NOTEBOOK : Longtime Hoover Coach Kohlmeier Set to Retire

Dorence “Dee” Kohlmeier, golf coach and athletic director at Hoover High, will retire Friday after 36 years with the school.

Kohlmeier, 70, taught for five years in Indiana before coming to Hoover in 1953. He coached basketball for five years--guiding his team to the semifinals of the Southern Section large-school division tournament in 1957--before assuming the role of athletic director.

Kohlmeier, who has taught physiology, life science, health and safety, and physical education, started the Hoover golf program in 1959. He coached the team for 10 years, took a five-year break, and returned for the past 16 seasons, guiding the Tornadoes to the last two Pacific League championships.

“I figured after 41 years, that was enough,” Kohlmeier said. “I started thinking about it at the beginning of the year.

“In the middle of the year, I started having trouble with my shoulder. Little things told me, ‘Hey, it’s time to start letting some younger people take it over.’ ”

Dennis Henderson will replace Kohlmeier as golf coach. Randy Tiffany will become the boys’ athletic director and Judy Thomsen will be the girls’ athletic director.

Kohlmeier said he has many fond memories.

“To watch the (Southern Section) teams, the Joe Hillmans, the team that made it to the Final Four in 1957--seeing those kids come through and seeing them later is always a joy,” Kohlmeier said. “Those are the memories you really appreciate. Just watching kids grow up.”

A golf tournament honoring Kohlmeier will be held June 28 at the Verdugo Hills Golf Course.

New coach: Jim Delzell will become interim coach of the Hoover baseball program, replacing Bob Cooper, who is taking a one-year sabbatical after 15 seasons.

Delzell, 31, coached the Hoover junior varsity last season.

“I’m getting a shot, so we’ll see what happens,” said Delzell, who inherits a team that was 6-9 in the Pacific League. “We’ve got our top two pitchers back and a lot of good kids from our sophomore team.”

Signed, sealed, delivered: Former Crescenta Valley baseball player Mike Muhlethaler has signed a contract with the Oakland Athletics and is playing for the organization’s Medford, Ore., affiliate in the Northwest League, a Class-A short-season league.

Muhlethaler, who plays infield and outfield, was selected by Oakland in the 34th round of the amateur draft. This season, he struggled with various injuries and batted .317 with seven home runs and 30 runs batted in 39 games.

Fast finish: Tom Kendall of La Canada finished fourth last Saturday in the Motor City 100 SCCA Trans-Am race at the Valvoline Detroit Grand Prix.

Kendall, driving a Chevrolet Beretta, started on the pole after setting a course record Friday on the 2.5-mile temporary street circuit, qualifying at 77.603 m.p.h. He topped the time of 1 minute 57.029 seconds, set in 1989 by series champion Dorsey Schroeder, by 1.055 seconds.

Raising a racquet: Bruce Man-Son-Hing of Glendale will compete in the finals of the Southern California Public Parks tennis tournament. Man-Son-Hing advanced last weekend by defeating Donny Issak of Los Angeles, 6-3, 6-0, in the semifinals.