Coasters: Meyers is the man

Steve Virgen

Remember Mark Meyers?

He was the Orange Coast College men’s basketball player who provided

inspiration for his teammates while dealing with diabetes last year.

This year, a new chapter to Meyers’ story results in even more

inspiration.

Meyers, the 6-foot-7 center, averaged a measly three points per game

last season as a freshman. This season, Meyers has become the focal point

of the Pirates’ offense, while still battling through the rigors of

diabetes. He is averaging 13.3 points per game during Orange Empire

Conference play, yet the Pirates are 3-6 in conference.

Meyers uses an insulin pump, a surgically inserted device that has

taken the place of injections he took four times a day for most of his

life. Amid the inconveniences and sluggishness that come from the

diabetes, Meyers is the one bringing life to a team searching for its

identity under first-year coach Steve Spencer.

“What he goes through is unbelievable,” Spencer said. “For him to

overcome all that is a real testament to his hard work. He has a great

attitude. He goes through all the adversity and he just rolls through it.

He’s an upbeat, positive person. It’s hard though because (the diabetes)

doesn’t allow him to make the type of progress he would like to make. I’m

still really pleased with him because he’s such a good guy. He works hard

and wants to be good.”

Meyers always knew he could contribute to the Pirates, but this year

his actions are speaking louder than his words. Who could blame anyone

for not believing Meyers last year? He had come from Mater Dei High,

where he never played varsity and never gained significant playing time

as a junior varsity player. On the court with the Monarchs, Meyers was

more like the keep-away-from guy. But that never lessened his love for

the game. On the contrary, those trials motivated him.

During his senior year, Meyers took to the playground and recreation

ball to refine his game. He then went to OCC. And after a year of near

absence, he is making a name for himself among the Pirates and in the

OEC. Best of all, Meyers is having fun.

“I love our team,” said Meyers, who scored 13 points and grabbed nine

rebounds in the Pirates’ 71-69 win over Irvine Valley Wednesday. “This is

my biggest role ever and this is the best time I’ve had. I’m just

embracing it.”

Leave it to Meyers to define the art of Carpe Diem.

Spencer’s coaching assistant Brad Wright left Orange Coast last month

as he took the head coaching job at L.A. Pierce College. Spencer said he

wishes the best for Wright, a 7-footer who played in the NBA, and he

expects the Pirates to play L.A. Pierce, “somewhere down the road.” OCC

will fill the position after the season ends.

Orange Coast football is also going through some coaching changes.

Sean Ponder, the Pirates’ offensive coordinator who also coached the

running backs, has taken the job as head coach of an arena football team

in Kansas, OCC Coach Mike Taylor said.

Rick Zumwalt, the defensive line coach, has left to work for the

Huntington Beach Police Department.

Daryl Clemons, former coach of Narbonne High, will work with the

Pirates’ running backs, among them, All-Mission Conference returner Niles

Mittasch.

Scott Orloff, former Dana Hills High head coach, will be the defensive

line coach and could eventually work as Taylor’s defensive assistant.

The OCC football coaching staff will coach the Orange County Lawmen

football team made up of local police and fire department members from

cities including Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. The team started

practicing at OCC Saturday and Taylor said the Lawmen will travel to New

York to play against New York City’s finest April 27. The game will be

dedicated to the Sept. 11 tragedy.

OCC quarterbacks coach Phil Cooper, a probation officer, played on the

Lawmen as a quarterback.

Robbie Pate, the kicker for the Pirates in the fall, earned J.C.

Grid-Wire Academic All-American honors as a sophomore. Pate, who sang the

national anthem at OCC home games, also received a scholarship by the

National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame. The

organization’s Orange County chapter awarded Pate as the community

college recipient and he will attend a banquet in March along with the

other honorees.

Linebacker Brandon Thornton is expecting to play for Wingate

University in North Carolina, while receiver Josh Furlong is expecting a

preferred walk-on status at the University of Montana and safety L.D.

Matthews has signed with Southwest Missouri Baptist College, an NCAA

Division II program.

The OCC softball team has compiled a 4-2 record before hosting a

doubleheader against Rio Hondo Prep Saturday at 10 a.m. and noon. The

Pirtes went 4-1 in the College of the Desert Tournament, defeating San

Diego City, 6-4, East L.A., 7-0 and Mt. San Jacinto, 8-0 Feb. 1. Jim

Bollinger’s Pirates also defeated Victor Valley, 16-6, before losing to

San Diego City, 5-3. Freshmen Katie Hoffman and Jessica Lee smacked a

home run each.