Scott Alberssen

Scott Alberssen became head coach of the Taylorville Tornadoes in the fall of 1993. Alberssen was greeted not only with struggling program, that had averaged 3 wins a season for the previous ten years, but Taylorville High School was also was entering into the Central State Eight Conference for the first time.     Inheriting a program that had not had a winning season in the last ten years of playing in the Apollo Conference, Alberssen was also faced with competing in the newly formed Central State 8 Conference. While that first season ended with a 3-6 record, Tornado fans were treated to a vastly improved and more entertaining offense and a defense that showed indications of becoming very formidable. The first time around the Central State 8 found victories over Lincoln and Jacksonville.    It was the 1994 season that made believers of not only Tornado fans, but also of coaches throughout central Illinois. After opening the season with decisive wins over Charleston and Lincoln, Taylorville stumbled against a very good Lanphier team. Rebounding with consecutive wins over Glenwood, Springfield, Jacksonville and Southeast, Coach Alberssen and his young Tornadoes found themselves in a tie for first place in the conference and facing the number one ranked team in the state in Sacred Heart Griffin. This game became the breakout game for Tornado football. A come from behind win on a last second Mike Flynn field goal not only clinched Taylorville’s first share of a Central State 8 Conference Championship, but it sent a loud and clear message that Taylorville football would be a force to be reckoned with under the guidance of Scott Alberssen.

The 1994 team was the first to participate in the IHSA State Playoff in fifteen years. However, the standard had been set and in the next fourteen years, Alberssen lead the Tornadoes to ten more playoff appearances, seven in a row from 1997 through 2003, and advanced to the second round five of those years. Nine times, Alberssen’s Tornadoes were ranked one of the top ten teams in the state. The 1997 team repeated as Central State 8 Conference Co-Champions. In 1998, the Tornadoes equaled a record that was set fifty years earlier, by winning nine games in a season, a feat that was repeated in 2002. Scott Alberssen completed his coaching career at Taylorville High School at the end of the 2008 season culminating 98 wins against 62 loses, a winning percentage of .613

In 1994 Alberssen was selected as Decatur Herald and Review ”Coach of the Year.” Among other honors he received, Coach Scott Alberssen was selected the Chicago Bears “Coach of the Week in 2005. He was chosen to serve as an assistant coach at the Eastern All star Game in 1998 and the East/West All State Game in 2002. From 2002 through 2008, Alberssen served on the Shriners All Star Game selection committee. He originated the annual Taylorville 7 on 7 Passing Tournament and initiated a power lifting competition with more than 150 athletes competing.