DiCamilli shines on sideline

Natalie Venegas

In March, the RHEMA Bible Training Center women’s basketball team won

the National Bible College Athletic Association championship under

head coach Olivia DiCamilli, whose faith took her from the spotlight

in Costa Mesa to the slow-paced institution in Broken Arrow, Okla.

DiCamilli led the 1992-93 Costa Mesa High girls basketball team to

the CIF State Division III title game, after the Mustangs won the CIF

Southern Section Division III-A title. For her part in leading the

Mustangs to a 29-5 season, the best in school history, she was named

CIF Southern Section Division III Player of the Year.

An All-CIF performer in each of her four varsity seasons at Costa

Mesa, her 2,220 career points rank No. 1 among Newport-Mesa

performers.

After a solid collegiate career at San Diego State, where she

earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree, she decided to

attend RHEMA after taking a trip to Oklahoma in 2000.

Two years later, she finished the bible training program and began

coaching for the school. Three years after that, she guided the

Eagles to a coveted national championship.

In November, RHEMA began its basketball season with seven players

and was 4-13 after losing two starters to ACL injuries.

“After a while, we couldn’t make excuses,” DiCamilli said. “We

realized, this is who we have, so we need to get the job done.”

It took time for the team to get focused, but the Eagles did. They

won nine of their last 10 games.

“It took a while for us to click, but once we started winning

games, we got confidence and never looked back.”

Next season, four starters are slated to return, but DiCamilli and

her team finds ways to connect other than on the court.

In the off-season they are involved in the community and

occasionally speak at local high schools where they urge students to

“believe in themselves and reach for their goals.”

“The ministry is the reason they are there, so they love to help

people,” said DiCamilli. “It helps us grow and really brings us

together as a team,”

This spring, the former Costa Mesa High star took on a different

coaching role when she began as an assistant coach for the RHEMA

track and field team. She is working with the Eagles’ distance

runners.

“It’s a lot different from basketball,” she said. “It’s less

stressful since it’s more of an individual sport, but I like it

because it gets me out there training with the team.”

Meanwhile, DiCamilli reminds herself what brought her to Oklahoma.

Her focus remains on her faith and the ability to use the talent

given to her in the sport of basketball. She has no plans set in

stone, but is confident wherever her life might take her.

“I really enjoy coaching, but I believe it is a means to an end.

I’m really open at this point. I’m not settled down to anywhere

because my No. 1 passion is God and serving.”