Vince D’Adamo: What is the No. 1 thing that keeps you coming back to coaching every season?
Dylan Leach: Very tough question because there are so many reasons. What comes to mind first is the relationships with student athletes and the opportunity to be a positive influence on their lives. Also the camaraderie between myself and the coaching and support staff. But to narrow it down to one thing, I would have to say the "game of football" itself. This is an amazing game that emulates life in so many ways. It teaches accountability, responsibility, discipline, relationship building, trust, staying calm under pressure, physical fitness, etc. I could go on and on. Also, it gives me an opportunity to compete at a high level matching wits and skills without the physicality.
D’Adamo: Beyond wins and losses, what is your vision for the Vintage High football program?
Leach: My vision for the Vintage High Football program has so many levels. First and foremost, my vision involves creating a program where the community of Napa benefits from having great young men as student athletes represent them. Including doing a better job as students in the classroom on not only the educational curriculum but also in leadership roles, leading by example, and respect for authority. We preach to the kids all the time about being part of the solution and never the problems. In addition, creating opportunities for the young men in our program to interact and give back to the community by volunteering in outreach programs and helping those in need. By concentrating on the above mentioned duties, We will create better citizens, fathers, husbands, and community leaders.
Furthermore, my vision for the Vintage High football program includes a major overhaul of the facilities and equipment used by our student athletes. Beyond the initial overhaul (new team rooms, training rooms, paint, branding, sleds, pads, etc.) is the responsibility and accountability of maintaining our equipment. By keeping things clean, maintained, and put away daily in the designated spots we will teach these young men and women an important lesson that will undoubtedly translate into their home lives in the form of keeping rooms clean, organizing and putting things away, and maintaining a "routine."
On the field, my vision is to create an environment that is hard working, smart (efficient) working, discipline, respectful, and fun to be apart of. It is my job to put the staff and kids in a position to succeed. X's and O's, and having great athletes can go a long way in football but without the mentioned attributes of a program you will never succeed on a consistent basis.
D’Adamo: You had a chance to coach with both Les Franco and Troy Mott, two historically successful coaches in Napa Valley high school football history, what common denominator did you learn from both?
Their are so many traits that both Coach Franco, Coach Mott, and myself share in common. What comes to mind first is the passion these coaches have for the game of football and to teach it passionately. You can hear it in their voice, tone, and mannerisms when they teach. I used to love watching Coach Franco turn his hat backwards and demonstrate to a player a perfect blocking technique like it was the most exciting thing in the world. Another similarity between us all is the will to prepare to win. I don't know a player or coach who does not "want" to win on Friday nights at Memorial Stadium, but few possess the "will to prepare" to win as Coach Franco and Coach Mott have. In addition, Coach Franco and Coach Mott are not afraid of competition. I feel many players in this generation are afraid to compete. WIN the position, WIN the drill, WIN the wind sprint, WIN in the weight room, WIN WIN WIN....and in order to do so, you have to compete to the best of your abilities. Just look at any preseason schedule of any Coach Franco and Coach Mott coached teams and you will see they want to compete themselves against the best programs (coaches) and have their kids compete against the best players in those programs. This is something we will have to address moving forward. Vintage High School football will not back down from competing against the best. I have a running joke with my players. If I play a game of Connect Four against my 8 year old daughter Emerson. I'm trying to whoop her butt (doesn't always happen). I feel I already had the traits mentioned above before working with Coach Franco and Coach Mott but they validated my reasoning. However, the biggest thing I learned from both men is their conviction to principle and what they felt is right. These two great coaches do not waiver from their conviction and the winning formula they have and I am forever grateful to have shared the sideline with both men and learn this valuable lesson.
D’Adamo: Besides the Xs and Os of coaching, how important is it to be able to relate to kids?
Leach: I think relating with the kids is vitally important to running a successful program at the high school level. However, I don't want to confuse people about the way coaches should relate to their kids. It does not mean we have to know or understand "their" slang, music, social media terms or what not. Our players run from 13 to 18 year old young men whose minds are still developing and are learning how to become men, function in society, treat peers, etc. In many cases, they learn from "our" (coaches) examples, whether physical or verbal. As coaches, our job is to relate to the kids with the understanding we are teaching them life lessons. We are not their BFFs. There is a clear boundary of Coach to player, teacher to student, mentor to pupil, man to young man. As coaches, I feel the best we can do for our players is to get the them to communicate with us on our level, using adult vocabulary, appropriate delivery tone, respect, eye contact etc. that will translate to the real world. In my opinion and experience, this kind of relating to the players is what they actually crave and yearn for.
D’Adamo: Within your family who have been the most influential people?
Leach: Everyone in my family has been extremely influential to me in my development as a man, teacher, mentor, and coach. I feel my parents were (and are) very influential to me growing up. I learned how to love unconditionally from them and how to treat people fairly and with respect. I grew up with no prejudices and was taught that people’s character should determine the way I treated or acted towards them. My parents, Bill and Debbie both excel in people skills and I feel that was passed down to both my sisters and I. My sisters, Jenni and Kendra are both great educators and parents who were also very influential to me. My wife, Stacie, over the last 12 plus years has been extremely influential for me. She is extremely driven, a hard worker, self motivated, disciplined and organized. She leads me by example in these areas and was one of the main reasons I have grown into who I am today. Of course, now I have my nephew Manny, niece Denali, my own daughter Emerson and son Brix who influence me daily and make me work harder everyday.
D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would most like to meet. What would intrigue you about meeting him or her?
Leach: The easiest question here is actually the hardest. So many to choose from. First thought on instinct was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A person could learn so much from him. He was the ultimate teacher to me. Reaching so many with his message. I obviously only have seen video clips of Dr. King but his calm disposition under such unjust and the passionate delivery in which he displayed his message is nothing short of amazing. In my opinion, Dr. King was one of the greatest leaders in history and his traits and teachings would surely benefit any who crossed his message. Then my football side kicked in. Chuck Noll and Bill Walsh would top that list. Both were leaders who mastered the physiological aspect of coaching groups of men into the ultimate of teams. Not to mention the best defensive and offensive minds in the history of football. Wouldn't it be awesome to sit down and learn the intricacies of the real West Coast offense, the simplicity of deception and the short passing game.
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