El Camino Real’s Martin Puts End to Long Career

George Martin, the track and field and cross-country coach at El Camino Real High for 28 years, will retire at the end of this season.

Before becoming the head cross-country coach in the fall of 1970 and the head track coach in the spring of 1971, Martin, 63, was the athletic director at El Camino Real for the first 1 1/2 years of the school’s existence.

“I’ve been with the L.A. Unified School District for 40 years and it’s time to hang it up,” Martin said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I might do nothing at all, I might sleep in in the mornings, but I’ve been teaching for long enough.”

Martin, a 1952 graduate of Manual Arts High, guided El Camino Real to the 1996 City Section girls’ cross-country title. He said his most fond coaching memories might be of high jumper Rob Olson, who won the 1977 City title at 7 feet 1 inch, and shotputter Allan Kennedy, who went on to play tackle for the San Francisco 49ers when they won the Super Bowl in 1982 and ’85.

“We’ve had a lot of good kids,” Martin said. “But Rob Olson and Allan Kennedy are two kids I’ll always remember.”

Eastern exposure: The Taft High boys’ and girls’ 400- and 1,600-meter relay teams will compete in the prestigious Penn Relays in Philadelphia on April 23-25.

The Toreadors, who have the fastest time in the region in the girls’ 400 relay and in the boys’ and girls’ 1,600 relays this year, were invited to participate in the meet earlier this week, but Taft Coach Mel Hein didn’t know if the finances could be raised until Wednesday night.

“Between the booster club, the kids and my plastic, we’re going to do it,” Hein said.

BASEBALL

Going home: Senior David Hawk, a highly regarded pitcher who transferred to Chatsworth last month, left school Wednesday and returned to Bakersfield.

Hawk pitched one inning in his stay with the Chancellors, striking out two batters and not allowing a hit in a victory over San Fernando.

SOFTBALL

Making commitments: Shortstop Kristin Combe of Thousand Oaks committed to play softball for Baylor and teammate Colleen Spencer, a second baseman, committed to Southern Mississippi.

Honored: Darleen Anderson, a pitcher for St. Peter’s College in New Jersey and a Glendale High graduate, was last week chosen Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference pitcher of the week.

Anderson, a senior right-hander who is 7-1 with a 0.97 earned-run average, won three games, allowing one earned run in 21 innings. She allowed 14 hits, struck out 27 and did not walk anybody.

SWIMMING

Close call: Anthony Ervin of Canyons Aquatics missed making the final of the 100-meter freestyle by .01 second at the U.S. National championships in Minneapolis.

Ervin, a junior at Hart High, finished fourth in the consolation final in 51.80.

Carly Geehr, 13, of Rose Bowl Aquatics was fifth in the women’s 100 freestyle consolation final, timing 58.07.

VOLLEYBALL

Headed to Northridge: Brad Astin, a 6-foot-4 outside hitter from Clovis West, has committed to the Cal State Northridge men’s team.

Coach hired: Noele Hagenburger, a 1991 graduate of Agoura High, has been named women’s coach at the University of South Carolina-Aiken, an NCAA Division II school.

SOCCER

Bound for Irvine: Sean Gesell, an all-region sweeper from Royal High who was the Marmonte League’s co-defensive player of the year, has committed to UC Irvine.