Winek Fired as Golf Coach at Valencia

John Winek has been fired after 17 years as golf coach at Placentia Valencia High.

Winek, who started the boys’ and girls’ programs at Valencia, said he was told the administration wanted to change the direction of the program.

“I don’t know a whole lot, because they didn’t tell me much,” Winek said.

“It’s not the best way to end. No one likes to be told they aren’t wanted any more.”

School administrators did not return phone calls.

Valencia won nine Orange League boys’ titles in Winek’s 17 years and qualified for the playoffs 16 consecutive years. His girls’ teams won the first three league titles.

Valencia also won a Southern Section boys’ championship in 1995, the last time a team other than Santa Barbara San Marcos, Santa Margarita or Palm Desert won the title.

In other personnel moves:

* Craig Griffin, a former assistant basketball coach at Simi Valley High, has been selected boys’ coach at Simi Valley Royal, and Bill Dishon has been promoted to softball coach at Royal after coaching the freshman-sophomore team.

* Tom Crowther, 23, has been chosen baseball coach at Burbank Burroughs, replacing Jose Valle, who resigned after nine seasons. Crowther served as an assistant to Valle and was an all-league player at Burroughs in 1996.

* Monique Garciaparra has been promoted from assistant to varsity coach of the girls’ soccer program at Fullerton Troy. She is the sister of Boston Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra.

* Gerardo Gonzalez has been promoted to coach the Fountain Valley baseball team, replacing Ron LaRuffa, who is retiring after 13 seasons.

* Priscilla Zuniga has been hired as girls’ soccer coach at Oxnard Santa Clara, her alma mater.