Van Nuys Names Baseball Coach

Jim Friery was named to replace Bill Gordon as the Van Nuys High baseball coach, Friery confirmed Monday.

Friery, 34, the Van Nuys junior varsity coach last season, is the third new coach to take over a Valley Pac-8 Conference baseball team in the past five months. It is Friery’s first assignment as a varsity coach.

“I’m very excited to have this opportunity,” Friery said. “There are many good things about our baseball program, and all I can promise is that I and the team--just like the past teams here--will work hard.”

The Wolves, who finished 9-16 last year, were 31-55 during the four years under Gordon and finished second in the Mid-Valley League the past two seasons.

“I think Bill did a good job with them last year, and I think their success will carry over,” he said.

Friery, who grew up in New Jersey and has a psychology degree from UCLA and a physical education degree from Cal State Northridge, began teaching physical education at Van Nuys in the spring.

He was the junior varsity coach at University High in West Los Angeles from 1987 through 1989 before a three-year stint as a varsity assistant at the school through 1992. Last season, Friery’s junior varsity team at Van Nuys finished 19-7 and won the league title.

“Our top priority as a program is to secure some funding and build a baseball field on campus,” Friery said.

Van Nuys now plays its home games at Sherman Oaks Park.