RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. — When it comes to most high school football coaches, you can often hear them before you can actually see them, and for Etiwanda head coach Nick Baiz, his message has always been loud and clear.
“We just tried to bring a winning tradition and winning culture," Baiz said. "The belief that we could win every game we lined up for.”
What You Need To Know
- Etiwanda is gearing up for a CIF semifinals game against Serra
- The Eagles have won 16 straight games headed into Friday night's match-up
- In three seasons under head coach Nick Baiz, the program has been transformed — with a culture that emphasizes belief in each other
- Senior Saipeti Maiava said the team is one big family, that laughs together and plays for each other
It is a mentality that Baiz grew up around.
His father coached high school football for over 30 years. The "football family" mindset has since translated to Etiwanda. When he arrived with the Eagles three seasons ago, the school was 10 years removed from its last league title.
Fast forward to the 2021 season and Etiwanda has won 16 straight. It is also set to compete in the Division Three CIF semifinals game.
The tide has clearly changed, but what it took to get there, to Baiz, was belief.
“We kind of face obstacles and they just overcome them," he explained. "Whether they get behind in a game or we have a hurdle in our way, we just find a way to beat it.”
This year, the Eagles have 29 seniors on their roster, including Saipeti Maiava — a player who started at just 4-years-old as an Etiwanda Eagle and has now come full circle.
“It’s just a really tight family bond," Maiava said. "It’s just a loving environment and that’s what I really fell in love with.”
As a testament to the beauty of high school football, Maiva is proud to be playing for his community and playing for pride.
“Other schools around the city and the Inland Empire really disrespect us," he said. "But I think we deserve all the respect in the world because we’re hard fought players and we fight hard as a team.”
To coach Baiz, that respect is what playing football is all about. You work hard to earn it; you play hard to keep it.
“No one wants to come in last place or second to last place," Baiz said. "It’s just a lot of pride coming in first, where people respect you — people on campus, people off campus wherever it may be.”
Do not get them wrong, it is also about having fun. The team is not just a group of players, it is a family.
“The vibe is just nothing but silly kids, they just act like little kids who are happy and love to laugh," Maiava said. "Always positive, never negative, we just love one another and most importantly we laugh.
“They all respect each other, they respect the coaches and it’s a big family out here," Baiz echoed.
A family that works together, plays for each other, and so far has done nothing but win together.