Dean Grosfield is now entering his second year as head coach for the Cerritos College football team, and as such he has seen both the players and the program grow and change significantly.
With the recent completion of a new Kinesiology Building as well as a state of the art training facility, Grosfield states that the falcons were able to “press reboot” and find themselves in a fresh and new environment.
In regards to the new building and gym, Grosfield said ,”We got all these new buildings, we always new facility. So it was it kind of happened at a perfect time, you’re seeing the benefits of it right now, our kids are bigger, they’re stronger, more muscular, because of that incredible facility.”
The new facilities include a modern gym , open to all members of the team , where players can hone their skills, improve strengths, and work on weaknesses.
This revamping of the services available to the program have helped to increase team morale and spirit , providing what the coach referred to as a “fresh start.”
He went on to say, ” I think the positive vibe is back…it got really negative for a couple of years there. So just bringing back that positive vibe is huge. The kids are excited, we’ve genuinely got a good group of kids.
With this new season comes a host of new challenges, and Grosfield believes his team is ready to meet them.
He stated, “Our talent level was good last year, our talent level this year is great.”
Grosfield has taken this talent and has begun cultivating his athletes into winners both on the field and in the classroom.
In a sport that is so demanding, players are required to sprint across the yard lines, and between classes , which can take a toll .
However, through applications of common traits in football, such as discipline , time management and athletic perseverance, players are able to win more than trophies , they are able to win scholarships and grants.
He states, ” we are trying to tell them, we’re doing everything we can to win a state championship. That’s what we’re setting the bar. If we try to meet that bar on the football field, then they’re going to meet that bar in the classroom.”
Grosfield views himself as a teacher first , and a coach second. His passion for the game has translated into a passion for teaching, as he says, ” I mean, it’s not about winning national championships, our focus is all about the kids and teaching. That’s what we’re doing. We’re teachers at this level.”
Football is a team sport, and as such, a team must consist of players who love the game and their team and Grosfield has succeeded in creating such a team.
“The kids we brought in are really good kids, and they’re talented,” Grosfield said,” which that’s, something you don’t usually see at that junior college level.”
Grosfield hopes that his team will continue to work together, building upon their foundation as students and athletes, in order to be as successful as possible in this coming season.
On Sep. 7 ,This new team will represent Cerritos College against East Los Angeles.
