Former assistant football coach, Jeff Chudy, is stepping up to fill the shoes of Dallas Grider as head coach.

Chudy has been with the BC football program since 1992. For those 12 years he served as assistant coach. He said he is honored to follow in the footsteps of coaches before him.

“It’s a definite honor. Shoot, if you look in the history of Bakersfield College, you can count how many head coaches we’ve had at BC on both hands. We’ve had some great head coaches over the years,” he said.

According to Chudy, some changes have been made since he took over.

“Our biggest difference right now is what we are doing in the spring,” he said. “We meet four days a week. We believe in some new training stuff. Our spring conditioning is completely different from what it has been. We are doing some new and kind of interesting things.”

Different stretches and conditioning techniques were used at first, with football training starting after spring break.

Chudy began coaching years before he made his move to BC. He has been coaching in the community college system since 1985. He was both a football coach and head track and field coach at Taft College. In 1990, he was named State Coach of the Year in track.

No matter the school or the coaching position, Chudy carries with him the same motto.

“I believe that you expect the best in everybody and out of everybody and you want to give it in return. I think it is a two-way street,” he said. “We’re going to leave no stone unturned so to speak in that with our guys right now we are developing commitment, a work ethic. We’ve talked about how important it is to be dedicated. Not just on the football side of it, but your own side of your life.”

Despite disappointing turn-outs at the games last season, Chudy has confidence in his team.

“As coaches, all of us are very pleased with the effort and the consistency. (The football team) has been pretty good about being consistent. It’s an expectation level. They’ve given great effort out here. It’s been unseasonably hot the last two weeks, but they come out here ready to work, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. It’s been a good thing,” he said.

Chudy’s teaching does not end in coaching football. He also helps the students find direction and move on to greater things.

“He’s a wonderful coach,” said Jamal Dean, who plays safety on the team. “He gives athletes a chance, he gives students a chance to see their life, get a degree, go to the next level. He gives everybody an opportunity.”

For Chudy, it’s the effort that counts.

“We want to be able to look back in the mirror and say that we played with all the effort and as a team,” he said. “We want to see our guys graduate with a degree. We want to see them move on to a university of their choice, obviously those are important things.”