A Classic Confrontation

Their hair is a little thinner and they’re a few pounds heavier, but Garfield Coach John Aguirre and Roosevelt Coach Randy Rodriguez haven’t changed much since their high school football-playing days.

Aguirre, 42, was a 5-foot-7 running back and defensive back at Garfield from 1969 to ‘72, helping the Bulldogs win three of four regular-season showdowns against rival Roosevelt.

Rodriguez, 44, was a 5-foot-4 outside linebacker at Roosevelt from 1967 to ’70. His senior year, the Roughriders defeated Garfield, 40-0, and were undefeated before losing to Gardena in the City Section championship game.

Aguirre returned to Garfield as an assistant football coach in 1989 and replaced Steve Robinson as the head coach in 1993. His record of 27-11 includes three consecutive playoff appearances.

“I don’t think it’s imperative that the coach here be a Garfield graduate, but I do understand the kids and the area better than most,” Aguirre said. “I have the heart to motivate the kids now and for their future.”

For Rodriguez, returning to Roosevelt as a coach was a goal he set for himself during his senior year of high school.

“I remember entering East L.A. College for our game against Garfield and seeing all those people,” Rodriguez said. “It was cold and misty, but there were still 25,000 people in the stands cheering us on. At that point, I vowed to be back. It took me a while, but I did it.”

Rodriguez coached at Lincoln, Polytechnic, and Marshall before returning to Roosevelt as an assistant last year. When David Endow resigned at the end of the season, Rodriguez got his long-coveted job.

The Roughriders are off to a rough start at 2-3, including a 41-6 loss to Jefferson last week. Rodriguez isn’t deterred.

“The kids aren’t going to make a living playing football on Sundays, so I want this to be a fun experience for them,” he said.