Ocean View’s Barrett retires

Mike Sciacca

Steve Barrett’s 15-year reign as varsity baseball coach at Ocean View

High officially came to an end Sunday when he announced to his team

at its annual season-ending banquet that he was retiring.

Barrett’s coaching career was dotted with titles and teams that

consistently were at or near the top, both in league play and in

postseason action.

He concludes his coaching career with an overall record of

244-170-3.

Barrett, a special education teacher at Ocean View, cited one main

reason for his decision to retire following the 2003 season --

family.

“I now have the opportunity to be a full-time father,” said the

38-year old, the father of two children. “It’s something I’ve thought

about the past few years and now it seems like the perfect time to

step away.

“The reason I stayed on through this season was that I wanted to

coach this group of kids, which included six seniors. They are

quality kids, not just good ball players.”

Barrett’s final team went 23-5 overall and shared the Golden West

League championship with Westminster.

The Seahawks reached the second round of the CIF-Southern Section

Division III playoffs where they were eliminated by eventual

runner-up, Harvard-Westlake.

The Golden West title was the third league championship for the

school under Barrett’s guidance: the Seahawks won back-to-back Sunset

League titles in 1990-91.

The crowing moment for Barrett came in 1998 when Ocean View,

playing the role of David, slain La Quinta, the Goliath with a 30-1

record and a No. 1 ranking, to win a CIF-SS championship at Dodger

Stadium.

“That was an incredible experience,” said Barrett, who leaves the

sport in his 20th year of coaching.

Upon graduating from Cal State Stanislaus, he began his coaching

career with a three-year stint as the freshman coach at East

Bakersfield High. He moved from there to Ocean View where he coached

the freshman squad for two years before taking over for the varsity

program from Bill Gibbons.

“He’s a good guy and a great coach,” Marina coach Paul Renfrow

said of Barrett.

Renfrow coached the South squad against the North in Monday

night’s Orange County All-Star Baseball Game.

Barrett served as was one of Renfrow’s assistants for the All-Star

game.

“These 20 years have proved to be a great learning experience for

me,” said Barrett. “I wanted to teach my players how the game can

prepare you for your personal and professional life, away from the

playing field. Winning didn’t come first, but playing the game right,

did. That’s a hard thing to do, and I’m most proud of that

accomplishment.”