Thom Simmons
Dir
ector of Comm
unica
tions
Director
Communica
unications
thoms@cifss
.or
g
[email protected]
.org
Anita F
opma
Fopma
ector
Director
Assistant to the Dir
anitaf@cifss
.or
g
[email protected]
.org
CALIFORNIA INTERSCHOL
ASTIC FEDERA
TION - SOUTHERN SECTION
INTERSCHOLASTIC
FEDERATION
10932 Pine St. Los Alamitos
Alamitos,, CA 90720 (562) 493-9500
(562) 493-6266 - Fax
www
.cifss
.or
g
www.cifss
.cifss.or
.org
MEDIA
RELEASE
MEDIA RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE #3
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TELEFAXED/EMAILED P.M. OCTOBER 22, 2014
CONTACT: THOM SIMMONS
CIF SOUTHERN SECTION CELEBRATES 2014 HALL OF FAME AND
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDEES
The CIF Southern Section is pleased to announce the induction of the following members to the 2014
class of the CIF-SS Hall of Fame:
Tom Caffrey – Whittier Chr. High School
Lonny Lee Carr – Bonita High School
Regan Green – Mammoth High School
Jack Hedges – Westminster High School
Karen Hellyer – University High School
Terry Henigan – Irvine High School
Bob Lester – El Modena High School
Cary Nerelli – Morro Bay High School
Don Norford – Poly (L.B.) High School
Nori Parvin – Newbury Park High School
Wendell Yoshida – Peninsula High School
Also being honored will be those receiving Distinguished Service Awards. Those recipients include:
Jerry Chabola – Culver City High School
Ray Clifton – Liberty Christian High School
Ben Gonzalez – Norco High School
Pat Schmidt – CIF Southern Section
Terry Speir - Poly (L.B.) High School
These awards will be presented in a luncheon immediately following the CIF Southern Section Council
Meeting tomorrow at The Grand in Long Beach (4101 E. Willow St.). The council meeting begins at 9:00
a.m. and the awards luncheon is scheduled to get underway at approximately 11:30 a.m.
Members of the media are invited to attend however, we will have no seating or meals available as this is
a sold-out event.
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HALL OF FAME-DISTINGUISHED SERVICE (Cont.): “We are honored to recognize our Hall of Fame and
Distinguished Service Award winners from the Class of 2014,” said CIF-SS Commissioner of Athletics
Rob Wigod. “We truly appreciate the many years of dedicated service they have given to high school
education and high school athletics. Our organization has been richly enhanced by the contributions
of these outstanding individuals and we look forward to celebrating their achievements with their
families and friends at tomorrow’s Hall of Fame/ Distinguished Service Luncheon.”
HALL OF FAME
Tom Caffrey - Tom Caffrey coached football at Whittier Christian for most of his career. He also coached
and taught at Black Fox Academy, Cutler Academy, Los Angeles Baptist, Heritage Christian and Fairmont
Prep. He coached the Heralds to three CIF-SS titles in 1979, 1983 and 1984. In addition he coached the
school’s baseball team to a section title in 1987.
Lonny Lee Carr – Carr spent his entire teaching career in the Bonita Unified School District. He coached
the Bonita Bearcats cross country team for 23 years. He won CIF-SS and CIF State titles in 2012 when
the girls’ team won the section and state Division 3 crown. He won 14 leagues titles including five
consecutive in both boys and girls to end his career.
Regan Greene - Regan Greene taught and coached at Mammoth High School for over 25 years.
Considering he coached baseball in a ski community it is a miracle he was able to keep the program
going. From 1975 to 1997 he would drive his players 90 miles round-trip to Bishop three days a week
in order to have practices. The majority of the time they practiced in the school gym. Despite those
difficulties he compiled a 415-225 (.638) career record and reach the CIF-SS playoffs in 17 of those 25
years. His teams reached the quarterfinals eight times; the semifinals twice and the finals in 1989
where they lost to rival Rosamond, 6-4.
Jack Hedges - Jack Hedges coached cross country and track for 23 years, the majority of that time at
Westminster High School. Hedges led his cross country teams to CIF-S titles in 1963, 1965 and 1966
with a runner-up finish in 1964. His runners claimed seven consecutive league crowns (1963-1969). His
teams also posted four runner-up finishes. He was one of only five coaches to claim 3 or more CIF-SS
titles from 1926-1976. He was named Freeway League Coach of the Year four times.
Karen Hellyer - Karen Hellyer began her teaching and coaching career at University High School in
Irvine in 1973. She was hired to be the athletic director for the main purpose of beginning girl’s
athletic programs at that school. During her eight years at University she coached the softball, girls’
basketball and field hockey teams. She claimed the 1981 CIF-SS Field Hockey Championship with a 4-2
victory over Charter Oak. Her teams also made two other trips to the section finals. During her time at
University she served on multiple CIF-SS and CIF State committee’s and was a leading figure in helping
establish girl’s athletics at the CIF. She was hired to be an assistant commissioner for the CIF-SS in
1981 and served in that role until her retirement in 2007.
Terry Henigan - Terry Henigan served as a varsity coach in football for 41 years. He spent eight years as
an assistant at Western High School before becoming head coach at Cypress from 1976-1979. In 1981
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he accepted the head coaching position at Irvine High School where he remained for the next 29
years. He also served as athletic director at Irvine from 2000-09. In his 33 years as head coach he
claimed 219 wins which places him in the Top-10 in Orange County history. He’s won four CIF-SS titles
including three in a row (1991-93). He has seven league titles and 20 playoff appearances to his credit.
Bob Lester - Bob Lester spent two decades as head football coach at El Modena High School compiling
an overall record of 157-58-8 (.704). Lester coached his teams to three CIF-SS title in 1978, 1983 and
1984. He also made the finals in 1980 and 1981. He is a member of the El Modena High School Hall of
Fame and the Orange County Sports Hall of Fame. He also claimed a state football championship in
Colorado when he was the head coach at Le Veta High School from 1956-1960.
Cary Nerelli - Cary Nerelli was the Morro Bay High School girls’ basketball coach from 1987 to 2013;
boys’ basketball coach from 1978 to 2011. He also served as the boys’ cross country coach from 1981
to 2011. He started the girls’ country team in 1982 and served as their coach until 2003. At various
times and for varying lengths he also served as the coach of the the track and field squad. In cross
country he claimed 4 CIF-SS girls and 3 boys’ championships. He took home a combined 33 Los Padres
League titles. On the basketball side he won three CIF-SS titles, five Los Padres League championships
and complied a 456-219 (.676) overall record.
Don Norford - Don Norford spent 38 years (1976-2014) as the head boys and girls track coach at Poly
High School in Long Beach. During that time he amassed a total of 42 CIF-SS (15 girls; 9 boys) and CIF
State (13 girls; 5 boys) titles. “Papa Don” as he was known to his athletes also served as an assistant
coach on 10 Poly CIF-SS football championships. During his time working with the football team he
has helped coach 45 future NFL players. In 1996 the NFL honored him as their High School Coach of
the Year.
Nori Parvin - Nori Parvin served as the girls’ basketball coach at Newbury Park High School for 35
years. During that time she amassed 535 wins, one CIF-SS title, and 11 Marmonte League crowns and
over all that success never received a single technical foul. Her 535 wins represent the most by any
female coach in any sport in the history of the state. She also coached track & field, cross country,
softball and volleyball during her time at Newbury Park.
Wendell Yoshida - Wendell Yoshida has coached varsity basketball at both Palos Verdes and Peninsula
High Schools. During his 22 years coaching the girls teams at Palos Verdes and Peninsula he has
claimed one national title (1992); two state titles (1991 and 1992); six CIF-SS championships (1988 and
1991 at PV and 1992, 1996, 1998 and 1999 at Peninsula) and three finals appearances. He claimed
multiple league titles and he and his school has been named Champions for Character twice.
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
Jerry Chabola – 44 years in education
- Began coaching Football, Baseball and Basketball at Mt. Carmel, Imperial High Schools
School and La Salle High school, prior to coming to Culver City High School
- 33 Years – Taught Social Studies at Culver City High School, where he also coached Baseball,
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Jerry Chabola (Cont.):
Girls Soccer and Girls Lacrosse
- 1999 – Culver City High School Teacher of the Year
- 19 Years – Served as Athletic Director at Culver City High School
- 2 Years – Served as President of the South Bay Athletic Association
- Served as a CIF Southern Section Council Representative
- Member – CIF Southern Section Nominating Committee
- Original Member – CIF Southern Section Lacrosse Advisory Committee
- 2013 – The football stadium at Culver City High School was named Jerry Chabola Stadium
Ray Clifton – 38 years in education
- Began his career in Arizona coaching Basketball; 2-time AIA Coach of the Year, and Baseball; 3-time
AIA Coach of the Year
- Athletic Director and Football and Baseball Coach at Liberty Christian High School
- 5 times – Selected as Academy League Baseball Coach of the Year 5 times
- Served as Secretary/Treasurer of the Academy League and the Express League
- 30 Years – Secretary of the 8-Man Football Coaches Association
- 2009 – First recipient of the Randall Johnson Award, which is given annually by the 8-Man Football
Coaches Association to the person who has helped 8-Man Football most
- 20 Years – Member, CIF Southern Section Baseball Coaches Advisory Committee, as the representative
and voice of our smaller schools in Baseball
Ben Gonzalez – 35 years in education
- In 1973, began as a teacher at Norco High School, where he was Head Cross-Country and
Head Track and Field Coach
- Won one CIF Southern Section Cross-Country Championship and was Runner-Up once as well
- Won over 30 League Championships, had 20 All-CIF Southern Section athletes and 5 All-State
athletes
- 1989 – CIF Southern Section Track and Field Coach of the Year
- 18 Years – Served as an Assistant Football Coach
- 7 Years – Served as Athletic Director
- Active member of the Citrus Belt Area Athletic Directors Association
- Over 20 Years - Served as a Meet Manager for the CIF Southern Section Track and Field Championships
Pat Schmidt – 24 Years in education
- Began her adult life as a wife and mother, in her words, “Raising four of the most wonderful
and talented children on earth.”
- Changed careers and started working in the Pomona Unified School District as a clerk/typist
- Worked through the ranks for several years ultimately becoming the Principal’s Secretary/
Office Manager for Diamond Ranch High School when it first opened
- 2001 – Came to work for the CIF Southern Section as the Administrative Assistant to then
Commissioner of Athletics, Dr. Jim Staunton
- 11 Years – Served in that position for Jim and for my first year and a half as Commissioner
- Known as Madame Executive Secretary
- Defined professionalism, leadership, class and dedication to serving our member schools
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Pat Schmidt (Cont.):
- Formed a special bond with our Executive Committee members and our Golf Advisory
Committee members who she worked very closely with
Terry Speir – 37 years in education
- Began as a Boys/Girls Volleyball official
- 1978 – Head Boys Water Polo Coach at Culver City High School; coached Softball North
Torrance High School and Girls Basketball at Torrance High School
- 1980 – Began teaching career as Elementary Physical Education Specialist
- 1989 – Teacher and Career Guidance Counselor, Long Beach Poly High School
- 1995 – Activities Director – Long Beach Poly High School – Served 18 years
- The first Activities Director Representative – CIF Southern Section Executive Committee
– 8 years as an Executive Committee member, always wanted to make sure that the CIF
Southern Section and the Executive Committee kept the focus on doing what is best for
students
- Original Member – CIF Southern Section Ethics and Sports Committee; implemented
pre-game sportsmanship ceremony for Long Beach Poly events and CIF Southern Section
Championships
- Major contributor in planning, organizing and running the CIF Southern Section Champion
for Character Awards Dinner
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