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A counselor. Proven winner. Respectful.
Those were the assessments Raul Lara received from his colleagues Thursday after Mater Dei announced that he is the team’s new football coach.
“He’s a counselor,” said Merle Cole III, a former offensive coordinator under Lara at Long Beach Poly. “He holds kids accountable (and) … works with the kids.”
Lara’s resume includes recent stops at St. Anthony and Warren but he is best known for leading Long Beach Poly to five CIF-SS championships. He balanced his walk-on post with the Jackrabbits while working as a probation officer in the juvenile system.
“They are getting a good man for the job,” said former Marina coach Jeff Turley, who served as a defensive coordinator under Lara at Long Beach Poly.
“He’s a true player’s coach,” added Richard Gonzales, an assistant for Lara at St. Anthony and Long Beach Poly. “(A) mentor, father figure with always putting the Lord first.”
Lara has ties to the Trinity League. He was an assistant coach at Servite under former Friars coach Troy Thomas, who noticed Lara’s appreciation for the Friars’ traditions.
“I found Coach Lara to very respectful of our traditions at Servite when we worked together,” said Thomas, who is now an assistant at Edison.
“I believe he will bring that same respect to Mater Dei. He holds coach Bruce Rollinson in high regard from their past coaching experiences against each other.
“Coach Lara has a proven track record of winning at the highest levels of Southern California football. I believe the Monarchs are in good hands.”
At Mater Dei, Lara replaces Frank McManus, a former assistant under Rollinson who was removed as head coach after one season.
Cole remembers that Lara’s Long Beach Poly coaching staff was “competitive” with the Mater Dei coaches. The emotions, he said, didn’t boil any higher but seeing Lara in his new school colors will be different.
“It’s going to be weird seeing him in red,” Cole said.
