Bob Francy, Millennium Hall of Fame

As one of the few principals honored in this unique Hall of Fame,

Bob Francy was called upon several times in nerve-racking moments and

always found the bottom of the net or split the goal posts.

Twice, coming out of retirement, the legendary former Estancia High

principal rescued the Newport-Mesa School District -- as fill-in

principal and interim district superintendent when Mac Bernd resigned.

Francy, a huge fan and supporter of teams at all four district high

schools, has been one of the area’s most dependable pinch-hitters since

retiring in July 1997.

“I haven’t exactly eased into retirement real gracefully,” said

Francy, who responded when the district needed an interim superintendent

in December 1997, an eight-month stint, then stepped up again when

Estancia needed a principal earlier this year for six months.

A 39-year veteran of the school district, the affable Francy has

served at all four high schools, including Estancia, where he was

principal for 14 years beginning in 1970.

“We’ve had some wonderful tussles in the school district, and between

the schools, over the years,” Francy said. “When I was principal, Bob

Packer was the principal at Costa Mesa, and at the same time Dennis Evans

was at Corona del Mar and Tom Jacobson was at Newport Harbor, and,

really, the four of us had a lot of fun competing, chiding each other all

the time. All four of us were big supporters of the value of high school

athletics and sportsmanship, and what that does to teaching life’s

lessons.”

Francy, a Glendale Hoover High graduate who played baseball and

basketball (though “not real well” in either), served in the U.S Army

from 1953 to ’55 and was stationed in Germany for two years, often

playing basketball, traveling throughout Europe and serving as medical

assistance for the military’s swinging bridge builders.

A Costa Mesa resident, Francy accepted his first teaching job at Costa

Mesa High in 1960, opened Corona del Mar in ’62 as part-time math teacher

and part-time counselor, then moved to Estancia in the fall of 1966, the

school’s second year of existence, to become head counselor, and, later,

assistant principal.

Following his first stay at Estancia in the late 60s, Francy went to

the district office to occupy the chair of director of student services,

a position he held for about four years, before returning to Estancia as

principal.

In the mid-1980s, Francy returned to the district office to work as

assistant superintendent, until his retirement.

“Sports can always teach you (life’s lessons), from leadership to

dedication, from discipline to camaraderie, and it teaches you compassion

for others,” Francy said. “It teaches young people who will learn the

thrill of victory and a dignified way deal with defeat, which is all part

of life.

“Having said that, I think the origination of high school athletics is

really the last opportunity, for most kids, to be a part of an organized

sport. Not too many kids go beyond high school sports.”

Francy, who taught match, world history and various shop classes at

Costa Mesa, also taught at Newport Harbor for several summers and worked

in the same math department as basketball coach Emil Neeme, who

frequently shared his thoughts about the upcoming squad.

“I really followed all four high schools over the years, not just

Estancia,” Francy said. “I remember back to the John Vallely days at

Corona del Mar when I was there, and watching John mature as a young man.

Bob Leslie was the (CdM) basketball coach at that time (1963 through

‘66), and Bob was also a counselor and we spent a lot of time together.”

Francy, who still enjoys following the major league baseball career of

former Estancia infielder Rich Amaral (Baltimore Orioles), recalled one

heated baseball clash when Cost Mesa played Estancia and tempers started

to flare on the field, and acting as peacemaker was Mesa catcher Brent

Mayne.

“That really showed sportsmanship on Brent’s part, and I’ll never

forget that,” said Francy, who congratulated Mayne after the game. These

days, Mayne keeps the National League in order and hits .300 for San

Francisco.

Francy, a big fan of Larry Hall (Estancia) and Dave Mollica (Costa

Mesa), football stars of the 70s, said one of his highlights was watching

Coach Tom Pestolesi’s Estancia boys volleyball team tackle Newport Harbor

in the CIF Southern Section finals in 1980, a dramatic Sailor win.

Coach Tim O’Brien’s 1991 boys state Division III championship

basketball team is also close to Francy’s heart, as well as Coach Lillian

Brabander’s tremendous run of CIF badminton titles (four).

Coach Larry Sunderman’s boys basketball teams were consistent

powerhouses. “(Sunderman) took us to the arena a few times,” said Francy,

no doubt referring to the 1984 squad, which played Riverside North in the

CIF 3-A finals at the LA Sports Arena. In those years, Estancia owned

some of the best basketball talent anywhere.

Francy, a member of the Daily Pilot Sports Hall of Fame, celebrating

the millennium, has been married to Phyllis for almost 44 years. They

have two grown daughters who played sports at Estancia, Erin (cross

country and track from the Class of ‘78) and Cara (tennis and basketball

from the Class of ‘81).

Cara was an All-CIF basketball player whose team once reached the CIF

semifinals. Erin has two daughters to surround Bob with nothing but girls

in the family.