Mitchell resigns at Sandpoint

SANDPOINT - Mike Mitchell resigned after six seasons as Sandpoint High football coach to take a job starting Feb. 20 as head coach for the Zagreb Patriots, a professional team in the Central European Football League.

"Professional football is a little different over there," Mitchell said. "It's not the same caliber as the NFL - it's more along the lines of a college team."

The job opportunity first presented itself when one of Mitchell's acquaintances from Croatia asked for his help in putting together an offensive plan for the Patriots. Mitchell took a week of unpaid leave from the school to travel overseas and honor the request. Afterward, the team managers asked if he would be interested in serving as the team's head coach.

"It was an opportunity for my wife (Gail) and I to do a little traveling and see more of the world," said Mitchell, also an assistant principal at SHS.