Yeck Back as Coach at El Toro

Greg Yeck has been selected as the girls’ basketball coach at El Toro High.

Yeck coached the program for five years from 1985-90, winning three South Coast League championships and reaching the Southern Section semifinals once. After taking time out from coaching to travel in Europe during the summer months, he has been the school’s frosh-soph coach the last six seasons.

A geography teacher on campus for 17 years, Yeck should be hired by the school’s administration within the week, according to Athletic Director Sheri Ross.

Yeck inherits the program from Vincent Avitabile, who resigned after El Toro went 23-7 and reached the section semifinals. Avitabile was 90-25 in four seasons that coincided with the career of last season’s player of the year, Giuliana Mendiola.

“When I left last time, the cupboard wasn’t bare--the team went 10-0 [in the league] the next season, and then there was a succession of coaches, three in three years, and the program deteriorated,” Yeck said. “Now, Mendiola shows up, Vin does a great job, the program gets built up, and I don’t want to see the program go through what it did before.

“The program’s up, and I want to keep it at that level.”