Ramona Coach Galli Quitting at End of Season

One career victory shy of 100, Ramona Coach Mel Galli might have only one shot left--Friday night against Rancho Bernardo--to reach the milestone.

Galli, the Bulldogs’ football coach for the past three years, is retiring from coaching at the end of this season. Galli, 43, has accepted a position as Ramona’s dean of students and also will relinquish his duties as athletic director.

Ramona, which made the playoffs for the first time in school history last year, is 4-5, 2-4, heading into Friday’s game against Rancho Bernardo at Ramona. A victory might put the Bulldogs in the playoffs.

“Actually I decided a couple of years that I was only going to do the job at Ramona for a maximum of three years,” said Galli, who retired once before after stays at Carlsbad High (eight years) and schools in Utah and Washington. “I really didn’t know if I was going to stay at Ramona or move somewhere else.”

Galli said when he got the job as dean, it became official. He was retiring from coaching.

He did, however, add: “This time I’m not quite as naive to think I’ll never coach again. In the back of my mind, I just can’t quite picture (not coaching). Everyone that really knows me, knows it will be hard to picture me not (coaching).”

In another coaching change, Fred Sills has resigned as girls’ volleyball coach at Southwest High. Sills, however, will remain as boys’ volleyball coach and athletic director.