Eagles name Bargas coach

Mike Bargas, a longtime assistant at Newport Harbor High, has been hired to become Estancia’s new football coach, principal Phil D’Agostino said Thursday.

Bargas said he wanted to venture from his routine at Newport Harbor. He also wanted to make sure the opportunity would not pass him again. When Estancia had the opening three years ago, Bargas nearly took the job.

“I don’t think lightning strikes twice in the same place,” said Bargas, who will be taking on his first head coaching job. “I’m excited. It’s a new adventure.”

Bargas, 35, who had been with Newport Harbor for 15 seasons, coached the defensive line. Last year, Mike Calabrese, a defensive lineman, was named Sunset League Defensive Player of the Year.

Bargas also played for the Sailors, graduated in 1989 and then went to play at Orange Coast College. While coaching at Newport Harbor, Bargas was a key figure within the Sailors’ strength and conditioning program

At Estancia, where Bargas will also teach, he plans to implement the same training. He also hopes to instill the same type of football tradition.

With Newport Harbor, Bargas was a part of three CIF championships, in 1994, 1995 and 2005, and the Sailors reached CIF title games seven times. Last year, Newport Harbor went 6-4 and missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years.

“We’re going to miss him obviously,” Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley said. “He’s a great person and he did a great job for us. Not only is he one of my coaches, he is one of my friends. It’s time for a change for him. He’ll do a great job.”

Though the Eagles had a breakthrough season in 2006, lifting Estancia to championship status remains to be a daunting task. The Eagles have not won a league title since 1989, when they won their second championship. Last year, Estancia finished 7-4, an improvement from the 2-9 campaign the year before.

Brian Barnes coached those two years before moving on to Tesoro, a job he took last month. His last game with the Eagles was a 44-40 loss to Corona del Mar in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoffs. It left Estancia still in search of its first playoff win since 1980.

With Barnes’ exit, D’Agostino and Estancia were also in search of a coach who could bring stability. Bargas becomes the Eagles’ sixth coach in 11 years.

There hasn’t been an Estancia coach with a tenure for more than three years since John Liebengood, who coached the team from 1986 to 1997. Dave Perkins followed for a three-year stay, but then came two-year stints from Jay Noonan, Craig Fertig and Barnes.

“My aspiration is to instill some regularity and continuity for those kids because they deserve it,” Bargas said. “I want to let them know that someone is going to be here for the long haul.

“I don’t plan on leaving. They may have to fire me. That’s the plan at least. I’m not looking to puddle-jump to a bigger program.”

Bargas wanted to make sure he could make that decision with confidence, as opposed to three years ago when he backed out after interviewing for the job.

“I don’t think I was quite ready,” Bargas said. “I actually have more on my plate, but I appreciate more changes. Brian Barnes did a great job with Estancia and hopefully I can build from what he did.”

Bargas met with some Newport football players on Thursday to let them know he was taking the Estancia job. That proved to be difficult and emotional, he said.

“There’s always going to be second thoughts,” he said. “You get that question: Why am I leaving? Because Newport has its mystique. But just when I talked to them at Estancia, it just felt right. I’m at the point where maybe change is good.”

Part of the reason Bargas felt comfortable with the Eagles was familiarity. D’Agostino is a former teacher from Newport Harbor. Estancia vice principal Lee Gaeta was formerly in the same position with Newport Harbor. And, though not as recent, athletic director Tim Parsel used to be a lower-level football coach with the Sailors.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am,” D’Agostino said of Bargas’ hiring. “To have someone with CIF experience, it’s just a great fit. This is a guy who grew up in the community. He’s just a great human being. I think this is going to be real good for the success of the program. It’s going to really good for the school.”

In addition to the familiarity and the recent success of the program, Bargas was also lured to Estancia because the school will have a new football stadium for the 2008 season.