Steven Nelms
The fabric of The Rivalry between Carson and Douglas High schools had some more layers woven this week as Carson announced that Steven Nelms will be the head football coach for the Senators for the fall of 2025.
Nelms, who served as a Douglas football assistant coach for the last three seasons, is a 2009 Elko High School graduate who competed in football and track at Jamestown University (Division II) in Jamestown, N.D.
The newest Senator head coach was previously an assistant with the Senators from 2016 to 2021.
With experience in the Carson and Douglas football programs, Nelms is excited to continue being a part of the oldest rivalry in the state.
“I've got a really good relationship with the staff down at Douglas. The kids have been amazing down there,” said Nelms. “It's always intense, but there's a lot of respect on both sides of that field. You know, we're obviously going to be rooting for each other nonstop until that (rivalry) game.”
PHILOSOPHIES AND STAFF
With the hiring being announced this week, the coaching staff surrounding Nelms is still a work in progress.
There are a few pieces already in place and some familiar faces will be wearing headsets on the Carson home sideline this fall.
Darin Heredia and Brady Ovard, who were both assistants at Douglas, will join Nelms on the Senator sideline. Heredia will be the Senators’ defensive coordinator while Ovard is expected to work with the offense.
Heredia was with the Tigers for one season after coaching at Damonte Ranch while Ovard spent the last four years at Douglas under head coach Kyle Mays.
Another familiar face will be Blair Roman, who served as Carson’s head coach 14 years before resigning after the 2021 fall season.
Jim DeArrieta will be back as Carson’s kicking coach.
“Just to be able to have a collective group of men who have different views and ideas so we can we can work to make something good. That is exciting,” said Nelms. “It should be a pretty good mix and he's (Roman) just a really solid resource for me to have.”
The 2025 fall season will be Nelms’ first campaign as a head football coach.
He was previously the Carson High track coach and also took on the track head coach position while at Douglas High.
Nelms, who is a father of two, said his main focus will be on building the culture within the program. He said he plans on bringing a “we not me” philosophy to the locker room.
“As much as we want to go out and we want to play at a high level … we really want to build the character of these young men, so that way they can be successful outside of the football field, outside of the classroom and in life,” Nelms said.
A NEW CHALLENGE
There will be hurdles for Nelms to overcome early, but that’s not lost on him.
When the opportunity arose, it was a chance he couldn’t pass up.
“It's just a dream that a lot of people have. It is a really good opportunity for myself and my family at this point in time,” said Nelms. “I've had a lot of support from admin, a lot of support from all the community.”
Nelms’ final season as a Senator assistant coach ended with a resignation, but the Northern Nevada native went right back into coaching at Douglas and admitted he’s learned plenty about himself and his coaching style since.
“Coaching football to coaching track to a stint in admin, you know, we just want to continue to grow all the time,” said Nelms. “You're always just trying to adapt, learn to grow and make those positive changes. Not only for yourself, but also for your teammates, for your staff, for the parents and kids that we work with. … Just trying to be a good positive role model and living every day with grace and compassion.”