What are some of your fondest memories here at Newman?

I can remember when Father George was the principal. It was about April. We had a backup on the septic system and we had a three day vacation. It just happened. I mean they just said ‘Schools closed. You’re done for three days.’ That was just perfect timing and everybody took a three day vacation. That was one of the best. When I was coaching one year, we had a game up in Ukiah. It was a Saturday, and we were playing a double header. We drove up to Ukiah and as we were driving up there, we saw this bus coming down to Santa Rosa. They came down here, we went up there. That was kind of humorous. It was pre-cell phones so we wound up playing here, a double header that went late into the night.

What is one thing you will miss here at Newman?

Break and Lunch. Always have a good time at break and lunch with the faculty. We always seem to entertain ourselves. So I’ll miss that. Every day when I come to work and I see students and their smiling faces and saying hello. Just the way they interact with each other and the friendships they have created. I just get a glimpse of it. That’s kind of a special moment. I won’t miss the late afternoon work where I’m kind of dragging and I realize that I have to drive home and I’m tired. I won’t miss that. I used to work in a factory before I came to work at Newman, and my job was to test sprinklers. By the end of the day, I was drenched in water and my fingers and toes were wrinkled and I hated it. I would wake up in the morning dreading to go to work. Well, I have never had that experience at Newman. I remember one guy said that when he gets up and says ‘I’m going to school. I’m not going to work, I’m going to school.’ And that is kind of the experience I have. I’m going to school. I’m learning something today. And so I always enjoyed coming to work. I haven’t had a bad time getting up to go to work.

Is there one piece of advice you would like to offer to the student body?

Learn to deal with change. It’s all about change. Everything changes. You know, to the teachers too. If you can’t deal with change, high school is not the place to be, especially Cardinal Newman. Every year is a different year. Every day is different. It’s change, change, change. Learn to deal with it. And I think you have to have a strong faith. That’s what Newman gives you too, it gives you an opportunity to practice your faith and put it in place.

What do you plan on doing after you leave Newman?

It’s called possibilities. Anything is possible now. As far as time, I hope my health holds out. I hope I have time to do some new things. Maybe spend some time with my grandkids, play some golf. Travel. Go to Cuba. I want to take a cruise in the Mediterranean. I always thought that would be cool, just kind of float around the Mediterranean. Go to Barcelona, Rome, that whole area, the Western Mediterranean.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I want to thank Cardinal Newman and the students and the faculty, for my family and the things they have done for me. I really appreciate it. I just have a strong connection to the school. People who are here are lucky to be here. Thank you.