Hempfield set to promote assistant to head football coach

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Friday, March 10, 2023 | 9:38 PM

Hempfield is expected to promote assistant Nick Keefer to head football coach, according to the board agenda for Monday’s meeting.

Keefer was a member of the last two coaches’ staffs, led by Mike Brown and Rich Bowen.

Brown resigned Jan. 7 after two years with the Spartans to coach at Norwin.

Keefer, a Belle Vernon graduate who was a quarterback and all-conference defensive back with the Leopards, would take on his first head coach position at the varsity level.

He was the Spartans’ head freshmen coach from 2019-21 and has been a varsity assistant at Hempfield for nine years (2011-18 and ’22).

He was the offensive coordinator from 2016-18 and also has worked with a number of other positions on both sides of the ball.

Keefer, 34, who played wide receiver and defensive back and returned kicks and punts at Lock Haven, also is an assistant track and field coach at Hempfield and was the strength coach for the softball team from 2015-18.

He is a math teacher at Wendover Middle School and was a gym teacher at four schools in the district.

Keefer was an assistant on the varsity staff at Frazier in 2010.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Hempfield