Third Time Is a Charm

Loftus Hired to Coach PaliHi Football

Patience is a virtue and nobody knows that better than Kelly Loftus. After being “passed over” for the job twice, Loftus was named the new varsity head coach of the Palisades High football team last Friday afternoon. “I’m very excited about this opportunity,” Loftus said. “I understand there were some very good candidates and it’s a pleasure to have been chosen.” A seven-member committee, consisting of PaliHi teachers, administrators, students and a community member, voted 5-2 to hire Loftus, formerly a teacher at Pali who now works in the dean’s office. Loftus started coaching at Pali in 1998, when he served as an assistant to junior varsity coach John Kucher. The next year he was promoted to offensive line coach for the varsity under Ron Price. He then took a year off from Pali to coach the lines at Pierce College. When Price resigned after the 2000 season, Loftus became the line coach for PaliHi’s new coach Carter Austin. He first applied for the head varsity position in 2002, but it went to Jason Blatt. “They made the right choice hiring Jason,” Loftus admitted. “I wasn’t ready then. But I was his offensive line and linebackers coach for two years and it was a great experience. I learned so much. In fact, when Jason left he told me I should apply again so I did.” Once again, Loftus did not get the job, which instead went to PaliHi’s athletic director Leo Castro. Loftus, meanwhile, coached the varsity baseball team for three seasons with Tom Seyler after longtime coach Russ Howard stepped down. The football coach position opened up again in March after administrators informed Castro that his yearly contract was not going to be renewed. Castro’s subsequent appeal for reinstatement was denied by the PaliHi Charter School board and he chose not to re-apply for the job. Aaronn Castro, Leo’s son, was earlier relieved as assistant coach and offensive coordinator by Charlotte Atlas, PaliHi’s assistant principal in charge of athletics. His decision to forfeit with 5:35 left in Pali’s regular season finale last November prompted an investigation by City officials. Palisades was 9-22 in three seasons under Leo Castro. Loftus is looking forward to meeting with his new and returning players. “I can’t wait to get started,” he said. “Being a rookie head coach, this first year is all about earning respect. I’ve adopted John Wooden’s philosophy that winning and losing is merely a byproduct of what you do all week.” Loftus was one of eight people interviewed for the job. The others were Ramon Hurst, a coach for the L.A. Predators semi-pro team; Travis Clark, the defensive coordinator at Inglewood High; Bill Coan, who coached at Chatsworth High from 1998-2005; Paul Blair, an assistant coach at Hollywood High; Douglas Bledsoe, an assistant coach at Granada Hills High; Napoleon Banks, a wide receivers coach at Venice; and Stewart Roper, a football and track coach from Arizona.