Smith, Callaghan to remain as OCC soccer assistants

Tony Altobelli

COSTA MESA - Orange Coast College’s first-year volunteer assistant

coaches Kevin Smith and Pat Callaghan will remain part of the men’s

soccer program for this season and will be welcomed to return to the

Pirates’ staff next season.

“We’re looking forward to our spring program,” Coach Laird Hayes said.

“We’re looking forward to our summer program and we’re going to be

recruiting at every high school in the district. We want to get out the

best soccer players at OCC who aren’t playing for whatever reason and we

want to recruit the best high school seniors to play. That’s our focus.”

Athletic Director Jane Hilgendorf supports Hayes’ commitment. “It’s

been our policy that our full-time faculty be head coaches,” Hilgendorf

said. “We support them selecting personnel to serve on their coaching

staffs.”

This committment comes two weeks after the firing of long-time

assistant coach Mauricio Claure, who was let go after 21 years of service

as a player and coach for the Pirates.

This year the Pirates are 3-13-4, 2-6-3 in the Orange Empire

Conference following Tuesday’s 2-2 tie with Cypress.

The Pirates wrap up their season against visiting Golden West College

Friday at 3 p.m.