Jim Arellanes Headed to Los Altos
By Tim Peterson
Northview Coach Jim Arellanes has decided to leave the Vikings to take the Head coaching position at Los Altos the Tribune’s Aram Tolegian reported Friday. “Hey Tim, I can’t answer any questions until Monday,” Arellanes said late Friday night. “Sorry. Thanks.”
Arellanes succeeds Felipe Aguilar who resigned back in late December.
Arellanes said earlier in the week that he was not interested in the Los Altos job but had a change of heart possibly due in part to the stability of a teaching position that comes with the offer. Area coaches have stated that even as late as Thursday Arellanes was saying he would stay at Northview
Arellanes played his high school football at El Rancho and proved to be good enough to move on to college and play quarterback for Fresno State. As a professional, Arellanes had stops in the Arena Football League and in the World Football League where he led the Rhein Fire to a World Bowl Championship in 1998. Arellanes stepped in for the injured Mike Quinn and earned MVP honors completing 12 of 18 passes for 263 yards and 3 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Arellanes was an assistant coach at Rosemead under Matt Koffler before taking over at Northview in 2006. Arellanes was 21-22 overall in four years at Northview but suffered through a 1-9 campaign, (0-5 in the Valle Vista), in 2009. He is 1-2 in the post season.
The Vikings were 16-7 the previous two years with successive trips to the playoffs. 2008 was the most successful of the four year run at Northview. The Vikings won the Valle Vista league title going undefeated in league. They advanced to the second round of the playoffs before losing to eventual CIF champion Paraclete 14-0.
Arellanes will now face Wilson Coach and good friend Brian Zavala in the battle for “The Wheel”. Zavala was Arellanes’ defensive coordinator at Northview and also coached with him at El Rancho and Rosemead.
“Yes we have a mutual respect,” Zavala said. “We would have faced each other either way. But now just a little more bragging rights are on the line.”
Arellanes is looking to turn around a Los Altos team that finished 3-7 last year and 1-9 in 2008.
Leave a Reply