Northwood Hopes to Open Without Using Walk-Ons

When Northwood High School opens in Irvine next fall, both Principal Tony Ferruzzo and Athletic Director Rick Curtis hope to have few worries about walk-on coaches. Ideally, they would like to have a faculty member coaching every varsity sport.

“It’s as much about continuity as anything else,” said Curtis, currently athletic director at Irvine High, where all but four varsity head coaches are on staff. “There’s a year-round program. The kids know what to expect. And it’s better for the parents.

“Walk-ons have other things going on and they’re not tied to the school.”

No teacher will be hired on coaching acumen alone, however.

“All the people hired will have to be multitalented,” Curtis said, “able to be advisor to the newspaper, yearbook or band or coach a couple of sports. But the first thing we have to do is hire the best teachers.”

Curtis is quick to point out that the best coaches are often the best teachers, something he’s sure to repeat during the hiring process.

“I get to put my two cents in,” he said. “It’s a question of how much my two cents is worth. But I’m not going to go overboard and say I have to have all these guys because they’re great coaches. Academics is the bottom line.”