Rod Sherman
Rod has an incredible list of accomplishments. In his first stint coaching at Orange Lutheran from 1995-2006 as Offensive Coordinator and Athletic Director, Rod won 9 League titles, two CIF Championships, and 1 state championship in football. Rod also played a critical role in Orange Lutheran's rise from a Division 11 small school athletics program to a Trinity League force in Division 1. Then from 2007-2018, Rod was the football coach and AD at Valor Christian HS in Colorado and won 7 State Championships and was the State Coach of the Year in Colorado. In 2021, Rod accepted the Head Football Coach position at Orange Lutheran. In his first two seasons back at Orange Lutheran, he has already won a CIF Championship and been ranked in the Top Ten in CA both years. This fall, he enters the 2023 season ranked #2 in Orange County behind only Mater Dei and in the Top Five in the state. Even better, he does a phenomenal job of developing young men spiritually and character-wise
Topics Discussed
- Orange Lutheran Head Football Coach, Basketball Coach, and Athletic Director
- Taking a small school football coach and building it to a power house
- MCAA helped grow the “AND” school. Students have great faith, character development, AND be successful in the arena of competition.
- Emphasis of development in the school, students and competition.
- The challenge of reaching young men through the platform of athletics and football
- Came back to California to be at the special place and his alma mater, Orange Lutheran
- Allowing kids to be multisport athletes to develop and motivate the athletes for each season
- Expectations for 2023 season; culture and best kids who are motivated to be the best to have the “AND” in the process and journey.
- Maintaining the Culture: 4 Core Values are Love, Accountability, Passion and Toughness
- Perspective on why we play who we play. Work on growing in the pressure and discomfort.
- How do you keep the destination school competitive within the tough league where everyone tries to get into the destination schools, Trinity League.
- Focus on what we do great and what is best for our kids