Citing a variety of reasons, Bill Backstrom...

Citing a variety of reasons, Bill Backstrom has resigned as head football coach at El Modena High School after seven seasons.

“It’s not any one thing,” said Backstrom, who has a 46-33-1 record at the school. “There’s a lot of stuff happening.

“My staff members felt they didn’t want to continue, and it’s not easy rebuilding a staff in this day and age. There’s the eligibility requirements for players. There are the money problems, fund-raising . . .”

Backstrom and other league coaches were frustrated with a proposed 50% reduction in coaching stipends last August by the Orange Unified School District. The coaches boycotted part of fall practice before the district restored the stipends and eliminated several lower-level athletic programs.

Backstrom, 42, said he hasn’t applied for any of the vacant coaching positions in the county--including posts at Ocean View and Brethren Christian. He added that he “won’t stay out of coaching forever.”

“I don’t know about a head coaching job,” Backstrom said. “I might stay out a while and I might try to be an assistant for a while.”

El Modena won the Century League title in 1990 and was co-champion in each of the past two seasons.

Backstrom has been at El Modena 18 seasons, 11 as an assistant football coach. He said he will continue to teach history at the school.