Monroe Holds High Hopes for Its Next Coach

Monroe High officials are taking extra care in selecting a new assistant football coach because they say the next addition to the Vikings’ staff will be groomed for the head coaching job.

Howard Reisbord has resigned as co-coach to concentrate on a career in administration, leaving Frank D’Alessandro at the head of the program. D’Alessandro, 55, said he will coach for two more seasons before yielding the program to Reisbord’s replacement.

The search is complicated by D’Alessandro’s diminished health. He underwent back surgery six weeks ago and is recuperating at home. He is not expected to return to the school until late May.

In the meantime, Reisbord has joined Principal John Anderson and Athletic Director Jim Thompson on the search committee. No timetable has been set and an announcement is not imminent, D’Alessandro said.

“We’ve been interviewing for a couple of weeks but it’s been tough,” he said. “We want to find a good man because he’ll take over when I retire, but some guys want to take over right now.”

Reisbord’s retirement from coaching ends a relationship with D’Alessandro that began at Fairfax High in 1972. Reisbord served as D’Alessandro’s assistant until the two assumed co-coaching responsibilities at Monroe in 1984. They won a Sunset League championship their first year together and posted a 16-16-3 record in four years.

“It’s going to be real weird coaching without him, but he better come see us play,” D’Alessandro said.

Reisbord, 46, will move to Taft next fall as a dean of discipline, pending approval of his transfer. Although Monroe was 4-4 last year, Reisbord ranks it as his most memorable season because he coached his son. Scott Reisbord will attend Cal State Northridge in the fall and attempt to play linebacker as a walk-on, his father said.

Monroe also is searching for a basketball coach after Cliff Burems resigned at the end of the season. Reseda administrator Dimitri Vadetsky mentioned Burems as as a candidate for the Reseda job, which became open when Tim Nakano resigned after the season.