Simi Valley Gives Quina Football Job

Stan Quina hopes to become a Pioneer in the truest sense of the word after becoming one, at least in name. At a news conference Tuesday at Simi Valley High, Quina officially was introduced as the school’s new football coach.

For Quina, 34, it is his first head coaching job and it brings with it the challenge of rebuilding a program that has struggled to a 1-19 record the past two seasons. Quina, an insurance salesman who will be a walk-on coach, intends to use a positive attitude to blaze a trail out of the league’s cellar.

“They haven’t had a lot of success here in terms of wins and losses, and I don’t think there was anything necessarily wrong with what the old regime did,” Quina said. “I just think they needed some new enthusiasm.”

Quina succeeds Dave Murphy, who resigned in November after a six-year tenure in which the Pioneers were 21-40-1. Murphy, the school’s second-winningest coach, said a lack of support slowed the program’s progress.

“I haven’t set any league-championship goals because I don’t think it’s realistic,” Quina said. “My first goal is to increase interest.”

Quina will try to bring optimism to a program that has not had a winning season since 1985, when it posted its best mark (9-3) and won its only Marmonte League title.

“If we can get the kids to believe in themselves, that they can win, then we will do well,” Quina said. “The importance is in effort and attitude.”

Quina, an assistant at Moorpark High the past two seasons, graduated from Royal and was an assistant there from 1980-84.