Corona del Mar’s Jack Errion Retires From Basketball Duties

Jack Errion, who compiled a 571-328 record in 36 years as a varsity basketball coach, including the last 10 at Corona del Mar High School, has resigned.

Paul Orris, a Cal State Long Beach graduate who has been the Sea Kings’ freshman coach for 16 years, has been promoted to fill Errion’s varsity spot.

Errion, 60, underwent open-heart surgery last spring but returned to coach the Sea Kings to a 23-5 record and the Sea View League championship. He didn’t cite health problems, though, as a reason for retiring.

“I wasn’t sure how I’d react to (the operation),” he said. “I did well and I feel good, but I just think it was time to quit. It seemed to be the right thing to do. It was a hard decision, but it had to come sometime.”

Errion began his coaching career in Illinois but moved to California to become the coach at St. Anthony High in 1954. After 22 years as the Saints’ coach, he moved to Corona del Mar in 1976 and led the Sea Kings to a 199-60 record and two Southern Section 3-A championships (1977 and 1981) in 10 seasons.

Errion, a business and physical education teacher at Corona del Mar, said he hasn’t decided whether he will continue teaching at the school.