Notebook: Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley looking for new boys basketball coach
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Five local boys basketball programs are looking for new coaches this spring.
Thousand Oaks, Cleveland, Moorpark, San Fernando and Simi Valley all have coaching vacancies to fill this spring.
Rich Endres, who wrapped up his 25th year at the helm, was dismissed by the school principal this past week.
“I’m shocked,” he told the Ventura County Star. “It completely knocked me off my feet.”
This year’s Thousand Oaks team was one of Endres’ best in recent memory. The Lancers finished 19-7 and reached the CIF Southern Section Division 2A quarterfinals.
“I was fired. I want the story to be truthful and honest,” Endres added. “I haven’t left to spend more time with my family or anything like that. I wasn’t ready to leave yet. I was fired.”
The Simi Valley job opens after Alex Kamberian held the position for just one season. Kamberian took over for Ryan Bradshaw, but stepped down last week in pursuit of another job.
The Pioneers were 22-5 in Kamberian’s lone season.
Moorpark’s job was the first to open after Ryan Moore stepped down after three seasons in early February. John Fischer was the coach at Cleveland for six years. Jonathan Acosta was the coach at San Fernando.
FORMER STANDOUTS IN NCAA TOURNAMENT
Local basketball players that once graced the high school hardwood in the San Fernando Valley and surround areas are dancing in the NCAA Tournament.
The most notable are the players on UCLA’s roster: Cody Riley of Sierra Canyon, Jaime Jaquez Jr. of Camarillo, Johnny Juzang of Harvard-Westlake and Jules Bernard of Windward.
Sierra Canyon is well represented. Arizona’s 7-foot center Christian Koloko and Kansas points guard Remy Martin were once Trailblazers. Scotty Pippen Jr. is also still competing in the NCAA’s postseason for Vanderbilt, but in the NIT.
FOOTBALL MOVES
Canyon High hired a new football coach after Joseph Maiale announced his resignation. The school hired Ken Holsenbeck on March 15. Holsenbeck is a special education teacher and one of the school’s athletic directors.
Royal High football coach Christian Dearborn stepped down. Dearborn sent a letter to the press announcing the decision on March 15.
“This decision was not taken lightly and after much thought, prayer and conversation with my family I have decided to resign,” Dearborn wrote.
Dearborn was hired in December of 2019.