Following Efrain Guizar's footsteps

Kerman High School is searching for a head football coach just like a few other schools in the valley. However, the soon to be Division IV school, did not fire their previous head coach. In fact, he was promoted. Coach Guizar will now be the assistant principal for the Lions. The former Fresno State football player has made Kerman Football relevant in the valley. More importantly he has made football relevant... in the "Gateway to the Westside" community.

The kids at the school are believers in what coach Guizar has preached in his years as the Kerman go-to guy. Forget about the wins, like the one that ended a 20 plus-year losing streak to the infamous blue-gold from Dos Palos. What will be remembered is the effort to involve the community. The fundraisers he worked on so diligently. The way he taught his players about life, not just football, and taught them to be grateful. Guizar started the tradition of the players thanking the fans after every game. Yes, the entire team walks towards the stands and as collective unit thank the fans for their continued support. Are you kidding me, I couldn't get a 16-year-old to say thank you without bribing him with a PS3 or XBox 360. And Guizar manages to make them say thanks to parents, strangers, business owners, etc. with respect. Isn't that what coaching is all about? Teaching young adults the proper way to behave, act and most importantly do both of those in either defeat or victory.

I have spoken with coach on several occasions; he's as humble as they come. He praises his assistant coaches constantly. He thanks the community of Kerman over and over. He shows great faith in his players; you know the ones he’s developed. Oh, he can probably name you the starting 22 players on the Pop Warner team. Yes, he was that involved.

"He does so much for the community," said first year assistant coach Mark Gutierrez. Gutierrez is shocked how serious football is in Kerman, he played his ball at Lincoln High in Stockton and coached at Hoover High. The small-town feel leaves him overwhelmed at times. What he doesn't know is that Kerman football was irrelevant in the valley before Guizar.

"Everyone wears red in Kerman on Fridays, Efrain started that," said Gutierrez, who worked the booth during varisty games this past season.

Let's face it, no one is going to come in and do what Efrain Guizar has done for Kerman as a community, school and team. The simple reason this won't happen, is because the next coach at this school will have a great foundation to begin with. The new coach will have the support of the new assistant principal. The new coach will have the community behind him, because football matters in this town now. The new head coach will be getting great athletes and better yet, student/athletes that understand if you don't follow the rules you won't be playing.

“I love that guy," is what senior all-purpose stud Adrian Ruiz told me earlier in the year when talking about coach Guizar. Ruiz also said Guizar is easily the best coach he’s ever had.

I’m sure that sentiment is felt throughout the locker room by other players. Now the team and I stress team, which Guizar has developed will be handed off to a new face. You better believe this is something Guizar didn’t want to let go off. He’s been watching his team develop and grow into something special. Now Kerman must do the right thing and bring in the right man to follow in Guizar’s lead. Good luck with that.