ALLEN STEPS DOWN AT GALT
GALT — In the last two seasons, Jermaine Allen witnessed positives and negatives as the Galt High football coach.
Those are memories he’ll have as he moves forward in life.
According to Galt High Athletic Director Matt Silva, Allen submitted his resignation to Silva and the school’s administration a few days after the start of 2018. Allen gave no reason was given as to why he stepped down.
“He informed all of the administrators,” Silva said. “He just said he was stepping down.”
Last season, Galt jumped out to a 3-2 record in pre-season, with wins over Linden and Sacramento schools Valley and Mira Loma. The Warriors narrowly lost to Franklin, 34-28, in overtime at Warrior Stadium last September. In Sierra Valley Conference action, Galt went 0-5 to finish its season at 3-7. One of its losses included a 40-19 loss to crosstown rival Liberty Ranch, which opened its doors in 2009.
“He worked diligently during his tenure as head football coach at Galt,” said Liberty Ranch football coach Anthony Linebaugh of Allen. “I respect coach Allen, and wish him well in his future endeavors.”
Angela DaPrato, a member of the Galt Joint Union High School District’s board of trustees, spoke highly of Allen’s hard work with the Warrior football players.
“I think Jermaine did great job; he brought a lot of pride to Galt High School,” said DaPrato, who is in her second term on the board. “He wanted to make sure the program does well. He helped a lot of kids who had not played football before. He made it a competitive team.”
Prior to its first game of the season last summer, Galt lost two days of practice after it violated the Sac-Joaquin Section’s bylaws regarding blocking and tackling in practices in the first five days of practices.
During the 2016 season, Galt completed its season with a 5-5 record, which included a 2-3 mark in the SVC. But the victories were removed when Galt forfeited all of its victories because of the use of an ineligible player, who played in all of the Warriors’ 10 games.
That same season also saw also Galt running back Zach Orman break the school’s alltime rushing record set by Mark Hatzenbuhler in 1989. Orman, a three-year starter at fullback, rushed for 4,334 yards between 2014 and ’16. Hatzenbuhler, son of the late former Galt football coach Erv Hatzenbuhler, rushed for 4,247 yards from 1987 to ’89.
Allen, along with previous Galt head coaches JJ Woodward (2012-15) and Rich Maberto (2009-11), were walkon coaches. The last coach to be a teacher on campus was Warren Schroeder (2006-08), who now teaches social studies and coaches football at Liberty Ranch.
Silva said that Galt wants to return of having an educator on the campus who is the school’s football coach. The position for a teaching position and the football coaching position are being advertised on the edjoin and section’s websites.
“We are looking for the most qualified candidate who would be a good fit in our athletics program for the position,” Silva said.
DaPrato, a 2001 Galt High alumnus, also wants the most qualified person to be next coach, and ideally, an educator.
“We want to see Galt High School athletics thrive; meaning the board, the district, everyone,” DaPrato said. “Honestly, my feelings is I want the best coach possible for the kids. It’s nice to have an on campus coach.”
Eight people have submitted their applications as of Wednesday, Silva said. There’s “a mix” of people from within the Galt High school district and outside of the district who are teachers with football coaching background who have applied, Silva added.
Before the end of the month, Silva and the school’s administration will sort through the applications and start conducting interviews. Galt would like to have its new coach in place at the beginning, middle of February.
Silva is in the process of completing Galt’s five pre-season games for the upcoming and 2019 season with two more non-conference games. Before playing its five SVC games against Liberty Ranch, El Dorado, Union Mine, Rosemont and new conference member Bradshaw Christian of Elk Grove. Galt is scheduled to play Linden, Mira Loma and Franklin.
Allen is a 1998 Galt High graduate who was a starting running back on the 1997 Galt football squad that won a share of the Sierra Valley Conference title with Oak Ridge. The Warriors advanced into the second round of the section’s Division II playoffs.
Several attempts were made to reach Allen, but he did not return emails or phone calls to the News-Sentinel.