Coblentz steps down as coach

GLENDALE — Coaching various sports at the collegiate level for more than 30 years gave Terry Coblentz the opportunity to watch athletes grow.

It’s the part of the job she cherished the most. But, unfortunately, additional responsibilities began to pile up through the years, forcing her workload to increase.

With that, Coblentz decided to decrease her workload by resigning as the Glendale Community College women’s tennis coach June 1. Coblentz, who has coached the program since 1983, will continue to serve as the college’s women’s athletic director and an instructor.

Bob Donaghy, who coached the college’s men’s team for 25 years, will succeed Coblentz.

“Coaching athletics takes more time than it did say 25 years ago,” said Coblentz, whose team went 7-8 and 5-7 in the competitive Western State Conference this past season. “With the budget crunch, it’s going to take a little more time putting my focus toward being the athletic director.

“[Glendale college men’s Athletic Director and former football Coach] John Cicuto and I have to work together as best we can. I’ll miss coaching the athletes a lot because it’s definitely one of the best parts of the job, but it’s all about time right now.”

Coblentz arrived at Glendale college in 1982 after coaching tennis and volleyball at Cal State Los Angeles from 1975-79 and softball at Chaffey College in 1976. She then coached tennis at Washington State University from 1979-82.

Making the journey to Glendale college proved to be a seamless transition for Coblentz.

“When the job opened up at GCC in 1982, I took advantage of an opportunity that was too good to pass up,” Coblentz said. “I had a dream job and I still do.

“I’m going to continue to teach physical education and health classes. I tell my students to pick the kind of job that they would like to have, and if they have half as much fun as I have, then their choice will suit them perfectly.”

Coblentz said Donaghy should have things well in hand after serving as Coblentz’s assistant last season.

Donaghy will look to guide the Vaqueros to the Southern California Regionals next season. Glendale college last appeared in the regionals in 1999.

“Bob has got lots of experience, and he wanted to help me out this past season,” Coblentz said. “He’s been very supportive, and he certainly knows his stuff.

“He’s good for the players because he’s relaxed and doesn’t stress out. Plus, he respects them as athletes.”

Donaghy, who piloted the men’s team to conference titles in 1999 and 2001, said he’s eager to get started preparing for next season.

“You want to be able to mold and be creative with the players you have at the time,” said Donaghy, who went 230-161 at Glendale college before retiring following the 2002 campaign. “You want to see how far they have come and can go.

“I’m looking forward to getting started. I want to sit down with each of the players and go over what we want to try to accomplish on the court and in the classroom. It’s about being in a planning stage.”

Donaghy said he’d like to add more depth and drum up more interest with the women’s program, similar to what he did when guiding the men’s program.

“I want to try to get more numbers,” said Donaghy, who was named the conference’s coach of the year in 1987 and 1998 and the California Community College Tennis Coach of the Year in 2001. “We had something like seven players last year and that’s too tight.

“I think the experience helps with me already having been a coach. I helped Terry out and I realized how much I missed coaching. Terry had a hard decision to make with not coaching anymore. We respect each other’s opinions and I’m proud that I’ll be taking over for her.”