He’s Competing in a Family Way : David Parrish Plays Football and Baseball, Just Like His Dad

It would be great to say that when David Parrish made his first start as Esperanza’s varsity quarterback, he looked and felt like it was the most natural thing in the world.

That wouldn’t be the truth.

“I didn’t have that nervous gut feeling,” Parrish said. “But early in the game I felt I was rushing a lot. I calmed down later in the second quarter.”

He calmed down enough to pass for a school single-game record 327 yards (and one touchdown) in a 32-0 victory over Indio.

Parrish, who faces a bigger challenge against Chino Hills Ayala tonight at Valencia High, points out that he had plenty of help.

“The offensive line [John Sulik, Kostas Hatzidakis, Kyle Rowen, Chad Hardin and Jeff Watson] made sure I had time to throw,” said Parrish, who was sacked only once.

And the Indio defense did its part, concentrating on wide receiver Brian Forth and ignoring tight end Pat Swanson, who caught eight of Parrish’s 17 completions for a school-record 228 yards.

“Their defense had shifted everybody on Brian,” Parrish said. “They double-teamed him with a cornerback and outside linebacker, with the free safety in the middle. It was almost three guys on two receivers on each side. Swanson got so many big plays because he was so wide open.”

Nonetheless, the passing record surprised Parrish. “I was hot and cold,” he said. “Sometimes I’d go through a whole series without a completion. When they told me afterward, I didn’t think I did that well. The completions were a lot higher than I thought.”

Esperanza Coach Gary Meek wasn’t surprised. Meek has had some excellent quarterbacks--Keith McDonald, Jason Moler, Josh Buscaglio, and last year’s starter, Chris Stretch. He believes Parrish can be as good as any of them.

“David is going to be good, and he’s got the potential to be very good,” Meek said. “When he finishes growing, he will be 6-4, 200 pounds--a prototype size for quarterbacks. He has a great arm, and throws with touch. Right now, he’s in an offensive system that can take advantage of his strengths.

“We wondered last year if he was going to beat Chris out as the starter. But the year under Chris allowed him to mature. Fifty percent of our plays are called at the line of scrimmage, and David can already read defenses and check off to receivers. Chris didn’t get it down until the last few weeks of the season.”

It’s also no surprise that athletics are a big part of Parrish’s life.

His father, Lance, is in his 19th major league season. A catcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, who also played for the Angels from 1989 until early ’92 and was on the Detroit Tigers’ 1984 World Series champion, Lance was a talented quarterback and safety at Walnut High. He turned down a football scholarship at UCLA, opting for baseball.

“I don’t enjoy not being able to watch him,” Lance Parrish said from his Toronto apartment. “The bad thing about pro baseball is that I miss a lot of things my kids do. It’s tough for me, it’s tough for them.”

Parrish said he understands sacrifices must be made. He may have a famous father, but it’s a father he sees mainly from early October to mid-February; otherwise, he sees him on television.

“I’ve understood it a long time,” Parrish said. “When I was real little, I missed him. But as I got older, I accepted it. I talk to him almost every night on the phone. He’ll see a videotape [of the Indio game]. And when his season is over in October, he’ll see the rest of my games.”

David Parrish’s mom, Arlyne, was not at last week’s game either. She was attending a parade and dinner for the Yorba Hills Little League team, which reached the Little League World Series. Her younger son, Matthew, was a catcher on the team.

“I told her to go to the parade and dinner,” Parrish said. “There will always be other football games. But being part of a team that goes to the Little League World Series is a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”

Meek said Parrish remains free of excessive ego despite his famous family.

“He doesn’t talk of dad unless you ask him,” Meek said. “He is David Parrish. And dad wants David to be his own man.”

But there is still plenty of the father in the son. Parrish also is a catcher on the Esperanza baseball team. He has a strong throwing arm, and came on as a hitter last season, batting .300 in 14 games as a reserve.

He said he wouldn’t mind a chance to keep playing after he graduates next year.

“I do want to play college and pro ball,” Parrish said. “My first priority would be baseball at this point, but if one of the good baseball schools wanted me and it needed a football player, I’d go out.

“I’ve handled being Lance’s son so far. It depends on the person. It’s more in baseball; my football coaches don’t compare me to dad. But I know of baseball people out there who do and expect more of me.”

And what does his dad say? “I think he’s definitely got the ability to play at higher levels,” Lance Parrish said. “Right now, however, I just tell him even though he had a real good game last week, that was only one game.”

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CHINO HILLS AYALA VS. ESPERANZA

Featured Game

When: 7 tonight

Where: Valencia High

Records: Ayala (1-0); Esperanza (1-0)

Rankings: Esperanza is No. 2.

Noteworthy: Esperanza Coach Gary Meek did not downplay the school-record 329 passing yards quarterback David Parrish recorded in the 32-0 victory over Indio last week, but he didn’t go overboard about the achievement either. “We’ll know a lot more about ourselves against Ayala,” said Meek, respectful of the Bulldogs’ appearance in the Southern Section Division III championship game last season (Sherman Oaks Notre Dame won, 27-20). Ayala likes to run over teams; in a 35-7 victory over Glendora, halfback Jason Taylor had 179 yards and three touchdowns in 15 carries, and fullback Anthony Redd rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns in 17 carries. The defense had bite as well, allowing only 38 yards rushing and 72 yards passing--not to mention its four interceptions. The Aztecs were almost as stingy, holding Indio to 33 yards rushing and 109 yards passing.