Flickinger Is New Coach--For Now

Dale Flickinger, a former women’s volleyball coach at USC and Arizona State, has been named coach of the Corona del Mar High School girls’ team, Principal Tom Jacobson announced Monday.

But Flickinger says he might not have the job for long.

Flickinger, of Redondo Beach, replaced Charlie Brande, who was relieved of his duties by Corona del Mar officials last week in the wake of an investigation by the Southern Section office.

Flickinger said Brande is scheduled to meet with Southern Section officials Friday about allegations concerning the youth teams he coaches at the Balboa Bay Club (boys) and Orange County club (girls).

Southern Section rules prohibit coaches from working with players outside of the regular season when the players still have high school eligibility remaining. Several county players compete on Brande’s summer youth teams.

Jacobson said Brande’s temporary contract for the 1990-91 girls’ and boys’ seasons has not been renewed. Walk-on coaches such as Brande are hired on a year-to-year basis.

But there’s still a possibility that Brande, one of the winningest coaches in Orange County volleyball, could return if cleared of any allegations.

“I told the players I was ready to coach the whole season if I had to,” Flickinger said. “If Charlie’s allowed to come back, it’s his team. He and I talked about it, and he said we could co-coach the team. I told him it would depend on how far into the season we are.

“Charlie’s one of my three best friends. If he comes back, then great. If he doesn’t, we’ll have to go on without him.”

Like Brande, Flickinger, 43, also has deep roots in Orange County volleyball.

Flickinger helped establish the Orange County volleyball club in 1973, coaching the team until 1975. He was the head coach at USC in 1978 and ‘79, then coached four seasons at Arizona State. He has coached club teams in the South Bay the last five years and has worked with several junior national teams.

Jacobson said the school was fortunate to find a qualified coach so quickly. Brande recommended Flickinger to Jacobson and Athletic Director Jerry Jelnick.

The coaching change comes only two weeks before the Corona del Mar girls play their first game. They open the season Sept. 11 against Irvine.

“It’s an upsetting situation,” Jacobson said. “It’s not very good timing. This whole (investigation) has been developing for a long time.”

This isn’t 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.

Flickinger said Brande has been “frustrated” with the current allegations. Brande has not returned phone messages left at his home and the Balboa Bay Club since the allegations were made public last week.

“Charlie’s more concerned with these girls than with himself,” Flickinger said. “If it were up to us, it would be a 14-0 vote that he would come back.”