After 27 total years of coaching, John Bosco calls it quits. According to Mr. Manny Rodriguez, the assistant principal and athletics director, Bosco “decided to step down,” Bosco, however, did not see it that way, saying he felt like he had no choice. Despite the fact that he devoted his time to coaching girls’ and boys’ tennis, girls’ basketball and boys’ golf, recent events made a coaching change necessary.
“I don’t think I’ll coach here in this district,” Bosco said. “I’m looking at this as a blessing in disguise. I’m going to take the positives and focus on that.”
Although administration hasn’t provided a statement explaining their reasoning behind the act, girls’ varsity tennis member Christina Han, provides some insight.
“I’m not positive on if this is what actually happened, but from what I got, Bosco had a stern conversation with the boys’ golf team and some of the players’ parents complained. There is probably more to it, though,” Han said.
It was on May 30th that the team discovered the news by attending a surprise lunch meeting about season next year. The fact that Bosco won’t be coaching girls’ tennis anymore took a toll on some of the players, even those who are leaving.
“I know I’m a senior and my year is done, but I’m sad. I wanted to go to the summer sessions and see everyone,” varsity player Ayda Sadeighian said. “Everyone’s gonna hate it next year; the team won’t be as good.”
Not only have the players struggled to come to terms with the news, however, the question of who will be coaching the team still looms over their heads.
“We will definitely have a varsity and junior varsity team, but I don’t know who the coach will be. I am not involved in the decision. I told administration that John Millhone (the current girls’ JV coach) is interested and that’s all I know,” Bosco said.
Next year’s captains, Reema Patel and Lina Tran, looked forward to having their last year of high school being on the team with Bosco. However, the decision is out of the team’s hands, and though the news saddened them, they plan to move forward.
“Everybody on the team loved Bosco; we all thought of him not only as a coach but someone we can talk to, a friend. He’s an amazing person and coach and I really wish he wasn’t leaving us, but things happen. We just have to deal with it!” Tran said.
By ILAF ESUF
