Brothers Carry Load for Mules

If coaches want to build a successful football program, it helps to convince parents of large families to keep sending their children to the same school.

At Los Angeles Wilson, Coach Eddie Martinez ought to get on his hands and knees and thank Stanford and Martha Tucker. They live a short walk down the hill from the high school, and their four boys have been reared since birth to become Mules.

Three of the Tucker boys are varsity starters this season -- Jermaine, 17, at fullback; Christian, 16, at cornerback, and Brandon, 15, at receiver. The oldest, Stanford Jr., 18, was a starter last season.

“They’re all pretty nice kids and they’ve been around here forever,” said Martinez, whose team is 6-1 overall and 4-0 in the Northern League.

Stanford Sr. is an assistant football coach and is enjoying the interaction of his three boys playing together.

“It’s great,” he said. “To see them out there at the same time is really spectacular.”

Catholic schools have maintained a long tradition of family loyalties, with younger brothers and sisters following the path of their oldest siblings to the same school.

“It’s certainly been beneficial for us,” said Sherman Oaks Notre Dame Coach Kevin Rooney. “It’s great when the younger brothers are at games and watch their older brothers play.”

Public schools once had family loyalty, but changing economics and demographics have disrupted that tradition. The Tuckers have helped rekindle family ties at Wilson.

Each Tucker boy has scored at least one touchdown this season. Brandon, who broke a collarbone last week, leads with three. He’s only a sophomore.

The three seem to get along well.

“You know you have backup on the field,” Christian said.

Said Jermaine: “It’s cool, it’s fun, it’s exciting.”

Martinez likes to tease them by asking who’s the toughest Tucker.

“One will say, ‘Me,’ ” Martinez said. “One will be more diplomatic and one will snicker and say, ‘I don’t know.’ ”

Christian is the biggest eater (he once consumed eight tacos for dinner). Jermaine sleeps the longest. Brandon is the one who controls the TV remote most often because he’s up the earliest.

Christian and Brandon think they’re the most popular in meeting girls. Brandon uses his knowledge in math to offer tutoring sessions. Christian uses his humor.

Each gets a weekly allowance from their grandparents: $14, $13 and $10. Christian usually spends his on video games. Brandon saves his allowance, which causes the other brothers to keep asking him for loans.

The brothers like to build coalitions among themselves, making it two against one. Usually Christian and Brandon try to blame Jermaine if they get into trouble, but Jermaine thinks he can take either in a wrestling match.

On the field, though, it’s one for all and all for one with these Tuckers.

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It’s hard to believe, but colleges offer scholarships to players whose only skill could be hiking a football to a punter or holding on placekicks.

“I swear to God, it’s a need,” said Chris Sailer, a former UCLA kicker.

Sensing the need for long snappers, Sailer, a private kicking coach, is holding a clinic for long snappers today from noon until 4 p.m. at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame. Cost is $150.

He intends to pick out the best long snappers to participate in a national kicking contest that attracts college coaches.

What parent dreams of their son growing up to be a long snapper? Apparently, more than anyone realizes.

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Many assume that Westlake Village Westlake (8-0) and Ventura St. Bonaventure (8-0) are on a collision course to meet in the Division IV football championship game, but don’t forget about Santa Maria Righetti (7-1-1) and standout running back Ryan Mole.

Mole went down with a broken collarbone in the third game of the season. He had rushed for an astounding 725 yards, averaging 17.7 yards a carry while scoring 13 touchdowns.

He was expected to receive doctor’s clearance to begin running on Friday and should be back by the first round of the playoffs. A healthy Mole ought to give coaches in Division IV something to worry about.

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With the Nov. 12 signing day approaching, much attention is focused on 6-foot-1 Charde Houston of San Diego, the top girls’ basketball recruit on the West Coast. She has scheduled a recruiting visit to UCLA next weekend. She has already visited Connecticut, Tennessee, Rutgers and Texas.

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Fountain Valley deserves respect for its upset victory over Los Alamitos last week, but one Baron parent suggested the team was ready to beat Concord De La Salle.

Trust me, if Long Beach Poly, with Hershel Dennis, Marcedes Lewis, Darnell Bing, Winston Justice, Kevin Brown, Randy Estes and Manuel Wright, couldn’t do it in 2001, then no one is going to defeat De La Salle anytime soon.

Eric Sondheimer can be reached at

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.