PaliHi Football Coach Resigns

Palisades High head varsity football coach Jason Blatt resigned December 16, citing personal reasons. Blatt posted a 9-13 record and led the Dolphins to the City Invitational playoffs in each of his two seasons. Pali won only one game and finished last in the Western League in 2001, the year before Blatt arrived. “This was 100 percent my decision,” Blatt insisted. “In fact, the administration asked me to reconsider but I told them it was final.” Blatt, who got married last June, said he decided to quit coaching to devote more time to his family and his mortgage/financial service business in Beverly Hills. He was offered the head coaching job last season at Taft High in Woodland Hills, where he served for four years as defensive coordinator under former coach Troy Starr, but Blatt chose to remain at Palisades. “The proudest moment for me was beating Westchester that first year,” Blatt said. “It was a huge win for the program and especially for the seniors who had never beaten them before.” After opening the past season 2-0, Pali finished fifth in the Western League with a 4-6 overall record, then lost 21-13 to El Camino Real in the first round of the Invitational playoffs. In his first year, Blatt guided the Dolphins to a 5-5 regular season mark and the No. 2 seed in the Invitational playoffs, but Pali was upset by Jordan in the first round. “Palisades is a really unique school because you have kids from all over Los Angeles, not just the local community. I’m glad I coached there and I’m really going to miss all the players,” Blatt said. “But I think the program is moving in the right direction.” School officials are forming a committee to interview candidates for the vacant position but have yet to name Blatt’s replacement.