Jose Toro
Winchell Back in The NEST
With new and respected Head Coach, Louie Zamora, the California High Football Program experienced major improvements in the 2019-2020 season. Finishing with a respected 6-4 record, beating high division 9 El Dorado and Division 4 El Toro, it is safe to say that the future is bright. Mix this with the addition of new offensive coordinator, Patrick Winchell, and you get a perfect recipe for success.
Zamora added Winchell to the jam packed coaching staff last December. Coach Winchell is not any coach. When asked about his experience coaching, he had this to say: “This will be my 26th year coaching high school football (6 years at Santa Fe, 13 years at La Serna, 2 years at Cal, 4 years at Bell Gardens and this year back at Cal) for the majority of those years coaching the Offensive Line and helping with the Strength and Conditioning.” This is a resume not too many coaches can compare to.
Although his experience is impressive, his accomplishments show a born champion. He mentions his notorious experience at the kingdom, saying this: “At La Serna I was part of a coaching staff/team that went to three straight CIF Championship games winning the third one in 2013.” This is Whittier coaching at its finest; however, Coach Winchell did not always have the luxury of coaching a well established program. He then describes the success he had at Bell Gardens, saying this: “-rebuilding Bell Gardens, we were Almont League Champs and CIF Quarter Finalists in our third year as well as making the playoffs in back to back seasons. None of these had happened at Bell Gardens in over 12 years.” With Cal being in a similar position throughout the years with previous coaches, there is no exception for success.
With Cal High’s record improving last season, the future looks bright for this football program. Winchell’s goals as a coach have not changed; when asked, he said this: “No matter where I coached, I have had the same two goals: to compete for a League Championship and a CIF Championship. Cal High is no different. Hard work and commitment both in the weight room and the practice field is the only way we can reach these two goals I listed earlier.”
This upcoming season is delayed due to the pandemic, Covid-19; however, more time off the field means more time learning the concept of a new offense. With the new scrimmages starting on New Years Eve, the Cal High Football Program has more time to endure the notorious offensive system. California High will have an established football program for many years to come. On my last question, Winchell had this to say about his long term goals with the program: “Finally, my last overall goal I want to establish here at Cal, it doesn’t matter what other programs are doing we can’t control that. We control what we do, we will out work everyone and when we at Cal get this mentality in the weight room, on the practice field and in the classroom there is no telling what will be accomplished.”
As many programs are at home sleeping, Cal is preparing to erupt a very successful season. Del Rio League along with the rest of CIF better prepare for the future of football because Cal certainly is.