San Luis Obispo High School 2018 football team lined up ready to play against Templeton. Photo courtesy of former Expressions reporter Torstein Cloven.

 San Luis Obispo has just surpassed their one hundred-year anniversary checkpoint for the football program, which makes us think: How did the sport compare to the current day program we have in place at SLOHS?

  “When I took over the football program in 2013, it was kind of at a low point both culturally and how we operate as well as our talent level at the time, but those first four years built up the program to what we have,” said Football Coach Patrick Johnston.

  The football program for years has had its ups and downs, but since Coach Johnston has joined us at SLOHS, the program has only gotten better.

  “In 2016, we didn’t win a single game, but those guys showed up to work every day and worked so hard and continued to trust what we were doing. Specifically the class of 2018 got their butts kicked as freshmen and sophomores and their senior year they were rewarded with an eight to four score and we made it to the quarter finals. Their trust and hard work paid off,” said Johnston.

  Johnston has been coaching SLOHS Football since 2013, and has seen rock bottom of our teams rise up to one of the best teams in the county. 

  “All the coaches gave me good advice and told me to be persistent no matter what happened,” said 2017 graduate Brendan Avila. 

  SLOHS’s Football program has been growing with strong determination ever since Coach Johnston began coaching in 2013. 

  “The Tigers have won five CIF football titles; 1947, 1960, 1968, 1980, and 2001,” according to KSBY News. 

  Though we haven’t won a CIF championship since 2001, we have made it to CIF many times and our Tiger Football players still fight their hardest at the end of the day.

  Whether they’re winning or they’re losing, SLOHS Football team will never fail to show their level of brotherhood, whether it’s practicing, or on the field.

Sources: www.ksby.com