Game On – March 2024

    Former Head Coach Jack Schram will undoubtedly be a hard act to follow, having just walked through the door with yet another North Coast Section championship trophy.
    Not small shoes to fill.
    However, as of Jan. 31, Nicholas Safir, former assistant head coach at Moreau Catholic High School, was selected as the right man to fill that void. Safir was the unanimous choice of the selection panel, and he has a track record of success that just might draw even more star players into the beloved football program.
    From the little I know about him so far, I’d say the selection committee got it right. He’s hungry, sharp and seems ready to storm the castle walls of our rivals. I also sense his charisma and love of the game will have a long-reaching ripple effect into the community.
    The parents and players who have met him thus far have given him the double thumbs up.
    Principal Ben Campopiano said, “His experience as a teacher and coach, his vision for our program, his coaching values and his dynamic personality make him a great fit for Miramonte.”
    I asked Miramonte’s Athletic Director Sean Hennessy what he liked most about Safir’s interview. He replied, “His willingness to be part of the school community as a whole and his detailed off-season plan that should be repeatable season after season.”
    I’m sure we’ll all learn more about that plan as the year progresses. I know Safir is already watching game films and refining his insights.
    Via email, Safir offered up these words to pass on to the community: ”I am incredibly excited to be leading a program as rich in tradition as Miramonte High School. Coaching at a school of this caliber is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I cannot wait for us to finally get on the field in the fall!”
    Amen to that. Is it September yet?
    I know there’s still a small elephant named Why lingering in the room. Why are we making a head-coaching change now? Here’s my two cents.
    From where I sit in the bleachers, it seems Miramonte school officials were feeling pressure to compete with the rapidly growing program at Acalanes, now the state champs, and sliding divisions behind crosstown rivals at Campolindo. Mix in some highly competitive parents looking at a shrinking roster and you’ve got a formula for high winds.
    Winds of change.
    Can those winds blow in a better tomorrow? Even though Miramonte was in a pretty good place?
    Yes. I believe so.
    So let’s all be the wind at Coach Safir’s back. We should be very excited about what he brings to the field. Experience, as well as the drive to make things even better. He’s got a great group of young players who are only going to improve with his leadership. A run at a state championship is highly possible.
    Go get ‘em Coach Safir. You’re our man.
    Miramonte is lucky to have you.