COACH OF THE YEAR

TIM WEDLOW, Jordan

Tim Wedlow’s fourth season as the head coach of the Jordan football team was one for the record books.

“It’s a challenge and I can say it’s a gift from God that I’m there helping these young people about life,” said Wedlow. “I love it. It’s a big part of me.” Wedlow led the Panthers to the school’s first CIF Southern Section football playoff win since 1994with a 46-21victory against Rim of the World at home Nov. 5.

The team’s historic season did not stop there. Jordan then went on the road and beat Granite Hills 34-27 in the quarterfinals Nov. 12.

Jordan made it to the school’s first CIF-SS football semifinal game, which the Panthers won 26-20against Twentynine Palms at home Nov. 19.

Jordan ultimately made it to the CIF Southern Section Division 11championship game, which it lost 37-14to Northwood in Irvine on Nov. 26.

However, it was the journey along the way that earned Wedlow the selection of the 2021Press-Telegram’s Dream Team Football Coach of the Year.

“It’s a great honor,” Wedlow said. “It’s a lot of great coaches out there.”

Wedlow played football at Compton. He has coached in the Long Beach area for nearly two decades with a stint at Poly along the way.

When Wedlow first began coaching at Jordan, he only had 18players. In his second year, he had 28players.

He slowly built up the program, which now has about 60 to 70players, and he has embraced the new CIF-SS playoffequity format.

During the abbreviated 2021 spring season, Jordan’s record was 0-4. However, Jordan was at the precipice of a turnaround.

This fall, the Panthers went 5-5during the regular season. They earned an at-large playoff berth after losing the Moore League’s third-place tiebreaker, which was decided by an envelope draw since Jordan, Lakewood and Compton all finished 3-3in league play.

“The spirit on campus is great. All the kids understand now that we can compete with anybody and we have great athletes on that campus, girls and boys,” Wedlow said. “We just want to show the community that we can play.”

Wedlow also works as a campus security officer at Jordan. “I’m trying to make sure kids are safe and are in the right state of mind about themselves, in life,” Wedlow shared. “Academics is first and sports is always second.” Wedlow’s players said he’s more than a coach. To them, he is also a mentor, a parental figure, a counselor and a confidant.

“I really do play a lot of roles (at Jordan). Also like a parent to some of these kids,” Wedlow explained. “Just talking to them to see where they’re coming from and trying to give them some strong advice just to be ready for a commitment to sports and to this world.”

Jordan finished with an 8-6record.

“If I had to do it all over again, I would keep doing it,” Wedlow concluded. “To feed these kids advice, it’s a good thing and they listen.”