By Rick Assad
Hector Valencia is Burbank High’s head football coach and senior Kayelm Valencia is a tight end/linebacker for the Bulldogs and on Friday night both capped the 10-game season with a 38-21 victory over longtime city rival Burroughs.
The Rio-Pacific Conference clash at Memorial Field will be the last time father and son are on the gridiron during a regular season game.
What remains for both is whether Burbank (5-5 and 1-2 in Arroyo League) will extend its campaign into the postseason and it depends on whether it receives an invitation from the CIF Southern Section selection committee as an at-large team.
Coincidentally, father and son both wore number 22 as did Juan Valencia, Hector’s older brother who graduated from Burbank in 1991.
Hector and Kaylem reflected on what it’s been like working together on and off the field for four years.
“It has been a pleasure coaching him. I have coached him growing up but I have always tried to give him as much space by not directly coaching his position and also to not look like there is favoritism towards him,” said the elder Valencia who has been the Burbank head coach on two occasions, from 2009 through 2013 and 2023 to the present.
The younger Valencia, who has an offer from Portland State to play football, said he’s used to being coached by his father and he’s enjoyed the experience.
“It’s pretty normal playing for my dad. He has been my coach for a lot of my younger teams when I used to play basketball and baseball,” he said. “So I’ve always had him around me while playing.”
On Friday, Valencia caught two passes for 23 yards and wreaked havoc on defense. Valencia has grabbed 10 passes for 118 yards and has two receiving touchdowns up to this point.
The elder Valencia, who played football for four years and made the varsity as a sophomore, saw his son given a Scholar-Athlete Award before the game, develop as a football player and as a person.
“Watching him practice is special because I have also been able to see what a great teammate and person, he is on the field and off. He is a hard worker and leads by example and has been a great role model to the other players,” he said. “It’s nice to see first-hand what a great young man he has turned out to be.”
Valencia added: “Credit to the coaches that we have had the opportunity to surround him with get better,” he stated. “Overall, I try not to show him any special treatment, and the team knows that he does not get any from me. I don’t call him out any differently.”
But it’s not easy and it takes effort on both sides to keep up that high standard.
“I think it’s sometimes hard because players have to watch what they say around him,” Valencia stated. “But overall, his friends are pretty comfortable coming over to our house and hanging out and I give them their space.”
The younger Valencia knows his father has his best interest in mind.
“The best thing about playing for him has to be that I always have a guide at all times to give me the honest truth whenever I need to change my game a little and tweak a few things,” he said. “He is pretty normal with how he treats me, and of course he has high standards for me but overall, he is pretty chill about it. But if I play not to a high standard, he calls me out.”
Being a father and a coach has been a blessing according to Valencia.
“I think overall it’s been easy coaching him because he is a really good player and teammate and he knows that there are certain standards that he must keep,” he said. “He understands the value of keeping up standards and carrying himself as a leader. Sometimes I have to hold back because I want to correct him, but I don’t want it to look like I am playing favorites or singling him out.”
Valencia added: “Growing up we have always talked about how one should behave on and off the field and to carry ourselves with class and at school he is a good student,” he said. “On Friday he will be awarded the program’s Scholar-Athlete Award and presented by the Rivalry Series.”
Valencia, who graduated from Burbank in 1993 played running back and linebacker and was an all-league pick and was all-league in track and field and competed in the hurdles, shot put, discus, long jump and triple jump, continued his thought: “Once again I did not choose him because I did not want to show favoritism. I had Alli [McKain], our athletic director choose,” he stated. “But we wanted to choose a player that has been with the program all four years and has shown athletic excellence as well as academic excellence.”
Looking back, the elder Valencia has enjoyed the experience.
“I have been coaching him in some sport since he was five years old and it has been a pleasure watching him grow as a young man and I am very proud to have him represent it on and off the field,” he said. “Since I am a teacher and a coach, I don’t just get to see it on Friday’s or when he competes, I get to see how he is every day and I take it as a privilege.”
So far, the younger Valencia is pleased with how the season went.
“I’ve learned how to become a good young man and how to be the best football player I can be,” he said.
