Favila: When opportunity knocks you have to answer the door

Being a coach is tough. When a team is successful, people credit the players and dismiss the coach's job as secondary. But when things go bad, the coach is the first to feel the heat.

And while coaching is a difficult job at every level, being a high school football coach in Texas seems to be the toughest coaching job of all. The more successful a team becomes, the less respect the coach seems to get.

Such is the case at Los Fresnos High School.

Since first coming to LFHS in 2002, Scott Ford has helped turn the Falcons football program into one of the best in the Valley. Yet, he is rarely directly credited for the success. Even diehard Falcon fans have been heard dismissing his achievements as simply a byproduct of the talent he's been blessed to have on his teams year after year.

And while that's true, to an extent, behind every talented athlete stands a solid coach, which Ford is indeed.
The rest of the state has noticed.

If you didn't already hear, earlier this past week, the Los Fresnos head football coach interviewed and was turned down for the head job at Midland Lee. This was Ford's second interview during the offseason, as he had also interviewed for a job at San Antonio Churchill.

As expected, many Falcon fans expressed concern at Ford's latest attempt to exit Los Fresnos. The online chat rooms and forums were filled with comments from Los Fresnos fans. Some were somewhat understanding, while others were downright insulted that their head coach, who just a couple of months ago signed a contract extension, would suddenly consider leaving.

"It's all about the money for this coach," read one comment attached to a story on RGVSports.com.

"This guy's got absolutely no loyalty," read another comment on another Web site.

While I understand some of these fans' anger, what everyone has to realize is that in the coaching business, loyalty should never be confused with opportunity.

Coach Ford had a shot at landing the head job at Midland Lee - a school that won three consecutive titles from 1998-2000. No disrespect to Los Fresnos, but the Midland Lee program is on a whole other level. Ford would have been crazy not to put his name in the hat for such a job.

Besides, if you really think about it, the fact that programs like Midland Lee are looking at Ford speaks volumes about Los Fresnos and the program he's helped establish. Falcon fans should be proud that their head football coach is being looked at with such interest because his success reflects directly on the school.

Still, I'm sure a lot of Falcon fans are breathing a little easier now that Ford is out of the running for the Rebels job. But don't be surprised if more offers continue to come Ford's way. That's the price Los Fresnos must pay for having a successful coach. I would start worrying when the offers stop coming.

But in the meantime, Falcon fans should stop and give thanks for having a coach like Ford guiding their youth. Appreciate him now because he may not be around much longer.

Dave Favila is senior sportswriter for Valley Freedom Newspapers. He can be reached at davidf@valleystar.com or at 956-430-6214