After losing in bi-district and ending the season with a 4-3 record in district play, Bel Air high school will have only three returning coaches next season. Coaches Javier Encino, Gabriel Pedregron and Paul Halaholo will no longer be Bel Air Highlander coaches. Coach Encino will completely leave the city and go to Dallas. Coach Pedregron and Halaholo will transfer to Eastwood. This move has left an effect on all of the players.

Being a soon to be senior, Rafael Propeck has seen many coaches come and go.

“Sometimes change isn’t a bad thing. Maybe it just really depends on what if you make of it”, Propeck said. Propeck was a varsity player for two years and played for coach Halaholo three years. Propeck said he will find the positive side of the moves no matter how much it hurts and hopes to learn as much as possible from new coaches. Propeck hopes that with him showing the discipline and humility toward the new coaches his team will follow along and work hard.

Not all players took the news as well. Junior Jorge Rascon disagrees with coaches moving and says he wishes it wouldn’t happen. Rascon says that playing on varsity this year was the best experience of his football life and credits the coaches for the memories.

“Not only did they help me learn about football but they helped me mature as a person.” Rascon said not seeing the coaches during practices or hearing their yells will greatly affect him.

Being a freshman, quarterback Isaac Ybarra says that his one year here has already drawn him close to some of the coaches. Ybarra says that it will be hard to adapt to new coaches since he just learned how to play high school football from these coaches.

“This year meant a lot to me. Not only did I grow as a player but I actually got to connect with some of my coaches. I was hoping to be able to continue learning from them in the future,” Ybarra said.. Although the coaches are leaving Ybarra promises to give his all each and everyday to the new coaches.  

By Christopher Diaz