Sherman Oaks Notre Dame baseball coach Tom Dill loses his Porsche but gains more admirers

Tom Dill’s luck hasn’t been good lately with cars. The Sherman Oaks Notre Dame baseball coach had one car stolen, then his dream car, a 2006 Porsche, was severely damaged Friday when a tree fell on top of it during school hours. His laptop in the trunk was left twisted — or more specifically, was bent at a 45-degree angle.

But that wasn’t all.

“He’s a hero,” principal Alice Cotti said.

Dill helped one parent escape from her car after the tree fell on top of it in the school parking lot, Cotti said. Then he went to find tarps to help cover three other damaged cars. All this on the day before Notre Dame’s alumni baseball game would celebrate Dill’s 25th season as coach.

“He’s selfless,” Cotti said Saturday morning as a huge cake with the number “25” was carried out by players to honor Dill.

More than 50 players have made All-CIF during Dill’s tenure. He coached Giancarlo Stanton of the Miami Marlins, among others.

Perhaps more impressively, though, at a time when some coaches are under siege from parents, Dill has kept going.

“I always say Notre Dame is about the families,” he told the crowd before receiving a standing ovation. “We’re fortunate to have great families. It’s not easy being a baseball coach. I’m most proud I’ve lasted.”

Now, if only someone has a good body shop to fix a 2006 Porsche?

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Sherman Oaks Notre Dame coach is still smiling