4A SPSL football has its day in sun, so should more leagues in Washington hold preseason media days?

'This helps make it look like what football has become,' one league coach says

Seniors Louis Filimaua, left, Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, center, and Owen Lago represent Bethel at the inaugural 4A SPSL media day Wednesday in Tacoma. / Photo by Todd Milles

TACOMA, Wash. - Shawn Yohn has history with the 4A SPSL in football, from the time he was a player at Rogers of Puyallup in the late 1980s, and now returning for a second season as the coach for his alma mater.

He's always known about the league's widespread success, and started thinking of new ways to promote the product.

It was then when the idea hit him: Preseason media day.

On Wednesday, the league held its inaugural media day at The Ram Restaurant and Brewery along the Old Town waterfront as coaches and select players from all 12 schools showed up to eat lunch, socialize and, yes ... do media interviews.

"This is the first time I've ever been a part of this," said Bethel's Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, the state's top 2025 recruit in who is headed to the University of Washington. "I think it's cool."

High school media days are not uncommon in other states, particularly in the South where Yohn coached before returning home.

Yohn was an assistant coach at Louisville Central High School in Kentucky when more than 70 programs would attend a day-long media day at Churchill Downs.

That idea flashed into his head a couple months ago when he was filling out a media organization's request for 2024 team information.

"I thought, 'Wouldn't it be good for us to just do this in person?'" Yohn said.

He sent text messages to Graham-Kapowsin coach Jeff Logan and Puyallup coach Brian Grout, gauging their interest in a media-day event. They loved it.

So, Yohn sent an email to all the coaches about organizing one, then started calling around for a low-cost venue for where to hold it.

"I think it is exciting," Logan said. "This helps make it look like what football has become ... and it is a fun opportunity for the kids."

Yohn admitted he was stressed out over the past week or so trying to pull the event off, which included a live-stream media session with Eli Sports.

"The last 72 hours, I've been on (viewing) the Weather Channel," Yohn said. "I ordered the sun ... and it turned out to be one of those 'Chamber of Commerce ' type of days."

The 4A Wesco will hold a media day for a third consecutive year Aug. 25 in Everett.