Brande Is Relieved of Duties : Prep sports: Corona del Mar volleyball coach is being investigated by Southern Section for ‘unspecified allegations.’

Charlie Brande, one of the most successful volleyball coaches in Orange County, has been relieved of his duties as boys’ and girls’ coach at Corona del Mar High School while being investigated by Southern Section officials.

Stan Thomas, Southern Section commissioner of athletics, said the office is investigating “unspecified allegations” against Brande.

“I still haven’t had the opportunity to fully investigate this yet,” Thomas said Friday. “Hopefully, we’ll have this resolved by the end of next week.”

Corona del Mar officials have told Brande he can return if the Southern Section allows him to. The school has not announced a replacement for Brande.

The allegations apparently stem from the youth teams that Brande coaches at the Balboa Bay Club.

The Southern Section constitution states: “No representative of a member school shall organize, sponsor or coach a volleyball team outside the season of volleyball during the school year in which students with remaining eligibility at the school are participating.”

Several area high school players participate on Brande’s 18-and-under teams.

This is not the first time Brande has been involved in a coaching controversy. He was fired from his coaching job at Corona del Mar in September 1986 by the Newport-Mesa Unified School District for “insubordination.” He was reinstated in 1987.

Brande began his coaching career at Newport Harbor, winning two Southern Section and four consecutive boys’ and girls’ titles from 1977-80. After coaching at UCLA and the University of Hawaii, Brande took over as the boys’ and girls’ coach at Corona del Mar in 1984.

Brande did not return messages left Friday at his home and at the Balboa Bay Club.