McElroy Returns to San Clemente as Football Coach

Mark McElroy was named San Clemente High School’s football coach, the school announced Tuesday.

He replaces Dave Elecciri, who resigned Jan. 13 after posting a 13-37 record in five seasons at San Clemente. Elecciri recently accepted an assistant coaching position at Capistrano Valley, where McElroy had been an assistant.

The naming of McElroy ends a long search for a coach to turn around a San Clemente football program that has won only one South Coast League game in five seasons--and that by forfeit. Moreover, the Tritons have only three league victories in the past seven seasons.

McElroy, a physical education teacher at Marco Forster Junior High in San Juan Capistrano, earned his bachelor’s degree from Cal State Chico. He also holds master’s degrees from U.S. International and Azusa Pacifica and a doctorate from Brigham Young.

He has been an assistant coach at San Clemente High, BYU and Whitworth College, an NAIA school in Spokane, Wash.

A 1978 graduate of San Clemente, McElroy played quarterback on the Tritons’ 1977 South Coast League championship team.