Cross country feature: OCC’s Valentine’s Day full of love

Steve Virgen

The birthday of Orange Coast College’s all-weather track had that

storybook feel to it. After years of running on plain old dirt and losing

athletes to other schools because of it, the Pirates welcomed their new

track with a festive mood on Valentine’s Day.

What an entrance for first-year coach John Knox. Who knows what this

former OCC track athlete has in store for an encore. Yet, to give credit

where credit is due, Knox acknowledged he walked into a great situation

when he spoke to the many on hand for the opening ceremonies which

preluded a tri-meet won by OCC over Saddleback and Irvine Valley.

The Pirates’ victory was the climax of this story, which included

smiles galore from everyone involved with the track and field program to

the college’s academic administration.

A good story always comes with drama: The OCC track was set to open

last year, but the inside lane did not meet regulation standards.

However, that didn’t stop the Pirates. They worked to get the opening

ready before this track season.

And a great opening it was. Coach Dave Salo’s men’s and women’s swim

teams broke out of their practice to join the fun, as did Coach Chuck

Cutenese and his men’s volleyball team. The Pirates’ national champion

cheer and dance teams also attended the ceremony.

Jim Carnett, the director of community relations, opened the ceremony,

eyes beaming with pride. Carnett has been working at OCC for 30 years and

he was one of many happy to see the new track put to use.

Carnett introduced OCC president Margaret Gratton, who cut the ribbon

at the finish line to symbolize the opening of the track.

Knox then made his debut.

“I feel like Lou Gehrig at Yankees Stadium saying I’m the luckiest man

alive,” Knox said, moments after his track and field athletes gave him a

jubilant ovation. “I walked into a great situation. The athletic director

(Fred Hokanson) was my former coach and someone I can turn to when I need

help. Walking out here, it’s nice everyday and I walk with a smile on my

face everyday.”

Knox presented a special award to Jim McIlwain, who coached the track

and field team from 1975-78. McIlwain, OCC’s vice president of

administrative services, is known as the person most responsible for the

all-weather track. He followed through on keeping the track idea alive

when so many obstacles came his way.

Knox also named McIlwain, Hokanson and Gratton honorary captains for

the season.

Fittingly, Gratton ended the ceremony by saying, “Let the games

begin.”

It must have been a special day for Hokanson, who coached the track

and field team from 1978-2000. Though he might wonder about the greater

athletes he would have landed with an all-weather track, he was

thoroughly pleased, nonetheless.

“I think the thing that’s so neat about it, is that this was a real

college effort to get the track,” said Hokanson, who welcomed the use of

track to the community. “We don’t have our gates locked. We just ask to

stay off the track with skates or bikes or anything with wheels. But we

want this community to use it. We’re just thrilled.”

For longtime assistant track coach Gordie Fitzel, Valentine’s Day 2002

was also a day to remember. Fitzel, who came out of retirement last year

to coach the team while Hokanson served as A.D., is back on the coaching

staff this year. Last year, he was named Orange Empire Conference Coach

of the Year.

“I’ve been here 23 years and it has finally happened,” Fitzel said.

“All the years, all the talking, it seemed like it was hopeless. I don’t

know how McIlwain did it. This is why I stuck around because I wanted to

coach one more year with the all-weather track. I didn’t want to retire

and have this here without me.”

In other OCC news: Hilario Arriaga, the goalkeeper who helped lead the

men’s soccer team to a state runner-up finish in 2000, is planning to

come back to Coast. He attended a few Estancia boys soccer games this

season and told his former coach, Steve Crenshaw, and friends that he had

gained valuable experience, while training in Mexico this past year.

Arriaga never played professionally, so he plans to try out for the

Pirates. He wants to earn back his starting spot and will do whatever it

takes to play soccer again, hopefully for the Pirates, Arriaga said.

Another Estancia product, current senior Micah Young says he will play

basketball at OCC next season. Young, who tore his ACL in the second game

of the season, was a 6-foot-3 forward who has raw, playground-type

scoring skills that would make him an intriguing player for Coach Steve

Spencer.

Lauren Cassity update: Cassity continues to amaze with her

multi-faceted athleticism. After her stellar soccer season, she is

currently competing with the OCC track and field team, as well as the

badminton team, while finding time to study as she is enrolled in 24

units. On top of that, she was the assistant coach of the Estancia girls

basketball team.

Next year, Lauren plans to compete on the soccer, basketball, track

and field and badminton teams.