LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — High school football season may be over. But here, at Pinecrest Academy Sloan Canyon, the work has just started.
Sloan Canyon head coach and former University of Nevada, Las Vegas offensive lineman Nate Oishi is entering his first year as the man in charge. Last season, Oishi led Lake Mead Academy to their first-ever 2A state championship.
Now, he is with the Pirates and he brought with him the same staff full of his former UNLV teammates, two of which are former UNLV linebacker Gabe McCoy and former UNLV defensive lineman Mike Hughes Jr., who also spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Oishi said it was a no-brainer to bring in the guys he considers brothers and his teammates said they’re glad to be back on the sidelines together.
"It starts with the coaches," Oishi said. "They care about the kids. They know what they're doing. Kids can sniff it out quick. They know if you're genuine or not."
"To me that’s probably the best part of It all," McCoy said. "Nobody has egos. We’re all brothers. We all get along. I had blood, sweat, and tears with these guys."
"The faith that the rest of the guys around me have and players that I come across, it’s something I don’t take for granted," Hughes said.
And despite being with the team a short time, they kids said they are already hyped up for next season.
"They’re all great coaches," Sloan Canyon wide receiver Gavin Carter said. "They know their stuff, very knowledgeable on the sport, and it kind of feels like a family."
Each of these former Rebels said they learned way more than just Xs and Os from the game. Those invaluable life lessons are what they hope to pass down.
"Individually, I know how much of an impact my coaches had on me," McCoy said. "They changed my life. I was not in a great area and they gave me a place to get away from home."
"You don’t necessarily have to be 6’5" to excel," Oishi said. "It’s a heart game. It’s how bad do you want it."
"You got to play the game of life," Hughes said. "You got to deal with the cards that God gave you. You got to play the game. Ultimately, that’s what I want these kids to get."
