WELCOME TO GOODYEAR WRANGLERS FOOTBALL

Junior college football has disappeared from numerous states, leaving many high school graduates who aren’t offered major college scholarships with their dreams cut short before they truly begin. Starting in Fall 2023, USA Collegiate and The Coaches Team Foundation, a nonprofit organization, brought junior college football to Goodyear—along with a “gap year” program designed to give recent graduates another shot at achieving their goals.

When people hear “junior college athletics,” they often underestimate the impact this transitional level of competition can have on a student-athlete’s growth both on and off the field. The same holds true for those taking advantage of the gap year opportunity.

The Goodyear Wranglers, one of Arizona’s first private teams, are committed to helping post-high school players develop academically, athletically, and physically so they can reach their ultimate goal: playing major college football.

GOODYEAR WRANGLERS FOOTBALL

What You Get From Joining the Goodyear Wranglers Football Program

Football, Education, and Life Skills.

Prospects

We give an opportunity to do what every high school football player dreams of. Play college football.

Education

Our players will be enrolled in school and making educational progress WHILE on the team.

Lifeskills

We teach all the necassary life skills needed to ensure a promising future on and off the field for every member.

MEET THE HEAD COACH

Paul Funches

Paul brings over 16 years of coaching and leadership experience to the Wranglers. He began his coaching career in 2007 as a graduate assistant at Franklin College before transitioning to youth development work at Atterbury Job Corps Center, helping young men build the skills to succeed in life. Returning to coaching in 2011, Paul served as varsity defensive coordinator at Marion High School, leading one of Indiana’s top defenses.

In 2016, Paul joined Indiana Wesleyan University as running backs coach, guiding athletes through the demands of college football. Three years later, he founded Liberty Prep Sports Academy, a post-grad/junior college program dedicated to preparing athletes for four-year universities. In its first season, Liberty Prep posted an 11–1 record, spent eight weeks ranked #1 nationally, and claimed both the Great Lakes Conference and NPGAA National Championships—earning Paul the NPGAA National Coach of the Year award.

With a proven track record of building winning programs and developing student-athletes on and off the field, Paul is committed to helping Wranglers players reach their full potential athletically, academically, and personally.

Meet The Coaches

Goodyear Wranglers is one of the first private Post High School Collegiate/JUCO Football teams in Arizona whose program will help post-high school football players develop academically, athletically and physically to reach their goal of playing major college football.

HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?

650N 137th Avenue Suite 160

Goodyear, AZ 85338

Coach Paul Funches - Head Coach

(317) 910-1375

pfunches@goodyearwranglers.com

Mark Brady - Commissioner of Football

435-773-2903

mark@usacollegiate.com