Nearly six months after the announcement of Tracy Jackson’s retirement, Barlow has hired Steven Andreen to replace Jackson as the Bruin’s head football coach. Barlow will be Andreen’s first time in charge of a program, yet he is no stranger to the field.
After graduating from California State University Fullerton, where he played rugby, Andreen returned to his alma mater, La Quinta High School, to assist in a football program he was familiar with as a student. Andreen would then take on various junior varsity or assistant varsity positions at opposing high schools in Southern California, such as Santiago High School and Garden Grove High School for a decade before making his way to Oregon in 2018. Since 2020, Andreen has held various positions within the David Douglas football program including JV head coach, passing coordinator, and varsity offensive coordinator.
The Barlow football program is a traditionally strong force in the Mount Hood Conference and is a regular Oregon 6A football playoff contender, and Andreen recognized that from the beginning. “I have been a fan of Barlow football as an outsider for a while now,” Andreen states.
Once word of Jackson’s retirement found Andreen, he took action. “It has always been a job I have been waiting for, so I started emailing Dalzell, probably more than necessary, about my interest,” he shares with a chuckle—Andreen’s enthusiasm for the position paid off. “At first I was just really happy to get an interview,” he says, but the news of being hired topped it all.
Already knowing the full impact of blue and gold, Andreen wishes to fully utilize the program’s existing strengths rather than come in with a fresh style. “This first year, I think people think I’m gonna come in and immediately start changing things. But what I want is the students to buy in and take all the things we do well and make them better.”
The message of “buying in” is becoming Andreen’s motto for the upcoming season. “The big goal for this year is re-energizing what we are doing…building positive excitement and wanting to come to practice every day where we can fully commit to being the best we can be,” he elaborates.
Nearly a month after officially being hired, on April 4, 2024, Andreen held a meeting at Barlow open to those interested in continuing or beginning a journey as a part of the Barlow football program. “Almost forty kids or so showed up,” Andreen recalls, “..and it was really good to finally see who I will be working with and get a feel for them in just a single meeting.”
Andreen’s high expectations from his athletes are already evident and only matched by his own level of commitment. “I’m already making practice plans, it’s pretty obsessive,” Andreen jokes. But come September, Coach Andreen will lead the Bruin’s football team in what is sure to be another successful season.
