New Valley High coach sends note to players as part of introduction process

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Saturday, March 7, 2015 | 2 a.m.

When George Baker was the football coach at Centennial High he faced an unusual problem.

Centennial, located in affluent northwest Las Vegas area and with high enrollment numbers, typically had more than 50 players on each of its three teams.

“We had so many (players) we didn’t have enough helmets for all the kids,” Baker recalled.

Baker, hired last week as the third coach in three seasons at Valley High in transient central Las Vegas, can only dream of having those kind of participation numbers in his new program. Because of the coaching turnover and the economics of the area, Valley frequently can’t fill rosters spots on all three levels of teams. Often, it cancels lower-level teams.

Baker knows a crucial part of building a winner — Valley didn’t win a game in 2014— is recruiting the hallways to find players.

“We have to establish that No. 1, we are here at Valley and we aren’t going anywhere,” Baker said. “This isn’t a stepping stone job. This is where I want to be. We have to establish that trust first.”

Baker’s first task was writing a hand-written letter to returning players that stressed how important they were to the program. Baker’s goal is to not only win games, but positively influence the teenagers' lives.

Baker, an Ohio native, uses one of the catch-phrases of former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel in his approach: “They (players) don’t care how much you know (about football) until they know how much you care,” Baker said.

Baker spent five seasons at Centennial through 2009, including the last three as the Bulldogs’ head coach. He was an assistant at Bonanza in 2010-11, and has spent the past three seasons as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Damonte Ranch High in Reno.

He’ll finish out the school year in Reno, but plans on making frequent trips to Las Vegas for offseason conditioning. Assistant coaches will handle daily weight training.

“We have to get these kids excited about football again,” Baker said. “We are going to work hard to turn things around.”

Baker could have easily stayed at Damonte Ranch and he would have been a leading candidate for any of the dozen open coaching positions in Las Vegas. But, he only applied at Valley. He was attracted to the school’s history and the caliber of athletes they produce.

After talking with first-year Valley Principal Ramona Esparza, he realized the sky was the limit.

“A great opportunity came up at Valley,” he said. “A lot of people are a like, ‘Really, Valley?’ I’m like, ‘Yes, I like what they are doing over there.’”

Baker plans to run the spread offense and run some plays out of the pistol formation. He won’t shy away from getting the ball in the hands of his playmakers.

“Valley has athletes. We will get them the ball in space,” Baker said. “We aren’t going to try to pound a square peg into a round hole. Our kids will be tough. They are going to get after it.”

Palo Verde hires from within

Perennial Sunset Region power Palo Verde promoted longtime lower-level coach Joe Aznarez to head coach. Aznarez replaces Darwin Rost, the program's lone head coach who retired in January after 19 seasons, 154 wins and the 2004 state championship.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21