COACH JAMES FORNI GREW UP IN PETALUMA COACH FORNI AND ATTENDED CASA GRANDE HIGH SCHOOL FROM 1994-1998, PLAYING FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL AND VOLLEYVALL BEFORE GOING ON TO PLAY TIGHT END FOR COLLEGE OF MARIN, A STINT AS A WALK-ON AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON AND WIDE RECEIVER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF REDLANDS.

BY 2003, HE WAS BACK AT CASA GRANDE, WORKING AS AN ASSISTANT VARSITY FOOTBALL COACH, JUNIOR VARSITY HEAD BASKETBALL COACH AND TEACHING P.E

IN 2004, COACH FORNI TOOK OVER AS HEAD VARSITY COACH. COACH FORNI LED THIS PROGRAM FOR 11 SEASONS (183-129 OVERALL RECORD) UNTIL WE LOST HIM TO CANCER ON JUNE 28, 2015, AT THE AGE OF 36. COACH FORNI BUILT THE BASKETBALL PROGRAM BY EMPHASIZING FAMILY, CHARACTER, INTEGRITY, AND HONOR. DURING HIS BATTLE, COACH FORNI ADOPTED THE MANTRA "VINCERO", WHICH MEANS "I WILL WIN" IN ITALIAN. COACH FORNI'S WINNING SPIRIT PLAYED OUT IN ALL ASPECTS OF HIS LIFE. IT WAS ESPECIALLY APPARENT IN THE GREAT PRIDE HE FELT BEING A CASA GRANDE GAUCHO AND THE POSITIVE IMPACT HE HAD ON THE CULTURE WITH A POSITIVE STATE OF MIND, FOR IT IS TRULY THE JOURNEY THAT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE FINISH LINE. COACH FORNI SAID "SPORTS TEACHES RESILIENCE. LIFE KNOCKS YOU DOWN, BUT YOU CAN BET YOUR LAST DOLLAR I'LL GET BACK UP AND KEEP FIGHTING. THAT'S WHAT SPORTS HAS TAUGHT ME. YOU FIGHT. YOU ADAPT. YOU ADJUST. YOU FIND OUT HOW TOUGH YOU ARE."

COACH FORNI IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE, MARY, PARENTS JIM AND JAN FORNI, BROTHER CHRIS FORNI AND SISTER JILL FAHY AND COUNTLESS STUDENTS WHOSE LIVES HE TOUCHED.