Meiss Named Football Coach at Foothill

Tom Meiss, Orange County’s football coach of the year in 1989 at Orange High School, has been named football coach at Foothill.

Meiss, 50, succeeds Marty McWhinney, who resigned in December after three seasons with a 9-20-1 record.

Foothill’s program has hit hard times with declining enrollment in the past five seasons, slumping to a 17-32-1 record and winning only eight Century League games.

“This is a challenging job,” said Meiss, who has 27 years of coaching experience, guiding teams at Savanna, Santa Ana and Orange high schools and Saddleback College. “I had other offers, but Foothill is close to home, and it’s a great academic school.

“I have high expectations. I know the school once had a great football tradition and then the enrollment declined from 2,000 to 1,300 students. But declining enrollment is an excuse, and nothing but an excuse.”

Meiss was named The Times’ coach of the year in 1989 after leading Orange into the Southern Section’s Division VIII championship game as a walk-on coach. It marked the first time Orange had played in a championship football game in 60 years.

A year later Meiss resigned when the Orange Unified School District announced that his administrative position as assistant for child welfare and attendance would be cut.

Meiss said long-time assistant Dan Stroup would join his staff. He said he has extended an invitation to Dick Hill, former Santa Ana coach. Meiss said it has not been determined which classes he will teach at Foothill.