After Many Forks in the Road, Person’s Path Leads Him to St. John Bosco

Four years and one head coaching job later, Jerry Person is getting a second chance at St. John Bosco High School.

Never mind that Person is inheriting a program that has struggled to a 10-19 record the last three seasons. Or that St. John Bosco had only 42 varsity players last season.

Person has been given another opportunity to be a head football coach and that’s good enough for him.

Person’s first stint as a head coach in 1988 was a memorable year at Servite, where he inherited a program that had been left by embattled Coach Leo Hand only three weeks before conditioning week.

Person, then 28, had only one season of coaching experience at Servite when he reluctantly took the reins of one of Orange County’s most successful programs and led the Friars to the Angelus League co-championship with Bishop Amat and into the Division I semifinals.

Some called the Servite position the best coaching job in the county. The Friars had the best running back in Southern California, Derek Brown, and a big-time linebacker, Garrett Greedy. But the timing of Hand’s departure threatened to ruin what promised to be a championship season at Servite.

“It was chaotic at first,” Person said. “The kids were loyal to Leo, and they felt betrayed. I had planned to be Leo’s defensive line coach that season, and now all of a sudden, I was a head coach.

“When I look back, I think I was ready for the job. I can remember telling my wife, ‘I’m ready to do this.’ ” And so began his cram course in coaching.

Person had arrived at Servite the previous season, but never planned on coaching. He was going to teach biology. But the school’s sophomore football coach quit only a week before conditioning was scheduled to begin.

But he endured. Servite’s sophomore team didn’t lose a game after the fourth week of the season and won the Angelus League championship. The season proved to be good training for Person’s next job as varsity coach.

When Hand left Servite in early August, Athletic Director Tom Vitello named Person as the interim varsity coach. Originally, Person was to become the school’s co-coach with another assistant, Steve Fogel, but Fogel declined the offer.

Person made the most of his opportunity, leading Servite to an unbeaten nonleague season, including a 35-20 victory over Encino Crespi, then led by Cal’s Russell White. The Friars outscored their five opponents, 146-50. There were impressive victories over Bishop Amat and Mater Dei in league play, during which Brown established himself as one of the best running backs ever in the county.

Brown, now at Nebraska, had an unforgettable game against Mater Dei that year, gaining 312 yards in a 42-24 victory over rival Mater Dei. It was the last time Servite beat Mater Dei.

Servite then lost to eventual champion Fountain Valley, 10-7. It was the last time Servite was in a playoff game. It was also the last game Person coached at Servite.

During the off-season, former longtime freshman coach Larry Toner was hired as varsity coach. Person had applied for the job, but was passed over by the hiring committee, which chose a candidate with no previous varsity coaching experience.

“The whole interview process was a little funny to me,” Person said. “I was treated just like everybody else. The committee was asking me about things I had just done at Servite and most of the committee members were in the stands watching what I did from week to week that year.

“I have no bitterness against Servite. I have some great memories from that season. When I didn’t get the head coaching job, I thought it would be best to leave Servite.”

Person resurfaced at St. John Bosco, an all-boys school of 900 students, made up mostly of Latino students. He was the school’s defensive coordinator for three seasons. Tonight, he makes his debut as head coach when St. John Bosco travels to Saddleback College to meet Santa Margarita in the season opener for both teams.

Person was named coach after Gabe Soumakian resigned after a 1-9 season. Person’s first order of business is to restore a winning attitude and pride among his 56 players. He has refurbished the team room and the coaches’ office and is encouraged by the large turnout of players this season.

“I applied for this job three years ago, and when I didn’t get it, I told the administration that I’d be happy to come over as an assistant,” Person said. “I’m happy here. I have a great coaching staff, great kids, great community support and a great family behind me. Basically, we’re starting brand new here.

“Most people who remember me from Servite will say, ‘You did a good job,’ ” he said. “I never hear anything like, ‘Oh yeah, you used to be Derek Brown’s coach.’ Other coaches know what I’m capable of doing. I just needed another chance to show what I can do.”