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Before taking over as Athletic Director at the school, Lopez Jr. was hired as Head Football Coach in the summer of 2009. Feeling the pressure that accompanied his first varsity-level head coaching job, he wanted to surround himself with experienced assistants who he could trust to help him get his career off on the right foot.

"Once I got the job, my dad was the first person I called," says Lopez Jr. "I told him I'd love to have him on board. He said he wouldn't have it any other way."

After Lopez Sr. signed on, Lopez Jr. convinced one of his father's former assistants to become his defensive coordinator. He also queried one his dad's former coaching rivals about becoming the team's offensive coordinator. The coach told him okay, but only if Lopez Sr. was also a member of the staff.

"He said, 'I've always coached against your dad, but I want to be able to say that I coached with him,'" Lopez Jr. recalls. "I told him, 'Done, and done.'"

The relationship between Lopez Jr. and his seasoned assistants soon paid dividends. After dropping their first two games to non-league opponents, the Cardinals didn't lose another regular season contest, finishing 8-2 and undefeated in league play. The team won its first conference crown in more than 10 years and qualified for the California Interscholastic Federation Central Coast Section playoffs for the first time since 1996.

Making Lopez Sr.'s on-field contributions that much more remarkable was his ability to attend every game and practice--rain or shine--despite limited mobility. His left leg was amputated below the knee due to complications from diabetes and he wears a prosthetic leg, using a cane or wheelchair to get around.

Lopez Sr.'s dedication is not lost on his son, or Cardinals players. "I tell my guys there's no way you can complain about running and having to work hard--look at my dad," says Lopez Jr. "He's an older man with failing health and he's out here working hard every day. There's no way I can accept any complaining knowing what he's willing to go through to be here."

While their accumulation of wins has been nice, both father and son say sharing common ground was the best part of the job. "It wouldn't have mattered if we went 0-10--being with my dad every day has meant everything," says Lopez Jr. "When I was younger, we were both so busy that we didn't get as many chances to hang out. Spending three hours a day coaching football together has been especially rewarding."

Part of that reward was having his role model and mentor available to answer questions and provide guidance in his first year at the varsity level. "He was more of a confidant than an assistant," says Lopez Jr. "He was my right-hand man."

Beyond invaluable help in the film room and on the field, Lopez Sr.'s greatest lessons were taught away from the gridiron. "Any time my dad and I go to the mall or out to dinner, former players always come up to him to say, 'Hey coach, remember me?'" says Lopez Jr. "My dad's memory isn't all that great, but he doesn't forget a player's name and he is always positive, talking to them about a play he remembers them making--he really goes out of his way to make that person feel special.

"My dad has probably lost more games than he's won, but the relationships he's built through the years is what really stands out," Lopez Jr. continues. "I really try to model myself after him in that regard."

Despite last season's success, health problems have Lopez Sr. hesitant about returning to the sidelines. "I told my son not to count on me coaching next season, but that I'd be there if he really needs me," he says. "Really, I just want to sit back and watch the games from the corner and be out of the way. I sort of want to cut the coaching cord and watch him grow and have success on his own."

If 2009 was indeed his final year on the sidelines with his son, Lopez Sr. says he leaves with no regrets. "Some parents only see their kids once in a while," he says. "Coaching has allowed me to see my son every day the last couple of years--and I've loved every minute of it."

R.J. Anderson is the Online Editor at Athletic Management.