Papadopoulos honored as SJS Model Coach
VACAVILLE — What was already a pretty good week for Mike Papadopoulos, affectionately known as Pop, and Vacaville High has gotten a little bit better.
On top of coaching the Bulldogs football team to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II championship with a 39-35 win over Folsom on Saturday, it was announced on Monday that Papadopoulos was selected as one of six SJS Model Coach Award winners for 2011-12.
Papadopoulos and the other five honorees — Diane Heine of Christian Brothers, Kelly Rhoden of Nevada Union, Roddy Svendsen of Atwater, Mike Takayama of Del Oro and Janice Williams of Galt — will receive plaques and lifetime SJS passes at an awards breakfast on April 17, 2012, at Hutchins Street Square in Lodi.
“That’s just humbling to me, completely humbling,” Papadopoulos, who also coaches the Vacaville track teams, said of winning the award. “I honestly didn’t even know that (the Model Coach selection process) was going on. That’s just humbling to me that people would think about the things we try to do because they’re the right things to do for kids.
“I’m blessed to be at a place where . . . . I have the opportunity to spend time with kids, to help them develop into mature, productive adults. It’s not just me, it’s the environment I’m in where we all feel that way. It’s an accumulation of things.”
To Vacaville principal Ed Santopadre, who preceded Papadopoulos as Bulldogs coach, the honor is “so well deserved.”
“We see his record in both track and football, and those are pretty easy to talk about,” Santopadre said. “What people don’t see is the way he takes care of the kids off the field. We call Pop the ‘human action-figure.’ Not only is he the head coach with all those things to do, he’s the one helping the custodian load things on the bus or he’s making copies. Pop’s the ultimate team player. That’s why the award is so well deserved.”
Papadopoulos, who’s coached the Vacaville track teams to 15 Monticello Empire League titles and one SJS crown, prefers to pass the credit along, starting with his late father-in-law, Vacaville coaching legend Tom Zunino.
“I’ve had a lot of great role models in the coaching world,” Papadopoulos said. “Tom Zunino, obviously, is No. 1. This (style of coaching) is how I grew up, this is how we treat people.”
The result of that coaching style was on display Saturday night, when the Bulldogs rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat Folsom, the defending SJS and state D-II champion that blasted Vacaville 75-6 in last year’s section quarterfinals.
“Something like that (loss to Folsom) was a positive for us,” Papadopoulos said. “You look at your program, from the most miniscule thing and what it’s worth, to the biggest thing you hang your hat on to put us in the best possible position to make us successful.”
And with the Bulldogs coming through and their coaching being honored by the SJS, “It can’t get much more special at the ‘Pop’ house right now,” Papadopoulos said.
Reach Paul Farmer at 425-4646 Ext. 264 or pfarmer@dailyrepublic.net.
Short URL: http://www.dailyrepublic.com/?p=114360
Posted by Paul Farmer
on Dec 5 2011.
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Nobody more well deserving than Pop. Congrats! You give us baldies a good name!
Too bad Armijo wouldn’t hire him to teach and coach at his alma mater when he applied in 1991 (being told he didn’t have enough experience) before being hired at Vacaville High School. Armijo’s loss….Vacaville High’s gain!!!!