As the crisp morning air blows softly through the Earl Hansen Viking Stadium, the silence is abruptly cut off by the loud screech of a whistle. All at once, the players explode into short sprints, racing across the field. To Edward Tonga — the man behind the whistle — coaching football is another way to give back to the community and help the next generation grow and prosper. He was recently introduced as the new head coach of the Palo Alto High School varsity football team, bringing a fresh perspective to the team both on and off the field.
Before his role as head coach, Tonga was the team’s defensive coordinator for three years, before replacing former Head Coach Dave DeGeronimo on Jan. 16.
Beyond that, Tonga also makes time to work as a specialist in the Student and Family Engagement program (SaFE).
“I help bridge communication between the school and the families, and provide resources for students to succeed,” Tonga said.
Tonga’s role as a SaFE specialist is to connect with students and their families, supporting their academic, social and emotional growth, as well as helping parents stay involved in their children’s education.
Before transferring to teach at Paly, Tonga was an instructional aide for moderate to severely disabled students at Gunn High School. When Tonga saw and gained experience of the SaFE program’s students’ benefits, he was offered a job as a specialist in the program. His job was to help students with tasks such as doing schoolwork, social activities and taking bathroom trips. He expressed that his time working as an aide at Gunn, connecting with the students and their families, is something that he loved.
“Those were, I’ll tell you right now, life-changing experiences and Palo Alto granted me that, and I’m very grateful for that,” Tonga said.
Continuing his work with the SaFE program at Paly, Tonga spends his mornings with the football team and the rest of the day with students. Tonga hopes to make multiple changes to the Paly football team going forward, and has begun planning out the steps he will take in order to lead the team to success. After a rough season in the fall with a record of 0-10, Tonga looks to have a busy off-season, focusing on fundamentals, preparation and consistency, both in practice and in the game. He wants to focus on unity and forming a strong bond with the players.
“We’re looking to improve the chemistry and brotherhood within the team,” Tonga said. “Building strong relationships and trust among players is just as important as developing their skills on the field.”
Due to Tonga being a returning member of the Paly football staff, many players are familiar with him as a coach. Paly sophomore Tristan Wehner, the new starting tight end for the varsity team, shares his opinion on Tonga’s new position.
“He’s making real connections with the players and has brought us more together as a team,” Wehner said.
On top of the focus on team chemistry, Tonga is also trying out different ways to improve the athleticism of the group. He’s implementing new strength training and more workouts.
“We’re planning to make a huge impact during the off-season,” Tonga said. “We’ll be introducing position-specific training, maintaining consistent strength and conditioning year-round and collaborating with other sports to help our athletes stay engaged and develop in multiple ways.”
The experience and passion that Tonga brings to the team as the new head coach has already made an impact on those around him. His passion for helping others is seen clearly in his football coaching, with his genuine interest in the well-being and
improvement of the team.
“My favorite part of coaching is watching players grow. Not just as athletes, but as young adults,” Tonga said. “Seeing them push past their limits, embark on teamwork, and celebrate their success has been truly fulfilling.”