Hernandez new coach for Burbank boys’ basketball program
Jeff Tully
Suffering through a nightmare 2002-03 season, the Burbank High boys’
basketball team was in need of a little stability.
The Bulldogs might just have found a steadying force in new Coach
Jose Hernandez, who took over the program Tuesday.
Hernandez replaces David Goosen, who was fired in January for
alleged CIF Southern Section and district rules violations. The team
has been without a permanent coach for five months.
“I want to come in and give a little stability to the program, and
hopefully be around for a while,” Hernandez said.
“I have been filled in about what happened last year, and I am
learning more all the time. But this is a new year, and we have to
put that all behind us.”
Hernandez inherits a team that went 0-23 last season and didn’t
win a game in the Foothill League (0-10).
The coach said he doesn’t want to put any pressure on himself, or
his players, to live up to any expectations next season.
“As far as what happened last season, I don’t want to put any
pressure on anyone to reach certain goals,” he said.
“We plan to go out and compete in every game.”
Hernandez, 29, brings a history of coaching and playing success to
the Burbank program.
Most recently, he served as an assistant at Simi Valley, a team
that advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division IAA final in 1999.
As a player, he was a talented point guard at Dos Pueblos. He was
a starting player on the 1992 Chargers’ team that won a 3-A CIF
championship. Under Coach Eric Burkhardt, Dos Pueblos defeated Corona
del Mar, 39-38, in overtime to win the title.
In college, he played at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, before
transferring to Santa Barbara City College. He went on to Cal State
Northridge, where he didn’t play, but he received a bachelor’s degree
in history.
Hernandez said he is hoping to teach at Burbank.
“I have been really lucky to have played on some very good teams
and have learned a lot from some very good people,” Hernandez said.
“I think success is contagious, so I’m hoping to bring a little to
the program.”
Although the coach has had only a few days to work with and get to
know the Bulldog players, he said he is impressed with what he has
inherited.
“I know we aren’t going to have a lot of height, so we are going
to have to make up for that,” he said. “We are just going to have to
go out there and be aggressive, and also be patient when we have to.
If we do that, I think we can do pretty well.
“As far as the players go, they seem to have a very good attitude.
We should have some players who will contribute.”
Hernandez said he will have to assess his team’s strengths and
weaknesses before deciding what style of play he will have his
Bulldogs execute. However, being a former point guard, he likes to
run an up-tempo offense.
“I like to push the ball up and run as much as possible,” he said.
“But I will just have to see which style fits this team best.”
Realizing he is stepping into a challenging situation, Hernandez
said he is up for the challenge.
“Learning will be very important for us,” he said. “I know we will
have a lot to learn before next season.”
Burbank last made the playoffs in 2002, under Coach Ron
Quarterman. The Bulldogs haven’t won a Foothill League championship
since the 1994-95 season.