Sam Navarez, James Howarth, Alexis Lara and Andrea Yafai were
hired by Christopher High this week to fill the boys’ volleyball,
boys’ water polo, wrestling and coed cross country coaching
positions, respectively.
GILROY – Athletic Director Darren Yafai expects to have all but three of Christopher High’s coaching positions filled as of next week, putting the new school, whose nickname will be the Cougars, in position to hit the ground running in its first year starting this fall.
Sam Navarez, James Howarth, Alexis Lara and Andrea Yafai were hired this week to fill the boys’ volleyball, boys’ water polo, wrestling and coed cross country coaching positions, respectively, while Kaden Bahner (boys’ basketball), Catherine Hallada (softball), Jeff Ross (swimming) and Justin Ponzio (boys’ soccer) were all hired in late January.
“I’m confident that by next week, we’ll have all of the hires done except for football and [tennis and field hockey],” Yafai said.
The application deadline for the football position expires Friday, while the search for tennis and field hockey coaches has no current timetable.
Navarez, currently working in the GECA (Gilroy Early College Academy) program at Gavilan, takes over the volleyball program with plenty of experience, having been a former coach at Gilroy High.
“When he was the head coach, they were a perennial playoff contender,” Darren Yafai said. “We’re really pleased to get him on board.”
Howarth is currently a special education teacher at Luigi Aprea Elementary School, and has high school coaching experience after playing in college.
Lara has been working as a substitute teacher, as well as the wrestling coach at Brownell, and is a former Gilroy Hawk and Mustang wrestler. He qualified for state in high school, and also competed for San Francisco State at the collegiate level.
“We’re very fortunate to get somewhat as knowledgeable and energetic as Alexis,” Darren Yafai said. “He obviously was raised in the excellent Gilroy wrestling tradition. … We’re confident he’s gonna bring that same attitude and work ethic and desire.”
Andrea Yafai, who teaches at Luigi Aprea and is married to Darren Yafai, was a member of several GHS track teams under legendary coach Avis Kelley and continues to participate in local running events.
To eliminate any possibility of nepotism or favoritism for each coaching position, Darren Yafai noted “all of these interviews were conducted by multiple panels,” which consisted of himself, school administrators and “respected members of the community.”
The AD added that several hires are pending paperwork and district approval, and should be announced next week.
