Former MVP Mike Seawell is Calaveras’ offensive coordinator

When Mike Seawell walked off the Calaveras High School football field for the final time in 2013, he hoped that one day he’d be back.

After graduating from Calaveras in 2014, Seawell, a former Mother Lode League MVP, had a successful college football career both at the JC level and at the four-year level. After hanging his pads up for good, Seawell transitioned into coaching. Now, 10 years after taking off a Calaveras helmet, he returns to the field he once dominated as a member of the Calaveras coaching staff.

Seawell is Calaveras’ varsity offensive coordinator, and his new Calaveras football career will begin officially on Friday night when the Red Hawks host Stone Ridge Christian in San Andreas.

“I’ve been looking forward to this since I left high school,” Seawell said. “There is no better place to play. I think it’s the environment and crowd here. We have really great fans who support the kids. I know that it’s been a long summer and a long three weeks of practice and they don’t wanna hit each other anymore; they wanna go against somebody else and get it going. We’ve got a passionate group who’s ready to work hard and I think we’re going to surprise some people this year.”

Although Seawell always wanted to return to Calaveras and coach his former squad, it took a number of dominoes to fall in order for that to happen. Firstly, Seawell needed to have some sort of previous coaching experience. Well, he spent three years at Delta College and two years at Lincoln High School. One of those years at Lincoln he was the offensive coordinator on the JV level.

The second thing that needed to happen was for Seawell to have a big reason to officially return to Calaveras County. That happened in the spring when he was hired at Toyon Middle School as a physical education teacher.

“This is always where I wanted to be,” Seawell said. “Teaching and coaching up here; I’m home. It’s everything I’ve ever needed and wanted.”

When Manny Mossa took over the Calaveras football program in June, Seawell was one of the guys he wanted on his coaching staff. As the youngest member of the Calaveras coaching staff, Seawell brings youthful excitement and energy that is contagious to those around him, which includes both players and coaches.

“He brings a lot of energy to practice and he’s bringing some new concepts as well,” Mossa said. “Yeah, Mike is going to be great.”

The player who Seawell will work with the closest is junior quarterback Josh Manzo. Although the two of them are still getting a feel for one another, Manzo has enjoyed his time learning from one of the all-time Calaveras gridiron greats.

“You know, I love Mikey,” Manzo said. “I like how he just came in here and was able to learn the offense again. He’s really been helping me out a lot and he knows a lot about football. I’m glad that I’m able to experience this with him.”

Seawell played for all of the coaches that he now calls colleagues. Mossa, Doug Clark and Scott Anderson were all on staff in 2013 and being able to work with his former coaches is also a big plus.

“I had so many great coaches,” Seawell said. That’s the reason I wanted to come back and coach because I know these kids need coaches and I know they need good coaches and people to help them out.”

When it comes to success on the football field, Seawell knows that doesn’t come overnight. He’s excited to put in the work to bring Calaveras back to where it once was and he’s looking forward to the challenges that are ahead of him. 

“You know, winning is great and all, but sometimes the failures teach you a little bit more and especially if that comes at the beginning of the year,” Seawell said. “You might hit a few bumps in the road, but we can always come back and get it back on track.”