Football coach passionate about every endeavor
Vince Bordi (top) fought professionally following a stellar high school and collegiate career as a wrestler. He parlayed that passion and intensity and strategic thinking into his teaching and coaching. (Photo contributed)
Manteca High teacher and football coach Vince Bordi sits in a professional development seminar at the high school before the start of the school year. (James Burns/The Tower)
By MATEO ESPARZA
The Tower
Family man.
Soldier.
Coach.
Multi-sport athlete.
Manteca High teacher Vincent “Wild Man” Bordi is a man of many things, and each one of his hats make him one of the most interesting people on the school district’s largest campus.
His family is the most important part of his life. His wife and two kids have led him to make the decisions and actions that have shaped who he is today.
Bordi joined the military in 2017 because he wanted to be in an occupation based on merit, or worthy of praise. He wanted to be in a place where the best man or woman got the job, and he found that in the Army and Air Force reserves.
When he’s not serving his country or hanging out with his family, Bordi can be found on the football field. He is the Manteca High freshman football coach.
Bordi, who played football and wrestled at Manteca High, found a love for coaching in his own way. He is passionate about coaching and like his time in the military, he believes in the power of merit. The best players get the job. The best players get the start. The best coaches see success.
Success follows Bordi.
In high school, Bordi was second in the state in wrestling and gained a scholarship from San Francisco University for wrestling. He was a wild beast on the wrestling mat, earning the nickname “The Wild.” He later fought professionally.
However, he didn’t see a future in fighting.
“A lot of hard work on his part, maturing and taking the best of his opportunities. He is a grinder type guy,” former football coach Eric Reis said. “He didn’t just have crazy athletic ability. He was very passionate.”
The Tower sat down with Vincent Bordi and asked about his career in fighting, coaching, and his military experience.
THE TOWER: Who or what influenced you to coach?
VINCENT BORDI: What kind of drove me was I would see these coaches do things that are wrong, and they would tell me, “No Bordi, you don’t understand. You don’t coach.” One of the reasons I set out to coach is to prove them wrong. I was curious if I do this and coach this way and implement these strategies, will they work? I ended up in Manteca and the difference at Manteca is winning is No. 1. They might not like implementing different strategies; they see it’s a winning strategy.
TT: What encouraged you to join the military?
VB: I joined the military in 2017. It was something I always wanted to do. ... I want something that is based on merit. ... I was in the Army from 2017 to summer of 2024, and then I reenlisted into the Air Forces Reserves. I want to earn stuff by merit. I don’t want to be handed stuff. I want to be judged on “Am I the best guy?”
TT: How has your passionate and hard-working mindset helped you in life?
VB:, I get to be at Manteca High which is a good place. Outside of that, I have a great family. I have a great home life. I have the home life that I kind of dreamed of. I don’t have to worry about money. I have a nice house, working car, and I can take care of my kids. I’m working here as a teacher and coaching.
TT: Did you have dreams of fighting?
VB: I like to do what is good for me. And I’m not trying to do what everyone else does. So, when I got in MMA, I like challenging myself. I saw a lot of guys fighting in San Francisco. These guys said I wouldn’t be a good fighter. My first fight was won by knockout. The level of haters were guys that roaming the streets. They told me it was not going to work but then it started working. I would be training with guys that were the main card on UFC fights. Those guys are the opinions I respect and said you are pretty good. But that’s not what I saw my life being.