High School Football Preview: Desert Chapel

Head Coach Jim Donaldson took over the Desert Chapel football program back in 2010. That season they went just 1 and 8, but over the next 5-seasons he went 44-13 to help push the Eagles back to CIF Championship contenders. Last year however did not go so well, an unfamiliar position at 2-7. Another year later, they are yet again a young squad but trying to learn from last year’s mistakes.

“We learned how to lose, but now we’re going to learn how to win. Trying to get some more W’s on the clock.”

“A lot of young guys coming out, new players. A lot of getting fundamentals down, and getting together working as a unit and as a core.”

Jim Donaldson, a former Desert Chapel Eagle definitely knows how to win. A 2002 CIF Runner Up Quarterback of his own.

“He coaches us like we are going to win a championship. That’s what we are trying to do, win a championship. Maybe not right now we don’t have the personael to win one, but we are trying to consisetnaly approve and get the future ready for the young guys.”

“Coach Donaldson bring a lot to the table, a quarterback at the University of Arizona, so he has a lot of wisdom on the game. Helping everyone new and old on the team so we can all do better and win some games.”

So whether it was wearing the Eagles uniform, or playing for Arizona in the Pac-12, or now on walking the sidelines as head coach, it is just one day at a time.

“Say the same thing, year at a time. I am still here 8-years later and continue to take it a little as a time.”