Segerstrom’s Joseph Tagaloa named Orange County football coach of the week by LA Chargers

Segerstrom head coach Joseph Tagaloa (far left) joins his players for the National Anthem before a game. (Photo courtesy Mark Bausman, For OC Sports Zone).

Segerstrom head football coach Joseph Tagaloa, who has led the Jaguars since 2016, was named the Los Angeles Chargers Orange County Coach of the Week this week.

Tagaloa led the Jaguars to a 29-28 victory over Thousand Oaks Friday.

“I am very humbled by the nomination for OC Coach of the Week by the LA Chargers,” Tagaloa said Thursday. “Each of the coaches nominated are worthy candidates and just as deserving of the recognition, so I am grateful that I was able to win.

“All the support from our student body, faculty, administration helped make this possible.”

The Chargers will donate $1,000 to the Segerstrom football program.

“We are planning to use the $1,000 donation to help with banquet costs at the end of the year,” Tagaloa said.

Tagaloa joined the Segerstrom football program for its first season in 2006 and has been the head coach since 2016. He played football at Saddleback High School and then Santa Ana College.

“I was fortunate to be able to transfer and play the rest of my college career at the University of San Diego,” he said.

Tagaloa said he enjoys many parts of coaching.

“My favorite part of coaching is helping young student athletes reach their potential both on and off the field,” he said. “The life lessons that come from playing high school football make coaching exciting and gratifying. Being able to contribute to these young student athletes’ development is a responsibility that I do not take lightly.

“My goal is to help them be the best student athlete possible and put them in a position to be able to continue their schooling and hopefully their football careers. I like to thank my coaching staff as well. Every good head coach knows that their coordinators and positional coaches are just as important to a program and are just as responsible for the success of the team.”

Segerstrom plays at Trabuco Hills Friday night.

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com