Beto Lopez enjoys helping out different sports teams at East Union.
“Coaching is the whole reason I got into teaching,” he said.
And he’s had a hand in getting the fledgling flag football program started.
The JV coach in the first two years, Lopez has taken over the varsity team in year 3 of East Union flag football after predecessor Steve Jackson retired. The Lancers went 36-11 in the two seasons under Jackson and are the defending Valley Oak League champions.
“Coach Jackson did an incredible job building up the program in just two years,” Lopez said. “I just hope to continue the tradition he helped create.”
Lopez teaches science on campus and has coached in some capacity for the boys and girls basketball teams and track. He played football and basketball at Riverbank High, where he graduated in 1997.
His daughter Caliyah, now at San Francisco State on a softball scholarship, was a key two-way player for EU’s flag football team, and she earned Co-Utility Player of the Year.
“I thought, if she’s playing, I might as well coach,” Beto said.
He just didn’t fancy himself as the coach.
Lopez was unsure how his time would align with Caliyah’s fall-ball schedule, plus his son, Urijah, is a multi-sport varsity athlete at East Union.
“I told Mr. Tarr (athletic director Ryan Tarr) I would gladly be an assistant,” Lopez said. “I did not apply the first time the job was posted. When it reposted, we met again and I said if I could find people willing to help, I would be all for it.”
Lopez was able to land three off-campus assistants.
Justin Silva will coach the JV team, Vinnie Mejia serves as varsity defensive coordinator and alumna Larissa Harries leads special teams while lending a hand on offense and defense.
Mejia’s older daughter Kaylee is a 2024 EU grad who became the school’s first college signee for flag football (La Sierra University), and younger daughter is a freshman on the varsity team.
Harries played center and linebacker for the Lancers and was named VOL MVP last year.
“That’s huge,” Lopez said of the Harries addition. “It’s one thing for me to coach, but I never played girls flag football, so having someone who has actually played the game at a high level, they know what she’s saying is true, and they’re not going to second guess her advice. Being a former player and younger, that helps build a bond with the players. She’s the first one to commit (as an assistant) the minute I agreed to take the position.”
Although the Lancers lost a strong group of seniors to graduation, Lopez believes the team can still be competitive with the returning talent. Senior quarterback Julianna Gaspar is the VOL Offensive Player of the Year. Standout pass rusher Makayla Burlingame, Alexa Bretao Sierra Dormer and Vanessa Velazquez are other all-league returners.
Seniors Andi Guibor and Savannah Lopez are back with the program after taking last year off. Guibor will start the season at quarterback as Gaspar wraps up her recovery from offseason knee surgery.
“Not going to lie; it’s a bit stressful being league champion,” Lopez said. “I wouldn’t say we’re rebuilding, but there are a lot of new faces, and until we get Julianna back, it will be a completely different offense.
“We still have high expectations for them. We have a lot of talent, they’re just young.”
East Union begins the season Aug. 25 at St. Mary’s.
