Arnaiz Keeps Helix in Balance Entering Final

LA MESA —  In 1981, Coach Jim Arnaiz’s Helix High team set a San Diego County passing mark and won by throwing the ball all over the lot. This season, he has relied on a balanced offensive attack and a stingy defense to reach the championship game for the fifth time in eight seasons.

However, one thing has remained the same.

“I strongly believe in organization and planning,” Arnaiz said. “Weekly preparation and goal-setting is very important.

With Arnaiz’s schedule, he had better be organized. In addition to being head football coach, he is athletic director, head of drivers’ education for the Grossmont District, director of the career planning center at Helix and teacher of three career planning classes a day.

His tasks are made easier by a staff which has been with him for a remarkable length of time. Assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Rick Ash has been with Arnaiz all 12 years. Rey Hernandez, Ray Bakash and Jeff Boutelle have each been with him nine years and Don Van Hook has been with him for eight years.

“He lets his assistant coaches teach and coach,” Van Hook said. “And he lets us get close to the players. Being an assistant coach under him has made my life better.

“He commands respect from his players, but he doesn’t demand it. He makes playing fun and always finds the positive side of something, whether it is with a loss or a win.”

Last Monday, three days after his team snapped Sweetwater’s 36-game winning streak in a 15-6 3-A semifinal victory, Arnaiz told his players to “savor the victory.”

There would be time to worry about playing undefeated Vista game in tonight’s championship game at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

Under quarterback Jim Plum, who holds the record for most career yardage passing in CIF San Diego County history with 6913, Helix won by throwing the ball from 1979-81. The 1981 Helix team threw for 3,352 yards, which is the county record for most yards passing in a season.

Arnaiz was exposed to the passing game while playing tight end for Coach Don Warhurst at Cal Poly Pomona. He was an assistant coach at Bishop Montgomery High in Los Angeles before becoming an assistant at Helix in 1970 under Al Hammerschmidt, his college quarterback.

That’s the same Al Hammerschmidt whose sons Dan and Jeff have played for Arnaiz. Dan went on to play college ball at Colorado State and Jeff is the starting quarterback and safety on this year’s team.

“Since I took over as head coach at Helix,” Arnaiz said, “the offense has been basically a base package. We like to throw the ball, but we make changes as the personnel changes.

“After 1981, we really came to realize you have to have good balance and the ability to control the ball. We were one dimensional in 1981. We didn’t run the ball very well that year. In the championship game against Vista, we helped them because we couldn’t run the ball.

“You have to be creative and have a good imagination. Part of being creative is borrowing ideas. You beg, borrow and steal. I borrow as many ideas as I can from other coaches.”

Arnaiz also believes in preparing his players to think for themselves when they are out on the field. And to come up with ideas, rather than just digest material given to them.

“He makes you feel that you’re knowledgeable enough to tell him what you think,” said former Helix quarterback Mike Favero. “He had enough confidence in me to let me call the plays sometimes. I felt confident making a call out there. Even if you’re not right, he will listen.”

Arnaiz will listen, discuss matters and repeatedly go over plays in practice.

“He will do anything for his players,” said wide receiver Jeff Exum. “He’s pretty calm and really patient. He doesn’t get down on us and doesn’t dwell on mistakes.”

Arnaiz is always in control, but he is sometimes so reserved along the sidelines that it is difficult to read him.

“It isn’t that I’m not a happy person,” Arnaiz said. “I’m an intense person. I try and maintain concentration during the game.”

When Helix snapped Sweetwater’s winning streak last Friday night and moved into the championship game, Arnaiz’s was a happy person.

“I think he was really proud of us,” Exum said. “After the game, there was a smile on his face and gleam in his eye.”

It was not exactly an outpouring of emotion, but it was a moment worth savoring.