Don Willis named head coach of men's and women's track & field teams at SBCC

Don Willis was selected as head coach for the SBCC men's and women's track & field teams on June 10, 2020. | ORIGINAL RELEASE

Willis has been an assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for the Vaquero football team and he'll continue in that capacity. He was a three-time CIF champion in the shot put and discus at Cabrillo High and later was the head coach of track & field at Cabrillo and Santa Maria High Schools.

Willis was the head coach for track & field at Cabrillo High in Lompoc (2010-11) and Santa Maria High (2012). In 2011, the Conquistadores won the Los Padres League championship. Willis coached several athletes to CIF Prelims and Finals participation, including a variety of events from throws to sprints and jumps.

He was the head coach of the Cabrillo football team for three years in 2014-16.

"I am absolutely thrilled that we are able to hire Don Willis to lead our track program," said Constantino. "Don has impressed me so much during my time here, both as a coach and as a mentor to our athletes. Don is one of the best role models we have in our department and I am very excited that he'll be able to impact so many of our students through football and track and field."

Willis was a star lineman at Cabrillo High, graduating in 1991. In addition to his three CIF individual titles in the shot put and discus, he also took fifth- and sixth-place at the California State Track & Field meet in 1991. The Conquistadores captured two CIF team titles during Willis' tenure.

He went on to play football at the University of Washington and helped the Huskies win a national title with a 12-0 record in 1991. He competed in the shot put and discus in the NCAA indoor season at Washington.

Willis enjoyed an eight-year NFL career as an offensive lineman, playing for the Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs.

"We have had some outstanding individual track and field athletes over the years, but we have struggled with numbers over the past three years, particularly on the women's side," stated Constantino. "Coach Willis has great experience recruiting and relates very well to students and parents, which I think will help us rebuild the program. We need people like Coach Willis in our department. He's somebody who is dependable and reliable and cares very deeply about our student-athletes.

"I have seen the support he has given our students in good times and bad and he's always positive and encouraging. He's another coach that we absolutely have to keep on staff here as we move forward in this new reality after the COVID-19 shutdown. My hope is that he's able to build both the men's and women's track programs into what we expect they could be from a perspective of roster size, academics and success. There is no doubt that Coach Willis is capable of that."

Willis is married to Rebecca Willis and they have a blended family including seven children: Justin (33), Christopher (31), Tiffani (28), Ted (28), Cy (28), Gabby (24) and Jae'Lynn (20).