The backbone of the team. The building blocks that the game is built on. The first step toward winning a game is in their hands.
For the University of Montana’s (UM) football program, Isiah Childs was team captain for special teams.
Being a special teams player isn’t always the most fun. You don’t always get a ton of recognition or glory but it is rewarding. Knowing you set up your team for success is one of the best feelings in the world.
Childs went to UM from 2021-2024. He was a running back his freshman year through his junior year. His senior year he became a linebacker. He also became special teams team captain senior year.
Because of Childs’ role on the football team, he acquired a respect for loyalty and integrity.
“Being a special teams player taught me to appreciate the little things and that’s what I want to bring here to our team at Lakeland,” Childs said.
Childs is one of Lakeland High School’s (LHS) newest members to the football coaching staff and has big plans for the future.
Childs graduated with a degree in psychology but is currently going to a barbering school.
He was also recently married in January to his now mother-in-law Beth Letzig, one of our very own English teachers at LHS.
Childs is loving it here in Rathdrum with his new family and enjoying the small town perks.
“It gave me a small town vibe from which I grew up in Kansas so it was the perfect ideal match for me and has been nothing but a blessing,” Childs said, “I definitely want to try a hawk burger, they smell really really good.”
With all of Child’s experiences at UM including a national championship against South Dakota junior year in Fresco, Texas, beating the Washington Huskies freshman year 13-7 when no one picked UM to win, and winning a conference title in 2023, Child has a lot of knowledge to offer and intends to bring a lot to the table as a coach here at LHS.
“The boys are working hard each and every day and this is all for them honestly and at the end of the day I do it all for the boys out on the field,” Childs said.