By Tim Peterson
(Arcadia) – Longtime assistant Eric Elias is returning to his alma mater, Arcadia, as head football coach he confirmed Thursday.
Elias played football at Arcadia and also was an assistant coach for 10 years for the Apaches under Jon Dimalante. Elias spent five years as a position coach and five years as a coordinator before stepping down after the 2014 season.
Since then Elias has had stops at Buena Park, offensive coordinator at Schurr, assistant at Arroyo and last year was the OC at Cantwell.
“I wasn’t really looking for a head coach position but they made me an offer I couldn’t pass up,” Elias said. “I work for the district and have for the past 15 years so it made sense.”
Elias takes over for Antyone Sims who resigned last month after three years at the helm. The Apaches went 5-5 last year (2-3 in the Pacific League) and missed the playoffs.
There aren’t new players too. How will they get to state?
@Todd Golper, Coach Elias sounds like the consummate professional coach–i.e., old school. My dad was part of the Kunishima tree. He was also a master of the Xs and Os, a tactical genius of virtuous character who never cursed at his players–ever. He’d just give you a look or a low growl when upset. Unfortunately for the sport, he saw the writing on the wall for the profession early on in his career as an assistant/coordinator even back then and decided against continuing in it. Well wishes to Coach Elias and the Arcadia program. We need more like him if your testimony is correct (and I’m sure it is).
I have known Coach Elias for the majority of my life. I played for Coach Elias when he was an assistant during my time at Arcadia (05-09). He is a big reason for my success in HS. His X’s and O’s acumen is second to none but most importantly, the content of his character is outstanding. Arcadia is so damn lucky to have another one in the Coach Dimalante tree. Every Apache should be ecstatic with this hire. He will mold boys to men and be a phenomenal leader. No Apaches Down!
Did he ever coach at LaSalle ? I know Ficklin was there .
Is he known as recruiter ? I know White at Buena Park was big time “promoter”when he was there with him …::just trying to
Make some sense of these tangential and wildly contradictory posts !!!
From T. Peterson: No Elias was never at La Salle. Not sure what he was talking about. I was going to correct him but that post was so bizarre and so many things were weird I just let it go.
Fortunately the only way for Arcadia football to go from here is up because we’ve been down for a while.
Got to love the Mid Valley Sports comment section.
One commenter calls him a proven loser even though he has never been a HC, another calls him the best coach in the area even though he has never been a HC, and another sings a lullaby to him.
Now we just need someone to compare him to Trump or Biden for this to get real good!
Thank you for everything at La Salle! He’s the best coach OAT!! I would love to express myself with a song.
“You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are gray
You’ll never know, dear
How much I love you
Please don’t take
My sunshine away
The other night, dear
As I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held you
In my arms
When I awoke, dear
I was mistaken
So I hung my head and cried”
Love you Elias, best wishes a Arcadia
This is the finest coach in the MVS area. Great hire and Arcadia is very lucky that he was available. I see a run to state this coming season.
By the way, strictly for identification purposes, I work at another AHS in the San Gabriel Valley. I’m a complete outsider; I have no connection whatsoever to Arcadia High.
Good heavens.
Good evening Mr. Elias, I am lucky to have gotten ahold of you. I have recently came across a top tier sophomore recruit interested in transferring to Arcadia under specific conditions. He is a 275 lb, 6 foot 7 edge rusher but will only transfer if you oil him up three times a week after practice. With you now as the head coach of Arcadia, I am sure you now have the ability to make things happen. Let me know soon if you are interested. Thank you.
From T. Peterson: I’m not Coach Elias but If I was my thinking is uhh..no thanks. Maybe Mater Dei is interested.
Proven loser. Will run this program into the ground.
This is a guy that could have been a HC for a while. He’s going to have great success.
Congratulations Coach Elias.
Well I’m not sure what I did to TP for this pic to be the one he chose but regardless I appreciate the love and support. Thanks Danny for the support as well, I’ve had great coaches to learn from over the past 18 years (Dimalante, Press, Oliva, White, Cota, Singiser, Leonardis, MacMilan, Ficklin) these are all top notch coaches I have had the privilege to call peers and family. Thanks for all the support and can’t wait to get started
One of the best area coaches around! I had the pleasure of coaching with Coach Elias when he was the OC at Schurr. I was quickly impressed with his football knowledge, practice/game preparation, and overall respect for the game. On top of all that you you sprinkle in the support and commitment from the Elias, Hernandez, Fuentes family…wow! Arcadia just got themselves a great one!