After four years at TCHS, Varsity Football Coach Mike McFarland will be resigning at the end of the year. Coach McFarland, who also teaches World History, Government and Economics, will be leaving in June to take an assistant coaching job at Missouri Science and Technology University.
“Of course I am upset that my football coach of four years is leaving, but I know that his decision is the right choice for him going forward and that it is a great opportunity for him and his family,” Junior Sean Lamb said. “As a football team, we will take what he has taught us and make the most of it in our upcoming season.”
During his tenure, Coach McFarland posted an overall record of 13-29 and a Rio Hondo League record of 9-16. In 2010, his first year as head coach, McFarland led the Rams to a 4-7 record and the C.I.F. playoffs, tying for second place league before falling to Rosemead in the first round of the playoffs. However, Coach McFarland and the Rams were only able to post a 1-9 record and did not qualify for the playoffs the following year.
In 2012, Coach McFarland and the Rams bounced back and grabbed another playoff berth with a 5-6 overall record and placed third in league, but lost to Paraclete in the first round of the playoffs. The Rams did not qualify for the playoffs this past season after going 3-7 and ranking fourth in the league.
“I think that the team next year will have great success,” Coach McFarland said. “The team will be very competitive in the Rio Hondo League and will be able to achieve a winning record.”
Despite not having the greatest of success on the field, many of Coach McFarland’s players believe that their record does not depict the value of the life lessons that they learned from their coach.
“Coach always made sure that we would use proper language and that we took care of each other as a family,” Senior Isaiah Durden said. “He was a father figure for our team and truly cared for our personal well being.”
Although Coach McFarland will continue to work with the team until the end of the school year, Athletic Director Mr. John VanDeVeere has already begun to search for Coach McFarland’s successor. A flyer was posted in the office notifying district employees that the position would become available at the end of the school year.
McFarland’s departure leaves TCHS with two vacant head coaching jobs. The Boys Varsity Soccer team parted ways with their head coach, Rod Jativa, in January and that spot has still not been filled.