She’s Able to Tell Real Wife’s Tale

Laurie Contreras has seen--and, unfortunately, heard--it all in 25 years of marriage to George Contreras, football coach of Rio Mesa High.

More first lady than football widow when it comes to her husband’s career, Contreras has long been up to her elbows in game film, statistics and stacks of programs.

While most coaches’ wives are at least somewhat involved with the program over which their spouse presides, few keep as busy as Contreras. She even has traveled to coaching clinics to immerse herself in the complexities of zone defenses and offensive formations.

“We’ve been breaking down films together for 27 years,” said George Contreras, who has coached at Rio Mesa since 1989. “She even went with me one year to [University of] Delaware so I could learn the Wing-T.

“If anybody is the sports nut in this family, it’s her. By the end of the weekend, I don’t want to watch any more football. But I can’t get her to stop watching football.”

Laurie Contreras--a legal secretary by day, a sports channel-surfer by night--considers such portrayals of her amusing.

The eldest of two daughters of a sports-junkie father, an interest in athletics, she says, came early and naturally.

“I’m sincerely interested,” she said. “It’s gone from something I’ve really enjoyed to something I absolutely love.”

This season has been particularly enjoyable for husband and wife.

Rio Mesa (5-1, 2-1 in the Channel League) has its best record in more than a decade entering a home game tonight against Buena (2-4, 1-2).

“This group has a lot of seniors and they’ve had the Wing-T since they were freshmen,” Laurie Contreras said. “They’ve had time to develop it. It’s not just smash-mouth football, you have to think.”

The Spartans haven’t beaten Buena since 1986--not coincidentally, perhaps, because Rio Mesa hasn’t won a league title since 1985 and has had three losing seasons in a row.

All of which is not lost on Laurie, who also has served as booster club president. Over the years, she has worn the wounds of defeat like a defensive coordinator.

During tough times, Laurie, who watches every week from the stands, has overheard her share of unflattering comments directed at her husband and his coaching decisions.

In most cases, she chooses to remain silent, even though she usually understands coaching decisions and might easily counter with an intelligent reply.

She knew, for instance, that when the Spartans recently passed on fourth down rather than try for a chip-shot field goal, the decision was born of the problems of the team’s backup holder, who was pressed into service because of an injury and had bobbled several snaps during warmups.

“People don’t realize what they say and some of them are downright mean,” she said.

“It’s nice now to have people come up to you and say nice things. When you’ve been at this 27 years, you have your good years and your bad years.”

The best of times involved the participation of the Contreras’ two sons, who played for their father while he was an assistant at Rio Mesa.

Andy was a defensive back and quarterback who graduated in 1992, while Mike was a wide receiver and defensive back who graduated in 1994.

Throughout the years, Laurie has remained within arm’s reach of her husband, who was head coach at Westlake from 1978-1988 and was promoted to head coach at Rio Mesa in 1994.

“When we first were married, he used to bring home film of the next opponent and we would run it on a 16-millimeter projector,” Laurie said.

Aside from compiling the weekly game program and assisting in the compilation of statistics, Laurie sits in on weekly coaching meetings at the couple’s home.

“Basically, I run the VCR,” she said. “I ask more questions than anything.”

His wife may downplay her role, but George Contreras values her contribution.

“She’s picked up so much through osmosis,” George Contreras said. “It’s been a tremendous thing for me. And it’s been a lot of fun.”

People ask Laurie if she has ever suggested a play, which makes her chuckle. That would be stepping out of bounds, she said.

“I have more football knowledge than most women, and maybe some men,” she said. “But I am just an observer. I don’t do this for a living.”