DOS PALOS -- He swears his cell phone never rings this much, but three calls within seconds of each other capture the essence of Dos Palos football's leading man.</p><p>For the last 35 years, Mike Sparks has been busy. </p><p>Busy running spring football practices. Busy counting pride points and charting times, weights and distances. Busy imparting wisdom onto his assistant coaches. And busy winning games.</p><p>Lots and lots of games.</p><p>No one in Dos Palos' illustrious history has won more. In 22 seasons, Sparks is 199-66-2 with 17 North Sequoia League titles, six Central Section crowns and two state championships.</p><p>But he insists he's not counting. Not yet, at least.</p><p>Right now, his focus is razor sharp, pointed at the upcoming fall season -- his last along the Dos Palos sidelines.</p><p>"It's probably not going to hit me for awhile," said Sparks, who announced his retirement from football last fall. </p><p>"I had actually been considering it for a long time. There's probably more relief than anything else, knowing that I don't have to make that decision in the end. It's already made. It's time. I'm ready for it."</p><p>Well, not completely.</p><p>There's still one more season of football left to shepherd on the Westside.</p><p>And befitting his career, 2010 promises to be a historic one for Sparks and his veteran-laden team.</p><p>For the first time in school history, Dos Palos will not compete in the North Sequoia League with the likes of rivals Chowchilla and Washington Union.</p><p>Instead, the football program will join the rest of the school's sports teams in the West Sierra League.</p><p>On paper, Dos Palos, with reigning Sun-Star Offensive Player of the Year Kevin Schofield and fourth-year quarterback Ryan Yriarte in the fold, appears to be the favorite to win the WSL.</p><p>"I'm disappointed we're not in the other league, but our job right now is to accept the challenge," Sparks said. "I know some people think we should just walk through it. We need to take care of business. We need to be on the job."</p><p>No one in this tight-knit, football-crazed community -- much less the greater county -- has been on the job longer than Sparks.</p><p>He played four seasons at Dos Palos, including three at the varsity level for his father, Bill Sparks.</p><p>After two seasons at West Hills community college and two more at Chico State, Sparks returned to Dos Palos as an assistant under Tom Scheidt. </p><p>In 1988, he took over as head coach.</p><p>Dos Palos offensive coordinator Rob Calvert was a senior tailback on that team.</p><p>He joined Sparks' coaching staff in 2003 only to find that the ol' ball coach still had it.</p><p>The spark.</p><p>His secret is buried in the details. Sunday meetings, meticulous by nature. Hours of game film and evaluation. Rehearsing seemingly insignificant steps.</p><p>All of it, Calvert says, has contributed to Sparks' success at Dos Palos.</p><p>"He's been one of the best Xs and Os guys I've ever been around," Calvert added. "There's never a stone unturned with him; no detail he's missed.</p><p>"Whoever comes in behind him has their work cut out for them. There's no replacing a guy like him, with his knowledge and experience.</p><p>"He's been Dos Palos football."</p><p>Along the way Sparks has watched the game and the players evolve, each transforming in shape and philosophy.</p><p>From the Spread offense to multiple defensive schemes, football has been redefined at every level, at nearly every stop.</p><p>Except maybe in Dos Palos, where the core values of the program -- establish the run, stop the run -- haven't changed since the 1920s.</p><p>"People in Dos Palos say (the game) hasn't changed at all," he said with a chuckle. "But probably the biggest thing we've seen is the Spread offense. Before you had to pack things in, be tight and stop the run.</p><p>"Now it's harder to stop the run because of the offenses that are spread out. In Dos Palos, we're doing the same things now as when we played for my dad."</p><p>Next year, the status quo in the Sparks household will change, replaced with a new kind of energy.</p><p>"Crochet, croquet. I'll golf with my wife. I'd like to get back into tennis. There seems to be a lot of things not getting done," he said. </p><p>"Football has been a busy part of my life, and it's for a whole year. It's not just a seasonal thing. There's always something to do."</p><p>Busy, busy, busy.</p><p>James Burns is managing editor/sports editor of the Sun-Star. He can be reached at jburns@mercedsun-star.com.