MERKEL — With its fourth coach in as many seasons, the Merkel football team is looking for a sense of stability and belief heading into the 2021 season. And first-year coach Will Kates believes he can eventually deliver both. 

Kates takes over for Britt Hart, who took the job at Stamford during the offseason. That leaves Kates with the task of teaching the Badgers their fourth system since 2018 while convincing them that he’s in it for the long haul.