Jeff Hopkins

Bryce Alderton

Growing up in Corona del Mar and even while in college, Jeff

Hopkins knew and learned about Corona del Mar High. Now he’s in the

midst of coaching a boys freshman boys basketball team there.

The first-year CdM coach has led his team to an 8-5 mark in the

early season, most recently taking third place in the Fountain Valley

Tournament, the Sea Kings’ third tournament this season. CdM lost in

the consolation finals to Santa Margarita (Hopkins’ alma mater) in

the Estancia Tournament and took fifth place at the Laguna Hills

competition with a 3-1 record.

Hopkins took the job a mere week before the season began and said

it was a “no brainer.”

Knowing the history of CdM and the success here I think the

program is headed in the right direction with (boys varsity coach

Ryan Curry),” Hopkins said. “It’s a program I wanted to be a part

of.”

While attending UCLA after graduating from Santa Margarita in 1994

when Hopkins started for the Eagles’ CIF boys basketball championship

team, the Laguna Beach resident roomed with fellow CdM alum Chris

Quinn, who starred on the hardwood and the football field for the Sea

Kings.

Hopkins credits Quinn with getting him into coaching. At the time

the two roomed together, Quinn coached the freshman team at Santa

Monica High and asked Hopkins to be the team’s assistant varsity

coach. Hopkins accepted and coached during his junior and senior

years at UCLA.

Hopkins coached for one year at UC Riverside and was an

administrative assistant to the men’s basketball team at UCLA in

2000.

Then he got out of coaching for two years to go work in commercial

real estate, which he still does for his dad for the Hopkins Real

Estate Group in Newport Beach.

A newspaper advertisement for the coaching opening at CdM piqued

his interest and he called Quinn, who phoned Curry, and pretty soon

Hopkins was walking the sidelines.

“I got out of (coaching) because of the real world, but then I

realized I missed it,” Hopkins said. “Luckily the opportunity worked

out.”

From 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Hopkins goes to his job in real estate

but then it’s to the basketball court from 6 to 8 at night.

“It keeps me sane,” Hopkins said. “We’re improving each game and

my job is to teach these kids life lessons as they grow to be young

adults and to have successful basketball careers at all levels. The

kids are beginning to believe in each other and are getting better.”

Players coming on strong for Hopkins include center Sean Mohler,

who played quarterback on the football team this fall, guards Ryan

Lance, R.J. Duernberger and Matt Loyd, along with forwards Scott

Slaughter and John Fairbanks (6-3).

Slaughter penetrated and converted two jumpers in the final

quarter in a win against Servite last month and Fairbanks provided a

valuable presence in the post in that game.

“(Fairbanks) is improving every day,” Hopkins said. “(Loyd) is a

solid defender that plays hard and Slaughter can shoot the ball

well.”

Hopkins sees only bright things ahead for the Sea Kings.

“It’s been great, we have a good team,” he said.