By Rick Assad
For the Burbank High football team, the season actually begins during the dog days of summer in July and August and concludes sometime during the chill of November.
The Bulldogs fashioned an 8-2 overall mark and own a 7-0 record in the Pacific League, capturing the title undisputedly.
One of the benefits of a successful campaign is playing host to Tustin at Memorial Field in a CIF Southern Section Division VII first-round playoff game.
Another came on Thursday at the quad when the Los Angeles Chargers presented Adam Colman with a plaque and a check for one thousand dollars as its high school coach of the week.
Colman, the first-year head man was surrounded by his team, teachers, administrators, students, the marching band, cheerleaders, a pair of Chargers cheerleaders and D’Mario Carter, an intern with the Chargers Community Relations Youth Football Department.
The Chargers selected Colman after Burbank’s 37-20 upset victory over then-undefeated Crescenta Valley on Oct. 20 at Glendale High’s Moyse Field.
“Definitely unexpected. When Pat [McMenamin] told me I was a little shocked,” said Colman, who played quarterback for the Bulldogs and graduated from UCLA, but didn’t play football. “It’s a cool honor. But it’s not just me. It’s a staff thing. A team thing. This is all because of [Richard] Broussard and it’s all because of what he’s built here. Any time a coach gets an honor, it’s a whole staff award and this is a staff that [Broussard] built.”
Colman’s staff includes Manuel Lemus, defensive coordinator, Rob Ashby, defensive line coach, Pete Roses, linebackers coach, Kevin Hefner, wide receivers coach, Marvin Reyes, defensive backs coach, Douglas Pierce, running backs coach, Jim Summy, offensive analyst, Joe Manasewitsch, offensive line coach and Fred, assistant coach.
Colman added: “We say family and that word gets thrown around a lot in sports,” he said. “There’s a family feel around here.”
Also on hand was Patrick McMenamin, co-athletic director along with Bruce Breeden, who most-recently coached the girl’s basketball team.
“This is a special day for Coach Colman and our football program,” McMenamin said. “I think it speaks to the buy-in that he’s created with our kids and our program and it’s nice to be recognized by an organization as good as the L.A. Chargers.”
McMenamin went on: “In that CV game we started off with a 27-0 lead,” he said. “Our kids were well prepared and that doesn’t happen without a strong coaching staff. We studied up on CV. They’re a well-coached and strong team.”
Senior wide receiver/linebacker Drew Pendleton has been a key contributor to Burbank’s success and is pleased that Colman received the recognition.
“It means a lot because we tried to do it last year [win the division title] and we couldn’t do it,” Pendleton said. “To get it this year, it means a lot. I really didn’t think the Chargers would show up. There’s a big desire because we’re not satisfied with winning the league. We want to go on and win the championship.”
Junior running back Chadz Vang has also had a crucial role this season and thinks the team will do well in the postseason.
“Feels like we’re back in the CIF again,” Vang noted. “Feels like last year’s championship against Yorba Linda, but it’s the first game of the playoffs,”
Vang said that Colman has guided the team in the right direction since the initial practice began.
“Each day, since the beginning of the summer, it’s very hot. No one’s used to it,” he said. “We get through. Like a team. Like a family. Yes, it’s worth it.”
After Thursday’s award ceremony, one would think that Colman would wholeheartedly agree.
