< 2007 Knights Coaching
Staff >
Head Coach - Nate
Gillam ('91)
(Bremerton High - Math Teacher)
Email: ngillam@bremertonfootball.com
Photo Gallery: Coach
Gillam's
Records: Coach
Gillam Era
This season marks Coach Gillam's third season
as head coach of the Bremerton Knight's. As an alumnist, Gillam's
football roots in the community extended all the way back to
his Warren Ave. PeeWee football days.
A starting Halfback/Linebacker
on the 1990 Washington State AA Semi-Final team, Gillam was
an intrigal part of the high school football program the day
he put his pads on for the first time. A two-year starter on
the freshman team (8th & 9th grade), Gillam also letters
all three years at the high school level.. His senior year he
received 1st-Team All-Olympic League honors at both the Running
Back and Linebacker positions. Additionally, his teammate voted
him Mr. Football, Bremerton High's highest football honor. In
the spring he played baseball and was voted Captain his senior
season.
Following graduation Gillam enrolled
at Boise State University (Boise, Idaho) and earned a Bronco
uniform as a walk-on running back. Impressed with his speed,
then current Head Coach Skip Hall, moved Gillam to the wide
receiver where he was coached by Jim Zorn, inaugural Seattle
Seahawk quarterback and current Seahawk Offensive Speacialist.
Although a quick study, Gillam missed the contact associated
with being a running back/linebacker and asked to be moved over
to defensive back. With no prior experience at the position,
Gillam walked away from the 1992 Broncos spring practice #2
on the defensive back depth chart and an athletic scholarship.
In 1994 the Broncos played for
the NCAA Div. I-AA National Championship, losing 28-14 to Youngstown
State, coached by current Ohio State University head coach Jim
Tressel. In the CBS broadcast game, Gillam recorded five tackles,
three solo, from his defensive back position.
After graduating with honors (3.65
gpa) with Bachelor Degree in Communication Training and Developement
and a minor in Business, four football letters, and being named
to Big Sky All-Academic Team four consecutive years in a row,
Gillam was hired as a Boeing Account Representative. While at
Boeing he began coaching sophomore football at Kamiak High School
(Mukilteo, Wash.) and had the privelege of helping three Knights
become NCAA Divsion I Oregon State University players. Additionally,
he helped the Kamiak make three consecutive trips to post-season
play.
Realizing his calling was in coaching
and teaching, not corporate America, Gillam returned to school
at Antioch University in Seattle to earn his Master in Education.
In 2000 Jeff Weible hired him to help start the Shorewood High
football program, which had three post-season appearances in
Gillam's three seasons. In 2003 returned to the Kitsap Peninsula
as an assistant at Peninsula High School.
Nate and his wife Leah have two sons, Nathaniel (13) and Elliott
(11 month), and a third son on the way.
| Coach
Gillam
Knights Coaching Record |
| Season |
LEAGUE |
OVERALL |
| Won |
Lost |
Perc |
Won |
Lost |
Perc |
| |
0 |
7 |
.000 |
0 |
10 |
.000 |
|
0 |
6 |
.000 |
1 |
9 |
.100 |
|
0 |
7 |
.000 |
1 |
9 |
.100 |
| Overall |
0 |
20 |
.000 |
2 |
28 |
.066 |
|
Notable Football
Connections |
Al Borges |
Offensive Coordinator,
Auburn Univ.
(former BSU Off. Coord.) |
Ron Gould |
Running Back Coach,
California
(former BSU DB Coach
& mentor) |
Tom Mason |
Linebacker Coach
(former BSU Def. Coord.) |
Kimo
Von Oelhoffen |
Pittsburgh Stealers
(former teammate) |
|
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Assistant Head Coach
- Mike Turso
('94)
(Kitsap County Sheriff Dept. - Corrections Officer)
Email: miketurso@comcast.net
Photo Gallery:
Coach Turso's
This is Coach Turso's second year as a member
of the Bremerton Knight coaching staff.
Like Coach Gillam and Torres, Turso was a key
member of a Washington State Tournament Semi-Final team coached
by Head Coach Ted Berney. Bremerton's last State Tournament
team, 1993 to be exact, Coach Berney's final season.
A three-year Varsity Letterman at offensive tackle
and Defensive End, Turso received All-League honor his sophomore,
junior and senior seasons. He completed his high school football
career at Bremerton High as an All-State Defensive End.
Choosing to join the military or playing college
football, Turso accepted and met the challenge necessary to
become a US Army Ranger, a storied and elite fighting unit.
During his four-year enlistment he decided that Bremerton was
the place that he wanted to begin coaching, get married and
raise a family.
His initiation into coaching football occurred
in the East Bremerton PeeWee program. From two season (2002-03)
he coached a B and A string team, showing those boys how to
win back-to-back PeeWee championships. In 03 he moved up to
the Jr. High ranks and coach the Offensive Line at Ridgetop
Jr. High. When Coach Gillam, in 1995, put out the word that
he was building a new coaching staff at Bremerton High, Turso
knew he wanted to be part of rebuilding the Bremerton football
tradition.
Mike and his wife Elaine live in Bremerton and
curently have two children, Anthony and Alexis.
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Director of Football
Operations - Dave Boynton
(City of Bremerton - Home Detention/Community Service Coordinator)
Email: dboynton@bremertonfootball.com
Photo Gallery: Coach Boynton's
Coach Boynton returns for his second season as
Bremerton High football coaching staff. His coaching experience
totals more than 10-years and included basketball, fastpitch,
and football.
A Washington State native, Boynton graduated from
Bellingham High (Bellingham, Wash.) in 1972. On Friday night
he played Offensive Tackle and Defensive End for the Red Raiders.
Following graduation he moved south to attend the University
of Puget Sound (Tacoma, Wash.) In 1976 he graduated with Bachelor
of Science in Public Administration. For the last twenty-nine
years he has worked in Kitsap County, either for the City of
Bremerton (22-years and counting) or Kitsap Coummunity Resources
(7-years).
"I belief in being involved in the community and what
better way than to help out young man learn life skills though
a team sports. I support and belief Coach Nate Gillam and what
he has to offer the Student Athlete, Bremerton High School,
and the City of Bremerton."
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Assistant Coach - Tony
Boddie ('78)
(Nestle USA - Sales Manager)
Email: tony.boddie@us.nestle.com
Photo Gallery: Coach Boddie's
Coach Boddie begins his second season as an Assistant
Coach for the Bremerton Knights.
A 1978 graduate of Bremerton High, Boddie was
the Denver Broncos Special Teams Captain for Super Bowl XXII
in San Diego, a game the Broncos lost 40-to-10 to the Washington
Redskins.
Boddie rushed for 1,008 yards his senior year
in high school, helping the Knights to the state 3A semifinals.
Boddie, however, didn't play in that 3-0 loss to Ingraham after
being injured the previous week in a victory over No. 1-ranked
Sumner.
Following an outstanding career at Montana State,
Boddie signed with the newly formed United States Football League.
In his first USFL game, a nationally-televised game, Boddie
stole the thunder from Herschel Walker and the New Jersey Generals
as he rushed for 128 yards and led the Los Angeles Stars to
victory.
"Boddie wasn't flashy, but he ran hard
and could catch the ball out of the backfield. He was a backup
tailback and special-teams standout two years with the Broncos."
- (Kitsap Sun, Athletes of the Century)
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Assistant Coach - Bryan
Hansen
(Naval Hospital - Industrial Hygene Technician)
Email: bdhansen@hotmail.com
Photo Gallery: Coach
Hansen's
This will be Coach Hansen's third season on the
sideline for Bremerton High football.
A native of Hot Springs, South Dakota, Hansen
was a four-year varsity fullback and linebacker for the Hot
Springs Bison under head coach Gary Glenn. In 1974 the Bison
won the Black Hills Conference Championship. His senior year
he received Honorable Mention Black Hills Conference honors.
Following high school graduation, Hansen enlisting
in the U.S. Navy and attending basic training in San Diego,
California. A Hospital Corpsman by training, he spend the majority
of his 20-year career with the Marine Corp in Okanawa, Camp
Pendleton (Calif.) and a tour of duty in the Gulf War with a
reserve helicopter unit out of Bueford, South Carolina. He also
did a tour of duty at Naval Hospital Puerto Rico, Preventive
Medicine Tech. School, Naval Hospital San Diego, Naval Hospital
Guam and finally Naval Hospital Bremerton. Retiring in 1999,
Hansen currently works for the Naval Hospital as an Industrial
Hygene Technician.
Coach Hansen began coaching locally with the North
Perry PeeWee's in 1994. Under his tutelage the 1997 B-String
team won the Kitsap County PeeWee Championship. When Nate Gillam
was hired as the Knights new head coach and spread the word
he was looking to build a new coaching staff Hansen answered
the call.
Bryan lives with his wife Kimberly (Bremerton
Cheer Coordinator), son Brandon (starting fullback) and daughter
Bethany (Bremerton cheerleader) in Bremerton, Wash.
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Email: daniel.mcinnis@bsd.wednet.edu
Photo Gallery: Coach
McInnis'
This will be Coach McInnis ninth season coaching
the Bremerton Knights, having previously worked with Head Coach
es Shawn Perkins and Mike McKnight.
A starting Running Back and Defensive Back for
the 1984 Knights, McInnis is the only member of the coaching
staff to have played for both legendary coach Chuck Semancik
and Coach Ted Berney.
Immediately following football season, McInnis
trades his football whistle for his Head Girls Basketball Coach
whistle. He has coached the Lady Knights since 1999 as either
the Head or Assistant Coach and was honor at 2007 Kitsap Sports
Awards Banquet ad as the High School Coach of the Year. Two
previous years McInnis was a finalist.
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Email: dsauls@hotmail.com
Photo Gallery: Coach Saulsberry
This season begins Coach Saulsberry's second year
as an assistant coach with the Bremerton High Varsity football
program.
Saulsberry is very familiar with the tradition
and pride of wearing Blue & Gold, being that he was a teammate
of Head Coach Nate Gillam and Assistant Coach Ron Torres on
the 1988, 1989, and 1990 teams. As a wide receiver, Saulsberry
caught quaterback Torres' passes, then stopped the opposing
teams sweeps as an outside linebacker.
A 2nd-Team All-Olympic League player on offense
and defense, Saulsberry packed his gear after graduating in
1991 and traveled to Walla Walla Community College (Walla Walla,
Wash.) with Torres to play for the Warriors.
After college, Saulsberry played nine seasons
of semi-pro football with the West Sound Orcas/Saints. He was
a key part of the Saints 2005 National Championship season.
Derrick current lives in Bremerton, Wash., and
has three sons (Easton, Derrick Jr., and Demitri. Like their
father, all three sons excel at football.
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Assistant Coach - Jeff Sawicki
(Social Studies Student Teacher - Bremerton High)
Email: jsawicki@wavecable.com
Photo Gallery: Coach
Sawicki's
This is Coach Sawicki's first season on the Knights
coaching staff. In 2006 he was the offensive coordinator and
offensive line coach for the Olympic High Trojans.
Born and raised in New England in the town of
Naugatuck, Connecticut, Coach Sawicki graduated from Naugatuck
High School, home of the Greyhounds, in 1983.
In the mid-eighties he journeyed to the west coast
to play defensive line for Coach Gene Scattini at Foothill College
(Los Altos Hills, Calif.). After his playing career ended, he
transitioned into his first coaching job as interior defensive
line coach for the Owls, participating in the 1990 Santa Cruz
Lions Bowl. Later, in 1994, he enrolled at San Jose State University
(San Jose, Calif) where he would eventually return to earn his
Bachelor of Arts in History (Magna Cum Laude 2002). Currently,
Coach Sawicki is enrolled in the Secondary Teaching Program
through National University and will be teaching at Bremerton
in the fall.
In 1992, following his two-year coaching stint
at Foothill he moved on to coach the Carlmont High offensive
and defensive lines. He then joined the San Jose State University
staff, under Head Coach John Ralston, former NFL player and
pro football Hall- of-Famer, where he worked mostly with special
teams. He returned in 1996 to Foothill College, under new Head
Coach Marshall Sperbeck, as Offensive Line coach. His first
coaching league and district championship came in 2002 with
the Mountain View Marauders (Mt. View, Calif.) under head coach
Darrel Archie . The Marauders season ended with a lose to Oakland
in a Northwest Regional Championship game. Prior to moving north
to Washington State, Sawicki coached offensive line and defensive
ends at Menlo School, a private school in Menlo Park, Calif.
He left following 2003 season, after Meno had compiled an impressive
8-3 record and earned their first playoff appearance in 7 years.
Coaching experience at the National Offense/Defensive camps
along with several volunteer positions can also be found on
Coach Sawicki's resume.
Jeff and his wife Heidi live in Poulsbo, Wash.
Jeff's step-daughter (Heidi's daughter), Kirsten, whom Jeff
is very proud of, lives with her new husband in California.
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Assistant Coach - Ron
Torres ('91)
(Potelco, Inc. - Lineman)
Email: coachrontorres@yahoo.com
Photo Gallery: Coach
Torres'
2007 marks Coach Torres' third season on the Bremerton
High Football staff as Offensive Coordinator.
If you know Knight Football history then you know
it is only natural to find Torres working along side Coach Gillam
to return the glory to the Bremerton football program. For three
season, from 1988 to 1990, quarterback Ron Torres called the
play that opened the holes for halfback Nate Gillam to run through.
Defensively, while Gillam plugged holes in the defensive line
and stuffed opposing running back from his linebacker position,
Torres was shutting down the wide receivers and intercepted
passes from his defensive back position. His junior and senior
seasons Torres received All-League quarterback and defensive
back honors.
In college, first at Walla Walla Community College
(91 & 92), then at Adam State College (Alamosa, Colo.),
Torres focussed strictly on playing defensive back. His efforts
were recognized his junior season with Defensive Back of the
Year honors.
With four sons (Devin, Nick, Dillon and Dustin)
Torres has dedicated a lot of his off-work time to the East
Bremerton PeeWee program. Having coached at every level from
Flag to B String, he lead his 2002 'D' String and 2003 'C' String
to Kitsap County PeeWee Championships.
Ron and wife Christina live in Port Orchard, Wash.,
with their four sons.
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Freshman Coach - Joe
Whitsett
(Bremerton School District - Physical Education Teacher)
Email: joewhitsett2003@yahoo.com
Photo Gallery: Coach
Whitsett's
Coach Whitsett begins his second year on Coach
Gillam's staff as the linebacker coach. 2007 will be Coach Whitsett's
third season as Head Baseball Coach at Bremerton High. Whitsett's
primary focus this season will be the newly formed Freshman
team.
A graduate of Central Kitsap High ('97), Whitsett
was a three-year letterman in football and baseball. On the
football field he started at half-back and middle linebacker
and on the baseball field he roamed center field. Having earned
1st-Team All-Olympic League football and All-State baseball
honors, Whitsett is a valuable asset for both programs.
At the University of Hawaii Whitsett played left
field and earned All-League honors his junior and senior years.
Joe is not married and lives in East Bremerton.
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Freshman Coach - Brennan
Bermea
(City of Bremerton - Waste Water Treatment)
Email: dreaded_dreams@hotmail.com
Photo Gallery: Coach Berma's
This is Coach Bermea's first year as a Bremerton
Knight football coach.
A 2006 Olympic High graduate, Bermea played Offensive
Guard / Defensive Line for the Trojans. His senior year football
honors include: All-West Sound (Defensive Line), All-Kitsap
County (Guard), 1st Team All-Narrows League Bridge Division
(Defensive Line), Best Varsity Lineman (Olympic Trojans), and
Most Inspirational (Olympic Trojans). For the 2004-05 school
year, he was the Trojan Pride Award recipient.
Last season Bermea suited up for Coach Fred Slaughts
and the Rangers of NW Oklahoma State University (Alva, Okla.).
His advice to players moving far away from home for the first
time to play college football is, "stay open minded and
make lots of friends. Friends on the team, in the student body,
and in the community give you a rest to like and enjoy a new
and unfamiliar place." Bermea returned to Kitsap County
to coach because the college football staff that recruited him
was replaced.
Brendan is currently single and lives in Brownsville,
Wash.
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Freshman Coach
- Kevin
Hooker ('97)
(Puget Sound Naval Shipyard - Chemist)
Email:
Photo Gallery: Coach Hooker's
This is Coach Hooker's first season coach football.
His focussed specifically on the freshman team and filming the
varsity games.
An Honorable Mention All-League linebacker his
senior year, Hooker also player tight end for Bremerton Head
Football Coach Eric Canton.
After graduationg from Bremerton High in 1998,
Hooker chose to play baseball instead of football in college.
As an Olympic College Ranger, he started at first base and also
saw time as a relief pitcher. He transfered to University of
Washington his junior year and earned his Bachelor of Science
Degree in Chemistry. He works for Code 134 at the Puget Sound
Naval Shipyard, as a chemist.
Previously, Hooker coached in the American League
Baseball program.
Single, Hooker currently lives in Bremerton, Wash.
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Freshman Coach
- Bob
White ('75)
(Subase Bangor - Industrial Maintenance)
Email:
Photo Gallery: Coach White
Coach White is the oldest Bremerton High alumnus
coaching on Coach Gillam's staff and is the only one to have
played for Washington State High School Hall of Famer Chuck
Semancik. He was a running back and linebacker on the 1974 team.
After high school Coach White played semi-pro
football for the West Sound Kings and Kitsap County Chiefs,
predecessors to the West Sound Orcas/Saints.
Coach White is well known through Kitsap County.
For 21 seasons he coached Pee Wee football in the Silverdale
organization. During that time he won at least nine county championships.
Ask him, and he will not hesitate to tell you that, he coached
a young, up-and-coming running back named Nate Gillam when he
was a Pee Wee football player.
Bob and his wife Shirley live in West Bremerton.
They have two daughters and one son.
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Email: nickow2007@hotmail.com
Photo Gallery: Trainer Nickow's
The 2007-08 school year is Danitza Nicklow's first
season as Bremerton High Athletic Trainer.
A graduate of Duquesne University (Pittsburgh,
Penn.), with a Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training,
she is not bashful about telling you that Duquesne "is
the top rated athletic training program in the country."
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is where Nicklow was
born and raised. At Oakland Catholic, an all-girls diocesan
high school in Pittsburgh, she played four years of varsity
volleyball as a setter, and was Captain for both her junior
and senior years. Additional, she played catcher for the Eagle's
fastpitch softball team for two seasons.
In June, Danitz married her high school sweetheart,
Benjamin Nicklow, who attended the all-boys Catholic High School
across town. Benjamin is a Machinist Mate Third Class and is
stationed onboard the USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730)(BLUE)
at Subase Bangor.
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Email:
Photo Gallery: Manager Belden's
This is Manager Belden's second year as the Knights'
equipment manager.
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