CdM to begin interviews for football coach soon

Corona del Mar High will begin interviewing candidates for its head football coach opening in January, Athletic Director Paul Orris said.

Orris said he’s received resumes from about a dozen candidates spanning Orange County. At least three more were from out-of-state candidates.

Our goal is to get a candidate who will be an on-campus teacher as well as the head football coach,” Orris said. “We have been told by the [Newport-Mesa Unified School] District it would work with us to accomplish that. Unless someone’s retiring, it’s very difficult to know what openings you will have at this stage in the school year. But still, we have a priority, for any coach, but especially the head football coach to be on campus because it affects so many aspects of school life.

“It’s harder for a walk-on coach to know all that’s going on, on campus, to see the whole big picture and know the effects of everything that’s happening to the students.”

Former football coach Dick Freeman said Dec. 8 he was fired after the school’s administration succumbed to pressure from parents to make a change in the program. Freeman amassed a record of 67-69-2 and took the Sea Kings to the playoffs eight times during his 12 years as head coach.

“I’m encouraged by the quality of the people that have applied, and I think we’ll have several good choices to select from,” Orris said.

— Soraya Nadia McDonald