VALLEY / VENTURA ROUNDUP : Stroh Says 1994 Football Season Will Be His Last

Area coaching legend Darryl Stroh, who led Granada Hills High to a total of six City Section titles in two major sports, will call it quits in football following the 1994 season.

Under Stroh, 55, the Highlanders have won five major-division City baseball titles and another in football. Stroh said the grind of being a two-sport coach finally wore him down.

“It’s just too much (of a commitment),” he said Monday. “I don’t want to be spending my whole life at school anymore.”

In City coaching circles, Stroh’s accomplishments put him among the elite.

He won a 4-A Division football title in 1987 when the Highlanders shocked Carson, which was ranked second in the nation. Granada Hills won City baseball championships in 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979 and 1984 during Stroh’s 25 years as coach.

“I think this will help make me a better baseball coach,” said Stroh, who plans to continue coaching baseball indefinitely.

Apart from his credentials on the field, Stroh was just as storied for his frankness, work ethic and integrity, his colleagues said. In the fall, Stroh would coach football on Friday night, then get up early the following morning for off-season baseball games.

“It’s going to be a loss,” said football Coach Bob Francola of Kennedy, Granada Hills’ archrival. “Our competition on the football field is something I’ve always looked forward to.

“He stands for a lot of good things. He’ll be missed.”

Stroh has been involved with Highlander sports for as long as he can remember. Stroh did his student teaching at Granada Hills in 1962 and has been on the football staff in some capacity ever since.

Stroh said he announced his resignation in the spring so that the school would have plenty of time to fill his vacant position--whether it’s one position or two remains to be seen.

Football co-Coach Tom Harp, 40, who has spent the past 10 varsity seasons on the sideline with Stroh, said he also is undecided whether he will return after next fall. Harp also coaches boys’ volleyball.

“Coaching wears on you after a while,” Harp said.