New Football Coach Brings Long-Term Vision

Chris Castillo has been in Greenville for just over a month, but the new head football coach and athletic director is already thinking years ahead. While his family finishes the school year back in Somerset, Castillo has been making the rounds in his new community, attending baseball, softball and track events.

Castillo inherits a football program coming off a winless season, but he's not making promises about immediate turnarounds. 'Our kids are gonna play fast, we're gonna be physical and we're gonna be tough and hard workers,' Castillo said. 'We're gonna work for everything that we get.'

For a community that watched their team lose every game last season, Castillo offers something different than quick fixes: process over results. 'I can't guarantee wins, but I can tell you for sure we will deserve to win,' he said. 'Our kids will work to win.'

Castillo knows the mental side will be crucial for a program trying to rebuild confidence. 'There's going to be bad things. Things are gonna happen. We're gonna lose a game,' he said. 'But what we can't do as a football team is stay in the here we go again's.'

The new coach emphasizes this isn't just about football. 'We're here to build athletes. We're here to build good young men and women to not only be good athletes, but be good people and leaders here in the community when they leave us,' he said.

That long-term vision starts with the feeder programs, as Castillo has already been visiting the middle school levels. 'This is a very long term process. It starts in middle school,' he said. 'We're here, we're committed. We're in this for the long haul.'