Coyotes get ready for new season
Tyler Takeda/The Madera Tribune More than 150 people attended this year’s Coyote Football Kick-Off dinner Saturday at the San Joaquin Wine Company.
Now in his third season, Madera Coyote football head coach Yosef Fares is ready to get the ball rolling on the 2018 season.
The unofficial start to that season was at Saturday’s Madera Coyote Football Kick-Off Dinner at San Joaquin Wine Company.
“We’re really trying to connect the team with the community,” Fares told the crowd. “I’m really excited to see alumni and community members come to this events, as well as our parents from the three levels.”
More than 150 people attended the biggest fundraiser for the Madera Coyote football program, which included a live and silent auction.
“When I first got here, there wasn’t a parent program,” Fares said. “One of the first things I did is I got together and gathered parents to be a part of this. Our parents are awesome. This program is run at a top-notch level because of the parent involvement we have.”
With the football season kicking off on Aug. 17 at Washington Union-Easton, Fares is ready to begin his third season at the helm of Coyote football.
“This is year three for us building a new culture that we’ve talked about since year one,” Fares said. “This group of boys have given up their summer, been to 6 a.m. lifts with afternoon practice. It’s a tough thing for high school kids to do, especially with all of their friends doing other stuff. The commitment and the culture we have built with group is already stepping up to the next level. The kids are all tight-knit. It’s a big brother program and it’s exciting to see the growth. We’re ahead of schedule in my five-year plan. We’re excited to see that this year.”
The annual Blue/White Srimmage will be Friday night, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
The following week, the Coyotes scrimmage Mendota and open the season at Washington Union. Madera opens the home season Aug. 24 against Kerman.
“That first game, we would love the support,” Fares said. “The biggest thing about Madera is if you’re from Madera, you have a lot of Madera pride. I’m expecting a huge turnout for that first game.”
