Despite questions swirling around the Stanislaus District high school football community, newly hired Modesto Christian head coach Michael McFadden is confident in the ability to field a team this fall.
McFadden, a Detroit native, has been on the sidelines since moving to California in 2012. He spent time at El Capitan, Buhach Colony, Livingston, Delhi and Stone Ridge Christian high schools. His first head coaching job was last season, bringing football back to Turlock Christian for the first time in five years as the leader of the eight-man football team.
“I think things stand in a very positive place,” McFadden said in his first conversation with the media since being hired at Modesto Christian. “From what I could already tell from my introduction and the kids I got to meet during that time, they were very excited.”
He was hired just days before the Sac-Joaquin Section-mandated no-contact dead period of July 1-14 but did have time to connect with a handful of players. Before the dead period began, he talked with “eight to nine kids” who were “ready to roll.”
McFadden said he also is encouraged by conversations he has had with other athletes on campus. He is “looking at about 19 to 20 kids” based on conversations he has had with the campus’ student athletes. He believes freshmen will add to those numbers.
Former athletic director Greg Pearce helped hire McFadden. Pearce and former associate athletic director Robb Spencer worked their last days at the school June 28 amid new school leadership. Pearce said in a phone call with The Bee that Friday that he “100% supports” hiring McFadden as the program’s next head coach.
In conversations with Pearce for an earlier story, he told The Bee he wanted to have a plan for the season in motion by the end of June. One of the steps was hiring a coach, which he accomplished before leaving.
McFadden is confident MC will field a team this season. “It’s already in play,” he said of the plan. “I never have a doubt that we’re going to be in play and we’re going to have guys.”
Pearce said Trans Valley League principals and athletic directors were sent an email notifying them that Modesto Christian is operating without an athletic director or principal.
After the dead period, McFadden said, they will begin practices just like each team throughout the section with the goal of fielding a team and playing 10 regular season games.
“If we come the first day and there’s only 12, 13 guys, guess what? I’m gonna go get the other five to eight guys,” McFadden said.
He is inspired by the football powerhouse Modesto Christian used to be. Under coach Mike Parsons, the Crusaders had section and league titles and finished 11-2 in 2005, 12-1 in 2006 and a perfect 15-0 in 2009 with section and state titles. The Crusaders spent many seasons under Parsons playing deep into November.
McFadden has started hiring assistants, keeping Nick Kendall from last year’s MC coaching staff and adding Lucas Schwartz.
“I am committed to bringing back the Parsons era of success,” said McFadden, who will be the team’s head coach and offensive coordinator. “I think we should live up to that, we shouldn’t be scared of it. We’re in the process of doing it right now. I am not here for one year or two years, I’m here to get the job done. I am here to bring this program back. That is my mission.”
TVL coaches voiced concerns
McFadden is aware of the questions from teams inside the Trans Valley League.
The Crusaders opted to remain in the most competitive small school league in California during Sac-Joaquin Section realignment meetings instead of moving to a smaller league like the Southern League or Central California Athletic Alliance.
In an article published by the Turlock Journal on June 28 , TVL coaches expressed their concerns about whether the Crusaders will field a team. The league expanded to an eight-team football league during realignment, dropping Livingston and Riverbank while adding Orestimba, Ripon Christian and Sonora.
Teams playing the Crusaders near the end of the regular season are concerned because if Modesto Christian cannot finish the season, they would have to scramble to find games. That’s hard to do with just a few weeks’ notice because possible opponents have their schedules set. The Huskies play the Crusaders in their final home game Nov. 1 and will likely be in the hunt for a league title.
McFadden provides more clarity
As of Wednesday morning, McFadden says he has heard from just one TVL coach.
He said he understands what they are feeling because he has experience coaching for and against small schools. In his time as an assistant at Stone Ridge Christian, the school had a team cancel on it.
He also said he understands the financial concern of teams scheduled to host the Crusaders. Those like Escalon, Hughson and Sonora, who risk losing gate fees if they are not able to find replacements should the Crusaders not have enough players to field a team later in the season.
“I would love to reassure them that we’re gonna be there,” McFadden said. “We understand you have fans and your boys want to play, our boys want to play and our fans want to see us play. We understand there’s gate and concessions, we deal with the exact same things. We’re all in this together. Yes, we want to compete on a Friday night and we want to get to get the W, we want to go to playoffs and we want to win sections, but at the end of the day, we’re all in it together.”
The Crusaders open the season with River Islands as the first of three straight home non-league games. They begin the TVL gauntlet Sept. 20 at home against Orestimba.
Most Popular
Comments / 0