Westmont High School, July 18th, 2019 7:00 pm Kick-off

Bellarmine

Evergreen   

Fremont   

Gunn    

Homestead  

Independence 

Jame Lick   

Kings Academy    

Lincoln 

Los Altos   

Milpitas  

Monta Vista  

Mount Pleasant  

Mountain View 

Overfelt 

Palo Alto

Piedmont Hills  

San Jose  

Sant Clara  

Silver Creek 

Saint Francis 

Wilcox 

Yerba Buena      

Andrew HIll 

Branham

Christopher

Cupertino

Del Mar

Gilroy 

Gunderson

Harker

Leigh

Leland 

Live Oak

Los Gatos

Lynbrook

Mitty

Oak Grove

Pioneer

Prospect

Santa Teresa

Saratoga

Sobrato

Valley Christian

Westmont 

Willow Glen

NORTH COACHING STAFF

Burt Codera - Head Coach

Coach Codera is entering his 2nd season as the Santa Clara High head football coach and PE teacher. He has spent 12 years as football coach on different levels in the south bay. His first coaching job came as the DB coach for Westmont high school in 2008. He then spent 8 years as an assistant coach at De Anza College. He had many different job titles while at De Anza that included: Wide Receiver coach, recruiting coordinator, strength and conditioning coach, offensive coordinator, as well as assistant Head Coach. 

Fred Stewart- Defensive Coordinator 

Coach Stewart is entering his 2nd season as the Defensive Coordinator for Santa Clara. He brings over 20 years of coaching experience with him at various levels. He began his career as an assistant at Los Gatos High, followed by stints at Cabrillo College, Westmont High, De Anza College, as well as San Jose City College. 

Andrew Calderon- Linebackers

Coach Calderon is entering his 13 season as member of the Santa Clara football staff. He has held a number of coaching positions within the program. Ranging from Defensive Line coach, JV Head Coach, Linebacker coach, as well as Defensive Coordinator. He is also the Head wrestling coach for Santa Clara. 

Gabe Ghazinfari- Defensive Backs

Coach Gabe is entering his 2nd season as the Defensive Backs coach for Santa Clara High. He is a 2006 alum of Santa Clara high. He has coached over 8 years at the local Santa Clara Pop Warner organization, coaching a variety of levels.

Zach Walker - Offensive Line

Coach Walker is entering his 2nd season as the Offensive Line coach for Santa Clara High. He graduated and played his high school ball at Westmont High.

Joey Dias - Quarterbacks

Coach Dias is entering his 2nd season as the QB coach for Santa Clara High. He spent the 2017 coaching wide receivers at De Anza College. He has also coached over 5 years at the Santa Clara Pop warner organization. 

Burt Codera Sr.- Running Backs

Coach Codera is entering his 2nd season as the RB coach for Santa Clara High. 

Kyle Ghazinfari- Wide Receiver

Coach Kyle is entering his 2nd season as the Wide Receivers coach. He has also coached over 5 years at the Santa Clara Pop warner organization. 

Matteo Carlini- Team Manager

Matteo is entering his 2nd season as the Santa Clara Football team manager. He is currently a Freshman at the school and competes on the baseball and wrestling team.

SOUTH COACHING STAFF

South Head Coach

Ajene Palmer

Football was not always my passion. Up until age 8, I had aspirations of becoming a top-notched basketball player since my dad had introduced that sport to me practically from birth. At age 8 by the luck of a flyer I brought home for Pop Warner football, I was introduced to this game to which I am passionately attached to this day. I played for a few years in the youth football arena—even being a part of two championship teams. I also had a brief stint with my other love—basketball during my senior year at Oak Grove High School. 

After high school, I continued playing football for two years of junior college at De Anza and Gavilan colleges. My introduction to coaching came at age 17 when I coached under my dad who introduced me to the passion of coaching. Though I appreciated his style, I was immediately bitten by the coach bug and a yearning to run a team and a program of my own. 

Trying to disregard the coaching bug bite I played a year of semi-pro football with the Central Coast Barnstormers. However, I could not shake the bug so I accepted the job of Wide Receivers coach at Gavilan. Still, there was no escaping the the need to put into operation my own system. 

I moved to Oregon and continued to pursue my dream. I spent time there as the linebacker coach and defensive coordinator. While waiting patiently to fulfill my dream of being a head coach, an opportunity to coach junior varsity at Lynbrook High School surfaced and I jumped at the chance—a leap for which I have no regrets!

Still, I did not feel like my ultimate dream was realized so I began to diligently pursue the dream. That quest led me to my current role as Head Coach of the Santa Teresa Saints and, as Frank Sinatra so aptly put it—doing it “my way”. 

Raymond Cook....Wide Receivers  

Raymond is an alumnus of Santa Teresa High School with 15 years of coaching experience at the youth and high school level. He's currently the head coach at the JV team at Santa Teresa. When not coaching football, Raymond serves as the on-site coach at Horace Mann Elementary in San Jose, and runs his own youth organization, Little Heroes, which aims to guide children into leaders of the future through sports and mentorship opportunities. He's extremely thankful for the upbringing that has allowed him to get to this point in his life, to inspire others, and to create a better future for our youth. 

Jesse Dominguez....Defensive Line

Little bit about my self.

I have been coaching youth football for over 17 years and am currently the AD for Oak Grove Youth football. I started coaching at the High School level in 2013 at Oak Grove high school on the JV level.

In 2015 I moved up to Varsity where we won a CCS championship and have been there ever since. This will be by 5th year on varsity at Oak Grove High School.

Professionally I am a Field Fiber Engineer for Verizon.

I look forward to coaching these young men in their last high School football game.

Mike Ward.....Linebackers

Originally from Baltimore, MD and went to school on the east coast. Coached high school football for 8 years in Miami, FL and moved to the Bay Area in August 2015. Named head coach at Leland High School in February 2016 and spent 3 years as head coach. Has spent the last four years as a special education teacher at Leland High School. Married with a 2 1/2 year old daughter named Kailyn and expecting a second child at the end of June. Enjoys traveling.

Calvin Nakagawa....Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs

I have been coaching football for over 18 years. I am passionate about this game we call football. I believe that this game reveals your character on and off the field. It is a tool to help teach life lessons. I enjoy the ups and downs that we have with these young men. It is a honor and a blessing to have the opportunity to coach the youth of today.

Joe Gresham.....Offensive Line

Played H.S. Ball at Santa Teresa H.S. 

USMC after High School 

Started coaching in Long Beach 

Been Coaching H.S. for 20 years 

Currently: Offensive Line coach At Gunderson H.S.

              "   OL Runs Yard  " 

Manny San Augustin.......Running Backs   

Years Coaching: 10

Professional Life: Region Mgr BODYARMOR Sports Drink

Why do I coach?

I love how the game of Football actually does teach lessons that really are a microcosm of real life. Team work, will to prepare, a group working toward a common goal, dealing with the adversity of defeat and moving forward, as well as not allowing victory to blind you to how hard one must work to continue winning.

Born in Hawaii, Charlie grew up youngest of nine children in a very athletic family. His talents on the football field awarded him scholarships to prestigious Punahou Academy and Michigan State University. Named "Prep Player of the Decade" in Hawaii and chosen to two college all star games, East-West Shrine Classic and the Hula Bowl, Charlie was content with his life. He was an outstanding athlete, had a wonderful family with his wife Lucy, daughter Carri, son Kale, and was a successful coach and teacher in Los Gatos. However, in 1977 his life was forever turned around. He was diagnosed with a terminal illness, ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, and was given one or, at most, three years to live. The nerve cells that control the muscles were dying. The finely tuned athletic body was wasting away. There is no known cause or cure.

"The scoreboard says Charlie Wedemeyer won't win this game. There's no chance for a comeback now, time is running out. There'll be no 'Hail Mary', no immaculate reception. The gun is ready, and when it goes off, death will remain undefeated," wrote one newswriter.

Typical of Charlie's indomitable spirit, despite the impossible odds, he simply refused to give up and accept defeat. As the illness progressed, he could no longer walk, talk or breathe on his own, and he became totally dependent on a respirator. At one point, Charlie's physical body was ready to give up despite his determination. He realized he could no longer struggle and fight this alone without supernatural strength and support. He found this in a new personal relationship with God. Incredibly, by human standards, he was able to continue coaching; and in 1985, his Los Gatos Football Team won the Central Coast Section Championship with Lucy reading his lips and relaying instructions and plays to the assistant coaches and players.

Coaches Against Cancer was founded in 2009 with the mission to raise money and support the research and fight against cancer.

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Since its inception, Coaches Against Cancer has raised and donated over $100,000 to the American Cancer and National Brain Tumor Societies and to the recently created "Dream Come True" program. We feel very proud of our accomplishments thus far, and have decided to continue with our recent "Dream Come True" success.

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The Coaches Against Cancer-“Dream Come True” program is not a novel concept, but one that we feel really makes a difference to those battling against cancer and to their families. Honoring the Make A Wish concept, we would like to connect with families that have been affected by cancer to find out if we can provide an experience that truly is a “Dream Come True”.

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While our funds are not unlimited, we feel that there will be opportunities when Coaches Against Cancer can help make a difference.

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In order to continue our recent success, we need your help! We need you to share this with friends and family as we look to identify those struggling with their fight against cancer.

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We are asking that you fill out this form sharing the story of your nominated person or family including ideas that will help make their "Dream Come True".

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Stories can be submitted on behalf of someone else or submitted by the person/family, directly.

JOIN THE "FIGHT"

coachesagainstcancer@gmail.com

Some of the greats that have donned an all star jersey in this very special event are Doug Cosbie (Dallas Cowboys), John Tuggle (New York Giants), Jeff Garcia (SF 49ers), the late Pat Tillman (Arizona Cardinals), Trent Edwards (Buffalo Bills/Oakland Raiders +) and many, many more.

There are 45 players on each team from 46 Bay Area schools, representing the very best players in the county. The 2019 South squad is led by Coach Ajene Palmer, Head Coach at Santa Teresa High School. Bert Cordero, Head Coach at Santa Clara High School, will take the reins for the North. This year’s Charlie Wedemeyer All Star Game will be played at Westmont High School on July 18, 2019.

Jim Guido has been the lone game chairman of this event for 30+ years "To have seen all of the amazing young men compete in their last high school game over 4 decades has been an unbelievably rewarding experience. Having the game honor Charlie Wedemeyer since 1984 has been a very special part of this event. His story is something everyone should be inspired by." Charlie Wedemeyer was diagnosed with ALS as a young man and given a short time to live. 32 years later, he finally lost his battle. "Never has there been a man who embraced life in the face of extreme odds and positively affected millions of people like Charlie Wedemeyer" Guido remembers.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the gate on game day, at the Almaden Barbers on Almaden Expressway in San Jose, and soon to be online. For more information on the coaching staff, rosters, and details please visit www.santaclaraallstar.com.

Feel free to email Mike Carrozzo at 

santaclaraallstar@gmail.com