Coach Leonard is a dedicated and accomplished coach embarking on his first year in coaching. A 2019 graduate of El Modena High School, he played a pivotal role in leading his team to a CIF championship in 2017. He continued his athletic career at Orange Coast College before transferring to Olivet Nazarene University, where he was a three-year starter and contributed to the team’s Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) championship in 2021. Leonard was also named 2nd team All-League in 2024. Professionally, Leonard works as an Electrical Engineer designing Fiber Networks. He is married to Grace Picard-Leonard, his high school sweetheart and a biology student at Cal State Fullerton. Balancing his roles in coaching, engineering, and family life, Leonard exemplifies dedication and passion in all his pursuits.

This will be Coach Patrick Dietz's 14th year coaching at the varsity level for High School football. This will be his 3rd year at El Modena HS. Before coming on staff at El Modena, Coach Dietz coached at Hart High School in the Santa Clarita Valley from 2007-2018 before taking time off to travel the world and focus on his career. After graduating from Cal State Northridge with a degree in History in 2007, Coach Dietz decided to return to the Santa Clarita Valley and pursue teaching and coaching football as a hobby that eventually became a passion. Coach Dietz coached the Varsity DBs/WRs at Hart High from 2007-2011, where they went to a CIF championship in his first season on staff and won the school's 9th CIF title. In 2012, Coach Dietz was promoted to the team’s defensive coordinator role, winning their school a 10th CIF title in the process in 2013, as well as being a state championship finalist. The following year in 2014, they were again CIF runners-up in Division 2. In 2016, Coach Dietz became the team's offensive coordinator, calling the offense for the following three years at Hart, each of those 3 years having an all-CIF quarterback. In his free time, Coach Pat Dietz enjoys traveling, golfing, and playing with his 5-year-old Cavapoo dog, Pismo. He resides in Huntington Beach and works for Boston Scientific in the medical device space. He is also a son to his wonderful Mother and Father Rick and Colleen Dietz, and has a brother who lives in Northern California named Christopher. He is also a passionate sports fan who roots for USC and Chicago sports teams. Coach Dietz would like to thank Coach Matt Mitchell and Joe Mitchell for trusting and allowing him to work with them on a day-to-day basis, and to compliment the Mitchells on the incredible culture they have created here at El Modena HS. Go Vanguards! “Our Best Play.”

WR/DB Coach Santiago High School, Garden Grove With a dynamic background in both coaching and playing, Coach Merchant brings a wealth of experience to El Modena High School as the WR/DB Coach. A standout athlete during his high school career, Merchant earned All-League 1st Team honors as both a Defensive Back (2005) and a Wide Receiver (2006) at Santiago High School. Continuing his athletic journey, Merchant played at Santa Ana College in 2007, where he excelled as a Defensive Back as well as a Punt and Kick Returner. Further honing his skills, he spent time at ASA College in Brooklyn, NY in 2017, starting eight games as a Wide Receiver. Merchant’s diverse experience on the field, combined with a deep understanding of both defensive and offensive strategies, positions him to effectively mentor and develop the next generation of athletes at El Modena High School.