From The Sidelines: A Profile on New Head Football Coach, Bill Laslett

From The Sidelines: A Profile on New Head Football Coach, Bill Laslett.

At the end of the 2015 season, the SMC football team was deflated by the departure of head coach Gifford Lindheim. With the Corsairs coming off of an undefeated season and conference championship, Coach Lindheim's move to El Camino College marks the end of an unprecedented era of success for the team.

Along with a change in leadership, the Corsairs also changed divisions, going from the Central League to the Northern League.

For new head coach William “Bill” Laslett, this time of change means the team is a blank canvas on which he can create his own masterpiece. Going into the new season, Coach Laslett has wasted no time in preparing his new team and fellow coaches to be competitive in their new division.

At first impression, Coach Laslett strikes you as a laid back and jocular person who you could easily become friends with. Which he is. But once he is on the turf, he transforms into a no non-sense leader. When he is quiet, you can be sure he is observing every little detail in his team’s operations -- an attention to detail which he in turn teaches to his players.

“We want to create a discipline program that really mentors these young men, and get them ready for what they need to do,” said Coach Laslett. After a few minutes at summer camp, the “discipline program” quickly becomes apparent. If you show up late to practice, you run stairs. If you act out at a game, you get benched for the next one, and so on.

At their first scrimmage game against Allan Hancock College, the coach kept a calm yet stern composure and demonstrated to his opponents, and his team, his ability to step up to the challenge of being the leader of a young football team. Whether it is calling a defensive audible or helping a player adjust their stance, it is exciting to see the determination and hard work that the coach will bring to SMC.

The Corsairs play their first game under the Laslett regime on September 3 against West LA College. Looking ahead to the rest of the season, the coach said, “we want to win… there’s no question about it.”