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Coach Smolin on Abc

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Pete Smolin of Cantwell-Sacred Heart Honored as ABC7/NFL HS Coach Of The Week - November 18, 2006
By Michael Francis, ABC7
Coach Pete Smolin of Cantwell-Sacred Heart High School in Montebello was named the ABC7 / NFL High School Coach of the Week for Southern California. He was honored on ABC7's Sports Zone, following the College Football Game of the Week between USC and Cal on November 18, 2006.
Pete Smolin's Cantwell Cardinals had what would have been a very good year for most teams, with a 7-3 record. But the Cardinals didn't make the CIF playoffs, even with that record. What they did learn, though, was what it was like to compete in a tougher league, and a higher division.
Usually when a team moves up a division, it's either because the size of the school has grown, or the CIF feels they'd have better competition in a higher division. But at Cantwell, striving to be better, looking to take on challenges and competing with anyone, no matter the size, is part of the school strives for, even off the field.
Coach Smolin, who also doubles not only as the Athletic Director, but also the Dean of Students at Cantwell-Sacred Heart, is proud of the fact that 98% of his players and students go on to 4-year colleges. That's the job of a college preparatory school. And the job of a football coach at such a school is to make sure his players can succeed both on and off the field. Pete has a saying that all players read before the season begins, "You are here at Cantwell Scared Heart of Mary School to get an education first. School must come first. Those not ready to work in the classroom should not be out for football."
At the forefront of Pete's philosophy is teaching his players how to play the game with Class on the field. "Class is sportsmanship", Pete explains. "It is playing by the rules at all times. It is showing respect for your opponents and for the officials. It is shaking your opponent's hand after a game - win or lose - and giving him credit for their efforts. Class is never 'showing up' your opponents by hot-dogging or cheap talk. Act like you are supposed to score and that you've done so before. Celebrate a win as if you expected to win."
Coach Smolin accepts the award
from ABC7's John Hartung.
Winning is what Coach Smolin expects even more of next season. "We've been building from the bottom up, and it's starting to pay off," Coach Smolin told ABC7. "Our JV's have been undefeated two years in a row. We have a solid Freshman team that won some really big games for us." So next year, and years to come, the Cardinals look to be competing for the Camino Real League title and going deep into the CIF Playoffs.
Last summer, for a second straight year, Coach Smolin had the opportunity to coach the California All-Star team, made up of graduating seniors, in a pair of games in the Down Under Bowl. Played this year in Auckland, New Zealand, his teams won both games against the New Zealand Junior National Team.
And Pete's brought a little of the "down under" back with him to Cantwell. In the off-season his players have the opportunity to play on the school's Rugby Team, the only one in a Southern California high school. Playing in a tough league, against teams usually from men's clubs, it gives his players a unique way to stay in shape.
Coach Smolin has also put Cantwell-Sacred Heart in the forefront of youth football development by hosting the National Football League's JPD Full Contact Football Skills Camp. It's a program for boys 10-14 that gives them a chance to learn every position, in full pads, through a step-by-step progression of skill instruction. It also includes counseling through a life skills/character development curriculum. Current Cantwell football players are given a chance to mentor the younger players. When the program first started only about 100 kids came, but this last summer that number had risen to over 300.
In recognition of his dedication to the student-athletes of Cantwell High School, and youth football in Montebello, ABC7 and the National Football League are proud to name Pete Smolin as Southern California's High School Coach of the Week. For being so honored, Cantwell-Sacred Heart High School will receive a $1,000 grant from the NFL Youth Football Fund. In the presentation that was aired on ABC7's Sports Zone, ABC7 Sport's John Hartung presented Coach Smolin with a plaque signed by NFL Director of Operations Gene Washington, and a special NFL Coach of the Week cap.

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