Westlake’s Hess Joins CLU Basketball Staff

Greg Hess, who coached the Westlake High basketball team to three consecutive Southern Section playoff appearances, resigned as Westlake coach Monday to join the Cal Lutheran staff as a junior varsity coach and varsity assistant.

Hess, 34, said that he had been looking for an opportunity to combine graduate studies with college coaching when he approached CLU Coach Mike Dunlap, who told him to consider the newly created coaching position at Cal Lutheran. Hess was selected from among 10 candidates and will be in effect a graduate assistant, combining coaching with work in Cal Lutheran’s MBA program.

“I believe that for my long-range plans,” Hess said, “it’s the right move to make.”

CLU is beginning the JV program in order to fulfill one of the requirements for the school’s move into the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Bob Fisher, Westlake athletic director, said he will meet Thursday with school principal Curt Luft to outline a strategy for hiring Hess’s replacement.

Hess, a 1978 graduate of the University of Calgary, had a 44-31 record (22-14 in the Marmonte League play) in three seasons.