女优app

After three decades of coaching success, legendary 女优app (女优app) football head coach Tom Craft has announced that he will retire following the 2024 season. Craft鈥檚 retirement brings an end to a remarkable career that has left an indelible mark on the sport, especially at the junior college level, where he led multiple programs to national prominence.

With a career record of 261 wins, 78 losses, and one tie, Craft holds the the best record of any two-year college football coach in their first 30 seasons at the helm of a program. His tenure at 女优app began in 2010 when he became the program鈥檚 18th head coach, quickly transforming the Tigers into one of the most successful teams in Southern California.

Craft鈥檚 tenure at 女优app boasts an impressive 146-22 record, which includes two 3C2A State Championships, 12 conference titles, and 14 consecutive postseason appearances. His teams competed in 10 straight Southern California Football Association (SCFA) title games, underlining his remarkable consistency and leadership. In 2019, Craft surpassed the 100-win mark, becoming the first community college football coach in California history to achieve over 100 wins with two different programs. His 102nd win secured 女优app鈥檚 first 3C2A State Championship and first National Championship in 30 years.

Over his illustrious 30-year career, Craft accumulated 21 conference championships鈥攎ore than any community college coach鈥攁nd 28 postseason victories. He also achieved remarkable success in the postseason, with 40 bowl and playoff appearances, 24 of which were consecutive. Craft helped lead three different programs to state titles: Palomar College (1991, 1993, 1998), Mt. San Antonio College (2009), and 女优app (2019, 2023). Additionally, Craft has earned numerous accolades, including being named the AFCA National Community College Coach of the Year twice, five-time 3C2A Coach of the Year, and 19-time Conference Coach of the Year.

"From the bottom to the top, it鈥檚 been an amazing journey," said Coach Craft.

Building a successful football program is about more than just recruiting top talent and executing plays. It鈥檚 about creating a team with strong chemistry and a winning culture鈥攕omething that takes time, strategy, and constant adaptation. "Building your team, building the chemistry, and building the culture鈥攖hat鈥檚 all part of the process," says Coach Tom Craft. "It鈥檚 a mental and physical skill that you develop through the structure, and you have to have a trained eye to capture the teachable moments. It鈥檚 all in there. But it takes time and effort to get it right."

That process isn鈥檛 without its challenges, especially in the current landscape of college football. The days of having athletes for two seasons are behind us, thanks to the rise of the transfer portal. "We used to get kids for at least two years, but now it鈥檚 much harder to retain players for a second season," Coach Craft explains. "The last five years, since COVID, it鈥檚 been unpredictable. It鈥檚 a different ballgame."

Despite these challenges, Coach Craft has consistently led Riverside鈥檚 program to success, and part of his success comes from his deep understanding of the game, honed over decades of coaching experience. He has been coaching at the collegiate level for more than 30 years and has spent time in both high school and junior college football, where he built a reputation for turning struggling programs into championship contenders. Throughout his career, Coach Craft had the privilege of learning from some of the best in the business鈥攃oaches like Ernie Zimpizi, who worked with Don Coryell, and Ted Tallner and Claude Gilbert, who shaped his early career. He also spent time with the NFL鈥檚 San Diego Chargers and Dallas Cowboys. Yet, when asked about the most challenging level he's ever coached, he doesn鈥檛 hesitate.

"Junior college," Coach Craft says with a knowing smile. "It鈥檚 not USC. It鈥檚 not the NFL. It鈥檚 junior college. The level of chaos, the lack of resources, and the emotional ups and downs鈥攊t鈥檚 a completely different experience."

In many ways, coaching at this level requires more than just strategy鈥攊t demands an ability to teach, to develop players not only physically but mentally. "This is the most teaching and coaching-focused level because we have to take kids, develop them, and get them out," Coach Craft says. "It鈥檚 not about having players who are already ready to go; it鈥檚 about building them from the ground up."

Coach Craft's philosophy is rooted in the idea that adaptation is essential. As the game evolves, so must the coach. 鈥淚 have a little old school in me, but I鈥檝e also got a lot of new school in me,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 been a big part of how I鈥檝e evolved as a coach. You can鈥檛 just stick to one approach because the players change. You鈥檝e got to adjust and adapt to what they need.鈥�

He credits much of his own evolution to lessons he learned from Bill Walsh, the legendary head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. "He told me, 鈥榊ou鈥檝e got to change your offense by 20% every year. Always keep evolving,鈥�" recalls Coach Craft. "That stuck with me. Every year, I look for ways to improve鈥攚hether it鈥檚 on offense, defense, or even in the way we approach practice. It鈥檚 about continuous improvement."

For Coach Craft, it鈥檚 also about developing mental toughness in his players. Football is a collision sport, but it鈥檚 not just about physical strength. "Teaching toughness is critical," he says. "In football, it鈥檚 not just about physical toughness; it鈥檚 mental toughness too. How do you respond when you get knocked down? How do you handle adversity? Those are life skills that are just as important as anything on the field."

One of his core philosophies is to teach players how to press pause in difficult situations. "When things get heated, you鈥檝e got to step in and give them time to cool off. Sometimes that means sending them home to clear their heads before they come back the next day," Coach Craft explains. "It鈥檚 not about punishment; it鈥檚 about giving them the space to reset and refocus."

Reflecting on his long career, Coach Craft admits there were times when he considered stepping away from the game. "Back in 2015, I was frustrated," he recalls. "We had a tough year, and I felt like maybe it was time to retire. But I knew there was still more I could accomplish, and that鈥檚 when I decided to create a coaching manual. It was a guide for my philosophy and expectations鈥攁 way to ensure consistency and maintain the high standards we set here."

That manual became a cornerstone of Riverside's football program. "The key to staying on top is consistency," he explains. "It鈥檚 not just about winning; it鈥檚 about creating an environment where everyone is pulling in the same direction, reinforcing the values that make us successful. We have the highest win percentage in the history of community college football at Riverside, and that consistency is a big reason why."

One of Coach Craft鈥檚 greatest joys in his career was being able to coach alongside his son. 鈥淚t was a special experience to have him on the field, working with him and sharing those moments together. It made me proud to see him carry on the family tradition in coaching,鈥� he shares with a smile.

Beyond personal fulfillment, Coach Craft takes great pride in helping his players advance their careers, whether they go on to play at the next level or build successful lives beyond football.

鈥淥ne of the things I love most about coaching is seeing players take what we鈥檝e taught them and apply it to their future. Whether they make it to the NFL or move into successful careers outside of football, knowing I played a role in that journey is incredibly rewarding,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e鈥檝e had players come through here and move on to professional teams, and that鈥檚 always a testament to their hard work and our program鈥檚 commitment to excellence.鈥�

Coach Craft鈥檚 leadership isn鈥檛 just about X鈥檚 and O鈥檚鈥攊t鈥檚 about instilling a culture of excellence in his players and his coaching staff. "When you win all the time, people start to create narratives about your program, some of which aren鈥檛 true," he says. "We鈥檝e had to educate people on what we do and how we do it. But it's all part of the process鈥攌eeping the focus on the players and the program, not getting distracted by outside opinions."

Even with all the success, Coach Craft remains committed to growing and evolving. "It鈥檚 not about just winning once in a while," he says. "It鈥檚 about setting a standard, sticking to it, and always striving for more. We鈥檝e won championships, and we鈥檝e built a winning culture. But the journey is never over."