1992-93 / The Times’ All-Valley Girls’ Basketball Team : COACH OF THE YEAR : Couch Feels Comfortable With Success

Bell-Jeff High Coach Jim Couch has an endearing grin and dimples to match. Hard to believe that beneath this pleasant exterior beats the heart of a man walking the lunatic fringe.

The twinkle in his eye can turn to a feral stare in a matter of seconds, he says. Coach Couch won’t couch his coaching charisma--sometimes he gets hopping mad.

“I’m an animal on the sideline,” said Couch, The Times’ Valley girls’ coach of the year. “I work the players harder than the refs. . . . I keep the players aware of what’s going on out there.”

What’s going on? Typically, another Bell-Jeff victory.

At a school that is hardly the athletic scourge of the area, Couch has built strong programs in girls’ basketball and boys’ cross-country.

In fact, the basketball team has landed a player on the All-Valley team for two consecutive seasons and three of the past four.

To wit:

Last winter, Bell-Jeff (28-4) advanced to the Division IV-A final, where the Guards fell to Cerritos Valley Christian, 66-52. It took a Herculean comeback by Valley Christian--which outscored Bell-Jeff, 31-16, in the fourth quarter--to deprive the Guards of their first section title.

“That basically means we fell asleep,” Couch said, still stung by the memory.

In the fall of 1991, Couch’s boys’ cross-country team finished second in the state in Division IV. “Second again,” Couch said with a sigh.

If it wasn’t for Valley Christian, the Guards might have rolled up their first girls’ basketball title. After falling to Valley Christian in the IV-A final, the teams met again in the second round of the Southern California Regionals, and Bell-Jeff fell, 47-44.

Nonetheless, Bell-Jeff has emerged as one of the region’s strongest girls’ programs under the demonstrative 41-year-old, who took over in 1982-83.

“He’s not really a yeller,” said senior forward Lori Talley, “but if you do something wrong, you’ll hear about it.”

Now hear this: It isn’t likely the team will experience an appreciable drop-off soon, since Couch seems to have his priorities in order. He might pop an occasional bolt, but his heart is in the right place.

“Sure, we take a lot of pride in the girls’ basketball program,” he said. “But if we can put quality players and quality girls on the floor, that’s more important than the wins and losses.”