Kirk Fridrich / Associate Director of Athletics / Head Football Coach
Kirk Fridrich joined the Union Athletic Department as Associate Athletic Director and head football coach in January of 2007, returning to Union after a five-year absence. Fridrich was an assistant varsity coach for the Redskins from 1993-2001, leaving to accept the head football coaching position at Stillwater Public Schools where he remained until 2005. In 2006, Coach Fridrich became the head football coach for Owasso Public Schools, where he led the Owasso Rams to the 2006 6A State Semi-Finals.
In his nine years as head coach at Union, Kirk has led the Union Redskins to a record of 106-16, with seven state final appearances and four championships.
Coach Fridrich earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tulsa and Master of Science degree from Oklahoma State University.
Coach Fridrich and his wife, Tina, have been married for seventeen years. They attend Asbury United Methodist Church and have two sons, Joshua (15) and John Thomas (10).
Jeff Brown
Coach Brown has been in education and coaching for seventeen years. During that time, he has coached football, baseball, varsity track, and junior high golf, as well as served as equipment manager for ten years. As a varsity football coach, Coach Brown has coached defensive line and long snappers.
Coach Brown is currently serving as a board member for the Oklahoma Coaches’ Association. Coach Brown has been happily married to Kristin for 22 years. Together they have three sons. Justin is 21 and will be a junior at the University of Central Oklahoma where he plays baseball, Cade is 17 and is a junior football and baseball player at Union, and Jaxon is 11 and in the fifth Grade.
Ernie Trujillo
Coach Trujillo is entering his fifth year at Union and his seventeenth year teaching and coaching. He is a graduate of Farmington High School in New Mexico. After graduating high school he pursued a degree in social studies education at Bethany College, KS and Pittsburg State University, KS. Coach Trujillo started his coaching career at Chandler High School in Chandler, AZ, and has had stops at Apache Junction, AZ, Eastern Arizona College, and Farmington High School in New Mexico.
Here at Union he coaches the corner backs and teaches history at Union High School. Coach Trujillo is married to Mila Trujillo and they have 3 daughters BriAnna 22, Aaliyah 17, and Alexis 16.
Jon Davis
Jon is entering his 25th year of coaching and 22nd year at Union coaching varsity football. He graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1992 with a degree in Math Education and graduated from Lamar University in 2015 with a master degree in administration. He and his wife Angie were married that summer and moved to San Bernardino, CA. where Jon served as Defensive Coordinator for three seasons.
In 1995 the opportunity to “come home” was too tempting and they began the journey back to Oklahoma to coach for Bill Blankenship at Union. He has taught math at the high school his entire tenure at Union. Having been at Union for so many years has provided him with 240 wins. Jon has been honored to be part of 17 District Championships and 21 playoff appearances which includes six State Runner Up and seven State Championships. Jon has coached every defensive position and currently serves as Special Teams Coordinator and Equipment Coordinator. He and his wife Angie have been married for 24 years and have two children Jordan and Alex.
Josh DuPree
Joshua DuPree, a 2001 Union High School graduate, returns to Union for a second year of coaching. DuPree attended the University of Tulsa, where he played linebacker for the Golden Hurricane for 4 years. He graduated with a degree in accounting in 2005 and has worked in the corporate world until coming back to coach the Redskins.
At Union, DuPree will serve as a math aide at the high school, while he completes his certification to teach math. DuPree is married to Lauren (Smith), also a Union graduate and together they have two children, Bo, age 6, and Charli, age 5.
Scott Young
Coach Young is starting his third year at Union and his fourteenth year teaching and coaching. He is a graduate of Weatherford High School in western Oklahoma. After graduating high school he pursued a degree in Education at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Coach Young started his coaching career at Ellison High School in Killeen, TX, and has had stops at Chisholm (Enid), and Prague Ok.
Here at Union he coaches the tight ends and teaches math at the 8th Grade Center. Coach Young and his wife Allison have two daughters Raelee, 12, and Avery, 9.
Nathan Foster
Coach Foster is entering his sixth year at Union and starting his thirteenth year teaching and coaching overall. He is a graduate of Altus High School in Altus, Oklahoma. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in science education. Coach Foster has most recently completed a master’s degree in sport management from Adams State University.
He is married to Veronica Foster, who is a graduate of Union High School and the biggest fan of the football team. They will have been married for ten glorious years this December. Coach Foster and Veronica have a daughter, Victoria, who will be in the second grade at Jarman Elementary this year. Victoria loves her football boys and everything black and red.
Beau Brannon
Coach Brannon is beginning his first year at Union and his fifth year teaching and coaching overall. He is a 2008 graduate of Muldrow High School where he was an All-State selection at wide receiver before spending a year at the University of Tulsa and finishing his education degree at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith in 2012.
Coach Brannon spent his first year coaching in Alma, Arkansas before spending the last three years at Keys, OK. Here at Union, he works with the wide receivers and teaches Geometry and Algebra 1 at the high school. Coach Brannon and his beautiful wife Caitlyn have been married almost four years and are expecting their first child in January!
Richard Roepke
Coach Roepke will be entering his sixth year at Union and his sixth year of teaching and coaching overall. Coach Roepke graduated from Strafford High School in Strafford, Missouri. After high school, he went on to play quarterback at Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri. He was an All-Conference selection and a three time Academic All-American at Evangel. He received his bachelor degree from Evangel with a major in Mathematics Education and minor in Leadership.
Coach Roepke teaches at the high school, and is the Offensive Coordinator and coaches Quarterbacks. Coach Roepke and his wife Brianne, have three daughters, Collins (5), Reese (3), and Quinn (7 months).
Luke Snider
Coach Luke Snider, a 2010 Union High School graduate, is in his second year of teaching and coaching. After playing on the 2008 and 2009 State Championship football teams, Luke continued his football career at the University of Tulsa, where was named the Special Teams Player of the Year at TU in both 2013 and 2014.
Luke comes from a distinguished coaching family, his father, Gary Snider, coached at Union from 1996-2005. Luke’s grandfather, Lee Snider, was also a head football coach for many years. Luke teaches 6th Grade PE and will be working with the JV defensive backs, as well as the JH Track Team. In June of 2014, Luke married Jordan, the love of his life, and together they attend Church on the Move. In August of 2016, Luke and Jordan welcomed their first child, a son, Daxton Paul Snider.
Joey Witcher
Coach Witcher is returning to Union after a 10 year absence. Witcher was an assistant varsity coach for the Redskins from 2002-2005. Coach Witcher has been in education for 25 years. He is a graduate of Midwest City High School (’86) and Oklahoma State University (’91).
Coach Witcher has spent the last 5 years in Administration as an Assistant Principal and Athletic Director. His wife, Lisa, is the Director of Secondary Education for Union Public Schools as well as serving as the Junior Class Principal at the high school. The Witcher’s have 2 children, Taylor and Wade.
Kyle Fridrich
Kyle Fridrich is the Defensive Coordinator for the Union Redskins this year as well as beginning his fifth year as the Strength and Conditioning Coach. Kyle graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in Health and Physical Education. He is recognized by the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and he also holds the USA Weightlifting Sport Performance Coach certification.
Kyle and his wife Heather have 2 children (Paisley & Sawyer). Kyle and his family are all excited for a championship season in 2016.
Dan Newman
Dan Newman is starting his fifteenth year at Union as Head Athletic Trainer. With an undergraduate degree from the University of Tulsa and a graduate degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Dan’s experience encompasses over 20 years of experience in NCAA Division 1 athletics, clinical, small college, secondary school and professional sports. Dan oversees a staff of two certified athletic trainers and a student aide staff of 15.
Dan and his staff are charged with the daily health care of Union’s 23 athletic programs and 1700 athletes. Outside of Union Dan is very active in leadership both at the state level and national levels. Dan currently sits on the NATA Secondary School Athletic Training Committee and received the NATA Athletic Training Service Award in 2014 & the 2013 OATA Athletic Trainer of the Year. Union High School under the direction of Dan became the first High School in OK to be named a NATA first team safe sport school award winner.
Dan is married to the former Becky Warren; they have two daughters Peyton 14 and Addison 10.
Jacob Newby
Jacob Newby joined the Union athletic training staff in the fall of 2015. Before coming to Union, Newby was the primary athletic trainer for the Oral Roberts University baseball program, the University of Tulsa men’s basketball and track & field programs.
Newby also served as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at UNLV, where he served as the head trainer of the baseball team. He also was the head athletic trainer at Impact Basketball (Las Vegas, NV), an athletic training intern with the Kansas City Chiefs, and a student athletic trainer at Kansas State University.
Newby earned bachelor’s degrees in Kinesiology and Athletic Training from Kansas State University in 2005, and his master’s degree in Kinesiology from UNLV in 2008.
Newby is a certified trainer with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.