Brandon Payne returns home to rebuild Sequoia Pathway football program in Maricopa
There is no spring football at Sequoia Pathway in Maricopa. There is just the hope for football.
After last season ended abruptly, starting out 0-4 and getting outscored 247-20, under new coach Kerry Taylor with players leaving and not enough to play without the fear for players' safety, Sequoia Pathway shut it down.
It was time to start over. Taylor left to build his own football academy.
Sequoia Pathway had to regain the trust of players and parents. Baby steps began this spring.
Brandon Payne, who once led Arete Prep's football program, has returned to the Valley to try to put the Sequoia Pathway football pieces back together. He spent the past year at Division I Hampton University in Virginia, where he was the cornerbacks coach.
Mainly the move was to be back with his family. His son Jaylen is a standout center fielder on Chandler Hamilton's baseball team. But the challenge of turning Sequoia back to being competitive at the 2A level in the Arizona Interscholastic Association, starting from scratch, excites him. They were 7-4 three years ago and 5-5 two years ago when Donnie Margerum led the program.
Payne is taking over both roles Taylor had, as head coach and athletic director at Sequoia Pathway. Payne has promised the parents and players they will remain in the AIA.
"I'm in the process of getting things in order," Payne said. "Getting a few more kids coming back. And building a staff."
Payne and Robb Floco, who is the charter district's athletics director, are optimistic.
"Since I've been on campus, I've been evaluating kids," Payne said. "Just working with them and introducing myself and letting the word spread out that I'm the new head coach and new athletic director. But the word has been traveling with the kids down here."
Last week, Payne had his first parents meeting. About 25 to 30 student-athletes and parents showed up. That was a step in the right direction.
"The great thing about that is I have parents who are on board," Payne said. "I could see they already have my back building this thing getting it out in the community."
Payne has been at the pro level as a player, playing in the NFL Europe, the Arena Football League and the Canadian Football League.
He was a graduate assistant at New Mexico in 2005. He was an assistant football coach at high schools in Texas and Arizona. He also coached at New Mexico Military Institute. He was head coach of the Papago Pumas in the Maricopa County junior college league, before spending two years at Arete Prep.
Floco said that Sequoia is excited to have someone with Payne's credentials leading the program.
"He was at Arete Prep and we're very similar as far as demographics," Floco said. "He's not a stranger to this.
"What's exciting is that he gets to come home, be with his family and help us out, as well."
Payne believes the the program will have enough players to compete in the fall and finish the season.
"I'm promising the kids we're going to go AIA," Payne said. "I'm not giving up on this program.
"The biggest thing is the relationships. Building relationships, loving on your kids more. Nowadays, you've got to love on your kids more. The biggest thing to keep a kid and to keep a kid in the program, and to watch them grow into a man, is loving on them and teaching them life skills."
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Brandon Payne looks to rebuild Maricopa Sequoia Pathway football
