Herrera Decides to Stay On at Westlake in Wake of Assistant Coach’s Heart Attack

Westlake High baseball Coach Rich Herrera will not take a one-year leave of absence from coaching because assistant Bob Wade, who was set to take over the team, suffered a mild heart attack last month.

Herrera, a walk-on coach at Westlake the past four seasons, said in mid-December he would not coach the Warriors this season for personal reasons. But he changed his mind because of a question over Wade’s health, Herrera said.

“When (Wade) was in the hospital, I decided something had to be done,” Herrera said. “It wouldn’t be fair to the kids to have them waiting around for the doctors to decide if Bob was going to be OK (to coach).”

Wade, 44, had a mild heart attack the morning of Dec. 31. He spent three days in the hospital but has since fully recovered, he said. Wade, who assisted Herrera in 1992 after five seasons as coach at Calabasas, will return to the Warriors in the same role for the upcoming season.

“(Wade) looks good now,” Herrera said. “Better than ever.”

Herrera, 29, has a 51-40-1 record at Westlake, including a 28-2 mark in 1990.