Curry resigns as Corona del Mar coach

In five seasons, Ryan Curry took the Corona del Mar High boys’ basketball team from a 5-22 record to 16-11 this past season. After guiding the Sea Kings to their best record in his tenure, Curry announced Tuesday he is resigning as coach.

Curry said he’ll finish out the school year teaching at Corona del Mar before joining his wife and kids, who have already moved into their new home in Meridian, Idaho.

“We didn’t want to put our children in day care anymore, and this place is more affordable on one income,” said Curry, who also is an English teacher. “It has low housing rates and high teaching salaries.”

The Sea Kings finished tied for second in the Pacific Coast League this season, losing to Gahr in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division III-AA playoffs.

Curry came to Corona del Mar five years ago after coaching at Nevada Union High in Grass Valley for seven years. Curry replaced Paul Orris, who coached basketball at Corona del Mar for 31 years ? 15 with the boys’ varsity team.

Curry’s sister, Denise, was an All-American for UCLA and a two-time Olympian. His father was also a high school basketball coach. Curry played basketball at Chico State before joining the coaching ranks. Curry was a junior varsity basketball coach for three years before getting the head coaching position at Nevada Union in 1994.

Curry finished with a varsity record of 56-79 at Corona del Mar, where he led the team to three CIF playoff appearances in five years despite a dismal first season.

“I think of just how much better we’ve gotten as a program in five years,” Curry said. “And next year’s team, I was thinking would have been one of my best.”

The Sea Kings are slated to return several key players from last year’s club, including point guard Eric Rask and center Stefan Kaluz, both of whom emerged as key contributors as sophomores. Kaluz led the team with 8.1 rebounds per game and was second on the team with 15.6 points per game.

“The cupboard is full, the program is in a good spot,” Curry said.

Curry said he is happy to be leaving the program on a winning note.

“Those things aren’t supposed to matter, but it does,” Curry said. “We finally finished above .500, we made the CIF playoffs three out of the last four years and last year we finished 9-3 in league ? I’m pretty thrilled with that.”

Curry said Corona del Mar is interviewing candidates for the coaching vacancy this week, and that he will be involved in the hiring process.

“It’s sad to leave, but I’m also excited about the future,” Curry said.

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