Farwell HS football coach Scott Barnhart and wife Sabine are a team

     FARWELL –  Despite some of the difficulties that arise from having a spouse coach a demanding sport, the Barnharts have been able to keep their relationship strong.
     Sabine and Scott Barnhart have been married for 18 years and don’t see their rigorous football schedule as an issue in their relationship.
     “It’s a very interesting career choice,” Scott Barnhart said. “The things and emotions that go into it really consume you. And for me to watch a lot of my friends that are coaches go through some of the marital things they’ve gone through and to have not experienced that myself, that’s been great.”
     The reason he said he hasn’t had to go through that is that he has a great partner in Sabine.
     “She’s seen all the things that I do,” he said. “I put my heart and soul out there for those kids and she hears the responses from the parents and has had to deal with that on a regular basis. It’s really amazing to me that she’s stuck with me this long. It’s as tough on her as it is with me.”
     The Barnharts met in a calculus class while attending Ferris State University in Big Rapids.
     “It took me two days to convince her she was in the class with me,” Scott said. “I had to convince her by sitting next to her. Even after that it was a long process for her to show any interest in me. It took a lot of work.”
     From the beginning, Scott said he was upfront about his intentions of being a coach.
     “I remember when we first started talking about being together I asked if she would be happy being married to a teacher and a coach from northern Michigan,” he said. “I remember she said she thought that would be neat.”
     That question was more important than their actual proposal, Scott said.
     “The proposal was just a formality,” he said. “When she said she could deal with coaching that was when we knew we wanted to be together.”
     The Barnharts have two children, Benjamin who is a sophomore, and Kaitlyn, who is in eighth grade and both children are into athletics.
     “Katie is a two-season cheerleader and runs track in the spring,” he said. “Ben is in football and basketball and is undeclared for the spring, but I think he’s leaning toward baseball.”
Scott said that football season can put a strain on the families’ everyday life.
     “It absolutely consumes our entire day,” he said. “As soon as my wife gets out of work, she’s a pharmacist, she’s got to cover a lot of the things I’m not able to get done. Then she’s taking pictures of the kids during the games.”
     But, even with the hectic schedule, both Barnharts would say they wouldn’t change any of their choices.
     “We talk about that a lot, but not really no, we wouldn’t change anything,” he said. “All the things we have done have made us so strong. Our kids have turned out amazing and we’re so proud of them and their accomplishments. Changing one thing would screw the whole thing up.”
     Sabine said that it is because of all that they have been through that they are so strong.
     “For sure,” she said. “It’s made us stronger as a couple.”
     When they aren’t being consumed by football season, the Barnharts enjoy spending time at their home.
     “We got some acreage here on the river,” he said. “And when we get time to ourselves we truly enjoy doing some house projects. We take of animals, we have a hobby farm here and my wife does some photography. I have a car dealership that I use as a pleasant distraction.”
     Both Barnharts agree that when they get a day off, they enjoy spending time together and with their children.
     “We love watching our kids grow up in a nice environment,” he said. “In a nice place in northern Michigan.”
     This year’s football team is dramatically different than previous years and Scott said there are five different reasons why.
     “Our coaching staff has stayed intact,” he said. “Our administration has stayed consistent in its vision and our kids worked extremely hard in the off-season. Our parents have been phenomenal and been supportive in all factions.”
     The fifth component, he said, is the community.
     “Our community has been very supportive,” he said. “We’ve had a tremendous number of budget cuts up at the school that’s made things difficult on us and the community has stepped up.”
     Farwell Superintendent Dave Peterson said that Scott is a teacher first and a coach second.
     “The students request his class,” Peterson said. “Many seek him out for extra help after hours even if he is not their teacher. He understands the importance of academics and pushes his athletes to perform in the classroom.”
     Peterson also commented on Scott’s ability to change.
     “This year Scott changed his offensive philosophy,” he said. “That is not easy for a coach to do. Scott is not afraid to delegate important and critical situations to his staff. This is a very important quality in a leader.”
     Dedication and commitment is something that Peterson said Scott shows to his student athletes and the football program.
     “It’s tough to turn a program around but the perseverance and dedication of Scott and many others is making a difference,” he said.
     Farwell High Schools Athletic Director Rick Smith said that coach Barnhart and his staff have worked extremely hard to build a solid football program.
     “Their success this year is a result of their commitment and dedication to building a positive program,” he said. “The coaches seem to be having fun and the students appear to be enjoying the season as well.”
     Smith said he is confident that they will continue to work hard preparing each week and they seem very fired up about their contest with the Mustangs.