Prominent Redwood alumni have accomplished many feats– winning an Academy Award a Pulitzer Prize, almost winning the Indy 500 race, but this Sunday will be a new first for Redwood alum.
When Richard Sherman knocked away Colin Kaepernick’s pass intended for Michael Crabtree in the final seconds of last week’s NFC Championship game, Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll became the first Redwood alumnus and first Marin County native to lead an NFL team to the Super Bowl.
In 1994, Carroll became the first Redwood alumnus to become an NFL head coach when he was hired by the New York Jets. In 2000, Carroll began a nine-year reign as head coach at University of Southern California, where he won two national championships and six consecutive Pac-10 championships.
Now, 41 years after he began his coaching career, Carroll has reached the pinnacle of football coaching.
Carroll, Redwood’s 1969 Senior Athlete of the Year, starred on the varsity football, basketball, and baseball teams.
But back in high school Carroll wasn’t the largest guy, as noted by his former coach and fellow RHS Athletic Hall of Fame member Al Endriss.
“When he was a freshman we had to build him up a little bit, cheat a little bit, to get him to weigh 100-pounds to play freshman football,” Endriss said.
Carroll is known for his energy and charisma, characteristics that have not changed since his time at Redwood.
“What you see today is what Pete Carroll was when he was a teenager,” Endriss said. “Just a big smile on his face all the time, very enthusiastic. Whatever he did he went after in a big way.”
In the last 20 years, Carroll has had success at every coaching stop.
“He’s a player’s coach. He understands what it is to be a football player and what it is for those guys in the pros,” Endriss said. “It is so difficult. You have to be so focused and instead of being a task-master, he tries to take them out of that realm and just have them relax and play the game.”
Carroll, who Endriss described as fun to be around, played defensive back and backup quarterback for him on the football team as well as center field for him on the baseball team. One amusing story from his time coaching Carroll sticks out to Endriss.
Carroll was the starting center fielder for the team, but Endriss decided to give Carroll’s close friend John Boro the start. During pre-game warm-ups, Carroll threw a ball from the outfield over the fence behind homeplate and out of the stadium.
“One day about a month ago I saw [Jon Boro] after church and he told me ‘You know Coach, that wasn’t a slip by Pete,’” Endriss said. “‘He was mad, so he was going to show you how mad he was and throw the ball out of the park.’”
Endriss said he speaks with Carroll once every few weeks, including a call from the locker room before the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the New Orleans Saints and another call the Saturday before the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Endriss was given a Super Bowl ticket but will not attend due to the expected inclement weather. Five of Carroll’s close friends, including Boro, will be attending the game.
