Play-by-Play: Mr. Frankland’s Dance With The Gridiron

Redwood assistant principal Chris Frankland had the honor of announcing the first-ever girls flag football game in VUSD history. With tons of football experience under his belt, Frankland looks back at his journey with the gridiron.

By Fabian Anguiano

Mr Chris Frankland, RHS Assistant Principal, grew up in the state of Maine- which is not particularly a football state as it usually snows early in the year.

Frankland fell in love with the game of football as a kid, watching Michigan’s legendary college football coach Bo Chembeckler. When he was little, Frankland would tackle pillows and land on his bed out of passion for the sport.

In Frankland’s freshman year of high school, he would move to Casa Grande, Arizona. The most exciting thing for Frankland was the fact that he was going to finally be able to play football.

Frankland would play his first three years of football at Casa Grande High School, where he would play quarterback.

In Frankland’s senior year, he would move over to Sabino High School, which is located in Tucson, Arizona. He would play the linebacker position as he moved pretty late. 

The team would go 14-0 and would win the state championship; they were ranked sixteenth overall in the nation.

The person who would inspire Frankland to start coaching was his uncle Marty Martin. He was the head coach of Mt. Whitney at one point.

Watching his uncle have a positive impact on his players had Frankland aspire to someday be in a position where he could impact students in a similar way.

Frankland’s first coaching experience would be at, “Morana Mountain View High School in Tucson, Arizona. I coached the freshmen. I helped with varsity, more of taking stats and doing video. Then the coach asked me to design and do the program that they sell at the game. I went and took a picture of every player, the cheerleaders, the band. Went and got sponsors and things like that,” said Frankland.

Frankland has coached football at numerous high schools such as Mt. Whitney, Exeter, Monachi, and El Diamante.

Frankland can’t exactly point out which coaching experience was his favorite. He remembers all the teams having different personalities, and he had fun watching each one of them grow and compete.

Frankland’s coaching philosophy always included what it took to be a champion. The work and the attention to detail.

Frankland believes a lot of that came from his experiences as a player and playing as part of a good team.

Different teams brought different game plans, “As you get different players in, one year you might have a philosophy where we’re just going to run the ball. Then there are other years that you might have really good skilled quarterbacks and receivers, and we’re going to come out and throw the ball more this year.”

Frankland added on to this, “From a defensive standpoint, I always believed in being good tacklers. Really preparing for a game, watching a lot of film. So the philosophy changes a little bit, but those pillars that I believe make students and players successful, they haven’t changed since I was probably a player in high school.”

Frankland’s past experiences with the game of football have made him into the assistant principal he is today. The way that he tried to build a team with his coaching staff is very similar to how he tries to interact with and build a team with the teaching staff. They both involve working hard every day, being prepared, and being in places on time.

Many of those things can be found in Redwoods TRUE. Being trustworthy, respectful, understanding, and putting in the effort. Frankland finds himself all the time talking to students the way he would talk to players. 

The little actions taken that make a difference and help students succeed translate a lot from the little things that people do to help players be successful on the football field.

Frankland first started announcing Redwoods football games a few years ago when former assistant principal Roy Orosco urged that there was nobody announcing the freshman football games; Frankland would step up.

One of the main things that Frankland had his sights set on was announcing the cheerleaders. Frankland’s eyes, cheerleaders work harder as they are outside practicing every day. Frankland wanted to make sure that they were valued.

Then last season, Frankland got to, “Do a JV and a really cool varsity game. Then as it’s developed, the athletic director, Mr. Wright, has asked me to do some other things.”

Frankland is very excited to do girls flag football this year. He has watched a lot of games from other schools to familiarize himself with the pace and the rules.

Getting to be a part of the special atmosphere when Redwood Flag Football played the first-ever game in VUSD history was really special for Frankland.

With Frankland being an experienced coach, he tries to call plays analytically. As far as how the defensive front and the defensive secondary are too high or too low. When someone has coached before, they understand the nuances of the game.

When Frankland is announcing, he is, “Seeing a lot of stuff that I don’t really even say out loud. Just because it’s almost too much information. Looking down the distance, really understanding players, both girls and boys, that are making great plays or doing great things,” said Frankland.

Frankland’s experience helps him tell a better story of what is happening on the field.

Frankland likes to point out some things while announcing as well, such as offensive linemen. Frankland tried to announce them, as they are not the touchdown scorers, but their work is so crucial that Frankland tries to make sure that they are recognized.

Frankland had more to say, “I always thought of myself as a football coach, never ever considered announcing, and this is something that’s come up the last couple of years. I’ve really enjoyed it, and I’ve gotten to experience a whole different part of the game that I never really thought about, but it’s helped me connect with kids.”

Frankland added to this, “Just the fun that I’ve had, and to know that I get to be a part of not just the football programs, but just the culture at Redwood is something that I’m honored and that I take seriously, and I want us to have a fun environment for fans and players alike.”

Tags: coach, football, gigantea, Gigantea athletics, Redwood, redwood athletes, redwood athletics, sports, visalia ca