The Revival of Dublin High Football

head football coach, Casey Moreno,  for a fifth season at Dublin in order to spend more time with his family.

My teammates and I were surprised and confused, but soon we began to wonder about the possibilities that awaited our football team. Coach Moreno and the passion he brought to the Gaels will be sorely missed, but now a new era awaits Dublin High School.

Unfortunately, that new era took longer to arrive than many of the players would have liked. A lot longer, actually. As spring football approached, we became worried and frustrated that we might not have enough time with our new coach to be properly prepared for summer conditioning. But still, we continued training and weight lifting, hoping that the time spent finding a new coach would result in hiring the best coach possible.

After looking at many qualified applicants, the DHS Athletic Department finally . John Wade, previously the head coach at Miramonte High School in Orinda, will be coaching at Dublin High.

Soon after the announcement, my team began to get very excited. Last season, Wade led the Matadors to a very close victory over Dublin High, a league championship, and through several rounds of the NCS playoffs. The possibilities became very apparent, indeed.

Wade already has met with our team several times, and is meeting with us twice a week before classes (as well as supervising weightlifting) to teach us a new system. Already, there is a very noticeable chemistry between the team and coach. He can tell that we are excited, and we can see that he feels the same way.

Mark Bywater, Wade’s defensive coordinator at Miramonte, will be joining him at Dublin High. His “him ‘em hard, hit ‘em fast” defensive scheme will be perfect for us, as well as the spread offensive that Wade is implementing (the same scheme that the very successful University of Oregon uses).

With spring football practice just a couple of weeks away, the Gaels certainly have a reason to be amped. We have excellent team cohesion, loads of natural talent and a work ethic that surpasses our predecessors. Our team is looking to turn Dublin High football around. As an upcoming senior, I know that it is finally my class’s turn to make an impact, and this is definitely the year to make it happen.

Click here to watch a video of John Wade being introduced to parents and players earlier this month.