Monte Vista Christian School in Watsonville named Dan Mooney
Head Varsity Basketball Coach for 2009-10, Athletic Director David
Reese announced last week.
Mooney, who was an All-American player at the University of New
Paltz in New York, was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in ’82 but
opted out to play in Germany. He returned to the United States and
had stints with several other NBA and CBA teams. In 1989 he went
back to Germany, and played in five different basketball clubs
until 2002, when he retired from the sport.
WATSONVILLE – Monte Vista Christian School in Watsonville named Dan Mooney Head Varsity Basketball Coach for 2009-10, Athletic Director David Reese announced last week.
Mooney, who was an All-American player at the University of New Paltz in New York, was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in ’82 but opted out to play in Germany. He returned to the United States and had stints with several other NBA and CBA teams. In 1989 he went back to Germany, and played in five different basketball clubs until 2002, when he retired from the sport.
After he returned to the United States, Mooney began volunteering at Bethany University in Scotts Valley, where he worked in their Public Relations office and coached mens and womens basketball for five years. This past summer he developed two AAU teams, U14-U16, directed his own “Back to the Basics” camp, and coached JV and Varsity basketball summer league games. In 2007, he stepped down from his coaching positions, and continued serving in the administration at the University, most recently as Interim Director of Admissions.
“It’s important to me to mentor the kids, to develop their enthusiasm, and to help them as they grow into team players,” Mooney said. “There are three things that I always tell my players are the most important while they are in school. Number one, serve God. Number two, learn everything you can in the classroom. Number three, enjoy the things you are passionate about.”
Reese said that Mooney will be a great asset to the athletic program.
“As a basketball coach he believes in strong fundamentals, discipline and hard work,” Reese said.
Mooney and his wife, Valerie, have seven children. Six of them are adults, and the youngest, Josh, will enroll as a sophomore at Monte Vista.
