Browse archives: 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995

Published on 02/02/1998 All articles from this issue

Gunn fires girls basketball coach; football coach takes control of the team

printer friendly version

By Pete Borello / Town Crier Staff Writer

Mid-season coaching changes are common in pro sports and occasionally happen at the college level as well.

High schools, however, rarely shuffle coaches during the season.

Gunn High decided to make one of these rare changes two weeks ago.

Nina Spears, in her first year as girls varsity basketball coach, was relieved of her duties Jan. 29.

"Her coaching philosophy didn't match here," said Gunn athletic director Steve Ames. "How she ran the team was different than how the school thought it should be run."

Spears, who coached Gunn's junior varsity squad last season, didn't learn of her dismissal until about an hour before the Titans' game at Fremont.

Jeff Remington, the school's varsity football coach, has replaced Spears. Josh Waldorph remains as the girls' assistant coach.

Remington has never coached high school basketball before and said he will lean on Waldorph for help. Remington said his new charges were stunned by the coaching change at first, but they've now come to grips with it.

"My job is to get their confidence back and get them ready for the section playoffs," Remington said.

To make the playoffs, Gunn would need to finish with a .500 record in league or overall. The Titans have gone 2-2 since Remington took over, improving to 5-5 in the SCVAL El Camino Division and 10-10 overall.

Under Spear's watch, the Titans were 3-4 in the division and 8-8 overall. Spears came into the season with high expectations, predicting her team could go undefeated in the division.