Coach Bio
Jon Ellinghouse is entering his 18th season as the Head Coach of the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers football team. In his time at Sierra Canyon, he has taken our program from an 8-man football program to a team ranked in the top 10 in the nation during his tenure.
He has won 2 State Championships and 6 CIF Championships. In his 17 seasons at Sierra Canyon Ellinghouse is averaging over 10 wins a season, with an overall record of 170-38 as the head coach at Sierra Canyon. The Sierra Canyon football team has appeared in the CIF Semi- Finals or better in 11 of the last 13 seasons under his leadership (4 state championship appearances). Ellinghouse is even more proud of the staff he has assembled at Sierra Canyon, he states …
“I believe I have the best staff in Southern California, I am fortunate to have guys who are the best at what they do and do it for the right reasons. I just love watching these guys develop our athletes at a high level.”
Ellinghouse is most proud of his ability to develop players into college football players and place them at the highest level. Coach Ellinghouse says “my favorite part of my job is getting kids to college. We have had incredible success doing so, I will put our list against anyone’s.” Sierra Canyon Football has had former players attend USC (4), UCLA (4), Stanford (2), Michigan, Oklahoma, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, CAL (2), Arizona, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington, Washington State, Utah, Colorado, Columbia, Princeton, Penn, Yale, Brown, Harvard, Army, Navy, Colorado State (2), San Jose St, Nevada (2), Fresno State, New Mexico, UNLV, Louisiana Lafayette, Illinois, Maryland, TCU, Virginia Tech, Central Michigan, Tulsa, FIU, Montana State, Sacramento State, Southern Utah, UC Davis, Villanova, Lafayette (2), San Diego (3), Wagner, Adams State, Elmhurst, Washington St. Louis, Colorado St Pueblo, Houston Christian, Central Missouri University, Nebraska Kearney, Wesleyan, Augustana, California Lutheran (4).
Nobody knows Sierra Canyon better than coach Ellinghouse. He states “what I love about Sierra Canyon is that we allow kids to achieve their individual greatness. Sierra Canyon is an incredible environment, that produces happy successful kids on the field and in the classroom. We get great kids and make them even better. Sierra Canyon is an incredibly diverse place, with a unique and unbelievable vibe. I am so proud of the program and school we have become.”
What is your favorite part of coaching? “I love when I can have an impact on a player’s life outside of football. My favorite part of coaching is when I can help a player get an opportunity to play college football.”
What is your fondest moment coaching at Sierra Canyon? “Winning a State Championship at the Home Depot Center.”
What makes coaching at Sierra Canyon so special? “You can believe in what you are doing. It is a great to work at a place where your kids can get a world class education while participating in the highest level of athletics.”
What is your fondest memory as an athlete? “Battling back from a terrible injury and realizing how precious it is to play a sport that you love.”