I just got an email from South El Monte head football coach Erick Escamilla, who is stepping down after 12 years with the Eagles. We will have more later, but here is the email he sent out to his colleagues, friends and news outlets…

The time has come to step down as Head Football Coach at South El Monte HS. Thank you to all the players who played for me, all the coaches who coached with me, and to all the fans who supported us. I have been Head Coach for 12 years and have coached at SEM for all 17 years of its existence. So many great memories, too many to mention.. but I must say thank you to Bill Thompson, my mentor, the man who taught me that their is no substitute for discipline and hard work, all success of SEM Football goes back to Coach Thompson. Also to Vic Chavez, the first principal at SEMHS, and the man who had the guts to hire me as Head Coach at age 29, thanks Bill and Vic. So it is time for someone else to take the torch from my hands and to lead the Eagles to bigger and better things, again, thanks to everybody and it’s been a hell of a run.
— Erick Escamilla