Recruiting

About Me

Head coach since 2001 with an overall record of 134 wins & 81 losses, 14 trips to the playoffs (’02, ‘04, ’06, ’07, ’08, ’09, ’10, ’11, ’12, ’13, ’15, ’16, ’17,’18), and 10 to the valley section semi-finals, (’06, ’07, ’09, ’10, ’11, ’12, ’13, ’16, ’17, ‘18), and 2016, 2017 Undefeated East Sequoia League Champions and Central Section Division 6 Champions both years; Central Section Division 6 Champions and So Cal regional Champions 2018, 2017 California Division 6AA State Champions, 2016 SoCal Regional Champions, 2017 Nor Cal Regional Champions, and runner-up State Champions in 2016. The 2011 Spartans won the East Sierra League championship, Strathmore’s fist league championship in 11 years and first ever in the Sequoia Division. The Spartans won the Central Section Division VI Valley title in 2009, and were runner-up in 2010, and 2013. He was voted , 2017, 2016, 2011 East Sequoia League Coach of the Year, 2007 Southwest Sierra League Coach of the Year and received honors as the Porterville Recorder All-Orange Belt Coach of the Year (’16, ’15,’07). Also named the Visalia Times 2016 Coach of the Year The Spartan staff was invited to coach the All-Star football game in 2016 vs. Ryan Rocha and the Tulare Western Staff., In the summer of 2010 the Strathmore coaching staff was invited to coach the 43rd Tulare –Kings All-Star football game. Strathmore represented the East and Delano High School’s Steve Brown (former Strathmore co-head coach) and staff headed the West. After much fanfare from the West’s talent pool, the East dominated the showing 35-14. In 2008 the entire coaching staff was invited to coach the 41st annual Tulare-Kings All-Star football game. The game pitted the East coached by your SHS staff vs. the West coached by Darrin Bennett’s staff at Tulare Union. The East won 28-19. He spent 1 year as the running backs coach and head J.V. coach on former Strathmore head coach Dave McDaniel’s staff. The team won a league championship and made the 2000 playoffs. Before he was hired at SUHS in 2000, he was a student-athlete at Fresno State. As a Bulldog (1997-1999), he played fullback for head coach Pat Hill and twice received Academic All-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) honors. During his junior season he broke the team power clean weight lifting record (325lbs). There he received a B.A. degree in History. In his final season, the Bulldogs won the Western Athletic Conference Championship and played in the EA Sports Las Vegas Bowl Championship vs. the Utah Utes. At the awards banquet he received the Coach’s Award for work ethic. En route to Fresno, coach Blackwell played for the College of Sequoias Giants (COS) 1995-1997, where he played fullback for head coach Roger Kelly and received Academic All-American honors. He was the Giant of the Year in 1996 (Team MVP). The 1996 team won the Central Valley Conference (CVC) Championship and played in the Modesto Graffiti Bowl Championship. He also played at Lindsay High School for head coach Frank Schiro receiving team MVP honors in 1993 and 1994, East Sequoia League MVP 1994, and graduated in 1995. Coach Blackwell is married to Caroline Vasquez of Woodlake. Together they live in Exeter with their daughter Kylee.