Sport(s) Football 1961–1981 Saint Paul High School | Name Marijon Ancich Role Coach | |
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1958-1961 Cal Poly Mustangs football 1959–1960 Saint Paul High School (assistant) Positions Fullback, Defensive back, Linebacker |
Marijon Ancich - A Legacy
Marijon Ancich is a former California high school football coach. Known as the "John Wooden of (American) high school coaches," and often called the Dean of high school coaches, he is the second-winningest high school football coach in California history with a record of 360-134-4, behind Bob Ladouceur of De La Salle High School with 399 wins. In his long career, Ancich's teams have won three CIF titles, two California State titles and 19 league championships.
Contents
- Marijon Ancich A Legacy
- St paul s marijon ancich nogales john romano make cif ss hall of fame
- Personal life
- Saint Paul High School
- Northern Arizona University
- Tustin High School
- Cerritos College
- Controversy
- Championship games
- Final Game
- The Coachs Coach
- References

St paul s marijon ancich nogales john romano make cif ss hall of fame
Personal life
Born in Yugoslavia, Marijon Ancich and his family fled to the United States during World War II. Initially arriving in New York City, the Ancich family settled in Southern California seven years later. He attended San Pedro High School, graduating in 1955. He then attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and was a four-year letterman in football and a two-year letterman in track. In football, he played fullback, linebacker, and defensive back, and was a two-time All-CCAA selection. Ancich and his wife Jacquie have seven children.
Coach Ancich is known for his unflagging work ethic - beyond coaching for over 45 years, he just retired from his other job. He was a longshoreman for 49 years, a career that was a product of his Slavic heritage and the community of San Pedro. His coaches were told that their free time was between midnight and 6:00 am and that any normal human did not need more than a few hours of sleep each night. His nickname of "Red-Eye" is a testament to this practice coupled with hours of watching film. Players often referred to him as just "The Eye" because he seemed to know what any given player was doing on any given play. He always gives credit to the parents, players, and fellow coaches for his accomplishments - he demanded a great deal of everyone and had the charisma to make everyone believe in what they were trying to do.
In late 2000, Ancich summed up his objective for every player: "To give the young man the opportunity to develop his courage, his loyalty, his poise, the proper weighing of values and the proper control of his emotions in adversity, and in accomplishment."
Saint Paul High School
In 1959, after college, Ancich started as an assistant coach at St. Paul High School. After being named head coach two years later, he coached at St. Paul from 1961 to 1981 and again from 1993 to 2005, before returning for a third stint in 2009.
Northern Arizona University
Offensive Coordinator, 1982
Tustin High School
From 1984 to 1992, the Tustin High School Tillers under Ancich won four league titles and reached the playoffs seven times. They reached the CIF championship game for two consecutive seasons (1990 and 1991), losing both. The two year combined record was 25-3.
Cerritos College
Defensive Coordinator 2005-2006.
Controversy
In 2010, Coach Ancich and other members of his staff were placed on an administrative leave after a hazing scandal that allegedly victimized several players at St. Paul High School.
On August 19, 2010, almost the entire football coaching staff at St. Paul, including Ancich, had been suspended by the school for more than a week while it and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles investigated a hazing incident.
The team had been coached in the interim by offensive coordinator Visko Ancich – Marijon's son – and defensive backs coach Rich Avina Jr., who were among those originally suspended on but cleared and reinstated. Suspensions for the rest of the coaches lasted eight days while the investigation was going on.
The incident took place on Aug. 14 in the locker room. According to a letter from principal Kate Aceves, Marijon and Visko Ancich, Avina, Lou Cabral, Oliver Cepeida, Rich Estrella and Anthony Wilson were "not found culpable of any knowledge of the incident."
One coach was not reinstated, and it was reported that it was believed to be Juan Gonzalez, who had coached freshmen for four seasons and was promoted to varsity for 2010. Aceves said that one coach's contract was not renewed "because of a personnel issue." She did confirm that an incident took place, but didn't expand, other than to say the majority of the football team "had some sort of involvement whether as a witness or participant."
Championship games
Final Game
On Saturday, June 23, 2012, Coach Marijon Ancich was at the helm for his last football game as a coach representing St. Paul High School. Ancich was chosen to coach in the 2nd annual Arizona vs. Southern California All-Star Game in Surprise, Arizona.
The Coach's Coach
Many of Ancich's former players and assistants have become coaches or head coaches, from high school football to College to the National Football League, including Jeff Veeder, Kurt Westling of Aliso Niguel High School in Aliso Viejo, Dick Bruich of Fontana Kaiser High School, Robert Oviedo of Wilson High School in Hacienda Heights, Pat Degnan of Quartz Hill High School, Dusan Ancich (son) of Villa Park High School, Richard Smith of the NFL Houston Texans, Tim Lins of Moorpark High School, and former Cal State Northridge and Temescal Canyon High School coach Bob Burt. A "Family Tree" printed in the St. Paul program lists 116 coaches who either played or coached for Ancich.