The new families, along with veterans returning to the Bruin varsity football team, will be getting together for a parents night at Pizza Plus in downtown Riverbank this evening, Wednesday, July 24.

In addition to learning about practice that begins on Monday, July 29, they’ll be learning about the upcoming 10-game schedule for the 2019 campaign.

More importantly, they’ll be meeting the new varsity head coach, Anthony Buich. And they’ll most likely be interested to learn of his college and professional football career.

After transferring from a junior college in San Mateo, coach Buich played for the Eastern Illinois Panthers in the 1998 and 1999 seasons. He recorded career totals of 27 touchdowns with 17 interceptions on 4,493 passing yards at the Division I school.

In case that doesn’t impress, Buich’s back up his senior year was Tony Romo, who took over the next season and then went on to a 14-year career with the Dallas Cowboys. The alumni from the school over the years include a host of NFL players and coaches that played for teams across the country.

Buich played five seasons in the Arena Football League, including being named to the all-star team in 2002.

Here in Riverbank, the new coach is building a new culture of football.

It means he’s expecting players to be “totally committed to learning the game and knowing what they’re doing on the field” at all times.

“It is not basketball season,” he said, “it is not soccer season, or anything else. It is school and football season.”

The parents meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

Buich announced a few other items for the team’s schedule this week.

In addition to the July 24 parents gathering and the start of fall practice on July 29, he noted that school starts on Wednesday, Aug. 7. That will include a football orientation for underclassmen, with junior and senior players volunteering to assist.

The Bruins Boosters will be holding a Family Fiesta Night at the high school on Friday, Aug. 9, that players are expected to help with. It’s scheduled to include taco trucks, dancing and games.

The next day, on Saturday, Aug. 10, there will be a Flapjack Football Fundraiser, the coach said. It will be at the Riverbank Applebee’s at 8 a.m., with $10 tickets for sale soon.

Buich said the team’s 10-game season begins with a non-league contest on Saturday, Aug. 24, at Big Valley Christian in Modesto.