Coronado’s Stanton Steps Down

Bob Stanton has resigned as the Coronado boys’ basketball coach, a position he had held since 1987.

“I want to spend more time teaching my own kids in basketball,” Stanton said. “I want to be able to support them more.”

Stanton has three children still in school, all of whom play basketball. Stanton’s son, Bob, is a sophomore at Castle Park, Ken is in sixth grade and Debra is in fifth.

Stanton, who had informed Coronado’s administration of his decision, handed in his resignation March 9.

“I picked up my last paycheck with one hand and had my resignation in my other hand,” Stanton said.

This year, Coronado (19-8) won its first San Diego Section Division IV title. The Islanders, who hadn’t won a league title since 1963, placed first in the newly formed City Harbor League.

Don Montamble was renamed as Oceanside’s boys’ basketball coach, replacing Steve Kinder, who replaced Montamble a year ago. Montamble, who has been a full-time teacher at Oceanside since 1982, coached the team from 1986-89 but resigned as coach after he got married. Kinder resigned a month ago to pursue a full-time teaching position.

“I wanted to concentrate on stabilizing my marriage,” Montamble said. “I wanted to eventually return as coach but I didn’t know when, maybe in two or three years.

“But two or three weeks ago when Steve resigned, I talked it over with my wife (Denise), and she made the point that I missed it. I felt good about giving it up, but I’m real excited to be back into it.”

Montamble attended Oceanside for three years and graduated from El Camino in 1977. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Montamble earned his teaching credential from San Diego State.

He began his coaching career at Oceanside as a volunteer assistant. He became a full-time assistant in 1982 and took over the team in 1986. In Montamble’s first year as head coach, Oceanside placed first in the Avocado league and won the San Diego Section Division II title.

This is the time of the year for basketball contests. The fifth annual Slam Dunk Contest was last weekend at Mt. Carmel High. This Saturday, Poway will play host to its first Top Gun Three-Point Shooting Contest, sponsored by the Poway Boys’ Basketball Assn.

The contest, beginning at 6 p.m. at Poway, will feature the county’s top boys’ and girls’ three-point shooters.

As many as 40 boys and 25-30 girls are expected to compete. So far 30 boys and 20 girls have accepted the invitation to participate. John Gilbert and Carlos Campbell of Sweetwater, Travis Gilley of El Camino and University City’s Jerome Price are among the boys already committed.

Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for students.

Reebok has extended its sponsorship of California state championship events through 1993. Because of the extention, the CIF will receive an additional $1.5 million grant from Reebok to benefit athletic programs throughout the state.