. Their first home game is September 15th hosting Edmond North. Only four home games this season! Get out and enjoy some Plainsmen football!
