New Mater Dei Football Coach Raul Lara Preaches Structure, Discipline

Raul Lara has been the busiest man in Santa Ana about the past month.

Mater Dei announced Lara as its new football coach on April 26, and due to the fact then, he’s been finding acclimated to daily life as a Monarch. He’s been receiving acquainted with 200 comprehensive-time personnel at Mater Dei, partaking in donor conferences, evaluating his coaching personnel, and of program, acquiring to know his crew.

Lara, who’s most recognized for his time at Long Seaside Poly where he won 5 CIF Southern Area titles, was formally introduced on Wednesday early morning. He met with neighborhood media and took inquiries about his eyesight for the method heading into the 2024 time and past.

Lara, 58, put in time as a probation officer previously in his lifetime. He’s familiar with young adult males and how critical framework is. It is a foundational piece to his coaching philosophy as he dons new colours on the sidelines this drop.

“The probation office truly served me get a various perspective on youngsters. To be genuine, the ‘probation kid’ and the ‘football kid’—a frequent kid—they’re the exact youngsters,” Lara spelled out.
“The concern is little ones possessing framework and not acquiring structure. The kids that do not have structure are on ‘survivor mode.’

“Within the first couple times of me staying listed here, we modified the framework and 90 to 95% of the kids have responded actual properly,” Lara extra. “Kids want framework, even if they say they don’t, they do.”

Lara will get over for Frank McManus, who was at the helm for a person time before becoming dismissed. McManus was the successor to longtime, famous coach Bruce Rollinson.

“I was a very little stunned to see there was not a great deal framework,” Lara explained of his 1st few times with the workforce. “… (the players) have been in the weight area and none of them had any uniforms on. That was overwhelming. Coming in, I was anticipating all of them to occur in with their red shirts on and grey shorts, like a soldier. I didn’t see that.”

In spite of Mater Dei successful the CIF Southern Segment Division 1 and CIF Condition Open Division championships previous time less than McManus, his off-the-industry antics are what acquired him in very hot water. The head coaching occupation at Mater Dei requires a whole lot far more than just a soccer mentor, it necessitates a CEO-like individuality.

Lara understands that.

“I feel I experienced 12 meetings (Tuesday),” Lara said chuckling. “There’s no question [it takes more than football], I’m assembly people today still left and right. To me, it is variety of neat. I’m on a rollercoaster enjoying the time.”