Seaside coaches must reapply for jobs next fall

SEASIDE >> Coaches at Seaside High have been informed they will have to reapply for their jobs for the 2021-2022 school year.

The decision was made by the school, not the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District.

“We’re looking for a culture change and renewed expectations throughout our entire athletic department,” Seaside athletic director Alex Jennings said.

Gonzales High made a similar decision back in September, laying off all its coaches and asking them to reapply when sports resumed.

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, high school sports in Monterey County and California have been shut down since March 12.

Most schools in the county, however, have held conditioning workouts since October with coaches of all sports volunteering their services.

“I have no idea why it’s happening,” said Seaside girls basketball coach Mike Turnon, who has been on staff for more than a decade, taking the team to a Central Coast Section DIV title in 2019. “It did surprise me. I found out originally from another coach.”

All coaches at Seaside are paid stipends after their seasons end. It’s been more of a formality in the past when coaches have come back.

“A couple of coaches asked why,” said Jennings, a 2009 Seaside graduate. “I have a lot of respect for the coaches that have been here. A lot of them have been here since I was in school. But we have different expectations now.”

Jennings wouldn’t elaborate on what those expectations are, other than the school wants to feel secure and confident with the coaches on their athletic staff.

“I anticipate some protocols being installed,” said Jennings, a former soccer standout and kicker at Seaside. “We want them to understand our expectations for all of our athletes.”

Seaside boys basketball coach Wayne Garnett was set to begin his 27th season as part of the staff before the pandemic halted play, the last five as the head varsity coach.

“Whatever they want to do is fine with me, Garnett said. “I’ll just reapply.

“I have no idea why they are doing it. The AD just gave me a heads up. It doesn’t bother me. I go with the flow.”

The Spartans have several coaches who have been part of their respective programs for years, including head football coach Al Avila, who has been there for 37 years and is a teacher on campus.

“We need to hold coaches accountable,” Avila said. “We’ve been talking about this for years about all the things we need to do to be better. It’s been like spitting in the wind. I’ve felt we haven’t done enough to make our head coaches better. I feel we have cheated kids. It’s about changing culture. There is a big umbrella for that.”

Hiring football coaches will be intriguing since several of the staff previously have been volunteer assistants.

“Most of them are volunteer assistants,” Jennings said. “I will let the head coaches pick their staffs and then I will work with them to get them cleared.”

All coaches that are hired in the MPUSD district are required to be fingerprinted.