WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL HOME
OF MENLO-ATHERTON FOOTBALL
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.​
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JV 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:
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Luis Valdez, Josh Afungia, Jesse Fifita, Imani Percoats, Tyler Gil-Contreras, Devin Gonsalves, Sandro Chavez, Moala Tautuaa, Jorge Ruiz, & Chris Gumbrecht