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The school board is expected to vote on athletic director Ron Stremlow's recommendation at its next regularly scheduled meeting on Friday, April 11.

And it appears to be good timing, too.

It's early enough for the new coach, whomever it might be, to meet with his players and formulate an off-season program.

Stremlow had no shortage of candidates for the position, either.

Who wouldn't desire to take over a program that despite being only six years old enjoyed its first winning season and qualified for the playoffs last year?

Forest Area fielded its first junior varsity team last year as well, and that can only help build the program further.

Naturally, a new coach usually signals changes on offense and defense, although they are not always immediate.

Sometimes, the transition is a little more gradual.

Considering the number of players the new Warrior coach will have returning at the skill positions (quarterback, receivers and running backs), it's likely the changes will be minor.

For now, anyway.

But it's also possible the new coach may switch over to a completely new offense and defense, especially since there are so many veteran players coming back.

It's sometimes easier to teach more experienced players a new system.

Younger players can become more confused and frustrated by change.

The new coach will also want to get together with the junior varsity coaches to make sure they are running the same system on offense and defense as the varsity.

It doesn't make any sense for the junior varsity not to be learning the system they'll be playing on the varsity level.

But the key is getting a new coach on board as soon as possible so that the returning players aren't kept in suspense about the future.

The Warriors had two 1,000-yard rushers last year in Ben Wyatt and Justin Gordon, and they also had defensive standout Michael Mouton, who had over 100 tackles for a school record.

Wyatt, a fullback, graduates in June. Mouton will also be gone.

Gordon, however, will be back. So will starting quarterback John Ricketts, who attended a summer camp last year and became a much more polished signal caller.

Forest Area's offensive line lost a couple of key players, but it has enough talent returning to be even stronger this year.

And there are some junior varsity players who could surprise and earn spots in the starting lineup.

While change is fraught with questions and uncertainty, and it can also be positive and exciting.

Expectations for another winning season and playoff berth will greet the new coach, and that's a pretty heavy burden to inherit.

But, it's also the kind of challenge that some coaches embrace with energy and excitement.

It should be a fun season.