2021-2022 Issue 6
Table of Contents Pages 1-4: Performing Arts Page 5: FFA Happenings Pages 6-7: Athletics Pages 8-9: Staff Profile Pages 10-15: Human Interest
Cinderella Transforms Immanuel's Stage by Hannah Brown, photos contributed by Kirk Kawagoe
The biggest production to hit the Immanuel stage is here and it’s wearing glass slippers. The performing arts department has been hard at work the past few months preparing for their run of Rodger and Hammerstein’s "Cinderella." Director Josh Merritt led a successful production of the show which closed Feb. 19. This was the first time Cinderella had been performed on the Immanuel stage. The show included mesmerizing costume transformations, exciting choreography, and stunning set pieces. Many cast and crew members worked late nights in order to get the show up and running in time for opening night.
Beyond the Curtain: Insight into Life Backstage by Hannah Brown
What the audience sees on stage is an illusion maintained through a precarious balance of acting, lights, and sound. Backstage, there is a whole other world backstage to be imagined…
musical madness. You also end up learning a lot about yourself in the process. It never fails to amaze how a production like this is pulled off in just six weeks. It doesn’t seem like it could be enough time, yet it always pulls together in the end. Everything clicks into place. When that happens, you’re able to truly soak up the theater experience, like the warmth of the spotlight, the whispers shared on the stage, or belting your heart out to your favorite song (Stepsister’s Lament is the only right answer here).
There is no feeling comparable to sitting in a dark hallway at 11:00 pm, awake only by the sheer power of caffeine and Advil, buried in layers of fabric, feet burning with the heat of a thousand suns, but yet so exhilarated. That’s the magic of theater. This may sound like an uncomfortable experience, but when you are surrounded by people just as delirious as you are, it is a worthwhile memory. Some of the best memories are made during show weekends. This year has been exceptional. It’s an opportunity to get to know people better, and by the end, you become bonded through the wild and unexplainable things that only occur in the midst of
While theater is about forgetting reality, nothing is ever perfect. There’s also the awful, uncomfortable, and embarrassing feelings that are inevitable. Having clunky scene changes, late entrances, forgetting choreography, breaking props, the list goes on. While the audience never actually notices if something went wrong, the actors know. It can be hard to move on, but it’s imperative to keep the show going. The small moments onstage and off make moments like those more bearable, like sharing a high five while passing in the hallway, helping someone with a quick change, or holding back a curtain.
Backstage is often a hectic area, with people scrambling about, but there is tangible energy. Inside the dressing room it is a maze, where shoes, safety pins and silk are scattered about. Dozens of open energy drinks and pizza boxes lay on various surfaces. An assortment of chairs, tables, and benches are arranged in makeshift dressing stations. Mirrors are propped up at haphazard angles. On the wings of the stage, dance battles are likely to occur.
The ending is surreal. When the curtain closes for the final time, there is a clench in my stomach, and tears well up. We cheer louder than we ever have before and celebrate. Then we look around, still glowing with the post-performance adrenaline, and know that it’s over. It’s a solemn feeling, but joyous at the same time to reflect on all we have accomplished. There’s many tears and many hugs. The time comes for us to say goodbye, and there’s beauty in the ending. The curtain closes for the final time.
Everything Ag In February! by Evan Kaufman
In February, many students are seen wearing blue corduroy jackets, and it's not because of the cold weather. National FFA week of 2022 started on February 19 and ended on the 26. It's a time where fellow FFA students across the United States come together with their chapter to partake in different activities to bring awareness to agriculture and how far it has come. Some chapters host different events, dress up days and rallies. Immanuel FFA had their FFA week February 15-18, and celebrated by having daily activities held at lunch where FFA students could bring their friends and participate. The activities included minute to win minigames, an officer scavenger hunt, barnyard olympics and a barbeque with bingo to finish the week off. During the week, two of California's state officers made a visit to our chapter; Jake Dowell, the state reporter, and Marc Cabeliza, the state president.
Every year, the state officers make their rounds to different schools and their FFA chapters throughout the state. The state officers are all high school graduates, but take a gap year their first year of college so they can serve as officers. They tend to go in pairs, and Immanuel was lucky enough to get the reporter and the president. Dowell was a part of Minarets FFA before becoming a state officer, so it was great to have somebody from the valley.
While visiting our chapter, the officers held workshops throughout the day that FFA students could attend. The workshops helped students learn about the different regions throughout California and the different commodities that come out of each region. In between classes, the state officers would hang out in Miss Sandberg's classroom and interact beyond the workshops they hosted. Along with National FFA week, the World Ag Expo took place February 7-11. Immanuel was able to have their own booth there where students could work. At the booth, students were preparing sandwiches and selling them to the people at the expo. The Immanuel FFA officers went and attended the prayer breakfast at the expo, and Maddi Martinez, the chapter treasurer, said that "It was so impactful to see how farmers allow faith to be at the center of their lives, and be able to see how God has provided for them in their work, through their ministry". This month is jam packed with everything FFA and agriculture, but it's important to remember that agriculture is such a big part of everybody's lives, so let's not just celebrate it for one month. If you know a farmer, thank them. They do more for our country than just grow crops.
Immanuel's New Athletics Director by Alex Hughes
Immanuel and The Talon welcomes Chris A. Stevens, the new Athletics Director, to the Immanuel family and looks forward to his work with Immanuel in the future. Stevens is filling the shoes of previous Athletics Director Joe Bernardi, and he appears up to the challenge. He is excited to be here and thrilled that God has led him to Immanuel. To get to know Stevens a little better, the Talon asked him questions about his own high school experience, what led him to Immanuel, and his hopes for the future. 1. What did you major in in college? Physical Education (Azusa Pacific University Class of '94). 2. Did you plan then to become an Athletics director, or what decisions led you to pursue this career? No. I was going to be a PE Teacher and Football Coach for the rest of my career. I never thought I would ever be an AD, or any kind of Administrator. (I can see God smiling as I think about those things). This radical change in my career came in the name of Jesus. This entire transition is a God thing from top to bottom. 3. What has led you to Immanuel? I cannot overstate this enough....the Lord led my family and I to this place. It was through a phone call to my good friend, Coach Henderson, about another job I was applying for. After several talks, and a Zoom call with Coach Henderson, Mr. Wood, and Mr. Goertzen, and finally a trip up to the school for a visit, God made it crystal clear that this was the place we were to start our next big adventure. I am here because of the leadership and vision this Administration and community has for this school. 4. What sports did you play in high school? How have they left an impact on you? Football, Basketball, Soccer, and pioneered the first Men's Volleyball team my Senior year. Huge impact. Growing up in a football home, I knew sports were going to be a big part of my life. All my Coaches (including my Father) helped to shape me in the most critical times of my life.
Sports and my Coaches held me accountable for my decisions on and off the field, and sports in turn, helped me stay motivated in my academics. 5. What are your hopes and goals for Immanuel Athletics? That we are the "Light of the Valley". And become not only the premiere school/programs in the Central Valley, but the entire state of California! 6. What sports have you coached? Football, Basketball, Baseball, Track and Field 7. Do you have a favorite sport to play, and is it the same as your favorite sport to coach? Golf (now that football playing days are long behind me). 8. What are some hobbies you have outside of sports? Golf, reading Biblical Fiction books, body surfing. 9. Your introduction letter to the Immanuel community said you had been involved in band and drama also while you were in school. Can you share more about that? Yes! I went to Ontario Christian Schools from 1st grade through 12th. I was introduced to a wide world of activities and encouraged to take part in as much as I could squeeze into in a day. I started playing the drums in 4th grade and carried that through until graduation. I joined the Drama Department in 4th grade as well, and stayed involved in the plays/musicals all the way through as well. I had some very exciting experiences through sports, but became a very well-rounded individual through the performing arts. I was blessed to be in a school system that promoted so many opportunities to kids at a young age.
8. Do you have any little known facts or interesting quirks about yourself you'd be willing to share with the Immanuel community? I was in a series of Nike commercials in 1996 to promote a new football cleat coming out that year. I shared a set with Jerry Stiller who played Coach Vince Lombardi in "The Spirit of Nike Football" series of commercials. Also, I was arrested on the day I got engaged to my wife, Corinne! 9. Is there anything else you would like us to know that I haven't thought to ask? My wife and I have triplets that are going into 7th grade this Fall at Immanuel. Kendra, Chloe, and Kai.
A Record-Breaking Season by Taylor Lathrop
Immanuel girls soccer had a record-breaking season, despite a number of losses and injury setbacks. The team contained 22 players, led by head coach Steve Rameriz, and assisted by second coach Matt Duerksen. The 4 freshmen, 8 sophomores, 5 juniors, and 5 seniors worked hard and got steadily better as the season progressed, and an early 6-0 win over Wonderful College Prep Academy convinced the team that they had a chance to go far. As a freshman I didn’t know what to expect from the players and how to fulfill the coaches' expectations. During the first few practices before try-outs I felt distant from players and never tried
getting to know people personally. As the season progressed our team started getting closer by communicating more during games, with our team bonding at zoo lights, and the beach trip. Coach Steve is someone who always tells the truth, and someone who you can have deep conversations with on the ride back from games. He told me from the beginning of the year that I personally struggled with opening up and being a “team player”. I slowly started getting closer to the team after we started playing more games, and I honestly wish the season never ended. The team ended the season with an overall 11-15-1 record.
50 Years of Being a Legend by Sienna Mehling
For 50 years, Mr. Don Knaak has been working and teaching at Immanuel. While he may be at Immanuel most of his days, he has his own life outside of the Immanuel community. Students that are in Knaak’s classes may know these facts about him, but for those that don’t here is the life of Knaak. Family is extremely important to Knaak. He has a family and enjoys spending quality time with them, as well as traveling, and getting into the word. He states, “My life outside of school revolves around my wife, my kids, our grandkids, and our friends. Also, I have two amazing sisters and a brother-in-law that we enjoy spending time with. We live on the family farm that my grandfather purchased in 1925. Our home is on a 1acre "farm" which I maintain. I enjoy yard work. We have 2 huge lawns, lots of trees and bushes and a garden. I enjoy doing my own inductive Bible studies at home, I have quite a collection. I also enjoy reading other Christian books. I especially enjoy Joel Rosenberg's geopolitical thriller novels, all tied to Israel and her enemies. I also enjoy building Lego cars which I have done together with my grandkids. I'm building a collection, the latest of which is a Corvette race car. My wife and I have enjoyed traveling, including mission trips. We have been to Fiji, Africa, Costa Rica, Mexico, Hawaii, Canada, Israel, Switzerland, Italy, Dominican Republic as well as a number of trips around the United States.”
Mrs. Knaak is definitely a huge part of Knaak’s life. “My wife Nancy and I are coming up on 52 years of marriage this summer. We have a wonderful marriage with many amazing memories. We have three special children who have married wonderful spouses. They are all living for the Lord and we are very proud of them. We have 10 grandchildren whom we love very much and enjoy the times we have with them. We have an RV trip scheduled for this summer with our whole family - very excited about that.” When Knaak was asked about what he feels has changed over time at Immanuel, he stated, “This is my 50th year of teaching here at Immanuel. A lot of things are the same. Students are still students, they all need Christ, and they all need others. ‘It is not good alone.’ There has always been a core of students who deeply care about their spiritual walk and our school. That core changes in size from year to year. And of course, there's always a group of students who don't care all that much. I think two of the big factors that have changed over the years include the family structure and social media. We now have more students who have come from broken homes and that has caused serious and long-ranging consequences. Another obvious difference is social media - which also has brought about significant changes. One of the saddest ones to watch is when students withdraw from others and even sometimes life. That hollow, empty look in the eyes is very difficult to watch.”
Throughout the years, Knaak has coached sports, and of course, has taught different classes. “ I played basketball at Immanuel and at Fresno Pacific. I have very good memories of those playing days, especially of the friendships we developed on our teams. After playing I went on and coached a total of 20 years. Three of those years as an assistant at Fresno Pacific and 17 years at Immanuel.” Not only has Knaak coached here at Immanuel, but he also coached college basketball. He really has a passion for basketball.
Since Knaak has been teaching at Immanuel for 50 years, how many of your teachers or staff has he had? He has taught 23, that he could remember! “I had Mr. Thomas, Mr. Sorensen, Mrs. Ayers, Mr. Goetz, Mr. Merritt, Mrs. Laemmlen, Mrs. Robbins, Miss Goetz, Miss Belt, Mrs. Bernadoni, Mrs. Renny, Mrs. Horton, Mr. Penner x2 , Mrs. Van Leeuwen, Mrs. Fernandez, Mrs. Simonian, Mrs. Garrett, Mrs. Friesen, Miss McArron, Mrs. Duerksen, Mrs. Robin Wall, Mrs. Torres, and Mrs. Martens.”
What does Knaak teach, and what class is the best in his opinion? “I teach three Bible elective courses – Revelation, Apologetics, and Marriage & Family. I thoroughly enjoy each of those classes. Marriage and Family might rise a little bit to the top because it deals with relationships which I find to be so fascinating.” Well, you have heard it here! Take Marriage and Family! It is fascinating!
Every teacher has a favorite memory in both high school, and in their teaching career. “My favorite memories of teaching at Immanuel have been the relationships that I have built. That includes both teachers and staff, as well as students. I had made some lifetime friendships with former students. One memory that sticks above the others is when I had the opportunity to kneel down with a senior boy as he prayed to receive Christ. Along with many wonderful memories in my Bible classes, I also have many fond memories of the athletes I coached here. My favorite memories at Immanuel as a student revolve around my senior year. I had a group of great friends and we did many fun and interesting things together. I also really loved basketball and all the memories that came with it.” Knaak is a very special person to many people in the Immanuel community and we thank him for teaching us to live through God and never failing to put a smile on our faces.
Let’s make Immanuel Smell Great Again by Sienna Mehling
What do you use to keep yourself smelling nice and pleasing to others? Deodorant? (Hopefully). Well, perfume if you are a girl, and cologne, if you are a boy, are also good options as well. Various students throughout different grades were asked about their favorite perfume and cologne. Some students have a particular perfume or cologne that they will wear until the end of time. Maybe with this list, you can find your new favorite perfume or cologne. Senior Alex Huges was very passionate when speaking about her two favorite perfumes which consist of the “Gucci Bloom” and the Marc Jacobs “Daisy Love.” “I like the Gucci Bloom because it makes me feel rich and it has a rosy floral scent that isn’t overwhelmingly sweet and it isn’t overwhelming in general. This perfume lasts all day with one squirt only. The Marc Jacobs perfume only lasts about 5 to 6 hours.” For those girls that like sweet rosy smells that aren’t too strong, Gucci Bloom might be a perfume to try. Now on the flip side, senior Hector Davila is also a fan of smelling good and he uses the Acqua Di Gio “Profumo.” Davila states, “It has a unique smell and lasts long. Two sprays will last the entire day.” A unique smell can be a good or bad thing for some people, but if you want to know exactly how it smells, go get a sample at Macy’s, or go smell Hector. Bath & Body Works scents were popular amongst both sophomore Sarah Larger and freshman Maritzah Cibrian. Larger likes to use the scent “You’re the One”, while Cibrian uses the scent “Champagne Toast.” Larger stated, “I like the way the bottle looks and it makes me smell good. It smells like roses and soft flowers with a splash of Christmas woods.” Cibrian describes the scent “Champagne Toast” as smelling like flowers and candy. However, she did state that she doesn’t recommend it. If you want a pretty bottle and to smell like Christmas Day out in the woods, then “You’re the One” is the ONE for you. If you like the smell of flowers and candy then “Champagne Toast” might be an option for you.
Now, back to cologne. Senior Riley Chastain uses the cologne “Polo Blue, Gold Edition.” Chastain purchased this gold cologne at Macy’s. Chastain states, “It smells pleasant. I don’t have a good description, but I recommend it because it doesn’t require a lot of sprays to create a good aroma because it’s a parfum so it’s slightly stronger and lasts longer. For me at least, it lasts most of the day.” So boys, try out the Polo Blue at your local Macy’s. Junior Emma Garrison chose her perfume, not because of the scent which may be odd, but she chose it because the name is funny to her. She wears the Jimmy Choo “I Choose You” perfume. “It comes in a cute skinny bottle and the plus is that it smells good!” Garrison also uses Ariana Grande “Cloud” which she calls her “fav”. She describes the Ariana Grande perfume as more of a “Fruity” smell compared to the Jimmy Choo which is a more “Old Lady” Scent. If you ask me, those are two completely different scents, but hey good options! Our last cologne review comes from senior Jacob Cabrera. Cabrera states, “recently I’ve been using Coach for men “Eau de Toilette.” I ordered it from Macy’s and it has a masculine and earthy smell. I would recommend it because it is not an overpowering smell yet it is not underpowering. I would say it lasts between three to five hours." Macy’s really is the fragrance destination for most of these perfumes, but there are many different options as well. Just remember any perfume or cologne is better than smelling gross! So go and discover something that fits you!
The Love-liest Holiday by Taylor Lathrop
Every February 14, people in America and in some parts of the world celebrate St. Valentine's Day. They celebrate by giving candies, flowers, or gifts to loved ones. Where does the celebration of romance come from? There are many legends about where Valentines came from, but the most popular one drives back to Roman culture, and started in the year 268. An Emperor named Claudius ll was looking for strong men to fight in his army. He knew that he couldn't take any of the married men because they would be too cautious. He wanted men who weren't afraid to lay everything they had on the battle field.
Claudius took notice that whenever young men shared their love with their wife or children, they seemed to be more afraid to lose what they have. He realized that married men wouldn't fight because they care too much about their family, and the love of their wife. The emperor set a rule declaring that young men are not allowed to marry. He wanted to ensure that stopping love and affection would grow his army. Just because he outlawed love, doesn't mean that he could stop it. Young men and women still wanted to get married. A brave and heroic priest named Valentine loved the idea of marriage and romantic gestures. Valentine's standards were completely against Claudius ll. Valentine decided to put his life in danger just for the chance to go against the crowd. He started to marry couples together in private. He was hidden from authoritative figures, and made sure that his marriage ceremonies were performed privately.
Claudius found out what Valentine had been doing. Somehow the information got back to him that he had been breaking the rules. The priest was put to death on February 14. No one knows if they celebrated Valentine's Day on his death, but there is a poem that is considered to be the "first ever written Valentine's Day card". It states, "My very gentle Valentine, since for me you were born too soon, and I for you was born too late. God forgives him who has estranged me from you for the whole year. I am already sick of love, my gentle Valentine." The priests traditional love is what we celebrate around the world. Today, card companies produce over a billion love cards to go into stores, to be sent to family or loved ones. Some countries have banned Valentine's Day, and some courageous people have still continued to celebrate love in honor of the priest.
Oreo Mania by Alex Hughes
Oreos have the power to pull students through anything. Whether it's show week for choir, playoffs in sports, or teachers are assigning an overwhelming amount of classwork (or all three at once), Oreos have the ability to lift you up and give you a moment of joy in a chaotic life. That being said, with over a dozen Oreo flavors and only so much money to spend, it's important to know which flavor is worth your buck. This trying question is the reason I decided to conduct an experiment on Campus Day to settle the debate once and for all: which Oreo flavor is the best? As potential students and their parents filtered into the class, I gave them a set of simple instructions: try the Oreos and rank them from 1 to 5, or favorite to least favorite. When the touring ended, the junior English class also participated in this experiment, providing more data that resulted in a foolproof conclusion of the best Oreo flavor. Taking the ranking each individual left into account, I averaged the results for each Oreo to find the true favorite Oreo. Coming in fifth was Carrot Cake. It definitely lived up to its name, even earning praise from Mr. Thomas who described the filling as very similar to the actual buttercream frosting found on carrot cake, but its cinnamon sweet cookie and filling wasn’t enough to hoist it any higher on this list.
Fourth place was taken by Chocolate Confetti Cake. This flavor had a filling of both chocolate and confetti, making it a sweet option but with not enough potential to rocket it up higher on this list. It is definitely worth a try, though. Third place, and my personal favorite, was the Peanut Butter Pie Oreo. The best way to describe the flavor of this masterpiece is like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. With the perfect blend of nuttiness and the subtle sweetness of the chocolate, the peanut butter cookies sandwich in a rich flavor that will definitely make you want to come back for more. Just beat out of first place was the legendary Lemon Oreo. With a powerful, sweet lemon flavor and lemon cookie, this masterpiece is a must-try. The cookie pairs perfectly with the filling, and this sets it apart from other flavor variations Oreo has released. This just leaves the number one Oreo flavors: Double Stuf. It's a classic, with the stellar chocolate cookies and double the divine stuffing. As the favorite that narrowly beat out Lemon Oreos, it makes sense that the flavor that sent Oreo into the favorite-snack-statues it currently holds is also the best variation they have to offer. This experiment was highly successful in its results and definitely worth repeating on your own. There are plenty of other Oreo flavors out there to try that weren’t in this study (I highly recommend the Mint Oreo). Whether you love the classic or are curious to leave the comfort of the original Oreo, sometimes trying something new lets you find a new favorite.
Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man Comeback by Nievah Martinez
(Photo by Rolling Stone)
Does the name Andrew Garfield ring a bell? This English actor has lured the public into his web after the recent release of “Spider-Man: No Way Home”. Garfield made a comeback with his performance of Peter Parker, alongside Toby Maguire and Tom Holland, as the three joined forces to fight against the various villains who’ve fought Spider-Man within their universe. His participation in the film has resulted in a new-found love by many fans, and has gained him a great deal of attention. Before the release of the new Spider-Man film, Garfield was considered to be the least favored Spider-Man in comparison to Holland’s and Maguire’s presentations. Although he was mostly known for his Spider-Man role, Garfield had participated in previous films like The Social Network, where he acted as the character of Eduardo Saverin who is a co-founder of Facebook. However, his recognition was mainly due to his part in Spider-Man. After what many would consider to be his debut in the two Spider-Man movies, Garfield went on to star in other widely recognized productions such as “Hacksaw Ridge”, for which he won an oscar nomination, and “Breathe”. There have
been other films, alongside these that Garfield has participated in since the Spider-Man movies, showing that he was able to maintain an amount of status which allowed him to star in additional films. Garfield is also starring in a newly released Netflix film called “Tick Tick Boom”. This film encapsulates the life of the playwright Jonathan Larson, writer of the famous play “Rent,” who is played by Garfield. Garfield received an Academy Award nomination for his lead role in the film and this has furthered his recognition and popularity. Some are saying that he is receiving the recognition that he deserves and are even going as far as to say that his involvement in “Spider-Man: No Way Home” was his “redemption arc,” according to an article by Murphy’s Universe. People are glad that his witty take on SpiderMan is finally getting attention, and many are glad to see that Garfield is finally receiving the love and support that he deserves, although let's hope that his good looks and spidey sense of humor is enough for him to stay relevant.
(Photo by Spider-Man Wiki)
Donovan Carrillo Makes History by Nievah Martinez
(Photo by The Today Show)
22- year-old Donovan Carrillo is the first Mexican figure skater to compete in the Olympics in over thirty years. As a young kid, he was repeatedly told that he was “crazy to even try” to become an international competitor, according to a comment made by him in an Olympics International Committee article, but he showed that the “impossible” was in fact possible. Carrillo was born and raised in Mexico, and a rising figure skater had not been represented from that area since 1992. He began skating at the age of 9, alongside his sister Dafne. His interest peaked when he supposedly “fell in love” with a girl he met when he’d attended his sister’s practice, as stated in an article done by BuzzFeed. Carrillo left home at the age of 13 to train at one of Mexico’s few ice rinks within a shopping center. He stated in an article by the Olympics National Committee that his “pathway and fortitude” is what he would like to use to “inspire others from his country to follow in his footsteps, no matter their circumstances.” All of that changed on February 10, which is when he officially became the first skater from his country to qualify for the Olympics. He stated that his selection to be in the Olympics was a “dream come true” in an article published by Aleteia.
He competed in the free skate segment in the Beijing Olympics and placed 22nd overall. Many are stating that, despite his placement, that his journey is an inspirational one and that it allowed him to share his culture on a big platform. The Olympics social media platform also expressed their gratitude and tweeted this about his performance, “This #FigureSkating sensation put on an incredible performance to make history for his native Mexico at #Beijing2022.” When Carrillo was interviewed about his experience in an article done by the Olympics International Committee, he stated that this will allow him to show Mexican kids that anything is possible. The figure skater also expressed, during his interview, encouragement for other countries to “dream big, because it’s possible.” Carrillo states that he has big plans, as he is set to compete in the Milan Winter Olympics of 2026. Carrillo’s involvement in the Olympics not only satisfied a long-time dream of his, but also allowed him to proudly represent his country's flag and create history that will encourage those who also dream big.
(Photo by Reuters)
Will Sean McVay Return in 2022? by Matt Melchor
Sean McVay, the youngest coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl, might not come back for the 2022 season for the Los Angeles Rams and is apparently considering retiring. Sean McVay was hired by the Los Angeles Rams in 2017 and has never had a losing season throughout his head coaching career for the Rams. So why would he retire? Well, McVay has turned the Rams around since he’s been the head coach. In 2016 the Rams went 4-12 and 1 year later, hired Sean McVay, the then-offensive coordinator for the Commanders. His first year he went 11-5 and led his team to the Wild Card Round. His goal was to lead the Rams to a Super Bowl and win. That goal almost came close in his second year, going 13-3 leading his team to the Super Bowl. They came close in the Bowl against the Patriots with a score of 13-3.
It seems like winning the Super Bowl was all that was it for Sean McVay, or is it? Rumors say that he might retire. According to sources, and in his interview McVay has been asked if he’ll return in 2022. His answer was “We’ll see.” McVay has said he is getting married this summer and he wants to be able to spend time with his new family. Being in the NFL takes a lot of dedication and that means not being able to spend time with your family as much as you would like to. If McVay continues his job as the head coach of Los Angeles they could potentially go back to the Superbowl.
(Photo from The Orange County Register)
McVay learned a lot in his first Super Bowl, going up against one of the greatest coaches of all time, Bill Belichick. Three years later McVay led his team to another Super Bowl, but this time with a new quarterback under center, and his name was Matthew Stafford. The Rams did a blockbuster trade in March of 2021 trading away their number 1 overall pick Jared Goff to the Detroit Lions in return for Matthew Stafford. McVay needed the right man under center to go to the promised land. The plan worked completely, winning Super Bowl 56.
(Photo from sportscasting.com)