Orson Christensen

In 1961, Christensen accepted his first coaching positions as an assistant football and basketball coach for Winlock High School.^[2] After four years of coaching and teaching social studies he moved to California and became the head football and head basketball coach for Avenal High School.^[3][4] In 1969, he began his two-year stint with Thomas Jefferson High School as he moved back to Washington as head coach. In 1971, he was hired away from Thomas Jefferson by W. F. West High School.^[5][6]

After fourteen seasons, ten of which as a head coach, in the high school ranks Christensen was hired as the head football coach for Olympic, a community college in Bremerton, Washington.^[7][8] He was head coach for six years and led the team to a 22–31 record. For half of his tenure, the school threatened the program with disbandment but ultimately was retained through the end of Christensen's time with the team.^[9] He had his best season in his last season as he led the team to an 8–2 record and a Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) championship.^[10]

In 1981, Christensen was named the offensive backfield coach for Puget Sound and served as an unofficial offensive coordinator.^[11] In his lone season with the Loggers, the team went 10–2 and made a trip to the NCAA Division III playoffs.^[11]

In 1982, Christensen returned to the head coaching ranks as he was hired to be the successor to longtime coach Harold G. Chaffee at Nebraska Wesleyan.^[12] After a 4–5 freshman season he led the Plainsmen to a 7–3 record and a share of the Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NIAC) title. After two winning seasons at 6–4 and 6–5, he led the team to an outright NIAC championship and a 7–3 record in his last season in 1986.^[13] The team also finished undefeated in conference play and ranked twelfth in the NAIA Division II.^[13] He ended his tenure with a 30–20 overall record and two conference championships.^[13]

In 1987, Eastern Oregon hired Christensen away from Nebraska Wesleyan as the team's next head coach.^[13][14][15] With the Mountaineers, he took over a struggling program that continued to struggle even after his hiring. In ten seasons as head coach, he led the team to a 23–68 record, including five seasons with one or fewer wins and two back-to-back winless seasons in his first three seasons as head coach. His best season came in his last in 1997 when the Mountaineers finished 6–4 for their first winning season since 1982 under Don Turner.^[16] He resigned following the 1997 season.^[17][18]

After ten seasons as head coach for Eastern Oregon, Christensen returned to Washington as the tight ends and offensive line coach for Western Washington under head coach Rob Smith.^[16] He helped lead the team to a back-to-back 5–5 seasons before being hired as the head football coach for Dakota Wesleyan.^[19] In his lone season with the Tigers, they went 0–10, which was also their last season in the South Dakota-Iowa Intercollegiate Conference (SDIIC).^[20][21] He resigned after one season.^[20] In 2000, he returned to Western Washington as an assistant coach.

After 26 seasons coaching college football, Christensen returned to coaching high school football as he coached Vashon Island High School from 2001 to 2004.^[22] From 2005 to 2009, he coached Aberdeen High School. In 2010, he was named the first head coach for Rainier High School.^[23][24] He departed for Wapato High School after one season.^[25] In 2013 and 2014 he coached his as an assistant coach for Coupeville High School.^[26] In 2019, he returned to coaching as an assistant for his alma mater, Oak Harbor.^[27]

During Christensen's tenure as football coach for Nebraska Wesleyan and Dakota Wesleyan, he served as athletic director for both schools.^[21]