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Prep talk: Cathedral’s unusual arrangement: President, principal are head coaches

Martin Farfan (left) and Arturo Lopez pose for a photo together on the football field.
Martin Farfan, left, the president at Cathedral High, and Arturo Lopez, the principal, also are head coaches for cross-country and soccer, respectively.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
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If you run cross-country or play soccer at Cathedral High, you‘d better be extra polite and respectful around the head coaches. They also happen to be the school president and principal, respectively.

Martin Farfan and Arturo Lopez continue to hold dual roles, which probably makes Cathedral the only school in the state with such an arrangement.

Despite all the time and responsibilities required to coach and help run Cathedral, they seem to make it work. This past week, while school was closed for the holidays, both held practices Monday. Farfan took his usual jog around the neighborhood after practice and ended up on the field while Lopez held a soccer practice.

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Both believe in the importance of academics and the lessons learned in sports to help prepare students for the future.

Their players, however, know with the school’s two big wigs also wearing coaching hats, they always need to be on their best behavior.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

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