After a disappointing season, Ayala’s football team’s previous head coach, AJ Gracia, resigned in December 2024 for an academic position in the district. His departure ended nine successful seasons and opened the door for Terrance Smith and his staff, which raises new expectations and questions for Ayala’s football program this season.

An earlier controversy occurred earlier this year during April regarding Coach Smith’s hiring, which conflicted with the California educational code “Rialto Rule” that prioritizes in-district members for coaching positions, later leading to his eventual dismissal. Despite the sudden departure, Ayala’s football players and parents were strong advocates for his rehiring, which consisted of petitions, school board speeches, and countless emails sent to the administration, resulting in his rehiring later that May. 

“He sacrifices a lot to be here, to help us. I don’t think he gets paid enough but he’s still here to help us win,” sophomore football player Wills Wong said. 

After his promising return, Coach Smith assembled the rest of the coaching staff for Ayala that would help run this new program beside him. He is joined by Coach Dylan Arrington, Coach Larry, Coach Jason Wiley, and others who have been working hard to build the program.

The introduction of coaches to a fresh program brings new styles and methodologies in hopes of improving the team and holding their players accountable. That being, training and mindset is one style change that will be majorly influenced. 

“On the field, it’s our work time. No fun, three hours of just pure work. The coaches have emphasized we are sacrificing three hours of our lives every day to get better on the field,” Wong said. 

The mindset that has been instilled helps to bring the question up about the team’s current state of mindset and discipline they have going forward after a rough start to the season for all three levels of the team. 

“We can’t look back now. If we dwindle and get caught up on our past mistakes and losses, how are we gonna improve? All we can do is keep moving forward because this is how life goes,” Wong said. 

Compared to last season, to the naked eye, it doesn’t look like there are many differences between now and then. The current state of Ayala’s performance is beginning to reflect the same reaction by Ayala’s students about the concerns of the football program. Prior to Gracia making the decision to resign as head coach for the purpose of seeking an academic position in the district, Ayala had one of their most disappointing seasons in a decade. After a modest 6-5 in their 2023 to 2024’s fall season, Varsity began hot as they started 2-0 defeating Colony and Desert Pines High School, then losing seven games straight which resulted in them going winless in their Baseline League (which includes teams such as Upland and Chino Hills High School). Still, they refuse to continue with their reputation.

“A losing record doesn’t define us,” football player Laird Barrows (10) said.

What’s essential to the aspirations for the remainder of the Ayala’s football season in hopes of feasibly making playoffs is keeping the team’s mentality in check and chemistry in good spirits. When teams go through losing streaks like this, it’s not uncommon for players to lose hope and focus,  especially when they did not meet expectations set by others as they expected.

“We have the mindset, but we need to push ourselves harder because of the upcoming Baseline League schedule. The plan going forward is to execute at the level we once were as bulldogs,” Varsity football player Conner Smith (10) said. 

After Ayala’s rough start to a season acquainted with heavy expectations, the belief in their own coaches, players, and overall team has not wavered. As Ayala prepares to face their last six opponents of the regular season, our football team’s hopes and aspirations for the future are still there as they continue to pursue a possible spot in the playoffs at the end of the season–this time with a much different coaching staff, mentality, and outlook alongside them this season.