By Tim Peterson
March Madness continues. In high school coaching circles that is. It wasn’t Bill Zernickow or Jim Singiser or Ted Clarke or a host of other names that were thrown out there over the last couple of months.
This guy flew under the radar, kind of slipped in the back door. His name is Mr. Chou. Jerry Chou, has been named the new head coach at Monrovia.
The hire has been met with applause and disdain…sometimes all in the same sentence. One comment posted on our boards said that they had never heard of Chou while another said Chou was just what the Wildcats needed. Another said Chou lacked in experience while an e mail I received said that Chou’s experience is what will carry Monrovia to success.
It might not be a splashy hire but it could be the right hire. Chou hasn’t been a head coach at the same school for the last 13 years like Singiser but he has been an assistant at the same school (Montebello) for the last six years. He didn’t win a couple of CIF championships recently like Z but he did win two titles over a decade ago at Eagle Rock. Chou may not have been at the top of everybody’s list as the guy to lead Monrovia but he has quietly carved out a nice coaching career over the last 16 years or so.
It can’t be said that it’s a great hire and it can’t be said that it’s a bad hire. The truth is it’s too early to tell. But Chou does need to be given a shot. He’s earned that right. Don’t bail now. Let’s see what he can do. The Monrovia future could be exciting.
Word out of Bonita is that a decision has been made. An announcement should be coming soon – possibly this week. The name I’m hearing is an interesting hire but also one that is familiar. It’s been a long strange trip for the Bearcats since Adrian Medrano left but it looks like it’s coming to an end. No it’s not Zernickow. Stay tuned…
Speaking of Medrano we’re still receiving an overload of comments on the El Rancho hire. We hear it’s a great hire and we hear it’s the worst hire ever. We hear Medrano will part the Red Sea and we hear that he will drown in the sea. Say what you will about El Rancho fans but they are nothing short of passionate.
We’re still waiting on Diamond Ranch. In fact we’re still waiting to see why Jimmy Welker was let go at Diamond Ranch. El Monte, Wilson and Baldwin Park are still open. Zernickow?
That’s my principle.
Tim can be reached at tim@midvalleysports.com or on Twitter @tspeterson40.
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