Coach back on sideline

Former Estancia boys’ soccer coach returns to take girls’ soccer head coaching position.Estancia High announced that former boys’ varsity soccer and track and field coach Steve Crenshaw, who resigned from both posts last September, has been named the school’s girls’ varsity soccer coach.

Estancia athletic secretary Mary Kay Jones confirmed Crenshaw’s return.

Crenshaw came to Estancia High in 1995 and led the boys’ varsity soccer team to the CIF Southern Section Division IV championship during the 1999-2000 season, defeating Bishop Montgomery, 5-2, in the finals. The Eagles were 20-1-1 that season.

He also led the Estancia boys’ track and field team to the Golden West League championship in 2003.

“I’m unretired,” Crenshaw said. “Once again, they had a coaching change and they approached me and asked if I’d be interested.”

Crenshaw, an earth science teacher at Estancia, said he missed the game immediately. He taught two classes at Vanguard University to keep his mind off soccer after teaching his high school classes.

He came out to watch a couple games last year at the insistence of his former players, but generally stayed away from the soccer field.

“It was interesting not coaching last year,” Crenshaw said. “It was just time to take a break and catch my breath and see where I wanted to go from there. I wasn’t planning on coming back, but the opportunity came up.”

Crenshaw becomes the seventh varsity girls’ soccer coach at Estancia in seven years. The Eagles went 6-8-4 last season, 2-7-3 in the Golden West League.

“I’ve watched all the turnover,” Crenshaw said. “The lack of continuity is hurting the program. It’s time to see if someone can get in there and stay awhile.”

Crenshaw, 53, played soccer at Southern California College (now Vanguard) and coached girls’ club soccer before heading to Estancia in 1995.

He’ll meet with his new team for the first time today.

“From all indications, from what people have been telling me, there’s some pretty good talent there,” Crenshaw said. “We have a decent amount of players with club experience. I’ll find out if they want to work hard and perform at the level I’m expecting.

“I’d just like to see the team be competitive again. All in all, my basic philosophy is, if it’s not fun, it’s not worth doing. They’ll have fun with me as long as they understand they have to put in the work, too.”20051021T01K4C9INo Caption20051021hxu05akf(LA)