Coaches Partaking in a Life Without Bounces

For four months of the year, high school basketball coaches spend a majority of time in gymnasiums either coaching or scouting players.

During the season, from November through March, the coaches rarely see their families unless they attend a game.

Once the season ends, however, the pace changes dramatically.

Springtime, particularly Easter break, allows coaches a chance to take up a recreational sport or time to take the family on a vacation.

Here is how some of the area basketball coaches will be spending their off-seasons:

Jim Reames, Foothill: “You can burn out easily coaching basketball, so I find that the Final Four rejuvenates me. It’s so spectacular, the talent level is so great, that it gets me fired up to start the season over. Oh, and we might go skiing over Easter because we sure don’t have the time during the season.”

Gary McKnight, Mater Dei: “I’ll be going to the Final Four, but mostly I’ve been trying to lose weight. I gained 20 pounds during the season from nervous eating. So I started a walking program and have been going about a mile per day.”

Tom Danley, Katella: “I’ll take a week off at Easter and take the family to Palm Springs for a retreat. Last summer, we took a boat cruise through Scandanavia-Russia. This summer we’d like to do that through the United Kingdom if we can get away. As athletic director, my schedule really doesn’t slow up in the off-season.”

John Mayberry, Kennedy: “I’m the incoming president of the California Coaches Assn. and I’m preparing for our April convention in Buena Park. Also, I’m looking for a new coaching staff--all of our walk-ons moved on to other things.”

Paul Bottiaux, Sonora: “I’ve got two sons active in Little League baseball, so I’ve been watching them play and helping them out where I can. Plus, I’ve been painting houses and other side jobs. That’s about it.”

Jim Perry, La Quinta: “Being athletic director, things are busier now than during basketball because there are only three sports to worry about in the winter but seven in the spring. After the season ended, though, I took my wife and son for a weekend to San Diego.

“Plus I’ll be going to the NCAA finals. The atmosphere there is incredible. I’ve been to some World Series games and the Super Bowl, but there’s nothing quite like that Saturday afternoon when all four teams are playing. It’s easy to criticize a college coach then for doing something ‘stupid,’ but you’ve just paid $42 for a ticket and he’s down there for free.”

Tom Gregory, Savanna: “I’m coaching track and playing golf. Luckily, the Dad Miller Golf Course is right next to the school, so that makes it real convenient for going golfing. I put on about 15-20 pounds during the season from nervous eating, but I usually manage to work it off by summer. We might get away in August for a vacation.”

Jerry DeBusk, Newport Harbor: “I’m coaching girls softball, but I don’t know if I’ve quite got the hang of it yet. Just the other day I wanted a girl to steal, so I pointed toward second base and yelled ‘Run!’ Don’t laugh--she was safe.

“As far as working out goes, I’ve been on a swimming program since the basketball season--it’s very relaxing. Plus we’re going to go skiing at Lake Tahoe with (Costa Mesa Coach) Tim Parcel and his wife soon.”

Joe Reid, Estancia: “My basketball is my golf game. I don’t golf or bowl or play handball or anything like that. I’ve got seven kids that I chase around the house for my exercise. Lots of folding clothes and changing diapers. I would like to go to the Final Four because that’s my home state--I grew up around Louisville--but not this year. We’ll probably go up to Crestline (near Big Bear-Lake Arrowhead) and stay in a cabin this summer, but that’s about it.”

Steve Thornton, Dana Hills: “I’ve been playing tennis and basketball at Laguna Beach. One of the advantages to coaching and living in Dana Point is that it’s great for outdoor sports.

“Over Easter, I’ll probably go back to Washington to see my wife--she’s a presidential appointee in the Department of Education and she even worked on the Inaugural Committee during winter.

“If things work out right she’ll be moving out here soon so we won’t have a cross-country marriage.”

Bob Minier, Mission Viejo: “My golf game always picks up from about June to September, then drops off again after that. In the off-season, I think it’s good for me to get away from the players. During Easter, we’ll probably drive up the coast to Santa Barbara. I always enjoy that.”

Conrad Byars, Anaheim: “When I’m not coaching the boy’s tennis team, I’m a basketball junkie watching all of the college games on TV. We’ve got ESPN, so I can even watch the rerun games late at night.

“We’ll probably go to Palm Springs for a vacation and then go see my parents in San Luis Obispo.”

Ed Graham, Orange: “Not much going on here. I’ve been mostly putting around the house.”

Add basketball: Pat Barrett quit as a Mater Dei assistant basketball coach recently in order to be free to coach Tom Lewis in an upcoming basketball tournament in Pittsburgh.

Mater Dei head coach Gary McKnight said that he will not hire a replacement for Barrett, considering that the Monarchs already have two other varsity assistants, David Taylor and Richard Schaaf.

Prep Notes

It was a big week for Capistrano Valley’s Brian Blutreich, who broke his county record in the discus with a throw of 205-11 against Irvine. The state discus record, well within Blutreich’s impressive reach, is 209-6, set by Dave Porath of Atwater in 1978. Blutreich’s discus mark is also fourth best in the nation for a high school discus thrower. . . . Blutreich also recorded a 62-3 mark in the shotput, the best mark in the state this so far this year for the 12-pound shot. . . . Santa Ana baseball Coach Bill Ross’ assistant this season is Herschel Musick, formerly a rival of Ross’ when Musick coached at Santa Ana Valley. . . . Said Loara baseball Coach Ray Moore of his team’s recent 16-1 loss to Gahr: “It set baseball back 10 years. It was so bad, I got sick with the flu after that one.” The Saxons have since gotten back into Moore’s good graces by splitting their first two Empire League games, including an 11-run win over El Dorado. . . . Ocean View softball pitcher Jackie Oakley threw her fourth perfect game in 11 starts during a 4-0 win over Lompoc in the Canyon Tournament. . . . One from the I’ll Bet You Didn’t Know That file: Mater Dei basketball coach Gary McKnight’s Little League baseball coach while growing up in Inglewood was Larry Sunderman, former Estancia boy’s basketball coach and current Orange Coast College women’s coach.