Building Men for Others: Setting Goals

Yesterday's Freshman Tailgate Party was a huge hit.  Parents, coaches and players enjoyed the great food, drink and fellowship of building a football family.  A huge thank you goes out to you parents for all the great food and to Mrs. Phillips (Diego's mom) for the lumpia!  Yum yum.

Part of the mission for having the tailgate party was to give our young men a look at the next level.  What is it like to be a college football player and what is it like to participate in the college experience?

At 3:00, the Aztec team busses arrived at the stadium. Our team lined up at the on both sides of the Aztec Walk.  Cheerleaders and the Aztec drumline led the players and the coaches towards the stadium.  Our players exchanged high fives with the Aztec players and coaches.  It was electric and you could see the look on the player's faces how exciting it was to be a part of the Aztec Walk.

But that was only the beginning.  We lined up the players and took them not only into the stadium, but down onto the field for the Aztec pregame warm-up.

The players were in awe.  They looked at their particular positions that they play and watched the drills and team period.

I asked all the players the following question:  With hard work in the classroom and in the weight room, do you see yourself playing for a CIF Championship in the same stadium in next two to three years?  All of them responded yes.

It is going to take hard work and dedication to re-build our football program to where it was when I was a player and coach in the late 70's and early 80's.  It will have to start with discipline in both the classroom and in the weight room.  We have a lot of work to do as a staff and as mentors to our young men.  But it all begins with setting a goal.  Our players set their goal.  Now let's work to make that a reality.

I want to thank SDSU LB coach Kevin McGarry for getting our players down on the field.  It was a great experience for our players.  Coach Martinez and I like the event so much, we are looking to do it again next year!

Directions to La Jolla HS

Our next game will be on WEDNESDAY 11/9/11 at 2:30 pm at La Jolla HS.  This will be the last game for our mighty Patriots and we hope to end the season with a victory.

Directions to La Jolla HS:

N/B I-805 from I-8
W/B I-52 which turns into La Jolla Pkwy
Continue straight of La Jolla Pkwy which turns into Torrey Pines Rd.
Left or S/B on Girard Ave.
Right or W/B on Genter St.
Left or S/B on Fay
The football stadium is on the right hand side.

Our stands will be located on the west side of the field.  (The sideline closest to the ocean)

Dress warm.  It does get chilly there at La Jolla HS.

Tailgate for SDSU Game a GO!

Rain or shine, we will be in the area of E3 and E4 at 12:00 noon. 

Like I mentioned before, I will bring water and non-alcoholic beverages for the players.  I will set up three table for serving food and also have the PH Football pop-up for all to see.

I told the players to wear their green jerseys so we all look like a team.  I am looking forward to hanging out and getting a chance to meet all the parents and family members.  See you all tomorrow!

Scripps Ranch Falcons 29 Patriots 22

Perseverance.  Intestinal fortitude.  Never give in.  Never give up.  Those would be the words I would use to describe yesterday's heart breaking loss at Scripps Ranch as the Patriots fell short to the Falcons 29-22.

Early on, the Patriot running game was unstoppable.  But mental mistakes, penalties and fumbles took that momentum away and we opened the door for the Falcons to take a 21-7 lead in the 3rd quarter.

But the Patriots got the ball back as the defense stopped the Falcons and marched down the field to pull with in a TD.  The Patriot defense bent but did not break and they were able to get the ball back in the 4th quarter. 

Again, the Patriots methodically marched down the field and rushed for another TD.  An offsides penalty on the extra point against the Falcons moved the ball to the 1 1/2 yard line.  The Patriots took the ball and ran over C Blake Liscom, RG Brian Tran, RT Tre Tyler and TE Josh Pelloquin and converted at 2 point conversion to take a 22-21 lead with 5:00 left in the game.

Scripps took the ensuing kickoff and ran the ball going 60 yards in 3:00.  They eventually scored taking a 29-22 lead with 1:54 left in the game. 

Unfortunately, we fumbled the following kickoff as the ball took a really crazy bounce.  The players were down, dejected and were left with very little hope.  Then the impossible happened.  The Scripps QB fumble the snap and NG Ernesto Moya came up with the fumble recovery.  Right then, the mood changed on our sideline.  Players were jumping and cheering and we now have a chance to win the game.

Sixtyfive yard to go.  1:45 left in the game.  No timeouts.  We practice this scenario every week.  Our players went into the 2 minute drill.  It was a thing of beauty to watch.  The offensive line was, as we say, "FAT-tastic" and QB Cruz Samaniego took control of the game as the field general.

Priority #1: Catch the ball.  Pelloquin and WB Adrian Torres took passes from Samaniego and Jon Bergum for decent gains. 

Priority #2: Stop the clock.  Players moved the ball down the field and knew that time was of the essence.  They were all smart enough to step out of bounds after the gain and stop the clock to give us time to re-group.

Priority #3: Score. Once we got down to the 10 yard line, we were poised to score the go ahead TD.  Unfortunately, life is filled with tragedy.   We threw the ball and one of the Falcon's defenders reached up and grabbed the ball, one handed, falling on his back and thus ending any hope for the Patriots.

Life is not about winning.  Life is about Perseverance.  Intestinal fortitude.  Never give in.  Never give up.  I could not be prouder of how our players finshed that game coming from behind.  I hope you were too.

Directions to Scripps Ranch HS

Sorry for the delay...   I have been busy this week with various reasons.  My apologies to you all.

We play the Falcons at Scripps Ranch HS today (Thursday) at 3:30.  SRHS has a football stadium but only seating on the west end or home side of the field.  We hope to see you all there today!

Directions:
N/B I-15 from Friars road.
Exit Carroll Canyon Road
Right or E/B on Carroll Canyon Rd.
Left or W/B on Scripps Lake
Left or S/B on Treena.

Parking is on the right side of Treena.  The stadium is located behind the bungalows.

Tailgate Party Update

I ordered tickets and handed them out to the parents on Thursday.  If I did not get a chance to buy you tickets for the game, you can walk up and buy tickets are ticket window E at the stadium..  We are sitting in Plaza 26 rows 7 thru 13.

I will be setting up the tailgate at 12:00 noon just to hold down some spots for us. 

Coach Martinez and I have a friend who is the LB coach at SDSU. We are working on having our players and coaches down on the field during pregame warm-ups at the New Mexico game. So that means we will have to close down the tailgate around 3:45 or so in order to get the players down on the field. Unfortunately, parents won’t be allowed on the field. But our seats and up against the railing if you want to take photos of your sons. This ought to be a really positive experience for the players.

We will be hosting over 90 people. We will set up along the Aztec walk and will have the PHHS Patriot pop up tent. I will set up three serving tables to place the food on for your convenience.

Here is the breakdown on who is bringing what:

Drinks:
Dailey: Water and Gatorade

Appetizers:
Abate: Chips
Altmeyer – Bean dip and chips
Berkoben – Chips and dip
Griswold – Chips and dip
Reed – Veggie tray
Samaniego – Fruit
Unknown – Hot wings
Unknown – Pasta salad
Unknown – Fresh veggies and dressing
Unknowns – Fruit

Main Dish:
Armenta: Hot dogs and buns
Hernandez - Fried rice, pork menudo and lumpia
Nygaard – Pasta salad
Tarantino – Pasta
Torres – Italian sausage
Tyler – Macaroni salad
Ybarrondo – Pasta Salad

Dessert:
Altmeyer – Cookies and brownies
Fiato – Cookies
Kurz – Brownies
Patrick – Chocolate chip cookies

Freshman Football Banquet Money Due on Friday 11/4/11

To print out a flier for the 2011 Freshman Banquet, you can click onto the following link:

http://www.phhsfootballboosters.com/2011-banquet-info.html

Here is the information the Booster Club has for you in regards to the banquet:

WHEN: Tuesday November 15th
TIME: 6:30 pm
WHERE: Patrick Henry High School Cafeteria


Hunter’s Steak House
Tri-tip Steak/ Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Mixed Vegetables, Salad, Garlic Bread, Dessert and Drinks


All players that have purchased a spirit pack, your player ticket is included.

All players that paid the full price of the spirit pack and we owe you for the ASB card, 1 (one) extra ticket is included.

The cost is $25.00 per ticket

Due No Later Than Friday, November 4th
 
Remember to check on the web site for any changes or updates!

Player Name: _______________________  Jersey #: _______
Home Phone: ___________________
Parents Name: ______________________________________
Number of Tickets Ordered: ______________________

Please make checks payable to: PHHS Football Boosters
 
Any questions: Contact Jill Pankow at: jills91163@yahoo.com

Building Men forn Others: Alma Mater

Several parents have commented that they like to see the players do the alma later after each of our games.  But what led to us doing the alma mater?

Webster's Dictionary defines the word Alma Mater as: 1) The school, college, or university that one has attended.  2) The anthem of an institution of higher learning.

Patrick Henry is my alma mater.  I take great pride in graduating from our school.  As a young boy, I followed Patrick Henry Football and I looked up to them while I played Pop Warner football at Alvarado.  I followed their championship runs in the mid 70's and I looked forward to playing at Patrick Henry.

Once I got to Henry as a student/athlete, there was a tradition after every game for the players to stand in front of the band, with our helmets off.  The band would play the alma mater and everybody (fans and players) would sing the alma mater.  Win or lose, we would stand in front of the band and pay homage to the band and to Patrick Henry High School.

When I returned to coach here in 2009, I was up in the press box for the Varsity Homecoming game.  The game started with a young man singing the alma mater.  I sang along with him...  But nobody knew what the song was or what the words were.  How sad.

I am proud to have Patrick Henry as my alma mater.  So I took it upon myself to change the culture of Patrick Henry Football.  I taught last year's Freshman team how to sing the alma mater.  We finished the season with a win over Hilltop HS for the last game of the year.  After the game, our players sang the alma mater and took great pride in being from Patrick Henry.

I have done the same for this year's team.  I want the players to take great pride in being from Patrick Henry.  The alma mater is our version of the Star Spangled Banner, our national anthem. 

So this week, I have been singing Mira Mesa's alma mater.  Our players got together and began to sing the Patrick Henry alma mater as to drown me out.  They do take pride in their school.  They know what school spirit is all about.

ON OUR CITY’S EASTERN BORDER

MIDST THE HILLS AND THE SKY

HOME OF THE VALIANT PATRIOTS

PATRICK HENRY HIGH.

IN OUR MANY HALLS OF LEARNING,

ON OUR FIELDS OF PLAY,

GOALS OF EXCELLENCE AND HONOR

ALWAYS LEAD THE WAY.

AS WE MARCH ALONG TOGETHER

LET’S BE BRAVE AND BOLD.

ALL HAIL TO PATRICK HENRY HIGH SCHOOL

HAIL TO THE GREEN AND GOLD.

1979 Patriots

Players have been asking what year I graduated from Patrick Henry in the hope to look for photos of me.  I graduated in 1980 and played on the 1979 team.  We were ranked #2 in the County and were Eastern League Champs that year beating Mira Mesa, Pt. Loma, San Diego, Clairemont, Madison, Kearny and Morse in League play.

Here is a photo of me (#78) blocking for QB Scott McKee, who was voted all CIF that year.  Enjoy

Directions to Mira Mesa HS

We play this Thursday at Mira Mesa HS.  This is always a big game so we hope to see all of you at the game on Thursday.  Kickoff is at 4:00 pm.

Coach Armenta will take the players on the bus.  I will be at the school at 2:15 to pick up any stragglers that were not allowed to leave their classes early by their teachers. 

Directions to Mira Mesa HS:

N/B I-15
Exit Miramar Rd. 
Left or W/B on Miramar Rd.
Right or N/B on Camino Ruiz
Right or E/B on Mira Mesa Blvd.
School parking lot and football stadium on the right.

Grades Are Posted

Grades came out on on Friday.  Unfortunately, some of our Student/Athletes did not make the CIF mandate of a minimum  2.0 GPA in academics and citizenship.

All year long we have emphasized our priorities in life: Faith, Family, School and then Football.  We have made it the responsibility of the student-athlete to take care of their grades.  If they needed tutoring during practice, I would allow our players to meet with their teachers instead of attending practice.  It is their responsibility of maintaining eligibility, not the coaches and not the parents.

For those players that did not make the grades, I will be collecting their gear.  CIF rules prohibit those players that are ineligible to travel with the team on the bus and from being on the sideline for the games.

St. Augustine Saints 13 Patriots 40

Three words can describe this week's game against the Saints: Preparation, coaching and execution.  Our team prepared well all week in practice and studied the tendencies of what the Saints do on offense and defense.  The coaches emphasized the strong points of the Saints and worked hard with the players to put together a plan of attack.  As a coaching staff, we tell our players the field is theirs and it is up to them to execute the gameplan.

All of that came together and the Patriots got back into the win column with a 40 -13 win over the Saints. I challenged the offensive line to take the game on their shoulders and carry the team for the remainder of the season.  Melvin Mora, Chris Berkoben, Blake Liscom, Brian Tran, Nick Coffey and Josh Pelloquin anchored a running attack that was beautiful to watch.

The Patriot defense played well.  All week long we emphasized what the Saints do according to formation and with down & distance.  Jack Kurz and Brandon Brooks came up with big plays in big situations.  And if you hear us on the sideline yelling "WHOOOOOOOS", that is for safety Eric Hus whenever he makes a tackle.  (BTW, I am the president of the Eric Hus fan club)

A lot of the credit to our success is due to the hard work of the coaches and the manner in how we prepare the players each week.  With playing below our expectations the last two games, our coaches were upbeat and positive in rebuilding the confidence of the team.  We adjusted our practice schedule to be more competitive and work on the basics.

I also want to congratulate Coach Armenta on his first victory as a head coach at PHHS.  He did a great job getting the team ready for the game.

Next week we travel to Mira Mesa to play the mighty Marauders of  Mira Mesa HS.  This is an Eastern League rivalry that started my senior year back in 1979.  The Marauders have been a dominant force for many year and it will be a good gauge to see how far we have come as a team.

Freshman to Play at La Jolla HS

The Patriots last game of the season was supposed to be against the Lincoln Hornets.  The Hive does not have a Freshman team this year so Coach Jacobacci and I were looking were looking for a replacement game.

Well, we found one.  We will be travelling to La Jolla High School on Wednesday November the 9th for a 3:00 game against the Vikings.  The reason we play on a Wednesday is because Varsity and JV have to play on Thursday.  Friday is Veteran's Day and a school holiday.

So mark your calenders and make it out for the last game of the season!

Tailgate Party: SDSU Aztecs vs. New Mexico Lobos 11/5/11

I will be planning a tailgate party for the team and their families as the SDSU Aztecs as they take on the New Mexico Lobos at the Q.  The date for that game is Saturday November 5th with Kickoff at 5:00 pm.

I want to get a head count and see how many tickets we need to get.  Once I get the head count, I will call the Aztec ticket office and see what kind of pricing I can get for a group.  Deadline for the will be this Thursday.  I want to call the Aztec ticket office on Friday this week.  E-mail me at: ldailey@pd.sandiego.gov to let me know how many in your family will be attending.

Once I get the ticket prices, I, LeRoy K. Dailey, will collect the money and buy the tickets.  I will separate  the tickets by family or player and hand them out the following week.  It looks like group tickets will cost $10 each.

I want to make this event a potluck.  I will set up 3 large serving tables and provide the paper plates, plastic silverware, paper towels, sodas and water.  (BYO adult beverages for you adults).  I will pass out a sign-up sheet after the Saints game to see what you folks want to bring.

I also want to have all our players and fans to be a part of the Aztec Walk before the game.  The Aztec Walk is something you have to see and experience.  The buses for the SDSU team park at the west end of the stadium.  Fans, alumni and students form two columns for the players, cheerleaders, band, coaches and yes moms, Monty Montezuma to walk through all the way to the stadium.  Fans start routing for the Aztecs and players engage in high fives with the fans.

I think it would be a great college experience for our players to see and be a part of.

Directions to Saints Game

The Patriots will try to get back on track as we travel to St. Agustine HS for a Friday tilt against the Saints.  Once again, we are playing this Friday, not the usual Thursday game.  Kickoff is slated to be at 3:30.

The stands at Saints are few.  I suggest that you bring a beach chair and sit along the track to watch the game like we did for the Green and Gold Scimmage. 
Directions to St. Augustine HS is as follows from PHHS:

W/B I-8 from College
S/B I-805
Exit University Ave in the left hand lane of the exit.
Stop at the Stop Sign to goes straight onto North Park Way.
Straight or W/B on North Park Way
Left or S/B on 32nd St.
Left or E/B on Palm St.
The football field will be on the right hand side.

Dons 56 Patriots 14

Our players ran into a buzz saw yesterday and that buzz saw was the Dons of Cathedral Catholic HS.  We came out on the short end of the score 56 - 14.

It was a total team collapse and as the head coach, I will assume the responsibility of the lack of performance by our Patriots.  Offense, defense, special teams and coaching all played a part in our loss.  But there was a ray of hope.  Something positive to build on...  Our team did not quit.  There are several individuals that began to pout and get upset over the outcome of the game.  But for the most part, our players were competing to the very end of the game.

Tre Tyler earned his way onto the field by giving a good effort at DL.  Nick Patrick made a nice sliding catch from the WR spot and backup QB Cody Beltz threw a great pass to 1st string QB/WR Cruz Samaniego to put into scoring position.

That game is behind us now...  There is nothing more we can do about the outcome.  We now need to focus on Saints.  This will be a test of the character of our young men.  Will they fold or will they shine through like I know they are capable of doing?  Only time will tell.  WE will continue to love our players and point them in the right direction.

As for my announcement in stepping down as head coach, I hope you all understand that it is for the good of the program.  MY job has been to coach the coaches and prepare my team.  This is an excellent opportunity to see what my staff and Coach Armenta are capable of doing in my absence.  I will still remain with the team to handle administrative and parental communication duties through the end of the season.

The one thing I have learned over the years of coaching is that if the bond of trust between coaches and players is solid, that is a bond that nobody can break.  I trust my coaches to do what is right for our players.  And I know my players feel the same way.  They know I love them.  I know they love me.

I want to thank all of you fans, parents and family members for your support of the Patriot Henry Football Program and more importantly, for making me feel like a part of YOUR family.

Directions to CCHS

Directions to CCHS are as follows:

NB I-15
WB I-56
Exit Carmel Valley exit.
Right on Carmel Valley
Left on Del Mar Heights Rd.
Left on Old Carmel Valley Rd.
Right on the 2nd entrance to the football stadium

Building Men for Others: Sportsmanship

Last week's Varsity game against Mar Vista was a tale of two games.  The Varsity Patriots fought hard and overcame an 18 - 0 deficit to comeback and take a 22 - 18 lead in the 4th quarter.  With 9 seconds left in the game, the Mariners threw a pass for a touchdown that ended in controversy.  The bottom line was this:  The Official was standing at the goal line and the Mar Vista player knocked over the pylon at the goal line, a drill we practice for conditioning period.

Agree or disagree, when an official makes a call, that is a judgement call on their part.  How we act and how we conduct ourselves in the face of adversity defines the character of who we are as people.

Now I was not present at the game. (It was board game night with the family)  But I spoke to Coach Martinez and he gave me an idea what happened after the game.

I knew we had a large number of Freshman players that attended the game.  It is good to see them at the Varsity games and it gives them a goal to reach playing on Friday night and being on the PPR.

So I asked them how the game ended.  They told me the referee blew the call and Mar Vista won the game.  I asked them how the ref blew the game.  Several players told me that the runner was out of bounds.  I could see that some of them were really upset by the referee's decision.  I then asked my players if the Mar Vista player knocked down the pylon like we do at practice.  They all said yes.  That provoked some thought on their part.  Stopping to think about the pylon made them realize that it was indeed a touchdown.

I then asked my players what happened next.  They said several Varsity players began to argue with the referees and some threw their helmets to the ground.  As the referees left the field, my players told me that everyone in the stands began to 'BOO' the referees as they left the field.  I didn't ask if any of my players participated in 'BOO'ing of the refs.  I just didn't want to know.

I will admit, I am an old school kind of guy.  I believe in leading by example, earning what you get and treating everybody with respect until they earn my dis-respect.  As a player, I never threw my helmet and never lost my composure.  I never argue with referees (I will say "I object!"  It's the cop in me) because I know it's a hard job.

So I huddled my players before the start of yesterday's practice and I went over my expectations on how to be a man.  I told my players they are expected to keep their poise and to not lose control of their emotions.  I told them if they ever threw their helmet on the ground, they were telling me they don't want it and I will keep it for the remainder of the year.  As a Patriot, they represent their family, the coaching staff and more important, the school itself.  BOOing is not acceptable, not in high school athletics.  REALLY!!!  I mean, was there a threat of thermal-nuclear war related to the outcome of this game?  NO!

I remember my senior year at Henry.  The ASB Adviser, Mr. Miller, was so impressed with how the football team conducted themselves during the season, that he and the yearbook staff titled the yearbook "A Touch of Class".  So I expect my players, the families of my players and the fans of the Patriot Football team to act with a "Touch of Class."

Remaining Schedule for the Season

We will now begin League play in the toughest League in the County of San Diego.  From top to bottom, the Eastern League is the hardest league to compete in, hands down.  There might be better teams in the County playing, or teams with higher rankings.  But the leagues they play in do not have the competitive balance that the Eastern League has.  Last year alone, five out of the six teams went to the playoffs and three of those teams went to Qualcomm Stadium to play in the CIF Finals.

So we start our journey up north in Carmel Valley.  Here is the remaining schedule for the Freshman Team:

Thursday 10/13/11 3:00 pm @ Cathdral Catholic HS
*Friday  10/21/11 3:00 pm @ Saint Augustine HS
Thursday 10/27/11 3:00 pm @ Mira Mesa HS
Thursday 11/3/11 3:30 pm @ Scripps Ranch HS
Lincoln game is cancelled.  We are looking to fill it with La Jolla HS.  I will pass on the information to you all as soon as I find out.

*Note:  The game at Saints is on a Friday, not on a Thursday.

Beast Cancer Awareness Month

You see it on TV in the NFL and MLB. Professional players wearing Pink gear to recognize and support National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

We all know somebody that has been stricken with cancer. A former partner of my had a double mastectomy due to breast cancer a few years back. Another co-worker of mine just had a mastectomy last year.

Several parents and players have asked if it would be possible to recognize National Breast Cancer Awareness Month by wearing Pink for our games in the month of October.  I think it's a great idea, not because it looks cool, but that it provoke our players to think about the civic ramifications of taking on a cause.

Wearing Pink because 'they do it on TV' is not good enough. I spoke to the players and explain why we are bringing attention to the cause of recognizing breast cancer. I am proud that our young men are willing to take on a cause. But I want to engage some thought behind taking the cause by opening a dialog with them on why it is important to recognize and support National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

So, during the month of October, I will allow our players to wear Pink gear for our games. Buying Pink gear is optional and is not required.  I also encourage our fans to wear Pink on Thursdays too.

Here is the National Breast Cancer Awareness web site:http://www.nbcam.org/help_promote_nbcam.cfm