Acalanes coach Joel Isaac is leading team his way

LAFAYETTE — Joel Isaac cuts a striking figure on the Acalanes sideline.

The first-year coach watches games from behind dark black reflective sunglasses – even under the stadium lights – his hood pulled over a baseball cap while wearing a black long sleeve with the Acalanes logo over his heart.

He moves with an easy swagger, weaving through the chaos of the game without saying much. Isaac carries himself with the kind of curated aura that his players often joke about, the type of confidence that pulls attention without a word.

That presence has made Isaac an unmistakable focal point at the Lafayette school, especially after he stepped into the job under contentious circumstances that pushed out longtime coach Floyd Burnsed.

But Isaac never lived his life by public approval.

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