SAN DIEGO HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL : 3-A Finalists : Vista: : Panthers Have Fans Worthy of Their Success

On a Friday night when the Vista High School football team is playing at home, the grandstands behind the Panther bench always are crowded and noisy.

That’s because Friday nights and “Big Red Football” are synonymous in Vista.

No other team in San Diego County has the kind of following Vista has. A large part of the interest stems from the team’s success in recent years.

But the other reason, according to Panther Coach Dick Haines, is the “one-school, one-town” situation in Vista.

“In this modern day, there are a lot of things to do, but the focus seems to be that the thing to do in Vista is support football,” Haines said.

“When you say Vista football, you’re talking about everybody in town.”

That may change in coming seasons with the opening next fall of Buena Vista High School three miles from Vista High. But for now, Vista remains No. 1 and only.

Last season, Vista won the San Diego Section 3-A title. This season, it will face Palomar League rival Fallbrook in the final Saturday in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

Vista’s teams are something special, and so is its campus stadium. The end zones are painted in Vista’s colors--red and black--and the 50--yard line has the Panther logo emblazoned on it. Haines estimated that the painting of the field cost $2,200 this season.

Aside from the money the school district and the school allocate for the football program, Vista receives $5,000 to $12,000 a season from its booster club, Haines said. Much of the money goes toward equipment, uniforms and paint for the field, which is decorated each week by a crew of five.

All of this contributes in a small way to the team’s success, Haines said.

Having a steady flow of talented players hasn’t hurt much, either.

Vista has had more players named to The Times’ All-San Diego County team the past two seasons than anyone else. One of the best running backs in the county, Tom Booker, plays for Vista. Last season, Vista had one of the best backs in the county in Roger Price.

“I think I’ve been lucky,” Haines said. “I’ve been at the right place, at the right time, with the right people.”

Haines came to Vista from Dover, Ohio, where he had coached another winner, Dover High School. At Dover, the situation was much the same as Vista--one school, one town.

Haines brought assistant coach Dave Parks from Dover, and the two have remained together.

The season before Haines arrived, the Panthers won only one game.

Haines quickly turned things around. He started a year-round weight program and now Vista has the best weight room in the county.

He also changed the colors of the team from black and white to red and black. The reasons: it made for better-looking uniforms and signaled a change in the football program.

On the sidelines, Haines makes his presence known. He admits that he is “a wild man” often yells at his players and runs on the field. He even has been known to berate his second stringers, despite the fact that they are playing in games the Panthers are sure to win.

“Sometimes my assistants have to hit me on the head to get my attention during games,” he said. “But for every time I yell at a player, I’ll give him 400 compliments. That’s something I learned I had to do years ago.”