New faces will be on the sidelines at Menlo-Atherton High School football games next fall.
The school’s new head coach is Robert Sykes, a native Californian and a football player in high school and college. Mr. Sykes’ staff will include assistants Earl Locke, Don Brady and Adam Mapuatuli.
Mr. Sykes played quarterback at St. Mary’s College. At the University of Arkansas, he played under coach Lou Holtz on the team that won the Orange Bowl in 1978.
Mr. Sykes was head varsity coach at Los Altos High and Kings Academy in Sunnyvale. He comes to M-A from the University of Nevada at Reno, where he was an assistant coach for the offense. He is married and has one daughter.
Gregg Patner, M-A’s head coach for seven years, resigned and now coaches wide receivers at the College of San Mateo.
From among six “highly qualified candidates,” Mr. Sykes was the unanimous choice of an interview team that included Principal Denise Plante and athletic director Pam Wimberly.
He was chosen for his experience and because “he understands the importance of developing and maintaining a good relationship with parents, boosters, and alumni as well as his peers in the coaching profession,” said Ms. Plante.
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