oaks christian new coach

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SoCalHoops High School News

Gary Abraham Selected As New Boys'
Coach At Oaks Christian--(Mar. 17, 2000)

The Los Angeles Times this morning reported that Gary Abraham, the boys' coach at Channel Islands High from 1991-98, has been hired as the first boys' coach at Oaks Christian. Channel Islands qualified for the Southern Section playoffs in five of Abraham's seven seasons, finishing third in the Pacific View League in 1997 and '98. "I'm really excited about getting started over there," Abraham told the Times of Oaks Christian, which will open in the fall. "Not too many people get an opportunity to build a program at a school from scratch."

Oaks Christian is a new high school currently under construction in the Thousand Oaks-Westlake area, and if nothing else, the school is controversial if for no other reason than that the builders have made it no secret that they intend to have a first rate athletic program and will promote the school both academically and athletically. The campus will contain a multi-million dollar gymnasium, swim stadium, football stadium and other athletic amenities in addition to state of the art classrooms and academic facilities. Of course this commitment to maintain a high-level athletic program has many of the area's public schools convinced that they will see a talent drain at their schools.

Other candidates were considered for the job, and many believed that Dean Bradshaw, the former coach of Simi Valley High School, who resigned his position with the Pioneers at the beginning of this year, had the inside track, but in recent weeks, word leaked out to several sources that Bradshaw had removed his name from consideration.