Search for Cape football coach under way
Cape Coral High School football coach Mike Goebbel stepping down from his position after three years of success on the field did not come as a total surprise for principal Eric McFee.
“We talked about it a few months ago at the end of the season,” McFee said Wednesday. “Both of us wanted to wait for what the doctors said about his knees.”
Goebbel still has some decisions to make about going along with surgery on one knee at a time or both at the same time, but either as both a physical education teacher and coach he was unable to continue on.
“I expect him to finish out the school year, but after that is uncertain,” said McFee. “As a PE teacher it is all day on your feet, but he has a job as long as he wants it.”
Goebbel, the winningest football coach in Cape High history – three years, 28-8, .778 winning percentage – led the Seahawks to the playoffs all three years as head coach.
“We were on such a high after the season that I wanted to hold off awhile, but I thought about it before,” said Goebbel. “I wanted to step away and give it some time. I didn’t want to make my decision before the boys signed (college letters). I didn’t want to take attention away from them.”
Five of Goebbel’s players signed NCAA Division I football scholarships the past two years, including four just last week on national signing day – Jaylen Watkins (Florida), Jeremy Davis (Miami), Dan Koenig (Oklahoma State) and Spencer Boyd (Notre Dame). All were freshmen when Goebbel joined the staff as an assistant one season before being named head coach in 2007.
Now starts the process of finding a replacement.
“We will follow the rules of the school district,” said McFee. “It must be advertised, but I already have a number of resumes that have been sent in. Right now we are forming a committee to screen the applicants, who based on the quality of the applicants will recommend which ones to interview. I expect at least four (current) assistant coaches to apply.
“Then I have to see where we are with the budget, because you have to have a teaching position available,” McFee added. “It’s our goal, a realistic goal, to have someone ready for spring practice.”
The Seahawks posted 10-3, 7-4 and 11-1 records under Goebbel’s leadership. The next-best winning percentage at Cape is the two-year total of .600 (12-8) by Troy Davis, whom Goebbel replaced.
James Hale, who served the longest of any Seahawks football coach at nine years, is third-best on the list at 51-42 (.548), which included three losing seasons of 3-7, 2-8, 0-10 and one season at 5-5.
“We are going to miss Mike,” said McFee. “He was not only a great coach, but a great person who was excellent for the kids. His strength is his college connections, being able to get the players college scholarships.
“We have a good strong group of players coming back, too. The sophomores, juniors and seniors (next season) are all ready to play football.”
Goebbel may or may not remain at Cape High after the current school year, depending on his medical and family situation.
“After I meet with doctors I will know what I need to do for my knees,” said Goebbel. “I will be involved in football again in some manner after I am back on my feet.”