Former Pro Bowler Sapolu returns to field

Steve Virgen

After 15 years of battling in the NFL trenches, Jesse Sapolu thought

his days of football were over. That is until his son’s senior season

came along.

Sapolu, the former Pro Bowl offensive lineman for the San

Francisco 49ers, will be the offensive line and strength and

conditioning coach for the Costa Mesa High football team this year.

His son, Luke, was a first-team All-Golden West League offensive

lineman for the Mustangs as a junior last season.

“I promised myself I would never get involved,” said Sapolu, who

is the alumni coordinator for the 49ers. “My son kept asking me to

coach at Costa Mesa. I just wanted to relax and enjoy my retirement.

I could watch him play and make mistakes and make plays. But now that

I’m coaching it’s a major adjustment for me.”

Sapolu, who played guard and center from 1983 through 1997, spent

the past spring working out the Costa Mesa players in the weight

room. The same man who used to snap the ball to quarterback greats

Joe Montana and Steve Young has found himself in a whole different

world of football.

“When one of them raised his hand and asked if he could go to the

restroom, that’s when I realized I was at a high school,” Sapolu

said. “I’ve seen the other level for 15 years. I enjoyed it in the

NFL, that atmosphere sometimes you miss.”

Sapolu, who was drafted out of Hawaii by San Francisco in 1983,

played for the 49ers when they earned the moniker, “Team of the

‘80s,” after winning four Super Bowl titles during that decade.

Sapolu contributed to four Super Bowl teams for the 49ers in 1984,

‘88, ’89 and ’94.

He made the Pro Bowl as a center in 1993 and as a guard in 1994,

when the 49ers defeated the Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX. He also

earned All-Pro honorable mention recognition in 1990, ‘92, ‘93, ’94

and ’95.

Throughout Sapolu’s career, his consistency led the 49ers to 10 or

more wins in each of the seasons he played.

“Not too many players get to stay with the same team throughout

their career,” said Sapolu, who attends every San Francisco home game

and three of their away games, setting up seating for former 49er

players. “I’ll fly up to San Francisco on Saturday mornings because I

will be with Costa Mesa on Friday nights.”

During this past spring, Sapolu spent four days a week with the

Mustangs. Most of the time they were in the weight room.

“I enjoy the fact that I’m teaching them work habits,” Sapolu

said. “I’m also teaching them what it takes to play the game. If

you’re not working hard enough, you’re not going to have what it

takes. I try to communicate that to them. But I’m not a screamer. I

was always on the other end of screams.”

Costa Mesa head coach Dave Perkins has enjoyed Sapolu’s presence

during practices and has noticed the players have responded well to

him. Perkins said the Mesa players listen intently when Sapolu

speaks.

“It’s really neat,” Perkins said of the Mustangs respect toward

Sapolu. “He has done it all. His knowledge of the game, with the kids

that is really a neat deal.”

Sapolu said he is excited to work with the team during the

upcoming season. The Mustangs are the defending Golden West League

champions.

“We’ve done the work in the weight room, hopefully that will

translate onto the field,” Sapolu said.