Los Amigos Coach Gets an Assist From Perfect Timing : Softball: A phone call eventually resulted in a job for Shanna Flynn, who played at UCLA. Now, she’s trying to turn around the Lobos’ program.

The timing of the events rivaled any flawlessly executed squeeze play on the softball field.

Last September, Shanna Flynn called new Los Amigos High Principal George Willson for advice on how to become a teacher’s aid.

Flynn knew Willson from their days at Bolsa Grande High, where he was the school’s principal and she was a standout outfielder on her way to a record-setting career at UCLA.

“He supported me the whole way when I was in high school and kind of watched me when I played at UCLA,” Flynn said. “When I talked to him I also asked him if he needed help around the office. He said ‘Yes.’ ”

While doing volunteer work at Los Amigos, Flynn met Athletic Director Dave Auxier, who was searching for a coach to run the struggling softball program.

The equation was complete: Softball + coaching vacancy + eager two-time All-College World Series selection = Flynn.

“It didn’t take long to figure out she had the demeanor and the knowledge to take over the program,” Auxier said. “She’s a quality-type person. She’s the kind of person who can build our program to what it used to be 10 or so years ago.”

Flynn, whose first name is pronounced Shaw-na, knows what it’s like to be in a successful program. After receiving All-Southern Section honors her senior season at Bolsa Grande, Flynn got a softball scholarship to UCLA and starred on four Bruin teams, including NCAA Division I national championship squads in 1988, ’89 and ’90.

She holds UCLA career records for most singles (213), runs scored (138), hits (249) and at-bats (765). The speedy left-handed leadoff batter also holds the school’s single-season record for at-bats with 228 in 1990, her junior season. Flynn, a three-time All-Pacific 10 pick, finished with a .325 career batting average.

In a pitcher-dominated sport, those are remarkable statistics. But surprisingly, it was a defensive play that stands in Flynn’s mind as her most memorable moment with the Bruins.

“In my freshman year, I was playing right field against Fresno State (in the College World Series title game),” Flynn said. “They had the bases loaded with two outs in the last inning. We were up, 3-0. The girl (batter) drops a fly ball between me, the center fielder and the second baseman. I was the one who caught it.”

Now Flynn, 22, is trying to make the Lobos catch a new drift. Los Amigos went 0-for-the-season last year, dropping 18 games overall and all 14 in the Garden Grove League. But her coaching already has paid dividends.

Two days ago, the Lobos defeated Santiago, 4-2, for their first victory in more than a year. And the team, although 1-5 (1-1 in league), has been competitive in every game. Much of the credit, Flynn said, belongs to the determination and character shown by the players.

“It’s a very young team, but very well-disciplined,” said Flynn, who doesn’t have any assistant coaches. “I was late for practice the other day and they took it upon themselves to start without me. When we won against Santiago, they were just ecstatic. They played such a wonderful game.”

Flynn preaches the importance of discipline not only because it is essential for the foundation of a winning team, but because she has to exercise lots of it herself.

Although she no longer plays for the Bruins, Flynn still attends classes at UCLA in the mornings. She is only about 10 weeks away from graduating with a degree in history and plans to become an elementary school teacher. On weekday afternoons, she drives to Los Amigos for softball practices or games. Afterward, she makes a 60-mile trip home to Van Nuys in the San Fernando Valley.

But Flynn, who said the first few days of practice with the team were “horrendous” because many of the girls didn’t really know the game, has settled comfortably in her new role despite the hectic pace.

“I always wanted to coach,” Flynn said. “I kind of forgot what the high school caliber of play was like, so at first my expectations were too high. But things are pretty smooth right now. I find that I say a lot of things to my girls that my coaches at UCLA (Sharron Backus and Sue Enquist) said to us. My practices are structured very similar to UCLA’s.”

The lessons Flynn learned with the Bruins and that she has tried to impart to the Lobo players apparently have not been lost in translation.

“She has helped me so much already,” said Dawn Parrish, a senior second baseman. “She makes me want to be out there. I can’t wait for practice.”

Flynn said she wants to turn the Lobos into winners, but with equal parts disciplinarian and friend. That’s what she saw in her coach at Bolsa Grande, Kodi Murrey, and that’s how she plans to run her program.

“Winning is the bottom line,” Flynn said. “But playing any type of athletics, you have to show them how to have sportsmanship, how to work hard. That carries over into their school work and their personal lives.

“I learned a ton from Kodi. She drew lines between the friendships she had with us and as a coach. I’ve drawn my lines and the girls understand them. If I have to be tough with them, I will. But I don’t hold grudges. They know I’m there if they need me. That’s a good feeling.”

That feeling, Auxier said, is mutual.

“She immediately built a rapport with the kids,” Auxier said. “She had 60 girls show up at a softball meeting. I haven’t heard a negative word about her from any student. My biggest worry is, ‘Can we keep her?’ ”

Probably. Just don’t let her volunteer to help at another high school office.