Community college track: Knox named OCC’s track coach

COSTA MESA - Orange Coast College named John Knox its new track and

field coach, the first of three huge-impact hirings among the school’s

athletic teams.

Knox, who coached for the past 10 years at Century High, competed for

the Pirates as a decathlete in 1980 and 1981, and set the school

decathlon record. He also competed at Edison High, where, during his

first three years, OCC’s Gordie Fitzel was his coach. When Knox was a

senior, his coach was Mike Taylor, who now coaches Coast football and is

assistant on the track team.

Knox said his ties to the college and Coast’s new state-of-the-art,

all-weather track drew him to the position. He will be a full-time

physical education instructor and coach at OCC pending the likely

approval of the Coast Community College District Board of Trustees.

Knox inherits a men’s team that won the Orange Empire Conference and a

women’s team which finished second.

“My biggest goal is getting more participation,” he said. “I’d like to

be able to double the size of the team. This area is a hotbed for talent.

With the new facility, we shouldn’t have any trouble getting kids out

here.”

Fitzel, who actually retired last fall, came back this spring to guide

the track team when Fred Hokanson had to surrender his duties after

replacing retired athletics director Jane Hilgendorf. Hokanson had been

OCC’s track coach since 1978. Fitzel will come back again next spring to

help Knox as an assistant and Taylor will also remain on staff.

OCC is in the process of hiring a full-time men’s basketball coach and

an assistant football coach.