Bobby Mcneil is firmly entrenched and on the run in his dream job
Robert “Bobby” Mcneil, 37, Yuba City, property manager and co-owner of Trident Property Management and Sutter cross-country coach.
Family: Wife (Kelly Mcneil); daughter Genevieve “Gigi” Mcneil (18 months).
With competition allowed to resume what is the mood amongst the team and school like? In one word – “excited.” The kids are a little disappointed they cannot participate in invitational meets (with multiple schools) and there are no league, section, or state championships. But they are just excited to be able to participate in a sport and have some sense of normalcy.
How have your athletes been adapting to the pandemic? Overall, I’d say really well. I know they miss their friends, routine, school, going to movies, etc. but they have all had good attitudes and have been pretty positive. I cannot imagine not going to school or having sports when I was in high school. Considering all they have been through, I am amazed at how well they have adapted and taken things in stride.
What brought you to the Yuba-sutter area? Born and raised here.
What do you like about the Yuba-sutter area? What is not to like? This is such a great community with amazing people.
The community is very supportive and always rallies to support great causes. We also have amazing sunsets and the Buttes.
Where would you like to retire to/live for a year? Maui.
What is the closest you’ve been to a famous person?
I have met quite a few professional athletes and musicians, but the one that stands out is golfing with Dwight Clark at a charity golf event.
What would you do with a million dollars? Open a running shoe store in Yuba City for local athletes.
Favorite memory to share? How I got wrangled into coaching high school. After college, I coached at Chico State for two years before I moved back home to Yuba City. I had lived in town for over two years, not involved in athletics at all. I ran into my former vice principal at a restaurant, and he asked if I was interested in coaching? I really didn’t think I could handle coaching high school kids – that I was too serious about the sport and high school athletes just wouldn’t take the sport seriously enough. I took his card, and said
“I’d think about it.” I spoke with my father about it, and he reminded me how important a particular high school coach was to me, and that I had said if I ever had the opportunity to help kids the way he helped me, that I would. Ten years later, it was one of the better decisions I have made.
What did you want to be when you were a kid? Police officer.
Dream job? If I could make a living, coaching, that would be my dream job.
Pet peeve? Excuses and hypocrisy.
What do you like about yourself? Probably my sense of humor or my patience. I think that both have allowed me to be successful at both my job and coaching.
What/where is your heaven on earth? Anywhere with my family, but more specifically, Disneyland with my family.
Favorite book? I really enjoy biographies on musicians or athletes.
What movie stops you while flipping through the TV channels? Pretty much any action movie.
Favorite musical group/ sports team? Giants, 49ers, Warriors, Sharks. Musical: Tool, Pearl Jam, Metallica, Rage Against the Machine.
Who should play you in a movie? My high school athletes say Keanu Reeves.