Daytona Mainland names new head coach

[Dan in Daytona]

Nice hometown hire. Travis is a fine young man and brings with him a large supportive family with longtime area roots. With the current "free for all" in attracting athletes to high school teams this is a win win for the Mainland Buccaneers. This train just picked up the pace...

 

Roland set to become Mainland coach

Chris Boyle

Daytona Beach News-Journal USA TODAY NETWORK

Travis Roland decided to return home — the all-time single-season tackle leader in Mainland High history is now the program's head coach.

Roland, who guided Flagler Palm Coast to the playoffs in each of his four seasons in charge, accepted the position, Roland and Mainland Principal Joseph Castelli confirmed Friday.

Roland departs FPC with a 28-12 record, including the school's first undefeated regular season in history (2017).

'This has been really hard,' said Roland, who said he fielded hundreds of calls and texts from friends and family members since the job came open. 'I love Mainland, but I love FPC, too. They gave me the ability to expand and expose. I was able to expand who I was as a person, as a coach, as a parent.

'By that expansion, by going up there, I was able to get the exposure of, 'Mainland's defenses were good, but Travis can run an entire football team.' I will forever be grateful to (former Principal) Dusty Sims, (Athletic Director Steve) DeAugustino for giving me the opportunity when they didn't have to.'

Mainland has had just three head coaches in the last three decades. Scott Wilson, who held the position for 11 years, decided to step down on March 31 . Roland worked as a defensive assistant under Wilson prior to accepting the opening at FPC in December 2016.

Castelli sought to quickly fill the void, labeling it as a 'priority' to have a permanent coach in place by the time

See MAINLAND, Page 4B

Travis Roland guided Flagler Palm Coast to the playoffs in each of his four seasons in charge. On Friday, he accepted the head coaching position at his alma mater, Mainland High. NIGEL COOK/NEWS-JOURNAL

 

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Mainland

Continued from Page 1B

spring football practices begin — as early as April 26. He held interviews with 'a few' candidates early this week, but Roland emerged as the clear choice.

'Everyone around the school that I've been able to talk to, everyone that's affiliated with the school that I have been able to talk to, speaks the world of him and is excited for him to come back home and to use his leadership to make the school that much greater,' Castelli said. 'It was an exciting time as it unfolded, but, man, I'm a really happy principal today.'

Roland captained the Bucs to their lone state championship in 2003, making 217 tackles along the way.

For his high school career, he recorded 519 total tackles, 50 tackles for loss and six interceptions, earning a spot in The News-Journal's Gridiron Greats list of the Volusia-Flagler's 25 best players of all time.

'I was talking to my wife last night and said, 'What person wouldn't want to go back to their school and be the head coach?' said Thomas Roland, Travis' father and the longtime commissioner of the Daytona Beach Buccaneers Pop Warner football program.

'When you get that call and that opportunity to come home, you might not get that opportunity again. I'm overwhelmed and so proud to see where he's sitting right now.'

Roland built a playoff streak at FPC, and he inherits another one at Mainland — albeit significantly longer.

The Bucs have qualified for the postseason for 27 consecutive years, finishing the 2020 campaign with an 8-2 record and a spot in the Region 1-6A semifinals. Mainland defeated Gainesville and Matanzas in playoff contests away from home.

This year could present the biggest challenge yet for the Bucs to keep the streak alive. They were drawn into District 6-6A last month with reigning state runner-up Lake Minneola and 2019 Class 5A runner-up Orlando Jones, as well as Groveland South Lake and New Smyrna Beach.

'I've played in state championship games, coached in third- and fourthround games against the eventual champs. What is pressure? I've played in big games, and most of this staff has been in big games,' Roland said. 'It is what it is, and Mainland is going to be Mainland. We'll line it up and play football. There's no pressure there.'

[DarterBlue2]

I remember watching Travis against: Edgewater, Chaminade and Naples in 2003. He was a bit undersized but played as if he was 30lbs heavier. He was a proverbial beast!

[Jags904]

They will certainly compete right away. Great program, great coach, and sounds like kids will be following him to Mainland.

[Jambun82]

On 4/10/2021 at 7:58 AM, Dan in Daytona said:

Nice hometown hire. Travis is a fine young man and brings with him a large supportive family with longtime area roots. With the current "free for all" in attracting athletes to high school teams this is a win win for the Mainland Buccaneers. This train just picked up the pace...

 

Roland set to become Mainland coach

Chris Boyle

Daytona Beach News-Journal USA TODAY NETWORK

Travis Roland decided to return home — the all-time single-season tackle leader in Mainland High history is now the program's head coach.

Roland, who guided Flagler Palm Coast to the playoffs in each of his four seasons in charge, accepted the position, Roland and Mainland Principal Joseph Castelli confirmed Friday.

Roland departs FPC with a 28-12 record, including the school's first undefeated regular season in history (2017).

'This has been really hard,' said Roland, who said he fielded hundreds of calls and texts from friends and family members since the job came open. 'I love Mainland, but I love FPC, too. They gave me the ability to expand and expose. I was able to expand who I was as a person, as a coach, as a parent.

'By that expansion, by going up there, I was able to get the exposure of, 'Mainland's defenses were good, but Travis can run an entire football team.' I will forever be grateful to (former Principal) Dusty Sims, (Athletic Director Steve) DeAugustino for giving me the opportunity when they didn't have to.'

Mainland has had just three head coaches in the last three decades. Scott Wilson, who held the position for 11 years, decided to step down on March 31 . Roland worked as a defensive assistant under Wilson prior to accepting the opening at FPC in December 2016.

Castelli sought to quickly fill the void, labeling it as a 'priority' to have a permanent coach in place by the time

See MAINLAND, Page 4B

Travis Roland guided Flagler Palm Coast to the playoffs in each of his four seasons in charge. On Friday, he accepted the head coaching position at his alma mater, Mainland High. NIGEL COOK/NEWS-JOURNAL

 

---

Mainland

Continued from Page 1B

spring football practices begin — as early as April 26. He held interviews with 'a few' candidates early this week, but Roland emerged as the clear choice.

'Everyone around the school that I've been able to talk to, everyone that's affiliated with the school that I have been able to talk to, speaks the world of him and is excited for him to come back home and to use his leadership to make the school that much greater,' Castelli said. 'It was an exciting time as it unfolded, but, man, I'm a really happy principal today.'

Roland captained the Bucs to their lone state championship in 2003, making 217 tackles along the way.

For his high school career, he recorded 519 total tackles, 50 tackles for loss and six interceptions, earning a spot in The News-Journal's Gridiron Greats list of the Volusia-Flagler's 25 best players of all time.

'I was talking to my wife last night and said, 'What person wouldn't want to go back to their school and be the head coach?' said Thomas Roland, Travis' father and the longtime commissioner of the Daytona Beach Buccaneers Pop Warner football program.

'When you get that call and that opportunity to come home, you might not get that opportunity again. I'm overwhelmed and so proud to see where he's sitting right now.'

Roland built a playoff streak at FPC, and he inherits another one at Mainland — albeit significantly longer.

The Bucs have qualified for the postseason for 27 consecutive years, finishing the 2020 campaign with an 8-2 record and a spot in the Region 1-6A semifinals. Mainland defeated Gainesville and Matanzas in playoff contests away from home.

This year could present the biggest challenge yet for the Bucs to keep the streak alive. They were drawn into District 6-6A last month with reigning state runner-up Lake Minneola and 2019 Class 5A runner-up Orlando Jones, as well as Groveland South Lake and New Smyrna Beach.

'I've played in state championship games, coached in third- and fourthround games against the eventual champs. What is pressure? I've played in big games, and most of this staff has been in big games,' Roland said. 'It is what it is, and Mainland is going to be Mainland. We'll line it up and play football. There's no pressure there.'

Dan, do you plan on attending Mainland football games once again this year? 

[Dan in Daytona]

New curve ball......Port Orange Atlantic High School ( 4.5 miles driving distance from Mainland High ) just hired Jerrime "Squatty" Bell (Mainland '02 grad) as their new head football coach. He is Travis Roland's 1st cousin. Travis's dad and Jerrime's mom are bother and sister. Coach Bell has been at Treasure Coast High in Port St Lucie for more then 10 yrs. with his other 1st cousin Antwuan Wyatt. Antwuan is the son of Alvin "Shine" Wyatt an NFL player and longtime Bethune-Cookman star and head coach. So in essence the athletically gifted clan of Bell's, Roland's, and Wyatt's, have been severed. And we thought Mainland's feeder system was headed trowards the stratosphere unobstructed. Touche Atlantic High. Great hire, and a great person in coach Jerrime Bell. Let the "Family Feud" begin.     

[Dan in Daytona]

On 4/10/2021 at 3:23 PM, DarterBlue2 said:

I remember watching Travis against: Edgewater, Chaminade and Naples in 2003. He was a bit undersized but played as if he was 30lbs heavier. He was a proverbial beast!

That he was....Best instincts, smarts I ever saw longterm in a linebacker. 

[Dan in Daytona]

On 4/11/2021 at 10:25 PM, Jambun82 said:

Dan, do you plan on attending Mainland football games once again this year? 

Well Jam, that's still to be determined. I've currently been on a self-imposed two year hiatus. From the start of the 2000 season though the 2018 season I missed two Mainland games. That's home and AWAY. One was a Monday rescheduled game (Bartram Trail) the other at Deltona. I flew to Cleveland and drove to Gwinnett,Ga and almost two hundred more by car or truck. I just got burned out. At some venues the continuous game streak was more important to me then the game itself.  And that should never be the case. 

[Jambun82]

14 hours ago, Dan in Daytona said:

Well Jam, that's still to be determined. I've currently been on a self-imposed two year hiatus. From the start of the 2000 season though the 2018 season I missed two Mainland games. That's home and AWAY. One was a Monday rescheduled game (Bartram Trail) the other at Deltona. I flew to Cleveland and drove to Gwinnett,Ga and almost two hundred more by car or truck. I just got burned out. At some venues the continuous game streak was more important to me then the game itself.  And that should never be the case. 

All right, that reads good.