By Tim Peterson
Just some random thoughts on a Friday night: What’s the quickest way to kill a football program? Let your head coach go in the middle of March.
Initial reports were that Robert Beltran stepped down at Azusa. But upon further review Beltran was given a choice – either resign or be fired…which makes more sense. What head coach is going to quit in March unless he has another job waiting for him? Beltran didn’t have a job waiting. In fact he was an Azusa guy and had been for life.
He was by all accounts, getting ready for spring football. Instead he’s out and the Aztecs are starting a search for a head football coach in March. Do you know who’s available in March? Let’s put it this way. If you’re any good you’ve already accepted a position by now. These decisions are made in December, January and early February. All the good ones are gone. Azusa is left sorting through the rubbish.
They’ll find a guy and I’m sure he’ll give it the old college try but any mojo the Aztecs may have had is gone. Who’s going to run spring practice? The track coach? One person it won’t be is the basketball coach? Why not? Well, because Azusa doesn’t have one. They also don’t have a boys soccer coach and possibly no boys or girls tennis coach. Oh what about cross country? No they don’t have a cross country coach either – a least for the girls. And for good measure the AD is done at the end of the spring sports session. So if there is no AD who’s going to hire a new football coach? Not good.
“It’s an absolute disaster!” said a concerned Azusa fan. “They had a good group of freshman this last year but have already lost a few of them to Northview because their facilities look better and we have no coaches. I feel bad for the kids.”
Well, as we all now football is king and they did have a football coach. Now they don’t. And they might not for awhile. Where have you gone Joe Scherf?
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San Marino isn’t a disaster but they are another school that doesn’t have a football coach in March. They concluded their interviews last week but as of now there is no clear cut favorite. Thomas Camerano, who was an assistant under Mike Hobbie last year, did interview but has since pulled his name from consideration. Another candidate flopped in the interview and a third might be lost due to an inadequate financial offer. Again, spring football is right around the corner. The Titans need to act now.
Note to the San Marino Admin: Hobbie put San Marino back on the map. He turned the Titans into a well respected program. Keep that momentum going. Don’t let the program deteriorate over a few bucks. Go out and get your coach! This is football. It’s an investment that will pay off.
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Arroyo was back out on the football field for the first time last Saturday. For now it’s just the Knights (they aren’t throwing yet) and it’s just one day a week. Wait, Spring football isn’t just right around the corner. It’s here.
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That Duke – North Carolina game was a blast! Just fun. Hey has anybody used this one yet? “The Zion King!” I think I better patent it before somebody rips me off .
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Still waiting for former Temple City/Buena Park HC Anthony White to land somewhere. I don’t have any inside scoop but it just feels like he’ll be back in the mix soon. Well I might have some scoop. We’ll see.
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Anybody else hear this? Jeanie Buss actually considered trading LeBron James after the Lakers’ trade talk leaks? Looks like Azusa isn’t the only disaster right now.
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What’s the over-under on the number of World Series that the Philadelphia Phillies and Bryce Harper win over the next 13 years? One?
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Not sure that Antonio Brown suddenly puts the Raiders over the top. Now if they had Amari Cooper and Antonio Brown then maybe you have something. Speaking of Brown…well the Browns, I love the Odell Beckham Jr. deal. Talk about over the top…
Nobody is convincing me that Le’Veon Bell benefitted by sitting out last year. $52 million from the New York Jets? Couldn’t he have had another $14 million last year and $20 million more in a new contract from the Steelers if he played?
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Bill Walton – great at UCLA… great (when healthy) in the NBA…terrible behind the mic.
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Way too early prediction: Dale Ziola will lead the Covina Colts back to the CIF Final.
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One more over-under. Who hires a head coach first? Azusa Football or UCLA Basketball?
That’s my principle.
Tim can be reached at tim@midvalleysports.com or on Twitter @tspeterson40.
This is true. But sad to say Coach Cam wasn’t close to ready. Tim what’s your take on the new coach or announcements?
Hobbie had named his choice and heir apparent in his original interview regarding his retirement. SMHS ultimately interviewed that young coach but then treated him quite disrespectfully. He had to hear about the offer to Pearson from Pearson himself when he called to ask him to stay on as assistant coach. He might even have considered that had the SMHS brass been honest with him. Now, I’;m sure he will take his knowledge and skill to another area school. Watch out SMHS!!
That’s not too surprising, HH Wilson has been trying to play catch up for many years now. Anyone interested in football should transfer down the street to LA..the new coaching staff will embrace them with open arms
@Coach: Everyone knows head coaches do not read or comment on the MVS blog.
HC and Coach=will u name those schools? I certainly don’t blame you ,HC, if u stay quiet, but Coach , if u r not the head coach u can name those schools without getting in trouble. I now will not debate that it can and has been done, but never done that I know of.
HC well u have seen it done and so has another who says several times; Me, a long time educator, have not seen it ever done. I have never worked in a district that truly wants , according to their actions, their high schools sports teams to be very, very successful though. So u both may be correct, BUT I have named 2 (I think; I will reread my post) ; San Marino and La Mirada High Schools=LM had a very good football program; very successful for a long time=when Coach Mele retired after 2004 (I think) season. They quickly hired Fullerton’s head coach Julian Smilowitz who had been teaching many years, many more than the ‘5 year transfer experience ” that Norwalk, la Mirada unified offers. He did not accept after trying ; Coach Rush took over. about 20 years ago a very very successful baseball coach in the san Gabriel valley , with about 12 years teaching experience, got hired at Loara after several interviews. He turned down job, (and he missed baseball badly) when realized district could not change board contract
Spoke with insider at Warren. Are you sure he is who you want? He actually missed a meeting with Downey Superintendent to interview/meet San Marino people. A meeting that had been set up to see how he could make up not getting paid for all his years. And he no shows. Wow! Meg the kids st Warren. His brother works there. Principal wants a recruiter. Perfect fit.
Keep looking San Marino.
Peterson can you write another article about this? we’re getting pushed to the second page and by the looks of it the people want to see how the Azuza and San Marino sagas unfold.
From T. Peterson: Nah, one is my limit. Time to move on from that. The next story I write on it will be when San Marino hires a new head coach.
Does Morales keep his job? This is where San Marino is headed. No Football, less headache, not enough players, can’t compensate coaches, CIF rules favoring big and private schools.
HH Wilson considering giving up varsity football for 2019.
@ sports man
Sorry you are misinformed. not the case at all – districts and schools that car about winning grant all years. I am currently a Head Coach and I was granted all my years 14+ when the district gives just 8
I am a HS coach and I have seen plenty of times that a district gives the full years of service beyond what the initial offer may be. So you are incorrect 10 years or whatever they may post can be changed and an exception can be made.
“Sportswoman”=This is my conclusion, based upon many years of observation. I may be wrong, but I suggest only 1% possibility of being incorrect. No very qualified new head coach will be granted transfer years beyond what the ‘Board contract dictates for certificated teachers’! Districts never did and never will. 07 and 08? Same then as always with no variations dependent upon declining enrollment, or funding. Hypothetical situation = (hypothetical because it never happens in public schools; yes it does in private schools)=If a new teacher with superior coaching experience, such as taking over terrible programs one or two times and winning CIF championship in third year at both schools, is selected and hired, and contract is broken giving him all 20 years experience , when contract dictates 10 only, then being placed on 21st STEP of salary schedule…the teaching staff , led by union reps, will ‘GO OFF BIG TIME”! The start of a huge WAR! YY? A newly hired superior classroom teacher of biology (or whatever subject) only allowed 10 years transfer, but the coach gets 20? Does not happen. The only remedy would be ‘going back to when these classroom teachers were hired; pay them back for all the years they were unduly treated and cheated; then place them on correct step of ‘NEWLY ADJUSTED SALARY SCHEDULE BECAUSE THEY WANTED A GREAT COACH’.
So they post two jobs on edjojn Monday one with pE and one with chemistry extend the deadline 2 weeks and then post on cifss then hire someone the next day must either be Pearson or the flop that bombed the interview Tim was talking about . Or just lying to everyone to get off their back 🙂🙂🙂
#FAKENEWS
I can honestly say that parents are all up and arms and are doing everything in their power to help to hire Coach Pearson, here is what has been sent to parents.
Dear Mr. …..,
On behalf of the Board of Education, I want to thank you for taking
the time to reach out to the Board and Dr. Gates to share your support
of San Marino as well as your concerns about our football program. We
agree that the San Marino High School football program, like all other
athletics programs, is very important to our students and community.
Please be reassured that the District will continue its recruitment
efforts and seek out a coach that exemplifies all the traits and
characteristics that have made San Marino football so
exceptional under Coach Hobbie’s leadership. Coach Hobbie has left us
with big shoes to fill!
While I cannot comment on specific personnel matters, I can say that
the ability of a public school district to hire teachers is dictated
by a collective bargaining agreement with the teachers’ association.
In addition to setting salary terms, the collective bargaining
agreement states how many years of service can be transferred based on
prior teaching experience. San Marino Unified School District has such
an agreement with the San Marino Teachers Association, which limits
the number of years allowable to ten. This term and condition is a
mandatory subject of bargaining and cannot be unilaterally changed by
the District, regardless of how much the District would like to hire a
particular individual. It is difficult for the District to compete
with school districts that receive substantially more state funding
and that can afford to offer unlimited credited service in order to
attract experienced coaches, but that is the situation in San Marino.
The District was successful in recruiting Coach Hobbie with the
collective bargaining agreement terms currently in place, and the
District will continue to work hard to find a replacement of equal
caliber.
Again, thank you for taking the time to share your concerns. I am
copying Interim Superintendent Loren Kleinrock on this email, but I
wanted to let you know that District personnel (and Board members) are
on vacation/Spring Break until Monday, March 25, so if you have
additional questions or concerns, please understand that there will be
a delay in a response.
Regards,
……
San Marino hired a coach pending board approval. Hang on to your hats.
Rumors here at SM is that Irie and him are still in contact. Any truth to that because San Marino is willing now to think bigger and better to get him.
Coach Pearson looked at The San Marino Job To be closer to his family. His Wife is a Teacher at So. Pas and His Son is a Sophmore linebacker at So. pas. It was simply not enough year’s vested and the money at San Marino was low.
Whats the Word Peterson, its Wednesday! And don’t give us the status quo quote. 😉
From T. Peterson: There is no “word”. San Marino is still looking for a coach and the other candidate is staying at his other gig. Nothing has changed. In other words status quo.
Whats crazy is the AD at San Marino David Irie has been going through his rolodex of all the coaches that SM didnt grant interviews to the first time and all coaches that inquired but never applied.
Hey Einstein you had you guy and made and a sub par offer like Tim Peterson said, go back to Pearson and man up, hook’em!
Pearson meant kids at Warren yesterday and welcomed in the Pearson era with a whimper. If you are going to wait a month to make an appearance after accepting the job, make a better first impression than that!
San Marino looks to have moved on or given up on finding a way to properly compensate Pearson. Word on the streets is that they used their first day of Spring Break to reach out to some coaches that are still out there in hopes of finding someone before spring ball starts.
The reason the district calls the coaches money a stipend is because it is an allowance to defray expenses. Teachers unions dont oject to 4600$ stipends because all HC’s end up losing on that deal. The 600 hours or so at practice, prep, and transportation, every weekend taken in the summer, you are most likely losing money. You can not find the constant union and parent infighting in regards money on a web site. They are jealous of everything football. The food stand money, the t-shirts, the new field, the lights, the helmets and uniforms. There mantra is, “Where is our cut” We need our taste too”. So the admins either find a way to give some perks to the coach and the teachers and band parents to shut them up or go cheap and be happy with a 0-10 program. You better believe Hobbie was satisfied.
WANTED!!!! a teacher who hasnt taught, who also coaches and wants to get paid less than surrounding schools. HAHAHAHA San marino Cracks me up
Time to get yours Titans welcome to the bottom
Great Job SoCAL
another Reason to show how SMHS doesn’t care about athletics and football. Coach Hobbie bailed them out now time to see what they can do alone.
Pearson why are you changing the coaches name to HIM ????? we all know its the one coach from cathedral HS who was hired at warren but has told people he rather be at San marino. jaja
From T. Peterson: You sure?
SOCAL is RIGHT!
Only shows which schools and districts care about the Kids and Athletics
Azuza and San Marino may not care about either for having no coaches in March with spring ball next month!
I learn from be in public education that everything is negotiable, if a high school wants you to coach at there school they will take all your years. The school can offer different ways to compensate and entice you to coach there or stay there. The school can offer you a 6th period assignment which will pay you an extra 1/6 of your total pay, so if you make $100,000 now you make $116,666.67. Most young coaches and young teachers don’t know this but it happens all the time. A good coach that has been at the school for over 20 years will make north of $130,000. Take for example Colony High School, $117,000 base plus 6th period assignment ($19,500), head coaching stipend $5,000 and a spring stipend $5,000. The total to coach football is $146,000, more than some principals make for good reason. Like Babe Ruth said, “I had a better year than the president.” Remember all you good coaches out coaching football, everything is NEGOTIABLE; because every district has the money and if they nickle and dime you they are not interested in winning. Covina Valley gives there head football coaches 1/6 extra pay.
Azusa residents: Contact the school board members and voice your concerns. Time for real changes at the district office!
@sportsman that was almost 15 years ago. So its safe to say we live in a different educational climate and especially a different financial climate when it comes to education. The housing bubble popped in 2007/2008 and teachers and schools were struggling at the time. Years of service is granted for the right coach by the right admin and right school Sup and Board.
Word has it HE Is waiting for a call to see how serious this is.
SAN MARINO get off cifss.com and edujoin.com and !!!CALL HIM!!!
Pac 5 Scout; with respect I suggest the head football coach’s SALARY at SM is only $$4,600.00! That is it! The teachers have zero to do with a coach’s salary. u can look to EDJOIN or the district’s salary schedule for coaches and find truth. Although I do agree that many teachers do not care about athletics at their schools, yet they have zero say in $$$ involved. Private high schools follow a different method of $$$ for coach. And I have observed that the teachers’ union when bargaining for teachers’ raise in salary; the coaching stipend is part of the bargaining also
SM Alumni; I suggest NO; all other districts do NOT transfer all years of experience to new teachers. My interpretation is Anaheim union hs district only allows 7 years on salary schedule. if applicant has 20 years teaching in public schools he will only be placed on their salary schedule at year 7. AND=I recall that when La Mirada Football Coach Mele resigned, around 2005 or so, Fullerton’s coach got hired. He was a LM Alumnus, I believe, with good history at Fullerton HS. He had to turn down job because district would only give him 5 years. Coach Rush was then hired