Fred Hokanson

Bryce Alderton

There must be a reason why Orange Coast College Athletic Director

and Dean of Physical Education and Athletics Fred Hokanson has spent

so much of his time at 2701 Fairview Rd. in Costa Mesa.

The 60-year old Costa Mesa resident who attended OCC in the early

1960s has been working at the college since 1969, beginning as a

full-time physical education instructor and an assistant track and

field coach and has held the assistant athletic director position and

has been the head men’s and women’s track and field coach from 1978

through the 2000 season, when he relinquished that role to take over

the athletic director position formerly held by Jane Hilgendorf.

Through it all, Hokanson has three reasons for what keeps him at

OCC.

“I like all the people here, students included, I believe in what

I’m doing -- that physical education and athletics is vital to us and

the people I work with make (OCC) a fun place to work,” said

Hokanson.

What Hokanson does as athletic director includes overseeing all

the coaches and teams, scheduling games and handling athletes

eligibility concerns while managing the budgets, which has been a

challenge for him in the past year with the state’s budget crisis.

“My biggest decisions involve the big budget cutback,” Hokanson

said. “We’re in a budget crunch right now not just with the athletic

budget but with physical education budgets and the number of classes

we have to offer. Two years ago we were having excess money and now

they’re in a deficit. It’s gone from feast to famine so we have to

cut back on our spending.”

As reported in this paper this week, the school has over-budgeted

for classes forcing the college to trim about $500,000 in classroom

instruction meaning 20% fewer sections offered beginning with the

spring quarter.

Athletics has had to cut its budget by about 5% for this year

according to Hokanson. Athletics budget covers costs such as

equipment that includes uniforms, balls and bats along with costs for

offices and officials.

But through it all, he and school administrators have been working

hand-in-hand to get through these lean times together.

“The only difference between my job (as assistant athletic

director) and my job now is that I have this job when there’s not so

much money,” Hokanson said. “We’re all in this together and we as a

group will work together on balancing the budget. I’m trying to be as

fair as I can be with everyone so there’s no secrets and no hidden

agendas. We have real talented individuals here in coaches and

instructors.”

Hokanson is especially proud of OCC’s winning the Orange Empire

Conference’s Athletic Supremacy Award 23 out of the last 26 years.

Since Hokanson began working at OCC in 1969, the Pirates have

captured 60 state championships in both men’s and women’s sports. The

school offers 24 men’s and women’s athletic teams and more than 500

athletes now compete for OCC teams annually.

The school has grown a lot in Hokanson’s time as a student,

instructor and now athletic director, in terms of space and in

certain classes offered.

“The school is a lot larger now,” Hokanson said. “We’re trying to

keep up with how the population is going.”

Certain physical education classes have students calculate their

metabolism and body fat, Hokanson said.

The school also now offers classes in yoga, tai chi, golf, karate

and surfing, which Hokanson said filled up on the first day this

year.

“We try to teach people life skills here at OCC,” Hokanson said.

Two assistants make Hokanson’s job at the school much easier.

“Barbara Bond (women’s soccer coach) and Janice Maran (women’s

tennis) are both my right arms,” he said. “There are so many neat

people here and that’s the strength of (OCC).”

He earned his bachelor’s degrees in physical education and biology

from UC Santa Barbara in 1964 and a master’s in administration from

Chapman University.

After graduating from UCSB he spent a year in Europe and coached

football and track and field at Westminster High for three years

before he joined OCC as an instructor in 1969.

He lives with wife Judy in Costa Mesa and has a daughter Kelly,

25, and son Jeff, 29. All three attended UCSB.

Judy began her 34th year as an elementary school teacher in the

Newport-Mesa district this year and Kelly follows in her footsteps as

she just began her first year teaching a kindergarten class.

“Dad’s thrilled for her,” Hokanson said with a smile.

OCC has grown on Hokanson in 34 years, and he sees himself staying

with the orange and navy for awhile.

“I’m enjoying what I’m doing and plan to be here for awhile,”

Hokanson said. “I feel 40.”