Steve Picchi first coached in the Burlingame Recreation League when he was in high school, guiding the Washington Elementary School boys' basketball team.
Now he’s 57 years old, with a long and successful resume full of coaching stops, and ready to tackle the 2015-2016 season with the Ohlone Community College women’s team. Picchi, as reported in Prep2Prep, was appointed as the new coach last summer.
“Things are going well and we have some nice kids on the team and they’re working hard and we’re excited about the season,” Picchi said.
Picchi’s late appointment to replace former coach Liz Rizzo means the Renegades do not have a bulging roster. Ohlone went 8-19 last season (4-8 in the Coast Conference) and Rizzo did not retain the job afterward. Picchi said he doesn't know why. Ohlone athletic director Chris Warden, as was the case last summer, has been unavailable for comment and did not respond to a recent email asking why Rizzo is no longer coaching. .
Though there may be a few empty chairs next to Picchi on the bench, the Renegades do return Arroyo High grad Nicole Machado-Potestio, Alyse Kline (Livermore High) and Lakayla McCowan (Branham). There are some newcomers as well and Picchi is also hoping a few more women decide to join the team once the fall sports disband.
“We’re going to recruit some news kids (next) year, but we don’t want to write off this year,” Picchi said. “The kids are doing a great job and I’ll be excited to get out there in the community in the future.”
Picchi last coached at Sequoia High where he teaches, guiding the Cherokee girls to the CCS playoffs three times and capturing a Peninsula Athletic League championship in 2012.
His greatest success was at his alma mater, Burlingame High, where he coached the 1988 Panther girls’ team to the CIF-State Division III championship and an overall record of 36-2. The team, led by Barb Beainy, Jennifer Horgan and Jacklyn O’Connor, defeated Lemoore 61-39 in the state title game. In doing so it became the only CCS girls’ public school basketball team to win a state title before or since.
“It wasn’t the most exciting game we played all year, but it was a great accomplishment,” Picchi said.
The new Renegade mentor has also coached at Notre Dame de Namur University as the head women’s coach and assisted with the women's teams at Santa Clara University and Chabot College, among other stops in his 25-year career.
He favors a match-up zone defense and a disciplined offense. His methods have worked, nabbing him three Coach of the Year awards, an Honor Award from the CCS in 2013 and induction into both the San Mateo County Athletic Hall of Fame and the Burlingame High Athletic Hall of Fame.
But why come back now with a re-building program just when those AARP card offers are piling up and he could just as easily be taking a nap each afternoon?
“I still have a passion for the game,” Picchi said. “The last two years I’ve been running into coaches at games and I realized I’m still excited about the game. I told people that if a community college job became available and it was close to me I might be interested.”
Picchi emphasizes the word “community” – mentioning his daughter Amber Picchi is a highly rated sophomore volleyball setter at Chabot which she attends because it's close. Those are the type of homespun players he'll be pursuing, he said.
As a teen-ager Picchi learned the game from old Burlingame Recreation directors like Mike Ciardella (now the Hillsdale girls’ coach) and Ray Wagner. Later he was influenced by the late Lyle Newcomer of the Skyline College men’s program and the late Burlingame High boys’ coach Frank Firpo, who was known for his genial manner and bright red sports coat.
“They were old school and at 57 I’m definitely old school,” Picchi said. “I just like the competition and helping kids get better and putting them into a position where they can be successful.”
Ohlone has recently added the De Anza tournament Dec. 28-30 to its schedule. It opens against visiting De Anza in a non-conference game Nov. 17.
COASTSIDE LOSS: The Coastside community suffered a setback Oct. 28 whwn Rob DuFrane died.
DuFrane, 54, was the father of former Half Moon Bay High basketball star Case DuFrane who now plays at Canada College and Claire DuFrane, a Half Moon Bay freshman volleyball player.
He suffered several strokes while being treated with cancer medicine after having already had surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, according to his wife Jodi DuFrane.
The HMB volleyball team rallied around Claire, wearing gray ribbons to their match at Hillsdale Oct. 27 with hearts and Claire’s No. 12 scrawled on them. A day after the popular man’s passing, visiting Aragon brought a sympathy card to Claire when they played the Cougars.
"He was very charming and had a big smile and a big personality," Half Moon Bay basketball coach Rich Forslund said. "He was a good guy and very supportive of the basketball program. He was a good guy -- he'll be sorely missed."
Very charming big smile big personality good guy supportive of hoops program.
DuFrane was known for his sense of humor and his love of the outdoors, including camping and abalone diving. He played football at Woodside High, College of San Mateo and Chico State.
BEHIND THE MIC: That calm, even voice over the public address system announcing the Menlo-Atherton at Burlingame football game Friday night was none other than John Horgan, the former sports editor of the San Mateo Times. He now writes a general-interest column for the San Mateo Daily Journal. He is the father of the previously mentioned (in this column) Jennifer Horgan.
Back in the 1990s Horgan ran a smooth, comprehensive sports section out of the old Amphlett Blvd. San Mateo Times office. You may remember the orange Times sign that was visible from highway 101. That's long gone but not the memories of the writers like Dick Draper, Chris Stave, Rick Eymer and in later years Glenn Reeves who worked there. Lots of big games covered, great stories written, including Horgan's coverage of the 1975 NBA champion Golden State Warriors who practiced at the San Bruno Rec.
Horgan has just the right touch as a high school football P.A. announcer -- just what's necessary announced and nothing more. No homer-ism, no exaggerated pronunciation of names, no B.S. Nicely done.
Briefly: Brett Mitchell is the new Drake High basketball coach, reports the Marin Independent-Journal … Palma basketball star Wyatt Maker has committed to Cal State East Bay, reports the Salinas Californian ... City College of San Francisco named its football stadium in honor of St. Ignatius grad (Class of 1965) George Rush on Saturday. He went 326-93-4 and won 22 conference titles, seven state titles and seven mythical national titles.
John Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@prep2prep.com. Follow him on Twitter @PrepCat
