Teen Coaches Rack Up Points in Several Ways

In spite of homework, socializing and basketball games of their own, two Viewpoint High School varsity players spent much of their time this winter coaching a team of young boys to a winning season in the same league that taught them the game.

Brett Malkin and David Feinberg, both 15, coached their team of 9- and 10-year-olds to an undefeated season in the Woodland Hills Recreation Center basketball league. That earned them not only the respect and admiration of the players and their parents, but also the right to coach this year’s all-star squad to vie for the city championship title.

Brett, a Calabasas resident, has been coaching in the league for three years, first as an assistant to his father, Glenn, and for two years with David, a West Hills resident.

Although their work with the league started out as simply a way to help out, it also satisfies a 50-hour community service requirement at their private school in Calabasas.

The boys, sophomores at Viewpoint, said they still have vivid memories of their time in the Woodland Hills league and can relate to the players on a level that adult coaches may not. “We’ll do something serious and then we’ll play a little game,” Brett said. “We try to make it fun for them, because we know what they go through [with adult coaches].”

Although their all-star team lost its bid to compete in Sunday’s city finals, the coaches are proud of what their teams have accomplished.

Besides, they said, they’ll be back. There’s always next year.