LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — When Sierra Vista hosted St. Pius of California in its season opener Friday night, the matchup featured more than football bragging rights — it became a family affair.
WATCH | Father and son battle it out for the win in Las Vegas
Sierra Vista offensive coordinator Leonsha Fields Jr. coached against his father, Leonsha Fields Sr., associate head coach at St. Pius, for the first time.
“It’s a dream come true really,” Leonsha Jr. said before the game. “This would be the bragging rights you can say, but it’ll be a great experience.”
The younger Fields credited his father for shaping his path into coaching. “He inspired me a lot,” he said. “He coached me at a very young age — Pop Warner, high school, even throughout the NFL and other stuff. It just kind of stuck and resonated with me, so it’s a really cool thing.”
Competitive spirit ran deep in the Fields family, and the leadup to the game was filled with good-natured ribbing. “It’s always smack talk,” Leonsha Jr. said. “He sent me a message earlier… a picture and said, ‘Let’s go. We’re ready to ball.’ So I just thumbs up but didn’t want to say too much — especially today.”
For the father, watching his son rise in the coaching ranks carried special meaning. “It means a lot to me that he decided to continue his path and become a coach,” Leonsha Sr. said. “I think we both have a gift… the gift of working with youth, working with other people. I’m excited to see him, excited to coach against him.”
But once kickoff arrived, the focus shifted to winning. “I met him in the middle of the field, gave him a hug and told him it’s the last time I talk to him for about two hours,” Leonsha Sr. said. “I know he’s got a couple of gadget plays… I want the W though. We’re very competitive. I told him loser buys the meal tonight, so we’ll see what happens.”
