By Ryan Caldwell, Staff Writer
Mr. Sullivan has been a teacher here at Vaca High for six years. He teaches freshmen and senior English classes. “Sully”, as many of his students call him, also has been coaching football and track and field for twelve years. He is currently the head football coach for the JV team.
Mr. Sullivan has lived in Vacaville for over 35 years and is a 1973 Vaca High grad. Following his senior year, he went to the Air Force Academy in Colorado. Unfortunately he broke his leg playing football for the school and decided to come closer to home to study journalism at UC Davis. While attending UC Davis he got an offer he couldn’t refuse, to become the sports editor at the Contra Costa Times. He stopped attending UC Davis to work for the paper for fifteen years. Following his stint at the Contra Costa Times, he worked for The Reporter for five years, and that was at that time he started coaching football and track and field. Six years after taking the sports editor job at The Reporter, Mr. Sullivan decided he wanted to teach and coach full time. There was one problem; he never finished getting his degree, so 25 years after attending the Air Force Academy he finally graduated with teaching credentials from Sac State in 1999.
Sully has deep roots here at Vaca High. In addition to graduating here in 1973, his mom works in the front office, his son Buck, is a senior and his daughter Amy is a 2002 Vaca High grad. Mr. Sullivan is also cousins with Mr. Santopadre, the varsity football coach and is second cousins with Chris Santopadre (another football coach), and Jon Santopadre, a senior this year. So all in all, there are six people at Vaca High related to Mr. Sullivan. He even went to sixth grade here, back when the Monte Vista side of campus was an elementary school.
Coach Sullivan is a popular teacher and coach at Vaca High. “If you stay on his good side he’s the best coach you could ever want,” says discus thrower and football player Tyler Lamphere. Keith Knudson added, “He’s really into it and is an overall good coach and nice guy.” However, his popularity isn’t limited as a coach, “He’s really energetic and easy to talk to” says a freshman student.
Mr. Sullivan has good tastes in music. He is a big Bruce Springsteen fan and also enjoys other classic rock such as The Rolling Stones. Sully’s favorite food is Mac n’ Cheese mixed with hot dogs, however, he adds, “My mom makes a really mean beef stroganoff.” When asked his favorite memory from all his years at Vaca High as a student, teacher, and coach he said, “There's a lot, but the one that sticks out was November, 1973 beating Cordova my senior year to win the league championship 12-0. It was in a rainstorm with mud up to our ankles. What made it even more special was that the seniors on Cordova had never lost a game going back to their freshman year.”
Whether he’s pacing the sidelines, munching on his mom’s beef stroganoff, or teaching English, Sully is sure to be a fixture here at Vaca High.
Mr. Sullivan has lived in Vacaville for over 35 years and is a 1973 Vaca High grad. Following his senior year, he went to the Air Force Academy in Colorado. Unfortunately he broke his leg playing football for the school and decided to come closer to home to study journalism at UC Davis. While attending UC Davis he got an offer he couldn’t refuse, to become the sports editor at the Contra Costa Times. He stopped attending UC Davis to work for the paper for fifteen years. Following his stint at the Contra Costa Times, he worked for The Reporter for five years, and that was at that time he started coaching football and track and field. Six years after taking the sports editor job at The Reporter, Mr. Sullivan decided he wanted to teach and coach full time. There was one problem; he never finished getting his degree, so 25 years after attending the Air Force Academy he finally graduated with teaching credentials from Sac State in 1999.
Sully has deep roots here at Vaca High. In addition to graduating here in 1973, his mom works in the front office, his son Buck, is a senior and his daughter Amy is a 2002 Vaca High grad. Mr. Sullivan is also cousins with Mr. Santopadre, the varsity football coach and is second cousins with Chris Santopadre (another football coach), and Jon Santopadre, a senior this year. So all in all, there are six people at Vaca High related to Mr. Sullivan. He even went to sixth grade here, back when the Monte Vista side of campus was an elementary school.
Coach Sullivan is a popular teacher and coach at Vaca High. “If you stay on his good side he’s the best coach you could ever want,” says discus thrower and football player Tyler Lamphere. Keith Knudson added, “He’s really into it and is an overall good coach and nice guy.” However, his popularity isn’t limited as a coach, “He’s really energetic and easy to talk to” says a freshman student.
Mr. Sullivan has good tastes in music. He is a big Bruce Springsteen fan and also enjoys other classic rock such as The Rolling Stones. Sully’s favorite food is Mac n’ Cheese mixed with hot dogs, however, he adds, “My mom makes a really mean beef stroganoff.” When asked his favorite memory from all his years at Vaca High as a student, teacher, and coach he said, “There's a lot, but the one that sticks out was November, 1973 beating Cordova my senior year to win the league championship 12-0. It was in a rainstorm with mud up to our ankles. What made it even more special was that the seniors on Cordova had never lost a game going back to their freshman year.”
Whether he’s pacing the sidelines, munching on his mom’s beef stroganoff, or teaching English, Sully is sure to be a fixture here at Vaca High.