Kevin Breaker nearly became the coach that got away.
The Stockton product with a long history of coaching football to area youngsters was having second thoughts of returning to the game of his passion, having previously applied for the vacancy at Weston Ranch High.
Breaker, a retired corrections officer, was having second thoughts, going so far as to come on to campus and meet with Athletic Director Jason Furtado about his intention.
“I was going to turn down the job,” he said on Wednesday.
But what Breaker found, in talking to Furtado, was the ideal situation with the struggling Cougars.
“For me, this is a dream,” he said. “They needed someone who was interested in building a program.”
Added Furtado: “I didn’t have to sell (the football coaching) job to Kevin. I knew I didn’t want to let him go,” he said.
Since Seth Davis stepped down at the end of this past season, Weston Ranch has been without a head varsity football coach.
This became a long process for Furtado, who was looking for someone who was good kids and, at the same time, set the program’s foundation for the long term.
He met his fair share of applicants and even went against the advice of some to fill the void ASAP.
For Furtado, it was about building a football program and doing it right.
Breaker is a disciplinarian with concerns about building character in his student athletes. “It’s important to give them a sense of respect for themselves,” he said.
During his coaching tenure, Breaker — who spent 15 years in the area youth football programs — was an offensive coordinator for the Lincoln High Trojans and also spent a few years at Bear Creek High following a brief retirement. He worked with a who’s-who list of outstanding football players, including future pros Louis Rankin, Brandin Cook and Justin Davis.
Breaker is a south Stockton product, having grown up on the other side of Interstate 5 from Weston Ranch in the neighborhood near Taft Elementary School. He was bused to Stagg High, where he played football and ran track, graduating there in 1980.
Breaker also spent time in the military, returning to his home town where he worked for the state Department of Corrections and coached football while raising a family.
He stepped away from the game but drew interest once again when the Weston Ranch vacancy became available.
It wasn’t until he met with Furtado that he learned that this was his dream job.
“(Jason) was honest and straight forward on what he was looking for in a football program,” said Breaker, who suddenly realized that he shared that same vision.
Furtado, at the same time, knew his long search was finally over.
On building a program, Breaker said it all starts with discipline in his players.
“From there, they learn to hold themselves accountable and be respectful. They also take pride on what they’re doing,” he added.
Breaker is the program’s fifth head coach. He’s bringing back some of familiar faces to his coaching staff in Torijean and Terjean Saffold, and Shawn Holmes. All three played for the 2005 Cougars squad that shared Valley Oak League crown with Manteca High and Oakdale that year. Weston Ranch has not advanced to the postseason since.
Nick Ramirez will remain as the sophomore football coach while Luis Ruiz will again handle the freshmen team.