Coach Looking for Continued Success in Tenth Season

by Mallory Kennedy

September 22, 2009 -  Coach Jeff Curtis is beginning his 10th season this year with the John Curtis Christian High School Patriots. With a career team record of 128-11, Curtis is currently Coaching the Patriots Quarterbacks and Runningbacks under his Father, and long time Head Coach, J.T. Curtis, Jr. in district 2A play.

Originally from River Ridge, Louisiana, Coach Curtis attended John Curtis Christian School where he played Quarterback. After Graduating he went on to play Quarterback for the Tulane Green Wave.

The Patriots did not have any returning starters for the Quarterback or Runningback positions this season. Both Runningbacks and the Quarterback are new this year for Curtis, but he feels that after a successful off-season program the team has made “ great improvements in strength, speed, agility and conditioning.” He also says “That the team is working as hard as ever to accomplish their goal to win the State Championship.”

With an experienced front seven on Defense, Curtis will be looking to Quarterback, Bryce Jenkins, and Runningback, Torrey Pierce to lead the offense. Both Jenkins and Pierce “played the most last year, and return with the most amount of game experience.”

Curtis feels the toughest scenarios for his team to play in is “anytime you have to leave home, and go to a community based school like Salmen, St. James, St. Charles or Riverside” to name a few. Coach Curtis also finds it easier to get through the stresses of the season when you have “a great wife!”

Curtis is looking forward to the competition, forming a bond with his players and becoming a great team in the Patriots 2009 season.

After playing for both his father and Rich Rodriguez, Curtis says the best advice he has ever been given is to “have a job you love to go to, and not a job you have to go to.” Following that advice, Curtis urges his players “to understand that their high school years will go by very fast, and to take advantage of every opportunity that they have while they’re young. It’s over before they know it!”