Lofrano Takes Step Up With Pierce Position : Baseball Coach Leaves Chatsworth to Accept Job as College Assistant

Bob Lofrano took a pay cut and his job title was declassified Thursday, but the former Chatsworth High baseball coach said that the move marked a step forward after he was introduced officially as a new assistant baseball coach at Pierce College.

Pierce has hired Lofrano as a physical education teacher, the first such hire at the school since Jim Fenwick joined the staff in 1975. Lofrano’s position opened after four physical education teachers left the school because of an early retirement incentive program.

The school was expected to have two positions available in the department, but only Lofrano has been hired. The academic committee that recommended Lofrano last week also recommended assistant football coach Bill Norton, who has joined the staff as a walk-on. Athletic Director Marian McWilliams said that the fate of the second position will be determined next week.

Lofrano, Chatsworth’s head coach for the past 11 years, joins the Pierce staff as an assistant to Bob Lyons. Both downplayed the designation, however.

“Titles are not an important distinction,” Lyons said. “I don’t like saying he’s the assistant coach because his background doesn’t warrant that. We’re going to utilize his talents and he’s got many of them.”

Lyons, 51, has coached at Pierce for 10 years in two stints. He left the program after the 1981 season and returned in 1987 when Pierce threatened to cut the program if a credentialed employee did not take the job. He said he has no plans to retire but hinted that Lofrano won’t be an assistant for long.

“Bob represents the future for Pierce,” he said. “This has been a while in coming and I think it’s a marvelous situation.”

Lofrano, 39, who did not reveal exact figures, said he doesn’t mind taking a small pay cut for the opportunity to step up to the college level, especially at his alma mater. He played in the same Pierce infield with former major leaguer Doug DeCinces in 1968-69.

“Getting into college baseball has always been a goal I had,” he said. “I’m going to miss Chatsworth and that will always be special for me, but I’m really excited to get going.”

Chatsworth has named no replacement for Lofrano, who has made no recommendation for a successor. His assistant last season, Joe Koh, has been hired as the head coach at L. A. Baptist.

Lofrano’s first task at Pierce is recruiting and he expects to cash in on his prominence as a high school coach. In 11 years, he compiled a 188-59 record (.761 winning percentage) and led the Chancellors to nine consecutive West Valley League titles. Chatsworth won the City Section 4-A Division championship in 1983 and was ranked No. 1 in the country during the 1988 season.

Lofrano is scheduled to coach a high school all-star team in a friendship series Aug. 25-Sept. 5 in South Korea against national teams from Korea and Japan, but he said that he may bow out of that assignment to concentrate on his new job.

Pierce has now hired two coaches since May--Lofrano and Rob DiMuro, who is being asked to resurrect the women’s basketball program. Pierce President Dan Means has vowed to reinstate the men’s basketball program, and school officials say Lofrano’s hiring sends a message to the community that the school is serious about its athletics programs.

“Things are on an upswing since we hit a trough about five years ago,” Lyons said. “We were on the proverbial shoestring. Now, we had a chance to get a top-notch person and I think Pierce is making a real statement.”