"Coach's Corner: Coach Sand Builds More Than a Special Teams Unit"

Garrett Sand

Special Teams Coach

Temecula Valley HS, CA

Coach Sand will tell you that family comes first. He and his wife Michelle recently celebrated 23 years of marriage, and nothing makes him prouder than their sons, Sterling and Carson. Sterling spent four years in the band at Temecula Valley, while Carson found his place in theater. Both enjoyed success doing what they love and are now pursuing those passions in college.

Football has been a big part of Sand’s life, too. His play in high school earned him a scholarship to Colorado State University, where he played linebacker and special teams. He remembers the close bond he shared with his teammates and the coaches who helped shape those years. His own start in coaching came when a neighbor, the head coach at Fallbrook High, invited him to help with Wednesday night practices and games. Sand enjoyed being there with the players, and that invitation opened a new chapter for him.

Two people left a lasting mark on the way he treats others: his father, who passed away 12 years ago, and his college coach, Sonny Lubick. Sand watched them give the same respect to everyone, from the custodian to the athletic director. He still brings that lesson into his conversations with athletes today.

At Temecula Valley, Sand wants his special teams unit ready to make a difference every week. He gives that part of the game daily attention, and the players have embraced it. Their success matters to him, but he also wants each athlete to look back on high school football as a great experience. If the lessons they take from the team help them become good husbands and fathers someday, Sand believes that will mean even more than a win.

Trust starts with knowing the person inside the uniform. Sand asks his players about their lives, what they care about, and what they hope to do after high school. He's faced his share of hard times, and his approach is to work through them while holding on to the belief that better days are ahead.

That outlook shapes the way he talks with athletes about college football. Sand knows the transfer portal and NIL have changed the path for high school players, but he wants them to understand how many schools offer a chance to compete. For a young athlete willing to put in the work, he believes there's a place to keep playing and pursue an education.

After nine years at Temecula Valley, the moments that stay with Sand often happen away from the field. He might run into a former player in town, hear how life is going, and see that young man doing well years after graduation. Those conversations remind him why he keeps showing up for the kids in front of him now.