Guystalktime  

They are going into full pads now and hitting each other at High Schools across the county and Ventura High School is beginning their 9th season with Brad Steward at the helm.  He’s been there for 2 years before that as an assistant and he coached there from 1986 to 1992 as well.   When you cut coach Steward he bleeds black and gold. 

Coach Steward is in tune with the offensive lineman and he appreciates their athleticism and special nature.  Many players, including lineman, have gone on along with Tyler Ebell, the running back who is currently playing in the Canada Football League with the Toronto Argonauts.  Tyler had a huge offensive line in front of him at Ventura HS and “He was able to bring it behind that line and is appreciative of their efforts to this day in making him successful,” according to Steward. 

There’s a lot of hitting with Ventura teams and Coach Steward is happy with his job because he gets to see them playing with reckless abandon and growing up.  “This year we have a young group of offensive lineman, and we may have 5 juniors starting.  I’m   looking forward to designing a scheme around these guys that are maybe not the biggest but they are agile and we will spread people out and get the ball on the perimeter.  “We have all the assets in our package and we will bring in the system that works best with our personnel.”

“There’s always guys (Former players) rolling through and telling us to “Get em tough, coach”.  Our entire JV staff are former Cougars.  The players have a great experience at Ventura high and that is gratifying to see them look at their experience as a positive lesson for them from football and on to their successful parts of their lives.  Whether they are soldiers, businessmen or other professions, they see a great link to their experience at Ventura”.  

Coach Steward on the all-around athleticism of his players:  “I don’t know if all the guys surf,  but most of them do, they use skateboards to get around but it takes a little more, a special kid, to play the game of football because they have to hit people and do things that ordinary people don’t want to do.  It’s a great time hitting people and football players like that stuff.”

This year they have Keihan Gibbs, a 1200 yard thrower as a sophomore quarterback starting as a junior at Ventura High School.  He is the first sophomore to start every game at Ventura in a long team, maybe ever, so look for a great year from Keihan.  “A standout player on the JV team as a freshman, we figured he will be a great varsity player as a sophomore”, Steward states.

On multi-sport athletes and coaches in all sports: “All the coaches have been here for so long, it is a key to our success at Ventura.   Basketball Coach Dan Larsen and I have an outstanding relationship in terms of sharing athletes.  We talk so he can have his players when he needs them and I can have the players when I need them.  Multi-sport athletes at Ventura have a great time because of this relationship.  Our Athletic Director, Dave Hess, is also the offensive line coach and the defensive coordinator and the varsity track coach.”  They have won 4 Channel League track championships in a row and coach Steward recently became one of the assistant track coaches.  It helped the track team and it helped the football team as well in terms of speed and strength. 

Steward talks further about the Athletic Director: “Dave Hess played football at Crescenta Valley High School and was a pulling guard. He is a sought after speaker at clinics for his zone blocking schemes and is a great offensive line coach.”

On the importance of the offensive line: “When you have an awareness for the technical nature of the position, the team will be successful.  No more one on one every play as the players must be aware of 3 or 4 defensive players every play, that is the key to successfully moving the ball in today’s game.  Coach Hess starts speaking to the freshman and JV teams and starts the process of learning early.  The zone schemes give the kids a tool to handle the many blitz situations and they are big believers in the concept.  Look for Ventura HS to do great things this year in the Channel League.”

Fans in Ventura County get alot more out of the sport when they attend games and can see the angles, the hitting and the things no one else gets to see when they go to games.  It’s difficult even for the coaches to see the line because even the coaches want to see the ball and don’t watch the line all the time.  If you are a fan, watch those offensive lineman and as coach Steward indicates, the end zone is the best place to see the line. 

Every year the boosters at Ventura High School raise money to award scholarships to students to go on to the next level, and not always football players. What a great program for everyone in the community and to support the team and support all these programs, the scholarships, the band, the snack bar and the cheerleaders that are all part of the experience. 

If you are now convinced to see the game as a real fan, Ventura is having practices at night at Larrabee stadium on Wednesdays, under the lights.  So go over and watch coach Steward and his great staff teach the players to play the game the way it was meant to be played.