EL SEGUNDO HERALD October 31, 2019 Page 7
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Sports from page 3
CIF-Southern Section playoff appearances (7),
league championships under one coach (6),
quarterfinal appearances (7), one semifinal (tied
with Steve Newell) and finals appearance (1).
Shevlin coached some great athletes over the
years and he’s proud of each and every one of
the 537 football players he estimates he helped
mentor. Since 2002 the Eagles have had seven
different players named to the All-State team,
including two who were CIF State Players of the
Year. Quarterbacks Matt Engle (2002) and Lars
Nootbaar (2013) were both State Player of the
Year. Others who were named to the All-State
teams in the past 17 years were running backs
Gage Mortesen (2008) and Taz Tauaese (2016),
linebacker Austin Brasher (2012) and receivers
Nigel Nootbaar (2010) and Jamie Stewart (2013).
Stewart was also named to the All-Academic
State team and Lars Nootbaar was named to
the All State team his senior year (2014).
A plethora of his players went on to play at
the collegiate level from local junior colleges
to Division I programs. One of Shev’s former
players, Jack Hawley, played briefly with the
Buffalo Bills of the NFL. Many former players
have come back to assist Shevlin with the
football program and there are four others who
have made their imprint at a major college or
professional level. Jeff Fucci (2002) is the assistant
athletic director at USC, Steve Urrutia
(2002) is a scout for the Cincinnati Bengals,
Wil Reinmann (2011) is an assistant coach at
Mississippi State and Austin Brasher (2013)
is the strength coach at LMU.
In his own words Coach Shevlin wanted to
thank the community in a very special message:
“I want to let everyone know I will be retiring
as the head football coach at El Segundo High
School at the end of this season. It has been
my biggest honor to coach all the young men
for the last 26 years who have played for us.
Now it is time to let younger coaches take the
reins and carry on the great traditions that we
have created. I have been privileged to coach
and teach young men about the great game of
football as the head coach at El Segundo High
School. It has been an honor to carry on a great
tradition of athletic success that goes back
to some great mentors with John Stevenson,
Steve Newell, Craig Cousins and Rick Sabosky.
These men were a guiding influence on me
as we strived to build a program this school
and community would be proud of. Without
their influence, I don’t know if I would have
survived the early years of coaching the ES
Football program.”
Shevlin continued: “Thank you to all of
those who have supported me and our coaching
staffs during my tenure. Our success is a
reflection of all who work to support the greatness
El Segundo offers all of us. There are
so many people to thank and I may miss some,
but not purposely. The program’s success can
be traced to those doing their part to help put
a team out on a Friday night. Thank you to my
office soulmates Patricia Guzman and Robin
Espinoza. Sincere thank yous go to Bill Watkins,
Newton Hart, Ali Rabiei, Jim Garza, Logan Fox
and Melissa Gooden for believing in me and
our program. Thank you Tomas Romo, Gigi
Thompson Rainy Smith, Penny Laster, Gregg
McMullin, Gary Summers, Gary and Janet
Truesdale, Marcy Dugan, Lee McCullough, Bob
Lowe, Craig Cousins, Ray Motta, Bob Motta,
Jim Gardener, Louise Davidson, Maxine
Walsleben, Gail Stevenson, George Stevens, Tim
Harrison and Bennett Rogers for your support
over the years. I want to express my gratitude to
family supporters Andy and Jo Orens, who have
traveled to so many games from their home in
Camarillo. I want to thank Suzanne Rogers,
Karyn Ross, Audrey Melton, Keani and Enrique
Romero, Rebecca Abbott and George Poppe,
Lisa and Joe Caravello and all the families
who’ve hosted team meals. Your help and
guidance in all things related to our football
program has been instrumental in our success.”
Shevlin went on to single out coaches who
supported him over the years: “I also want to
thank some very special coaches whose love
of football and coaching young men has been
a privilege for me to work alongside during my
tenure: Craig Cousins, Chuck Shaffer, Jason
Parker, Jeramie Stewart, Chris Doukakis, Jun
Masuda, Shawn Green, Jeff Puffer, Casey
Gardener, Tim Duerr, Sean Post, Joey Bolder,
Tyler Murray, Nick Kessler, Mike Wagner,
Shaun Kemp, Bobby Brackman, Paul Keiser,
Dave Watson, and Darin Glotz. Many of these
coaches were former players and have come
back to share and give back to the kids today.
Two coaches in particular I want to give special
thanks to are Gene Engle and Dan Heck.
Coach Engle’s offensive scheme, mindset,
patience and humbleness allowed me the time
to nurture and grow as a head coach. Coach
Engle’s faith and belief in the greatness we all
have is a testament to what we can achieve
when we ‘keep the faith.’ Coach Heck who
served as our defensive coordinator, instilled a
toughness and seriousness about playing defense
with a purpose, without exception and without
excuse, and to win each play -- which was a
recipe for success. These two men, without a
doubt, are the reasons we are where we are
today as a football program.”
Shevlin reflected on what he will miss the
most about coaching: “To all the players we have
coached, I want to say thank you for the privilege
to work with each one of you. To have had the
honor to have an impact on so many young
men and teach life’s lessons through the lens
of football has been an inspiring and cherished
moment in my life. There are unbelievable lifelong
memories for all of us that we will never
forget It is true what will be missed most of
all is the camaraderie of players, coaches and
our community striving together for a common
goal. I will miss the day-to-day grind of what
it takes to keep a successful program running
efficiently. I will miss those kids’ smiles and
sweat, and tears of joy and sorrow. I will miss
the wonderful ES community who has supported
us so enthusiastically over the years. I
will miss it all. At the same time, I feel it is
now time to step back and let others steer the
ship. Now is the time to pass the reins on to
a new coach, to assistant head coach Shawn
Green. He will continue to encourage, build
and mentor young men this community will
be proud of for years to come.”
Last but not least, Shevlin added: “The most
important thank you goes to my wife April
and my two kids Cassidy and CJ. Football
is demanding and takes a lot of energy and
time. This meant years of sacrifices for my
family each year, including vacations without
me. Many weekends April did all the traveling
to games, events and lots of nights alone
helping with our kids’ homework. Through
it all, April and my kids were so supportive.
Undoubtedly, without April’s support, I would
not have had the opportunity to coach so many
of the young men I have been privileged to
help mentor. Thank you again; it’s been the
honor of a lifetime…”
On behalf of a grateful high school and
community as well as the hundreds of athletes
you made sure were also students, thank you,
Coach Shev! •
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