Former Bulldogs star Fullington named new North Mason football head coach
North Mason's football program believes it has found a long-term solution to its coaching carousel: it's former Bulldogs star John Fullington, who this week accepted the Belfair school's offer to become head coach.
It's a dream come true for Fullington, a 2010 North Mason graduate who played collegiately at Washington State University. On national signing day during his senior year with the Bulldogs, Fullington noted that he'd love to return to Belfair one day as a teacher and a coach.
"It's a job I've always wanted," said Fullington, who is in his first year teaching weight-lifting at North Mason after previously teaching and coaching in-district at Hawkins Middle School and James A. Taylor High School. "Things just kind of aligned."
The Bulldogs have struggled to retain head coaches since long-time leader Phil Pugh stepped down in 2017 after the third of three coaching stints at North Mason. Frank Hepler Jr. (2018-19), Thomas Mosby (2020-21) and Rob Thomas (2022-23) all lasted just two seasons leading the program before resigning.
Fullington, who served as an assistant coach under Hepler and Mosby before transitioning to the middle school football program in recent seasons, hopes to bring stability to the high school team, which finished 1-8 the past two years and has struggled to compete as the second-smallest school in the seven-team Olympic League 2A.
"I don't plan on going anywhere," said Fullington, who lives in Belfair with his wife and three young children. "Let's just get to work."
Fullington was an all-state offensive/defensive lineman during his senior season at North Mason under Pugh. He signed with WSU, becoming West Sound's first Pac-12 recruit — it was the Pac-10 at the time — since South Kitsap's Ryan Cole signed with Oregon State in 2002.
Fullington played four seasons on the offensive line at WSU before turning professional. He retired from the NFL in 2019 after spending time with the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals and New Orleans Saints. Fullington spent a majority of his NFL career on teams' practice squads, but was on the Saints' active roster for three games during the 2018 season.
Fullington, who'll double as the Bulldogs' offensive coordinator, already has several assistants already in place. Former Neah Bay head coach Kane Bachelor will be assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. Bachelor led Neah Bay to the 1B title game in 2022. Derek Smith takes over as special teams coordinator. Smith formerly coached football at Muckleshoot Tribal School and is also in his first year coaching the varsity boys basketball program at North Mason.
North Mason athletic director Ray Bonnell said he's stoked with Fullington's hire and the coaching staff he's assembling.
"They bring my brand of organization, professionalism and enthusiasm to the program," Bonnell said.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Former Bulldogs star Fullington named new North Mason football coach
