It was time to celebrate at Sacred Heart Cathedral of San Francisco last weekend when girls volleyball head coach Margi Beima won her 500th game. Photo: @SHCathletics / Twitter.com.
Beima reached No. 500 last Saturday in the second of three wins on the day that the Irish achieved at their own Serve It Up tournament, a one-day series of matches that also stresses community service to all of the teams and players. Her team this season is again one of the best in Northern California that also has been top 10 in the state. Another 30-win season seems likely on the heels of last year when Sacred Heart Cathedral went 31-7.
Since Beima’s been head coach of the Irish (first season 2003) the girls have won more than 30 games 10 times (this year would be the 11th). The fewest number of wins in those years was 23 in 2006. And those totals have come even though Sacred Heart Cathedral is in the strongest league in Northern California (West Catholic Athletic) and has to play perennial powerhouse Archbishop Mitty at least twice every season. Plus, the team’s own arch-rivals from St. Ignatius also are often very strong and among the best in Northern California.
Here’s a best guess list of coaches in California girls volleyball history with 500 wins or more (Margi would be No. 15):
Brooke Roberts, Bakersfield Centennial, 1979-2013
She’d be the winningest reported coach in state history and we think would be first including unreported totals at 884-253.
Bret Almazan-Cezar, Stockton Lincoln 1993-1999 & San Jose Archbishop Mitty, 2000-2019
On track to be at the top of this list by perhaps next season, Bret passed Marian Battles last season for second-place. He’s won 11 CIF state titles, including the first two in the Open Division for 2016 and 2017. After that 2017 season, Almazan-Cezar’s record stood at 823-121. The Monarchs went 24-14 last season and so far this year are 12-7.
Marian Battles, Clovis Buchanan, 1994-2015 & Oakhurst Yosemite, 1987-1993
When she retired from high school coaching at Buchanan (she still coaches club) in 2015, CIF Central Section historian Bob Barnett had her with 838 wins. That’s not only second in the section but third in the state.
DaeLea Aldrich, Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, 1983-2007
A SoCal coaching legend, Aldrich had a career record of 668-76 for the Mustangs. Her last team in 2007 went 37-0 and was No. 1 in the state and nation. Her last four teams: 37-0, 37-1, 35-2, 29-3.
Jim Simonson, Moraga Campolindo & Walnut Creek Berean Christian, -2013
When he retired in 2013 after nine seasons at Berean Christian and many years before that at Campolindo, Simonson was reported with 604 career wins. He also received recognition from the American Volleyball Coaches Association for his 500th and 600th milestone wins.
Lisa Reis, Poway, 1981-2006
Believed to be the winningest coach on the list for the San Diego Section, Reis had a 26-year career record of 571-155.
Cari Klein, Los Angeles Marymount, 1998-2019 (current)
A MaxPreps page lists her with 498 wins for the Sailors from 2003 through 2018. We don’t know her total including her first five seasons, but it’s well over 500 and her team from this season is once again one of the best in the nation.
Bill Rood, Linden, 1981-2006
Inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2012, Rood’s teams won 20 league titles during his career at Linden and two CIF state titles. Career win total unreported, but we assume over 500 and possibly more than 600.
Jeff Porter, Los Angeles Brentwood, 1979-2015
Based on his number of seasons as a coach for the Eagles and on how well they did in section and state playoffs, we would count him with more than 500 wins and it’s probably a much, much higher total. We just don’t know what it is.
Dan Glenn, Newport Beach Newport Harbor (25 years as a coach)
He was the head coach of Misty May back in the 1990s at Newport and has been one of those called a legend many times (and deservedly so). Coaching records are hard to come by for him and no totals have ever been reported from him in the many times we’ve looked for it. We’re pretty certain he’d be over 500 wins (just for girls volleyball). Coach Glenn also has coached boys volleyball for many years.
Rhonda DeRuiter, Visalia Central Valley Christian, 1999-2004 & Fresno Clovis West, 2004-2019 (current)
She won her 500th game, according to the AVCA Victory Club, during the 2017 season and this season once again has one of the top teams in the CIF Central Section. That AVCA Victory Club doesn’t include some coaches that we know have 500 wins or more, but we’re assuming that those who are on those lists did actually win those numbers of matches.
Tommy Chaffins, Redondo Beach Redondo Union, 2001-2019 (current)
The Sea Hawks’ leader earned his 500th win last season and also has 260 as the school’s boys coach (last season for that was 2007).
Dave Muscarella, Rocklin, 1999-2019 (current)
After the 2018 season, Muscarella was reported with a 498-212 record in one article. In another, it was said he already had “over 500” wins before the start of the season. Either way, he’d be over 500 as of now.
Patrick Daniels, Mountain View St. Francis (years not reported)
We’re including Daniels on this list because he is shown with having won his 500th match during the 1999 season. He just retired as a teacher at St. Francis. Years and win-loss record not known but the Lancers were a powerhouse in the 1980s and 1990s.
Note: We don’t think that Antioch Hall of Famer Lou Pazella (boys and girls coach at Deer Valley High and Antioch High) has 500 wins on the girls side. He has 1,035 wins for both genders reported, but it looks like a majority are for boys. We also don’t believe that Huntington Beach’s Craig Pazanti has 500 girls wins.
To send us any missing totals or to help fill in the blanks, email markjtennis@gmail.com.
