RAPID CITY, S.D. – Steve Svendsen has resigned as the head football coach for the Raiders after one season due to family and personal concerns according to Rapid City Stevens Activities Director Jared Vasquez who made the announcement on Friday. In Svendsen’s one season with Stevens, the Raiders finished with a 3-6 record, qualifying for the Class AAA state playoffs, where they fell to Brandon Valley 52-21 in the quarterfinal round. Stevens lost 18 seniors from last year’s squad, including five who recently signed letters-of-intent to play football in college. Svendsen, who has been a football coach for 35 years, including 23 as a head coach, also coached Rapid City Central from 1999 to 2007. Prior to that he coached at Aberdeen Central as an assistant from 1985-87 and as head coach from 1992-97. He also was an assistant at the University of Houston and was instrumental in the Run and Shoot offense and helping develop Andre Ware into the Heisman Trophy winner. Stevens will begin the process to post, search and interview for a new head coach immediately.
(rapidcityjournal.com/sports contributed to this story)
