"To coach people I've known my whole life, coaching kids I've known forever, it's a special opportunity," says Clovis West Football Coach Lucas Gingold.
It's a return for a Clovis Unified alum, except this time as a head coach.
"Ultimately, it's a blue-collar community, and I love that about Fresno," he said. "This is where my passion for football started."
First-year coach Gingold leads the Golden Eagles this season, but began his football career at Buchanan as a player under head coach Mike Vogt, who now coaches safeties on Gingold's staff.
"When he was a player, there was a part of me that thought he might be a coach because he's an extremely intense player," Vogt said. "I think he's going to have a great impact."
Gingold left Fresno to take his talents to Cal, connecting with Fresno State Hall of Fame coach Jeff Tedford as a player for the Golden Bears and then later as an assistant for the Bulldogs.
"He's been integral in my football career," Gingold said. "Without him, I wouldn't be in this position."
The Fresno native made the choice to move to Texas seven years ago, coaching tight ends at Lake Travis, where he helped lead the Cavaliers to the state semifinal last season.
However, a return to his roots brought him back home.
"I grew up in this area, ate at the same places as these guys, played at the same parks they played at," he said. "It's really special to come home and just be a part of this."
His family was in the stands to watch Clovis West start 1-0 in the Gingold era.
"I just want to come back and make an impact on that in a district that gave me so much and got me to this point," he said.
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