Ocean View’s Painter to Take a Leave as Coach

Kelly Painter, who coached the Ocean View High School girls’ basketball team to a Sunset League championship and three Southern Section playoff appearances during the past three seasons, said Thursday that he will step down for a year from his coaching duties to devote more time to his family and job.

“I just want to make sure I have my priorities straight,” said Painter, who teaches at Mesa View Junior High School. “Family should come first, then teaching, then coaching. I’ve seen some good coaches burn out in the past, and I just want to make sure I won’t become one of them.”

Painter said he made up his mind to leave for a year after his wife, Tracy, gave birth to their son, Trenton, a month ago. He said he is not resigning.

“I’ll be back and ready to go after next season,” he said. “It wasn’t that anything got to me. I just thought this was a good time to step back and make sure everything was in its proper place.”

Ollie Martin, the boys’ sophomore basketball coach at Bolsa Grande the past 10 years, has been named to replace Painter.

“It’s nice for Ollie because he wanted to get some experience as a girls’ varsity coach,” Painter said.

Painter began at Ocean View as a junior varsity coach six years ago. After three years, he moved up to varsity and guided the Seahawks to a 20-7 record and a playoff spot during the 1983-84 season.

The next season, Ocean View went 21-6 and won the Sunset League title. The 1985-86 season was a tough one for the Seahawks, who were nagged by injuries, but Ocean View made the playoffs as the league’s No. 3 team with a 15-10 record.