Brinkley, ‘A sly, silver fox’
This celebration of 30 years for Newport Harbor High football coach Jeff Brinkley on Saturday night called, “Coach Brinkley’s Tar Ball,” — the one that he’d actually be fine if it never took place — might’ve never been.
Thirty years could’ve been zero for Brinkley at Newport Harbor.
When he was first offered the job to be the Sailors coach can you believe Brinkley nearly turned it down? He lamented the decision and for a short time leaned toward saying no to the Tars.
Those who are close to Brinkley and are familiar with his bafflingly consistent program know that loyalty is important to the 62-year-old coach. How could he stop coaching at Norwalk High and leave the neighborhood he grew up in?
But the pros outweighed the cons. He wanted the challenge. He wanted to be in a different culture, and still be able to develop his personality and system into Newport Harbor Football.
Thirty years later, an energetic and passionate Brinkley carries no regrets. There is pride in that decision. There is gratefulness in that decision.
High school football is Brinkley’s life. And, Newport Football is Brinkley.
“There’s definitely a tightrope between respect and fear with him,” said former standout Chris Manderino, who led Newport Harbor to a CIF Southern Section Division VI title in 1999 and the Division VI final in 2000. “You didn’t want to step out of line because you knew the repercussions. He’s maintained a very tight ship. He gave us all a great set of rules to live by.”
Manderino, who went on to earn a scholarship after beginning as a walk-on at UC Berkeley and started a school-record 52 games at fullback before a stint in the NFL, said Brinkley had a strong impact on his playing career and his life.
Manderino got to experience Brinkley as most players do, as a passionate coach, and a caring man.
“He has a genuine interest in seeing us grow from boys into men,” said Manderino, who also saw other sides of Brinkley. “We called him a sly, silver fox. He was funny, too. He always had his one liners, the Brinkleyisms. On the field, he’s pretty much all business. As you get to know him you get to understand his wit and humor.”
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HOME
As a kid growing up in Norwalk, young Jeff Brinkley was a big fan of his older brothers, Bill and Steve. So, that meant that little Jeff was also a fan of Excelsior High.
Bill was 10 years older than Jeff and Steve five years older than the baby of the family who also has an older sister, Linda, who is nine years older than Jeff.
They all crammed into a three-bedroom house, with one bath, in Norwalk, the three boys in one room and Linda in her own room. But that wasn’t the only reason why the boys were so tight. They all loved sports.
“I had watched Excelsior since I was a baby,” Brinkley said of the football games. “I was taken to the games. Both my brothers played.”
Soon enough, Brinkley played football at Excelsior too. Bill was a linebacker. Steve had been a great athlete who excelled at different positions. He had success at Cerritos College and earned a scholarship to USC as a defensive back, but didn’t enjoy it and went to San Diego State to play for Don Coryell.
Brinkley looked up to his brothers and then he went on to make his own mark at Excelsior, where he played quarterback. He was also a star in baseball and competed in basketball.
He also went on to Cerritos College, where he played football and baseball and earned scholarship offers in both sports. He settled on taking a football scholarship to play at Cal State Fullerton, where he also wanted to play baseball.
As a catcher, he said he had an excellent summer for baseball with the Titans and eventually learned it would be too difficult to also play football at Fullerton.
Yes, the Newport Harbor football coach played baseball in college. He was also able to gain strong influences in coaching from head coach Augie Garrido and assistant Dave Snow.
After college, the coaching began quickly for Brinkley back at Excelsior, where he was in charge of JV basketball, freshman baseball and freshman football, learning on the fly, putting his own stamp on teams while mixing in all of his influences.
It wasn’t long until he became the head coach of the varsity football and baseball teams. He was only 24.
He had been asked to take over the baseball program because the prior coach had left. And, during the same summer, the football coach also stepped down.
He was asked to take over the football team, which had been winless the prior season, Brinkley said.
Thus another choice came for Brinkley. And, he made another wise decision.
“I told them, ‘I’ll take it if you let me keep the baseball job,’” Brinkley said. “For the first three years I was the head football coach and the head baseball coach. It was hectic.”
After the three years, Excelsior shut down as a school and the principal went to Norwalk High, where he asked Brinkley to come to coach and teach P.E. He didn’t have the same choice at Excelsior. He could only pick one sport to coach.
He picked football.
“In high school, I felt there was a chance to move on and up in football,” Brinkley said. “If I chose baseball, I should’ve went the college [coaching] route. I felt football was a better opportunity to move up the ladder and move around.”
After five years, a ladder led to Newport Beach.
An old family friend, Eric Tweit, called Brinkley to follow him and leave Norwalk for Newport.
Brinkley applied, yet knew he would be fine if he didn’t get the job, he said, because he was so happy at Norwalk and had already built strong relationships.
“For me personally, [then-Newport Harbor Principal] Tom Jacobson, that’s how Jeff got the job,” said Tweit, a longtime Newport Harbor cross-country and track coach and former athletic director who also grew up in Norwalk. “Tom was smart enough to know he had a really good coach on his hands. He let Jeff have cold feet. Tom gave him a couple of days to think it through. It was a huge move.”
Brinkley said he was honest during his interview and told everyone about his brand of football: physical. He also used a traditional pro-style offense. Along the way he added many traditions. If your team makes the playoffs, the team photo goes on “the wall,” in the weight room.
“He’s a very motivated individual,” Tweit said of Brinkley. “Wins and losses are the final result but he goes out and just coaches regardless. ‘If we don’t win this game, we’re going to come back and coach them up.’ I’m always amazed of his continued positive attitude and commitment. He had plenty of opportunities to do this in baseball. It just turned out he went football and the rest is history.”
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HEART
There are so many memories Brinkley holds dear throughout his time Newport Harbor. He struggles to list his top five moments, or even top three.
But, the 1994 season, he says, is hard to beat: undefeated with a CIF Southern Section Division V championship after beating Servite in the title game. It was the school’s first CIF football title.
The Sailors went unbeaten (with one tie against Marina) in the 1999 season and edged Irvine, 19-18, for the Division VI championship.
The losses are also tough to forget. He’s disappointed about Newport Harbor losing to rival Corona del Mar the past two years.
The Sailors have reached a CIF championship eight times under Brinkley, with three championships in 1994, 1999 and 2005. Those five losses (1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2013) also sting.
“The losses hurt a lot more than the wins feel good,” Brinkley says. “I should enjoy the wins more. I should be happier. My wife told me, ‘I see you win CIF and you’re not even looking happy.’ But it’s all about the process.”
In 2007, a different type of loss occurred. For a moment, Brinkley lost his confidence, he lost the sense of security. In the 2007 season opener at Newport Harbor, he left the game just after halftime because his heart was racing.
It was atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat. But at the time, the diagnosis was unknown.
His wife, Laura, rode with him to the hospital.
“At the time it was scary because I didn’t know what the hell was going on,” Brinkley said. “It was out of the blue. But I’m fine now.”
Brinkley says it was just a matter of getting on the right type of medication and changing his diet. He’s been fine with no heart scares since, and many have said he bounced back better and fitter than ever.
But, going to the hospital in an ambulance, spending three days in the hospital and initially not knowing the diagnosis horrified Brinkley and his family.
“It was so scary, super scary,” Laura says.
The couple has been married for 13 years.
A great fear set in that night Brinkley left the football game. It was more than about football, winning and losing.
However, they met because of football. Brinkley had coached Laura’s son, Brant Hill.
During their 13 years their love has grown because of challenges like the heart scare, and for Laura, just dealing with a coach who is so passionate about his job and meticulous about the process.
They share a love of wine.
“We’ve done some damage on the wine,” Laura says somewhat jokingly.
They were married in Napa Valley.
Laura has led Brinkley to gain a strong interest in flea market shopping. The couple usually competes to see who can find the best deal for a quality item.
“I think I trained him pretty well at that, but I think that I usually win on that one,” Laura says. “But he’s definitely competitive with me.”
Before football practices restarted on Monday, Brinkley and his wife took a vacation to Boston. Sometimes it’s difficult for Brinkley to turn off the work for football.
On the plane trip home, Brinkley worked on his scripts for practices.
“That’s been his life,” says Laura, who is an interior designer. “It’s something I’ve accepted. It’s worked out well. I travel a lot. We have a great time when we are together.”
Christmas has been a time when both are free of work and together. This upcoming Christmas, however, will be different.
Brinkley’s father, Roy, recently died at 95. He was a retired Los Angeles County sheriff. Brinkley was close to his father. He would visit his father every Sunday.
“He lived in the same house that I grew up in,” Brinkley said fondly.
The coach is saddened by his loss. Nearly two years ago, his oldest brother, Bill, died.
“This will be the first Christmas in 62 years that I haven’t spent at my dad’s house,” Brinkley said. “We are an extremely close family.”
Brinkley has a daughter, Kendall, 24, who lives in the Bay Area and plays drums for a band, he said.
He also has a stepdaughter, Rachel, 21.
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HAPPY
In 29 seasons for the Sailors, Brinkley has compiled a 233-111-3 record. Last season, marked the 23rd time Newport Harbor reached the playoffs under Brinkley.
“The thing I’m most proud of has been our consistency,” Brinkley says “It’s not easy at a public school to be a consistent winner. We’ve been very consistent for what we’ve done.”
It’s been more challenging to stay consistent recently, Brinkley admits, with division placement, players transferring out and athletes choosing to concentrate on other sports.
But Brinkley believes the program has been able to conquer the challenges because of the program’s philosophies, the strong support in the community and the continuity on his coaching staff.
Bill Brown, a running backs coach, has been with Brinkley since he started at Newport Harbor, while defensive coordinator Tony Ciarelli is in his 23rd year. Matt Burns, another assistant who coaches the linebackers, is in his 18th year.
Brown and Burns played for Newport Harbor, and they’re not the only alumni on staff, which also includes George Greenwalt, Garrett Govaars and Zach Moghaddam.
“I have a great coaching staff,” Brinkley said. “For a public high school I’ve been able to hang on to the coaches. The other schools, even private schools, they turn over their coaches a lot. It’s the nature of the beast. But I’ve been able to hold on to my guys. I’ve been really fortunate to have the continuity on the staff, which I think helps.”
In the first few years after Brinkley arrived at Newport Harbor, he was known to mix it up with his players. He would play quarterback and Ciarelli would sometimes play receiver.
Those days are long gone.
Brinkley is planning to retire as a P.E. teacher at Newport Harbor after the opening semester. As for retiring as football coach, he’s not sure.
Many thought he would step down if the Sailors had beaten Huntington Beach for the CIF Southern Section Southwest Division title two years ago.
“I would say no,” Brinkley said. “I would’ve wanted another one. You always do.”
Even after last season, there was talk that he might step down after standout quarterback Cole Norris graduated.
But here Brinkley is, energetic and passionate as ever.
“I like the kids we have,” he says.
There have been some in recent years who have transferred out of Newport Harbor. Brinkley doesn’t mention them by name.
“It’s like I tell them, ‘We’ll win with you or without you,’” Brinkley said. “‘It might be easier with you, but if you’re gone, we’re going to win anyway. We’re going to find a way. If you don’t want to be a Sailor then we don’t want you.’ Once they walk out the door, they’re out of my mind.”
For those who stay, they know what they are getting into with Brinkley in charge.
“They better be ready to work hard and dedicate themselves to the program,” he says. “We have some high expectations and we work hard. Also the players understand if we don’t work at that level, then we’re not going to have a real good chance at success.”
Brinkley, who enjoys reading, says he has researched on other longtime coaches and their decision to retire. He said most coaches believe they leave too early.
“One day I’ll wake up and probably figure it out that it’s time to get out,” Brinkley said. “But as long as I stay healthy and energetic and have that desire to learn, I’ll be coaching.”
Another reason Brinkley continues to coach is because of the support he receives from the parents, he said. In addition the strong alumni support has given Brinkley more reason to stay at Newport Harbor, rather than leave for a different job.
Many of Brinkley’s friends tell him he has, “the best job in the country.”
“I would say 99% of my time here everyone has been supportive,” Brinkley said. “It’s not the nightmare that a lot of people would think it would be … There have been a few that are just always unhappy. You’re never going to make everyone happy. But it’s like I tell them, ‘Go get your own team, and I’ll be the first guy to schedule you. If you want to do it, let me know.’”
Classic Brinkley.
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The Coach
Jeff Brinkley
Record: 233-111-3 in 29 seasons
Age: 62
Noteworthy: The Sailors have reached a CIF championship game eight times under Brinkley (1992, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2013) with three championships in 1994, 1999 and 2005. Last season, marked the 23rd time Newport Harbor reached the playoffs under Brinkley. Newport Harbor will have a special celebration for Brinkley on Saturday: “Coach Brinkley’s Tar Ball.” For information, visit www.newportharborfootball.org.