Coach Chase Pometta is shown in this photo from last season.
For Mariposa County High School football coach Chase Pometta, winning games is important, but building leaders is right up there.
“I think the biggest thing, the number one point as soon as the kids walk through the door (at the start of each season), is we want captains. We don’t want MVPs,” said Pometta.
What Pometta means by that is that talent is nice, yes. But leadership and positive characteristics that are typically possessed by team captains can take a player and a team just as far.
“That (philosophy) has established the culture we have. We have four captains walk out for the coin toss, but we have 30 guys on the team, and they all represent like captains in some way, whether it is helping a younger guy or someone at their position,” he explained.
For Pometta, who was hired as the varsity head coach prior to the 2023-2024 school year, building his culture has been a top priority.
That culture is all about teaching the young men on the football team to act like a team captain would: have the back of your teammate, be responsible, build camaraderie, work hard and uplift others.
Pometta, who owned and operated his own gym prior to going into coaching, said the program saw the fruits of establishing that type of culture last season.
The Grizzlies finished 9-2 overall and 5-1 in the Southern League, right near the top of the standings. For some of the Grizzly seniors from last season’s squad, it was the most victories they had ever accumulated in football — meaning from the time they were in elementary school and playing at the youth level, they hadn’t accumulated nine wins in all those seasons combined.
“Last year was great. The senior class last year was heavy in leadership. They were some of the best leaders I’ve ever coached. They stuck with it. I got here their sophomore year. They paid their dues, we’ll just say that,” said Pometta.
“But it all made sense when they got to last year. They got to experience a nine-win regular season, which has only happened a few times up here. They did it through the grind. They dedicated themselves to the weight room. They bought into the culture we created in the program.”
Pometta is hoping this year’s seniors continue to support the culture of leadership and camaraderie. So far, it appears that is the case.
“These seniors are buying into our culture. And we have a tremendous coaching staff, guys who have been here now (for a while). We talk football all year. We go to clinics and learn together,” he said.
The togetherness of the team can only help.
The Grizzlies are set to open the season at the Sierra Chieftans on Thursday, September 3 at 7 p.m.
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