Farwell gets chance to put stamp on Glendale Community College football as new coach
For almost 12 years, Tanner Farwell didn’t miss attending a Glendale Community College football game.
Whether a Glendale game took place at Glendale High’s Moyse Field or at Sartoris Field on the campus of Glendale college, Farwell made it a priority to be in attendance as a ball boy at all the contests. In addition, Farwell picked up additional knowledge from his father, Frank, who served as an assistant coach from 1994-2009.
Farwell won’t be missing any Glendale games next season, as the former Glendale player and Crescenta Valley High graduate was named the program’s interim coach Monday.
Farwell takes over for John Rome, who retired after last season. Farwell, 29, is the program’s fourth head coach since 1972, joining Jim Sartoris (1972-88), John Cicuto (1989-2007) and Rome (2008-19).
“It’s what I’ve always wanted to do and that’s to coach a junior college program,” Farwell said. “It’s even more special that it’s Glendale, where there’s a lot of history and special names of guys who have played here.
“I came to all of the games for such a long time as a ball boy and I loved it. I appreciate the history and being able to learn from coach Sartoris and coach Cicuto and then playing for coach Rome. I can’t wait to get started.”
Glendale athletic director Chris Cicuto said Farwell will serve as coach for the 2020 campaign and a decision on the 2021 season will be made in the future.
“We’re very excited about Tanner being our new coach and he checked a lot of boxes,” Chris Cicuto said. “He’s a bright young coach and he understands the role of community college athletics.
“He understands the tradition of Glendale Community College football. Tanner definitely brings a lot to the table. He knows how to build relationships as a player and a coach. We think he’ll do a very good job.”
Farwell takes over a Glendale squad that finished 2-8, 2-4 in the American Metro Conference during the 2019 season. The Vaqueros tied for fifth in conference with L.A. Valley.
Farwell, who was an offensive lineman at Glendale from 2008-09, earning all-conference honors, spent the past three seasons at Citrus College. Farwell was offensive line and tight ends coach, recruiting coordinator, offensive coordinator and associate head coach at Citrus.
Farwell was an assistant at Southern Oregon from 2012-13 and came back to Glendale as an assistant in 2014. He served as offensive line coach, co-offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at L.A. Valley College from 2015-17. L.A. Valley captured the Golden State Bowl Championship in 2015 before winning the Pacific Conference title and American Division Bowl Championship in 2016.
“I learned a lot at Citrus, L.A. Valley and at Southern Oregon University,” said Farwell, who graduated from Southern Oregon. “You learn from a variety of different people and you try to put yourself in position to shape your own program.
“It’s about being able to recruit and there are good high schools within just the 25- 30-mile radius. That includes around the Glendale area, too. It’s about learning to be smart on special teams because that’s where games can be won or lost.”
With Farwell serving as an assistant, Glendale’s last winning season came in 2014, when it went 9-2, 6-1 in the American Pacific Conference. Glendale lost to Palomar, 30-22, in the Patriotic Bowl.
Since that bowl appearance, the Vaqueros have gone 13-37, 12-19.
Farwell was an All-Area and All-Pacific League first-team selection at Crescenta Valley.
