Edison to honor Mohs

Mike Sciacca, Independent

Dave Mohs, the original boys basketball coach at Edison High, was

on hand 31 years ago to supervise the laying of the school’s gymnasium

floor.

Friday night, the building that houses both girls and boys basketball and

volleyball, will be named in his honor.

Mohs, who died of colon cancer in July of 1996, coached both the boys

basketball and girls volleyball teams at Edison at various times, from

1969, until his retirement in 1994. He will be honored during Friday’s

halftime ceremonies of the Sunset League boys basketball game featuring

Edison and league-leading Marina.

Following speeches by Edison Principal Brian Garland and Athletic

Director Bruce Belcher, a plaque honoring Mohs will be unveiled, and

later be placed on the gymnasium wall.

His widow, Ginny, will be on hand for the presentation.

“As a coach, he was intense and expected a lot from his players, but you

respected him so much, that you put it all on the line for him,” Belcher

said. “What was most unique about Dave, however, was that he was

genuinely interested in you as a person. He was a great listener, and he

was a great mentor to me.”

Before his arrival at Edison, Mohs served as an assistant coach to

Huntington Beach High boys basketball coaching legend Elmer Combs who,

two years ago, had the Oiler gymnasium renamed in his honor.

Not many people were aware of what a terrific tennis player Mohs was,

Belcher said. What most did know, however, were his coaching abilities.

Mohs nearly single-handedly turned around Edison’s girls volleyball

fortunes. Prior to taking over the varsity team in 1983, the Chargers

went 3-29 the previous two years. Betweenthe 1983-94 seasons, Mohs’ teams

went on to win four Sunset League championships, competed annually in the

CIF-Southern Section playoffs, and also earned a CIF State playoff

appearance.

One of his former players, All-CIF setter Erin Tomblin, now an assistant

coach for defending women’s volleyball national champion Penn State, is

scheduled to travel from State College, Pa. to attend the halftime

ceremonies, according to Belcher.

Tomblin will be one of many former and current Chargers on hand for the

event. Most, too, will be decked out in Hawaiian shirts - a favored

attire frequently worn by Mohs.

“Dave just had a tremendous impact on a lot of people, and I think it

only fitting that this gym be named after him,” Belcher added. “He did so

much for this school. He really was Mr. Edison, and now he always will be

a part of a gymnasium that he saw grow from the very beginning.”