by Chrissy Zehrbach
Sports Editor
Gabe Duran has been named interim head men’s basketball coach for the 2003-2004 season, taking over for head coach Terry Boesel, who resigned in June to take a coaching position at UC Irvine.
The basketball program at the University of La Verne is nothing new to Duran having been a player on the team and serving as assistant coach since 1999, so he was a natural choice when the position became available.
“The University is very fortunate to have someone of Gabe’s abilities and talent already on staff as assistant coach,” said Athletic Director Chris Ragsdale, who appointed Duran to the position of interim head coach.
As a transfer from Mendocino College in Northern California, Duran started as point guard for the Leopards for two seasons under the coaching of Boesel.
His senior year, Duran was awarded the Anthony J. Scafani Award as the University’s top senior male athlete.
Duran graduated from ULV in 1999, but remained with the basketball team the following year as a volunteer coach, and then as a graduate assistant coach.
In the 2000-01 campaign, Duran served as interim head coach, leading the Leopards to a 9-16 season record, 5-9 in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
“It was a great season for me, as a young coach, in terms of a learning experience because it was a tough year,” Duran said.
The 2000-01 season was a trying year that was plagued by injury and conflict and the struggle to keep playing.
“You have these expectations at the beginning of the year of who’s going to do what and you talk to players about roles and all of a sudden we’re already in league and you have to scramble and player’s roles have to change,” Duran said.
Duran returned to the graduate assistant position in 2001-2002 when Boesel returned to the program from a coaching stint at UC San Diego. He has spent the past two seasons as assistant coach.
“The fact that he has significant experience both as an assistant and as assistant coach of our program, as well as the fact that in one other particular instance he served for a year as this interim head coach made the decision an easy one for us,” Ragsdale said. “It provided someone who could give us immediate attention to our program, and not just someone without a lot of experience,” Ragsdale said.
It is because of his deep roots in the University community, both as a student, teacher and coach that Duran remains with the ULV basketball program. He said La Verne has a special place in his heart for all these reasons.
Having both played and coached with Boesel, Duran credits him, as well as other coaches, with where he learned most about coaching.
He feels the transition will be smooth within the program this year because the majority of the coaching style and style of play will be similar to the past couple years.
“I felt like I really learned a lot from Coach Boesel, and I think a lot of his general coaching philosophy has rubbed off on me, so I think that will help with the transition of the team,” Duran said. “It’s not going to be something completely foreign to them.”
Duran’s presence in the program during the transition ensured retention of returning player and new recruits, Ragsdale said.
Duran is anxious to work with this year’s squad. He said last year’s team was young, but those young players have worked hard at improving their overall athleticism and it should be a stronger team this year.
“I’m expecting some good things from our returners, as well as some key new guys to come in and help us out as well. I’m looking forward to it,” Duran said.
The team has already started preparation for the upcoming season, eager to continue playing for Duran.
“It will be a very smooth transition because he is such a knowledgeable coach, and he is great at motivating his players and creating unity,” said Marc Holmquist, sophomore.
“All the guys respect him and trust him,” said junior Dane Sawyer. “He’s the kind of you person you can talk to about anything.”
Along with coaching duties, Duran will also be juggling coursework as he pursues his Masters in education at ULV, as well as a family. Duran and his wife of two years, Robyn, his high school sweetheart, had a son, Cameron Gabriel, in August.
Duran also teaches courses part time in the movement sport science department.
“I’m going to take my time, but don’t want to spread myself too thin. I don’t want to be mediocre at three or four different things; I want to be good at a few,” Duran said.
Duran’s goals for the season include getting the team to play hard throughout the whole game, improving upon last year’s record 16-9 (6-8 in SCIAC for a fifth place tie), and, of course, winning a conference title.
“Ultimately, your goal every year is to win conference, and I’d be selling us short if I said that wasn’t our goal,” he said.
Duran is ready and willing to rise the challenge of the new opportunity as head coach.
“Gabe is very experienced and I’m looking forward to working with him,” Ragsdale said. “I wouldn’t have given him the position if I didn’t believe that (the program) was going to be in very good hands.”
