Zach Tinker Position: Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends

In first season as assistant head coach and fifth year as assistant on Western staff ... Again working with tight ends after two seasons as offensive line coach ... Center Loren Winter received All-American recognition in 2005 and tight end Rick Carte was first-team Great Northwest Athletic Conference all-star in 2003 and 2004 ... Assisted four seasons at Meridian High School, working with offensive and defensive line ... Trojans won Class 2A state championship in 1999 and placed second in 2000 ... Graduated from Western with bachelor's degree in political science in 1998 and has completed course work for master's degree in secondary education ... Played football for Vikings from 1995-98 ... Inspirational award winner as senior ... Also attended Washington State University ... Second-team Everett Herald all-Area and first-team all-Western Conference selection as senior at Seattle's Shorewood High School ... Named Thunderbirds' co-Athlete of the Year ... 32 years old ... He and wife Marnie have two children, son Joey 14 and daughter Julianna 6.