oc coaching changes

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SoCalHoops High School News

Two OC Coaching Changes: Old News
Travels Slowly--(May 17, 2000)

This is our day to catch up on a lot of stuff we missed reporting last week. And there were two big coaching changes, one in boys and the other in the girls ranks in the CIF Southern Section. This is not anything "new" for those who follow OC basketball closely or who read the local papers, but on the off-chance that you've been living in a cave, here's what happened last week:

Girls:

Jeff Sink will return to coaching at Brea-Olinda where he will once again hold the title of "head coach" but his assistant, Roger Anderson, will hold the title of "associate coach" during a transition period. How long will the transition period last? According to a story in last week's LA Times Orange County Edition by Martin Henderson, "an undetermined" amount of time. But Sink's plan is to still pursue his other interests including his photography business, and the opportunity to give Anderson more responsibility will free up Sink from some of the day-to-day chores which would have precluded his outside interests previously. Sink told the Times that it's his intent to return only for the "short-term" and to give Anderson more "game-day decision-making responsibility to facilitate the transfer of leadership."

Boys:

The second big coaching change which took place last week occurred at Pacifica, which either fired Bob Becker (if you read the LA Times OC Edition--at least the web version) or from which Becker resigned (if you read the OC Register). The Times story, written by staff writer Bill Shaikin, noted that "Bob Becker, who coached the Pacifica High boys' basketball team to three undefeated seasons in the Garden Grove League, has been fired," paraphrasing Pacifica Principal John Johnson. The Times also noted that "Johnson would not say why he fired Becker, citing personnel regulations. However, he denied that parental pressure played any role in the decision." Becker did not return a call from the Times seeking comment, according to the story.

While the Times couldn't reach Becker, the OC Register was apparently more successful . . Becker, told the Register's Steve Fryer that he "resigned." The OC Register story noted, "Becker, who coached Pacifica for seven seasons, said he resigned because he felt a need for a change. He said he optimally would take the upcoming season off and then pursue other coaching opportunities the following season. But he did not completely rule out a quick return to coaching for the 2000-01 season."

Becker was a walk-on coach with an outside business (construction) and he told Fryer that his business was a "factor" in the decision to resign. "Pacifica is a great place for a coach," Becker told the Register. "The kids and the parental support have been fantastic. But this is just a good time for a change."

Becker is apparently the only coach ever to win the Register's "Coach of the Year" award in both boys' and girls' basketball. Becker was the Register's girls basketball coach of the year in 1992, when he coached Rancho Alamitos to the CIF-SS Division III-A championship. He was the Register's boys coach of the year in '94 at Pacifica when the Mariners were Division III-A champs and advanced to the CIF State Division III championship game. In seven seasons under Becker, the Mariner boys' team went 137-65 overall and 70-16 in the Garden Grove League. The Mariners did not lose a league game in 1993-94, 1997-98 and 1998-99. In Becker's first season, 1993-94, Pacifica won its first Southern Section title in boys' basketball and advanced to the Division III state championship game.

The Mariners went 13-15 last season, including 8-4 in league, and lost in the Southern Section Division II-A quarterfinals.