By Tim Peterson
(La Verne) – Matt Bechtel, who is coming off a CIF championship season at South Hills, has left the school to take over as the head coach at Damien.
Bechtel succeeds Mark Paredes, who stepped down at Damien after six seasons.
Bechtel spent three years at South Hills going 28-9 overall. The Huskies went 5-6 in Bechtel’s first year in 2016 and fell in the first round to San Gorgonio. South Hills went 9-2 overall in the 2017 and fell to Burbank in the second round of the playoffs and then hit the pinnacle last season with a win over Oxnard in the CIF Championship. The Huskies did fall to Lawndale in the State playoffs and finished the campaign 14-1.
Bechtel takes over a Damien team that went 4-7 last year and lost in the first round of the Division 3 playoffs to Citrus Hill.
Jim Singiser is the name I keep hearing to take over.
The school will accommodate kids who can’t afford to pay.
I wonder if Maddox will ever get back into coaching?
Hmmm=I agree that if they have real qualified assistant to bring up to the head coach they should do it. That is unless someone with ‘qualifications’ that r unmatched comes around. But; if that situation arises, sometimes the assistant coaches under the previous head coach do not appreciate the decision , and may (I do not know ; just suggestions from previous experience and observation) not want to coach for a while. ??? SH definitely improved in Bechtel’s 3 seasons
sgv: bring players with him he may hope, but it costs $$$ to attend Damien. Or do they give big $ breaks to the sport that may very well bring in huge funds if the program develops to a consistent CIF contender? Will South Hills players even consider switching schools? I tend to doubt it. I think the Administration realizes the importance of hiring a very successful and experienced winner to lead the program. ?? I mean someone like Anthony Brown of Buena Park’s best seasons .
Coach will love his new school. Damien has some of the best parents around.
South Hills already knows who they want. If they get him they will announce by Friday. If coach does not agree quickly to the job then South Hills will open it up. Very difficult to take over a championship program and the head coach leaving for a better paying job. Look at La Mirada, Los Altos, West Covina, Buena Park, Norwalk…..None of them have made it back. Tough task for any coach.
The biggest question for me is how many scholarships will Damien give coach Bechtel to work w/? This will determine how big he can build the program. I would say he needs at least 12. & he can split that $$ up however he w decides. I would love to know a true Bosco or Mater Dei number. Or Amat in the 90″s number.
Heard Matt Koffler is putting in for the South Hills HC job
Heard a rumor…. lol I know I know but. Here’s what I heard today… Matt Bechtel wants to put together the best staff in the valley. One name I heard was Mike Mooney! I don’t know Coach Bechtel but I know that he puts an emphasis on the trenches. Plus Mooney is probably the best Oline coach in the area and his USC connections would greatly help recruiting. My bet would be it would be a homerun hire. But it’s only conjecture just something I heard.
Hopefully South Hills can hire from within and continue the footsteps and foundation Coach Bechtel built. Looks like they have some great coaches and if any of them are also good teachers as well as coaches, i believe the success and legacy will continue. Just like how Burbank and now Crescenta Valley hired from within and maintained their successes…
For sure Damien will expect Bechtel to bring key South Hills players with him. Just a easy little drive from South Hills to Damien.
As I said two weeks ago Damien is opening the pocketbook and setting a new pay standard for a quality high school football coach. This job is easily in the six figure range and getting commensurate with Texas and Florida high school football coaches. Worth every penny if he can get Damien competitive as they have a huge fan base when winning. South Hills on the hunt again.Football dying? I don’t think so.
And bull crap walks
No one happier than Travis Brown lol
Money talks