When you view the Twitter profile of Diamond Hill-Jarvis Head Football Coach Oscar Castillo, the first statement you will see in his bio reads, “Taking the long way.”
Whether it be in regards to the trek he made from West Texas to North Fort Worth when he accepted the job to become the new head football coach at Diamond Hill back in February or coming from a playoff team in Springlake-Earth to a program that has not won a single game since 2010, the statement could not be more appropriate for him.
Diamond Hill currently holds the record for the school with the most consecutive losses at 67 games and their last win coming against Dallas Jefferson on Sept. 18 2010.
“I always have a heart for programs that are struggling and I don’t know if it’s just that underdog story or if I consider myself an underdog…I always have a desire to turn something around…I saw this Diamond Hill job come up and it was right down my alley. I can’t explain why situations like this draw me, I just have a desire to help.”
Any great coach will understand the amount of time it takes to produce a successful program and that in order to win there must be a certain level of sacrifice from those involved whether it be from the staff, the players involved, the parents or the community, everyone has to give up something for the greater good. For Coach Castillo, sacrifice is the mantra for the new chapter of Diamond Hill football that hopes to break through this season and win for the first time in seven years.
With sacrifice comes one’s ability to be flexible and adapt and for Castillo, the experience he gained at Springlake Earth where they had to be flexible and adapt will look to be a strong suit for his new program.
“What I’m bringing from all my previous experience is a real flexible system that allows for us to adapt for different situations. We are not a very deep team because of our numbers and because of that, that flexibility comes into play,” says Castillo. “We have to adapt to the actual game itself and be flexible in our approach.”
Being flexible and being able to adapt was a necessity at Springlake-Earth as they were a 6-Man team opting to play 11-man football and were always outnumbered and Castillo had to find a way to get the players to compete. Compete they did, and it resulted in a Class 2A DII bi-district appearance for them last year.
Castillo’s hope is that this system will translate to success for Diamond Hill as they face a similar numbers disadvantage against the bigger programs they face.
There is something bigger however that Castillo wants to incorporate into this program and it’s not something that can be measured by scoring efficiency, yards gained or turnovers forced.
“What I’m trying to incorporate most of all is just sacrifice and just understanding what goes into that. That’s one thing we are going to be centered on as well as adaptation and flexibility. When you think about it they go right along with sacrifice.”
For Castillo it seems as though taking the long way is the preferred way and not only does it allow you to appreciate the time spent on a specific goal but it allows you to share the long journey with someone else. Castillo believes that in due time the players in his program will begin to see that there are no shortcuts to success and that sacrificing for others can be a long road but be the most rewarding in all facets of life.
“I’m looking forward to seeing these kids grow and develop from where they began. We’ll have this starting point and once the season starts I’m looking forward to seeing them grow and seeing them start to learn to sacrifice for others and not worry about just themselves. That’s our mantra for the season…Life is not just about you, it’s about other people. The sooner they can understand that, it will not only translate to success on the field but in their different walks of life.”
While wins and losses usually define a team and how their season went, Diamond Hill’s season will be defined on their terms and their will to sacrifice. Castillo knows what he wants from his players and if it leads down a long path then so be it. Castillo, his staff and his players are in it for the long haul. It’s almost time to get on their path they have been preparing for in the form of their 2017 season which just might lead to a journey that has been seven years in the making.
“We have good kids and they are working hard and hopefully the sacrifices we are taking translates into a win but a win doesn’t define them either way. They are good kids and they have a future no matter what happens but I anticipate the byproduct of all the things we are working for here will result in a win.”
Diamond Hill-Jarvis will open their season Aug. 31 vs Maypearl at home.
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