Catching Up With: Janice Maran

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - When it comes to coaching tennis, love means so much

more than zero for Orange Coast College Coach Janice Maran. The love for

the game is why Maran continues to coach after 25 years of recruiting and

teaching, and producing strategies for the short span of two years that

community colleges provide.

Maran’s passion for tennis, as well as her intent to make OCC a fun

and worthwhile experience for her players and students, has been the

motivation for her continued work at OCC.

“I love the game, that’s No. 1,” said Maran, who has guided the

Pirates to six state championships in her reign. “I really enjoy putting

a team together and getting the kids to excel the best they can. You see

growth. We’re only working with them for two years. But even in two years

you see so much difference. It’s exciting.”

The excitement has just intensified for Maran, who has received bonus

pleasure because her two daughters, Katy (age 21) and Jennifer (20), are

attending Coast. Though things might seem pleasant, Maran has been faced

with new challenges recently. Her success with recruiting does not come

as easy as it used to. In these days of four-year universities meeting

Title IX requirements, more high school girls are earning scholarships,

opting to pass on community college competition, Maran said.

“Because of Title IX, there’s a lot of opportunity for the girls,”

Maran said. “It makes it tougher for us. But that’s part of the game.

Aside from that, unfortunately, I found out in the past 10 years, the

kids who play in high school, they go in community college and they work

full time. They’re not ready to play. They’re ready to be scholars. In

the past, they wanted to be athletes. But, we have a wonderful area. We

have a good community. We have always done well. It’s a product of the

community.”

Maran coached the Pirates to an Orange Empire Conference title last

year and they are poised to claim the title again. When she’s not

coaching, she’s teaching courses at OCC, including step aerobics, water

aerobics and a free-weight class that is accompanied by music.

“I love what I have (for teaching),” said Maran, who lives in Orange

with her husband of 23 years, Alfredo. “Step aerobics, water aerobics,

it’s great. It’s so much fun. I love the variety. I’m not a person who

can stand on a court all day. In my step classes I have students ranging

from 75 years old to 18. That’s variety. I have to stay a step ahead of

them and that keeps me in shape.”

Maran, whose hobbies include gardening and jet-skiing in the summer,

credits OCC’s winning tradition as her motivation to build a successful

program. That motivation helped Maran produce state championships in

1984, ‘85, 87, ‘88, ’89 and ’90. Her ability to balance competitiveness

and a fun atmosphere also proved to be an attractive trademark for the

Pirates.

“OCC’s reputation is very good, so I run a very good program,” Maran

said. “I don’t focus on winning and skills. My thought is that fun is a

high priority. I think it’s important to have a great experience in

sports, period.

“I spoke to former players who go on to four-year schools and they

don’t have fun when they move on,” she continued. “I want to continually

create a fun atmosphere, that’s also competitive and hard-working. I want

them to leave with the thought that it’s something positive. Recently, I

have been able to go to so many wedding showers and baby showers with my

former athletes. And I noticed that their four-year coaches are not

invited. They remember that OCC was the place where they learned about

tennis and they had fun. I wanted that for them. That’s a great goal for

me.”