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John Yavasile, the all-time winningest high school head football coach in Visalia history, died on Aug. 10 during a tragic accident, falling on his property.
He was 76.
Yavasile set the gold standard during his time coaching Redwood High School football, spending his entire head-coaching career with the Rangers from 1989 to 2010.
Yavasile directed the Rangers to the Central Section Yosemite Division championship in 1996 — the last time a Tulare County program won a Valley title in the section's top bracket. Redwood was set to honor that championship squad in October for its 30th anniversary.
More: Why Golden West football is winning under Anderson
Yavasile's success in the annual Cowhide rivalry game against Mt. Whitney was excellent. Yavasile-coached teams went a combined 19-3 in the Cowhide. The Rangers won 10 straight Cowhide games from 1990-99.
Yavasile retired after the 2010 season and also led the Rangers to seven West Yosemite League titles in the 1990s. They won a WYL championship in 2004, too.
Yavasile, who also taught at Redwood for about four decades, is the Rangers' all-time winningest head coach with an overall record of 156-91-4. He coached both of his sons, Jacob and Dustin. Jacob was a starter on the 1996 section championship team. His grandson, Luke, is a senior receiver on this year's Redwood team.
One of Yavasile's former players, linebacker Maurice Rodriguez, was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs out of Fresno State in the seventh round in the 2022 NFL Draft. Rodriguez was a member of that 1996 section championship squad.
"Being able to share my dad with hundreds, it's probably a lot more, maybe thousands, with other people, was kind of cool," Jacob said. "He was just as much of a dad to some of these guys as their own dads. Being able to share him was special."
More: Who are the top returning QBs in Tulare County? Here's our list
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Visalia football icon John Yavasile dies at age 76
Continue reading...
He was 76.
Yavasile set the gold standard during his time coaching Redwood High School football, spending his entire head-coaching career with the Rangers from 1989 to 2010.
Yavasile directed the Rangers to the Central Section Yosemite Division championship in 1996 — the last time a Tulare County program won a Valley title in the section's top bracket. Redwood was set to honor that championship squad in October for its 30th anniversary.
More: Why Golden West football is winning under Anderson
Yavasile's success in the annual Cowhide rivalry game against Mt. Whitney was excellent. Yavasile-coached teams went a combined 19-3 in the Cowhide. The Rangers won 10 straight Cowhide games from 1990-99.
Yavasile retired after the 2010 season and also led the Rangers to seven West Yosemite League titles in the 1990s. They won a WYL championship in 2004, too.
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Yavasile, who also taught at Redwood for about four decades, is the Rangers' all-time winningest head coach with an overall record of 156-91-4. He coached both of his sons, Jacob and Dustin. Jacob was a starter on the 1996 section championship team. His grandson, Luke, is a senior receiver on this year's Redwood team.
One of Yavasile's former players, linebacker Maurice Rodriguez, was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs out of Fresno State in the seventh round in the 2022 NFL Draft. Rodriguez was a member of that 1996 section championship squad.
"Being able to share my dad with hundreds, it's probably a lot more, maybe thousands, with other people, was kind of cool," Jacob said. "He was just as much of a dad to some of these guys as their own dads. Being able to share him was special."
More: Who are the top returning QBs in Tulare County? Here's our list
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Visalia football icon John Yavasile dies at age 76
Continue reading...
