MADERA – Madera High Varsity Football Coach Yosef Fares is headed back from whence he came, Bullard high School. After three years at the helm of the Coyote football program, the coach has accepted a position with Donnie Arax and the Bullard High School Knights as their co-head coach and defensive coordinator.
Rumors have been circulating about the move since October when Coach Fares told Big Valley News, “I’d be lying if I’d said that’s not my dream job taken over my Alma Mater.” Which looking back on that answer, I realize was not a denial.
Fares made the announcement to his team last week before the team’s awards banquet at Madera High School and today the Madera Unified School District posted the Varsity Football Coach opening in the state’s online education job announcements.
Nick Papagni who hosts a local ESPN radio show with Madera South Varsity Football Coach Matt Johnson said on Twitter, “Former Madera Coyotes star and assistant coach Kenny Paolinelli should be the leader in the club house to be the new head coach!”
Fares told BVN this morning, “When you asked the last time I was not 100% sure on anything and we were in talks between Bullard and Clovis North as well as with Fern at Madera. After careful thought and long conversations with family and community members I passed up the Clovis North job and have decided to take the Head Coaching position at Bullard with Donnie as Co-Head Coach with a transition period of me fully taking over the program.”
Fares replaced former head coach Bonner Cunnings after the coach allegedly struck a high school student-athlete at a Madera High practice. Cunnings was removed from his position after he reportedly refused to give a statement to Madera Police or the school district. Bonner is now an assistant football coach for Merced Junior College.
Prior to being hired by Madera High, Fares was the defensive coordinator for Bullard High School under head coach Donnie Arax. Fares will resume those duties along with the new responsibly of co-head coach for the Knights following his last day with Madera Unified on June 7, 2019.
Coyote Athletic Director John Fernandez is hoping to have a new varsity football coach in place at Madera High by the end of winter break on January 14, 2019.
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Did Fares get out of Madera High at the right time - before the opening of the city’s third high school in 2020? Will the opening of the new high school again cause a draught in wins with the over-stretching of the high school football talent pool? Leave your opinions in the BVN message board in the Community Section.
