Garey High’s Coach Monse Estrada teaches by example

Monse Estrada, 59, has been the baseball coach and a physical education teacher at Pomona Garey High for 37 years. He’s retiring next month. The fact he lasted this long speaks to the impact he has had on and off the field because his teams have won only two league titles.

“Winning isn’t everything,” he said.

Yes, and thank goodness a school district recognizes a good coach when it has one.

“I liked the kids and wanted to contribute more than just coaching,” he said when asked why he stayed for so long at Garey. “They needed a break. They needed someone to encourage them, love them, support them.”

This season, Garey is 15-6 overall and tied for first place in the Mt. Baldy League. It would be fitting if the players sent him off with a league title or even a Southern Section Division 3 championship. But it won’t change his legacy one bit.

He’s the guy who shows up every day to cut the grass, drag the field, pitch batting practice, hit fungos and try to inspire his players to become good adults.

“That’s part of coaching,” he said. “You have to do the little things. As long as the kids see me working hard, then they work hard.”

Estrada plans to spend his free time working in the community with his church. And he’s most pleased that lots of his former players have become coaches in youth baseball.

“That makes me feel good that they want to work in the community and be pillars of the community,” he said. “My thing is we already made it. I want them to make it.”

Athlete in Oxnard

It won’t be long before college football coaches start hearing about a 6-foot-6, 215-pound junior-to-be tight end from Oxnard Channel Islands who’s creating excitement in volleyball.

Jeremiah Valoaga began this week with 222 blocks for the volleyball team, which offers a hint about his athletic ability. As a sophomore tight end last fall, he caught 42 passes for 538 yards and three touchdowns.

I’m willing to predict he also can dunk a basketball.

Speedsters at Gardena Serra

Everyone knew how fast and athletic Gardena Serra was in football last fall when the Cavaliers finished 15-0. Now, during the track season, it’s becoming even clearer how much speed there is at Serra.

Receiver Robert Woods finished the 400 meters in 46.81 seconds last week. Receiver George Farmer ran the 100 meters in 10.64. And another receiver, Devin Spann, ran 10.82 for the 100. The football coach, Scott Altenberg, should start wearing a T-shirt that says, “Fastest receivers in America.”

Track time

The Southern Section track prelims are scheduled for Saturday. Division 1 is at Mission Viejo Trabuco Hills, Division 2 is at Moorpark, Division 3 at Costa Mesa Estancia and Division 4 at Carpinteria.

Two freshmen came up with good times in league finals. Mike Davis of Glendale ran the 100 in 10.80. Khalfani Muhammad of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame ran the 100 in 10.84 and the 200 in 21.63.

But the athlete who has taken himself to a different level this season is junior hurdler Jonathan Cabral of Agoura. He’s No. 1 in the state in the 110 highs after running 13.70 at the Marmonte League finals. D.J. Morgan of Woodland Hills Taft won the state title last year, running 13.76. Cabral is also No. 2 in the 300 hurdles at 36.80.

Doubles king

First baseman Nick Schmidt from Simi Valley Grace Brethren set a Southern Section record Friday with his 55th career double. He’s one double away from tying the state record.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

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