OUR COACHES

Meet our amazing coaches who are passionate about building leaders and athletes both on and off the field! We strive for excellence in both academics and athletics, and always support each other to reach our goals. Check out our incredible coaching staff below!

VARSITY HEAD COACH

Chris Saunders

Coach Saunders is a Bay Area native who has been coaching in the West Catholic Athletic League primarily as an offensive coordinator for over half a decade. Prior to coaching Bay Area high school football, Coach spent two seasons at Menlo College as the Special Teams Coordinator and one season at Central Catholic High School in Portland, Oregon as an assistant.
Before becoming a teacher and coach, he went to Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon where he played tight end in one the nation’s best offenses in NCAA Division III where he received all-league honors.

JV HEAD COACH

Sandro Chavez

Coach Sandro Chavez attended Palo Alto High School, where he played four years of football as a running back and safety. He continued his playing career at Foothill College for two years before transitioning into coaching.

He began his coaching career at M-A from 2006–2009, followed by one year back at Palo Alto High School. After stepping away from coaching to focus on raising his family, Sandro returned to the sidelines in 2018 at Palo Alto and rejoined the M-A program in 2022.

A proud father of a 13-year-old son and a 10-year-old daughter, Sandro values the balance between family and football. What drew him back to M-A was the enthusiasm and energy the players bring to the program. His favorite part of coaching is teaching the fundamentals of the game while helping young athletes develop character, discipline, and life lessons that extend beyond the field.

FRESHMAN HEAD COACH

Joe Rodriguez

Coach Rodriguez, a proud graduate of Palo Alto High School (class of '07), brings a wealth of experience to M-A. A former four-year varsity football player, he played running back and safety, contributing to two CCS Championship teams and a state championship appearance. He continued his education at Notre Dame de Namur University. He dedicated three years to coaching Pop Warner football in Palo Alto, guiding teams to multiple national championship appearances. A proud father of two boys, he chose coaching at M-A because of its tradition of excellence, strong community support, and the opportunity to learn from the best coaches. He enjoys building a team—watching players grow and overcome challenges together. After an incredible first year at M-A, he looks forward to continued success in the seasons ahead.

M-A Football Assistant Coaches:

Luis Valdez, Josh Afungia, Jesse Fifita, Imani Percoats, Tyler Gil-Contreras, Anthony McPherson, Tatum Abram, Victor Brankovic, Devin Gonsalves, & Chris Gumbrecht

CONTACT US

Got questions? We're here to help. Contact Susan Mohr.