White Resigns as Sunny Hills Boys’ Basketball Coach

Sunny Hills basketball Coach Steve White, citing the need “to rejuvenate the program,” resigned his position after 17 seasons, Athletic Director Ralph Trigsted said Tuesday.

White’s teams had a record of 252-189, winning five consecutive Freeway League championships before Sonora won the title last season.

Only six active Orange County boys’ coaches have won more games at one school: Katella’s Tom Danley, Ocean View’s Jim Harris, Kennedy’s John Mayberry, Mater Dei’s Gary McKnight, Marina’s Steve Popovich and Capistrano Valley’s Mark Thornton.

White led Sunny Hills to eight league titles, but the Lancers were 8-15 last winter, finishing in fourth place at 3-7.

“We had a good run,” White said. “I’ve been doing this for 25 years, and looking at the total program, I felt it was time for someone else to come in who is a little more enthusiastic; someone who has the energy to rejuvenate the program.”

White, who also coaches the boys’ tennis team, led the Lancers to an undefeated season and a Southern Section Division II championship this past spring. It was the second title in the last three seasons for Sunny Hills. White will retain his tennis coaching duties and will also continue to teach at the school.

White’s coaching career began with the Villa Park junior varsity basketball team in 1968-69. After moving to Sunny Hills, he spent the next seven seasons coaching lower-level teams before moving up to the varsity in 1976-77.

Under White, Sunny Hills reached the section semifinals in 1979 and ’81. He coached former Orange County standouts Brian McCloskey, who played at UC Irvine and Loyola Marymount, and Terry Mann, who went to Harvard.

“I’ve had great support from the staff and the community here,” White said. “I’m not going out on a bad note. It was just time for a change.”