In lieu of what has been a tumultuous offseason, the Napa High football team’s focus is one direction -- straight ahead.
Four weeks after the promotion of JV head coach Jesus Martinez to varsity head coach, the Indians continue preparing in earnest for the 2017 season. It was not long ago that there was concern if such a scenario would take place in lieu of alleged hazing incidents that later led to former head coach Troy Mott’s resignation as a result of a power struggle with the Napa Valley Unified School District board of trustees and the Napa High administration.
Two months came and went before Martinez was the chosen one at recommendation of both Mott and Petrie. The decision came three weeks before the self-imposed deadline that stated if a coach was not named by June 15, the 2017 season would be cancelled.
With resolution of the coaching status as well as the the 2017 campaign, the program has faded from the public eye after two months of being in it for reasons other than football. Martinez added that the returning players are enjoying a new lease on life as their focus is 50 yards wide and 100 yards long.
“They reacted just like a kid would react,” Martinez said referring to player reaction of program resolution. “They were extremely happy, motivated, ready to work and get back to football. The only downside is that we are down on numbers but slowly they’ve been coming back. Some kids have been on vacation but I couldn’t be happier with the work ethic. They want to be out here.”
Martinez, however, was also quick to add that the players’ work ethic did not just begin when there was coaching staff resolution. From the day Mott resigned (March 15) to the day Martinez was promoted (May 24), the players stayed actively involved in their offseason conditioning thanks to Thomas Sims, who is the Napa High athletic director.
“The work ethic of the kids really stands out,” Martinez said. “They continued to put the time in even without coaches they worked hard on their own. Then when we stepped in they were still working hard together as a team. We really didn’t have to enforce working out, obviously we pushed them a little harder but their work ethic is there.”
Despite the coaching shakeup, the Indians are not going through the drastic shakeup that some people expected. Keep in mind, Martinez is a former Napa High quarterback having graduated in 2004. Before serving as JV head coach last season, he was a JV assistant the previous nine campaigns.
As was the case under Mott, the staff has a Napa High flavor that includes but is not limited to Robbie Steen, Kevin Anderson, Alex Russ, Jeremy Wooten and Nick Tedesco.
“Pretty much all of these guys are Napa High alums,” Martinez said. “We’re our here because we love Napa High and we love the kids. We want to see the program continue to go.”
Mott, however, has not disappeared entirely as he still has a role in the program as a mentor to Martinez so as to get acclimated to his role as varsity head coach.
“He’s been a tremendous help for me,” Martinez said. “He’s definitely offered a suggestion here and there. He’s also been helpful as far as how to run practices. He’s been a huge help to the rest of the coaching staff.”
The focus now becomes continuing an annual winning tradition that includes but is not limited to dating back to 2002, during which time Napa has compiled a 122-42-1 overall record, 59-11 in Monticello Empire League that also includes a CIF Sac Joaquin Section Div. I title in 2007.
The 2017 season will mark the last for Napa in the SJS. Napa, Vintage and American Canyon will move to the North Coast Section in 2018. The league they will be placed is to be determined.
From a schematic point of view, Napa will look similar in that defensively it will at times be a 4-3 front and on offense the indians will still operate out of the pistol formation.
“Defensively we are pretty much going to be the same,” Martinez said. “On offense, we are not changing too many things. There will be some different looks. Sometimes we might run the offense with no huddle but there’s not going to be any wholesale changes from what they have already run with me at the JV level.”
There will be no illusion to where the Indians stand based on their non league schedule that includes Pleasant Valley (Chico) and Rocklin along with Riordan (San Francisco), Nevada Union and Pittman (Turlock). As far as the MEL is concern, the league title has been decided between either Napa or Vacaville since 2002 but Wood (Vacaville) has become a tough out and Vintage appears to be trending up under alum Dylan Leach, who was Napa’s defensive coordinator from 2010-2015.
Besides the summer weight-room and conditioning program, the Indians are competing in 7-on-7 contests throughout the summer with fellow Napa Valley schools Vintage, American Canyon, Justin-Siena and St. Helena.
“We like the competition,” Martinez said. “It’s about getting the kids their fight back. They haven’t had competition in seven months. It’s about getting back into a competitive feeling.”
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