San Gabriel's Los Tres Amigos; SG HC Jude Oliva, Dakota Wesleyan OC Zeke Pado, SG DC Donald Bernard
(San Gabriel) — Over thirty players from different schools and colleges came to San Gabriel High School last Saturday to participate in the ongoing Legends of Character workouts.
Conceived and started a few years ago by San Gabriel alums Jude Oliva and Zeke Prado to not only teach players the good fundamentals of football but good fundamentals for life has grown from a handful of players doing drills to full blown workouts.
Thirty-plus athletes showed up this past Saturday representing several different schools: Alhambra, San Gabriel, Temple City, South Pasadena, Burbank, L.A. Marshall, Junior All-American programs like the Montebello Indians, and colleges Dakota Wesleyan, La Verne, and East Los Angeles College.
“It’s a great turnout,” said SG HC Oliva.
“The most important thing to me was getting my degree,” said Prado, recently named offensive coordinator at Dakota Wesleyan in South Dakota, to players assembled after the workout. “And I used football as a tool to get it done. You want to achieve your dreams, you have to get it done in the classroom.”
LOC Notes: Interesting look at the pic at the top of this story shows the fruit a good program and a good coach continues to produce. Former San Gabriel HC Keith Jones was significant in establishing the post prep-careers of Oliva, Prado, and Bernard. Prado is a OC at the college level, Oliva is a head football coach now in high demand after last season’s run to the finals, and Bernard, who has been the DC for two Matadors finals teams is now getting offers to HC at the prep level…Arroyo’s Hunter Duran and Steven Rivera were also at the workout. Rivera is weighing between Whittier College and Cal Lutheran if he continues to play. He has been accepted to San Francisco State and is waiting to hear from San Diego State…Not definite but a high possibility is San Gabriel stud Alex Villalobos playing football next fall at Canyon Country….Former Los Altos offensive lineman Jordan Valles, considering an offer from Prado to join him at DW, was also at the workout…
Alhambra Qb Josh Mendoza
"The Suave One"---Matt Lopez (left) and SG, ELAC, La Verne WR Manny Rodriguez
Left to Right: SG's Alex Villalobos, Eric Alvarez, & Alhambra's Josh Mendoza
Temple City linebacker Chris Reed
Former Burbank linebacker & current DW LB Anthony Cervantes
Colors, Colors
SG/QB/LB Eric Alvarez strikes a pose
SG/WR/CB Isai Fernandez