DANVILLE — At 30 years previous, Johnny Millard is on his approach to turning into a soccer lifer.
The son of a former NFL participant and coach Keith Millard, Johnny starred at Foothill Excessive in Pleasanton as a tackling machine greater than a decade in the past, stood out at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo and extra just lately was on the workers at his highschool alma mater.
Now Millard has his personal crew to educate, his personal workers to steer, his personal gamers to mildew.
He's the brand new coach at Monte Vista, taking up the Danville faculty’s program from former NFL operating again CJ Anderson, who stepped down after one season to change into an assistant at Rice College.
“For me, it was a straightforward choice,” Millard instructed the Bay Space Information Group on Thursday. “They’re a program with a practice of excellence. They only produce so many nice gamers, so many nice younger males. The assist from the Danville neighborhood, the assist from the athletic division, the workers, you simply really feel that once you stroll on campus.”
Millard is leaving household behind as he makes the transfer up I-680. His youthful brother, Kade, who performs tight finish and defensive finish at Foothill, shall be a senior within the fall. Their father, additionally a Foothill alum, helps coach the crew.
Final season, with the Millards all collectively, the Falcons captured the East Bay Athletic League’s Valley Division championship and reached the North Coast Part Division II last.
“I had an absolute blast teaching there,” Millard stated. “It was positively bittersweet strolling away. However they have been extremely supportive. They knew this was a aim of mine, they usually additionally knew it was an incredible alternative. It was very nice to have them in my nook, all the way in which from my brother to my dad, the Foothill coaches, mother and father. That meant a ton.”
Millard takes over a program that final season went 7-3 total and 2-2 within the EBAL’s prime division, the Mountain.
Monte Vista’s beginning quarterback (Dyllan Devitt), main rusher (Rocco Schramm) and prime receiver (Cole Boscia) have been seniors final fall, as was tight finish Jack Endries.
So there received’t be simply new faces on the sideline subsequent season.
However this system could have a person in cost who understands the affect highschool coaches can have on younger minds and treasures the game.
“I knew I wished to educate,” stated Millard, who had 116 tackles his senior season at Foothill in 2008. “I really like soccer. I grew up with it from the day I used to be born. I feel generally individuals can go each instructions there — worn out or you'll be able to sort of change into immersed within the sport. I simply really feel prefer it was such a blessing to develop up being round my dad with him enjoying and training.
“Clearly loving the game as a participant, I believed there can be a superb alternative to proceed that keenness as a coach. I didn’t know if that was going to be highschool, school or if I ever wished to pursue one thing like my dad. To me, teaching highschool soccer is the very best of each world. It’s not simply the Xs and Os of it. But it surely’s such an essential time in these youngsters’ lives.”
Millard’s hiring has been greeted by robust applause on social media from friends within the teaching neighborhood.
Amador Valley’s Danny Jones known as it a “house run rent!” on Twitter.
Eric Coleman, the offensive coordinator at Garces Excessive in Bakersfield, tweeted, “MV is getting an incredible chief, arise man with Impeccable character and (even) higher human.”
With Foothill within the EBAL’s Valley Division for at the very least another season, Millard received’t have any household feuds this fall.
Monte Vista isn’t scheduled to face Foothill.
“We’re not, which can most likely be good for the family, Thanksgiving subsequent yr,” Millard stated.