(East Los Angeles, CA) January 5, 2021 [From The Editor’s Desk]: Greetings & Saludos To All for the start of the New Year, 2021! Hope your Year has started out well, that you have remained safe, and are in good health, in spite of the still highly present COVID-19 Coronavirus. We bring you our first feature story of the year, and it focuses once again on the Roosevelt Rough Rider football program.

On November 20, 2020, the former, and still highly popular, Roosevelt Rough Riders Head Football Coach, from 2006-2015, Javier Cid, was presented with an outstanding Community Service Award by the U.S. Marines Corps of East L.A. for his longtime support of their community outreach endeavors. In a fitting gesture, the Corps recognized Coach Cid’s assistance to them in providing service to our community in all of the following capacities as inscribed on his Award plaque: Educator, Mentor, Coach, and Friend. Coach Cid has remained at Roosevelt and is currently the Dean of Students. The Award covered the span of time from 2017-2020.

Leading the Marine Corps contingent, based in East Los Angeles, on this Awards Night was Staff  Sgt. Roberto Sandoval, who was accompanied by his comrades, Station Commander, Staff Sgt. Ivan Castañeda, Staff Sgt. Carlos Rodriguez, and Sgt. Christopher Toxtle.

In addition, the current football team and its Coaches, led by Coach Parral, expressed and offered their grateful thanks to Coach Cid for all of the inspiration and extra guidance they’ve received from him through their time spent at Roosevelt High School, Home of the Rough Riders.

As a backgrounder for the event, the U.S. Marine Corps conducts a national physical fitness program similar to that of a sports team’s physical strength and conditioning trainer, who teaches the same disciplines in terms of understanding your body’s current condition, its needs, strengths, and weaknesses. The Marine Corps version of the program incorporates their “real-military-life” preparation for situations found in their Combat Fitness Program—Movement to Contact, Ammunition Lift, and Maneuver Under Fire.

Carried out under the auspices of the Glazier Clinics Coach Education, all interested coaches will be directed as to how they can register for future training clinics through the issuance of a “ticket” that assures them a slot in an upcoming Virtual/Zoom Training Clinic.

The Glazier Clinic, on both the national and local levels, coordinates and interfaces with high school Athletic Directors and their football, basketball, and baseball coaching staffs. However, at this time, due to the extreme COVID-19 Coronavirus that has cancelled many high school football seasons all over the country this 2020-2021 school year, no new clinics have recently been conducted.

(Photo Gallery Credit): Bob Bernal, Jr.

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Our featured story shows you the Awards evening presentation that occurred while the current Rough Rider varsity football players were finishing their designated conditioning drills. This was done under the watchful eye of Head Coach Aldo Parral and his Assistant Coaching staff members. At the end of the drill, Staff Sgt. Roberto Sandoval presented their Community Service Award to Coach Cid for his participation in, and the implementation of the Glazier Clinic-Coaches Education Platform. That was followed in turn by his presentation to Coach Parral of the U.S. Marine Corps’, Semper Fi Coach’s Award, for his outstanding Coaching, Leadership, and Excellent team-building skills. This highly-coveted Award was bestowed on Coach Parral for his recognized merits as one of the highest recipients in the country.

To close out the session, there was set-aside time for Staff Sgt. Sandoval and his colleagues to make some special remarks to the team.

Staff Sgt. Sandoval stressed to the Rough Riders that “there is definitely No “I” in Team and that the team must always work consistently and efficiently as one.” He also added that “comraderie and brotherhood are goals that team-building strives for, just as they equally strive to do in the Marine Corps Basic Training Camps.“ Station Commander, Staff Sgt. Ivan Castañeda, remarked that “teamwork and self-accountability of every action, taken or not taken, leads to a victory or a loss. Always surround yourselves with those who are responsible to the highest degree.” And lastly, Sgt. Christopher Toxtle, Career Advisor, spoke about his love for sports and the Marine Corps. “You get out what you put in! Give it your all in every practice so when it comes to game day, you can secure the win!”

All interested High School Football coaches, from our area of East L.A. & Beyond, can learn more about the highly recommended, and specialized Glazier Clinics training program by contacting this U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting, Sub-Station – East L.A at (323) 269-8802, Monday through Friday, for more details.

For parents, and all interested, eligible, male or female applicants to the U.S. Marine Corps, you may schedule an in person appointment to speak with a recruiter, from the U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting, Sub-Station East L.A. – For Glendale, CA, located at 3558 E. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90063, by calling (323) 269-8802. The Unit’s website is accessible under marines.com/glendale-eastla, (go to right of page to see outside photo of location and take a look at the reviews from the community). You can also go their Facebook account at facebook/marinescorpsrecruitingglendale,ca, and lastly, through Instagram@glendalemarines. To directly contact East L.A. Substation recruiting career advisor, Sgt. Christopher Toxtle, via Instagram, this is his address, sgt_toxtle.

(Office Hours): The office is open to the public, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Free parking is available in the lot directly located behind the office. If you are not familiar with the area, it is located at the intersection of 1st St. and Hicks.