Van Nuys Fires Girls’ Coach Bessler

Dave Bessler was fired as coach of the successful Van Nuys High girls’ volleyball team Friday, a move taken by school officials after Bessler resigned as the boys’ coach earlier this month.

“Mr. Bessler resigned as boys’ coach and his position as girls’ volleyball coach will not be renewed,” said Van Nuys Principal Russ Thompson, who declined to elaborate.

Greg Wah, who coached the boys’ volleyball team last season before resigning in September, was rehired last week.

Bessler said he resigned as the boys’ coach for a variety of reasons, including a conflict of gymnasium usage. He said he was upset because he had to spend the first 50 minutes of boys’ volleyball practice in a smaller on-campus gym, while the boys’ basketball team was allowed to use the main gym for an out-of-season class.

Bessler said he was told by Thompson that he was fired as the girls’ coach because Thompson “didn’t want anybody that was going to be quitting a program and hurting kids.”

Two years ago, Bessler resigned his post with the boys’ team to spend more time working on his Calculus curriculum. He subsequently resigned under pressure as the girls’ coach for committing a City Section rules violation that eliminated the girls’ team from playoff contention for two seasons.

The volleyball violation and violations by the soccer and football programs placed the school athletic department on probation.

TRACK AND FIELD

Chris Forde of Cal State Northridge, 1997 Southern Section Division III champion in the boys’ 400 meters for Notre Dame High, will use the indoor season as a redshirt year because of leg injuries.

Forde, who has a best of 47.80 seconds, is expected to compete during the outdoor season.

DIVING

Ben Anderson of Dive Thousand Oaks won the 16- to 18-year-old Novice Division in a meet last week at Thousand Oaks High.

Chelsea Hartling and Andrew Alger of Dive Thousand Oaks finished second in their divisions.

Valerie Day placed third in 16-18 Junior Olympic girls’ competition and Dive thousand Oaks teammates Cory Baird, Mikaela Neumuller and Lauren Johanson earned fourth-place finishes.