In football they say that if a defensive lineman can break a refrigerator, an offensive lineman can put it back together.

As former center himself, Coach John Ellinghouse has built the Sierra Canyon football program from nuts and bolts into a well-oiled machine.

Coach Ellinghouse, or coach “House" as his players call him, is the original Trailblazer for Sierra Canyon football in Chatsworth. He came to the high school 12 years ago, and what began as eight-man football has grown into a CIF Division 3 powerhouse.

During his time as coach, he's helped his team achieve two state titles and four CIF Southern Section titles.

“This program is something I’m incredibly proud of. It’s my baby," said Ellinghouse. "We’ve grown it from the ground up and it’s pretty awesome to see this little school compete at such a high level."

Every great team executes the playbook, the “x’s” and “o’s” on the field, but great programs are built from character. Not all of coach House’s student athletes will go on to play football after high school, but Trailblazer football will always be part of their next steps in life.

“He cares about his players – each and every player. And I think that’s the biggest thing that sets him apart from every other coach... He’s truly bought into the players and their future,” said senior left guard Josh Carlin.

“Part of the reason that I coach is because there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t use something that I learned on a football field and a lot of times it has nothing to do with football. I think the game of football creates toughness, it creates teamwork and these kids out here on our field are doing a really good job of that and they’re going to learn how to attack life,” said Ellinghouse.