FAN OF THE YEAR!!!!

Its been so quit out there that I'd though I would show all you FANS of FOOTBALL an artical in the local paper.Im sure that every community has or had a FAN of FOOTBALL. Enjoy. Arguably the biggest Calaveras High football fan passed away earlier this year at the age of 82, but not before going on one more magical ride with the Redskins.

During the 2010 football season, Lavern “Vern” Cuneo of San Andreas was as much a part of the Calaveras High football team as the fly sweep.

A former center and end for the CHS football team and 1946 graduate, Cuneo rarely missed a game since returning from a stint with the U.S. Navy more than half a century ago.
A fight with melanoma had taken a toll on Cuneo’s health and made it harder for him to attend games in recent years, but after assistant coach Scott Anderson encouraged some of the Redskins players to reach out to Vern, there was no keeping him away.

Senior captains Garrett Bock, Chris Ussery and Monti Wilson would visit Cuneo’s house weekly to talk about things, mostly football. On one occasion, the whole team took time out from practice to go to Vern’s house and include him in a team picture.

“You couldn’t give him a million dollars and had him be happier,” Cuneo’s long-time friend Shirley Batt said last fall.

Also during the season, the Redskins altered the path of their traditional pre-game entrance at home games so they could stop by Cuneo’s seat on their way to the field.

“We call it 'The Vern Turn,'” Anderson said last fall. “The whole team has really embraced Vern. He’s become kind of our unofficial mascot. The kids really love doing it for him.”

While the Redskins were lifting Cuneo’s spirits, he was inspiring them right back.

“He obviously loves the game as much as we do, so we want to have a good season for him,” Bock said last fall.

They did just that, winning a share of their first Mother Lode League championship since 2007 and going on to win three playoff games in a single season for the first time in school history. The Redskins nearly won their first section football title as well, coming up just short against Escalon in the Division V section finals.

Cuneo loved and appreciated every moment of it.

“I just love to watch the Redskins,” Cuneo said last fall. “I bleed red and gold.

“This is one of the best Redskins teams I’ve seen in a long time. It’s just a great team and a nice bunch of kids. I’m really impressed.”

Even in death, Cuneo’s connection to Calaveras football remained strong. At his memorial service in January, Anderson, Bock, Ussery and Wilson spoke on behalf of the team.

“I never knew him before this season,” Bock said last fall, “but he’s definitely somebody I will remember for a long time.”

Great story. Got to love small town football and their communities. Good bunch of kids on that team.

I have to give credit where credit due.The article that I copyed and pasted was written by Jeremy D. Malamed. Fan of the Year: San Andreas man inspired CHS football team.So THANK YOU Jeremy!!! of the Calaveras Enterprise.

WOW...what a GREAT story!!!!