West football coach could move to Kimball
by Bob Brownne
Mar 08, 2013 | 5127 views | 20 20 comments | 32 32 recommendations | email to a friend | print
West High football coach Matt Loggins has accepted the head varsity football coaching job at Kimball High, where he will replace Steve Anastasio.

Kimball Athletic Director Steve Thornton said on Thursday, March 7, that Loggins accepted the job on Tuesday, March 6.

Five weeks ago, the Tracy Unified School District declined to renew Anastasio’s coaching contract.

“We feel real strongly that Matt is a great football guy,” Thornton said. “I’m sure it will be a loss for West ... but we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to hire him.”

Loggins confirmed Thursday that he accepted the position, but declined to comment until the hiring was official.

Accoridng to Jessica Cardoza, spokeswoman for TUSD, Loggins met with Assistant Superintendent Sheila Harrison on Thursday afternoon to discuss details of the offer.

Cardoza said the district board of trustees will vote to make Loggins’ appointment final during its next regular meeting on Tuesday, March 12.

Loggins has worked for TUSD since 1998, including six years as an assistant football coach under Steve Lopez at West.

Loggins took over as West High’s head coach in January 2010 and coached the Wolf Pack to a 12-19 overall record during his three years, including second place in the Tri-City Athletic League and a trip to the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs in 2011. The Wolf Pack was 1-9 in 2012.

• Contact Bob Brownne at 835-3030 or brownne@tracypress.com.
Share This Article |
similar stories

Interviews conducted for West football job | 29 days ago by Bob Brownne

Fresh face, new approach for West football | 8 days ago by Bob Brownne

Sprecksel set for West athletic director role | 22 days ago by Bob Brownne

West names football coach | 15 days ago by TP staff

Realignment brings rivals together | 29 days ago by Bob Brownne

Comments
(20)
Comments-icon Post a Comment
WHS_Parent
|
March 11, 2013
I do not understand how WHS Athletic Director can be a head varsity football coach for a rival high school. Isn't there some kind of rule against this? Or is WHS looking a new AD as well as a varsity football coach?
Reply
ConcernedParents
|
March 09, 2013
Sadly, none of this is about the kids or trying to put the best team on the field. There is rampant cronyism in Tracy and especially at Kimball High. Simply put, Anastasio is not Thornton's boy, Loggins is. Players that kiss up to coaches play, those that don't, sit. The principal runs a tight ship academically (although, one could argue that having 19 players cut from the Freshman football team for failing, isn't too tight.) but has no presence, influence or control when it comes to sports. Wasn't there a softball coach that was fired for for speaking inappropriately to the girls yet his buddy runs things there? Why not bust up the Cronyism and let the kids play because they have talent, not kiss-up ability. Hire coaches for their good record, not there special friendship.
Reply
norcaldad
|
March 09, 2013
I have a kid at Kimball who has played varsity sports in her first 2 years there. I must be blind because I have not seen any cronyism there. They have a vice principle who is very active with the athletic teams. Every program has improved every year. The football team had the talent to be 8-2 or 7-3 last year but underachieved at 5-5. Thus, the change. Plus, discipline and academic issues, simple decision, not cronyism.
Tracyparent
|
March 09, 2013
The bottom line is that none of us are involved in the conversations that make these decisions. Personality and like ability are factors when dealing with kids, but so are respect, discipline and accountability. As a parent at Kimball who has a child involved in sports, it was stressed to us that they are students first, athletes second. And in an earlier article on TP this year, Kimball had the highest number of students removed from sports because of grades. From my experience, the teachers, coaches, and administrators are prepping them for life beyond high school, not just the next win. My interactions with Mr. Loggins at West, where my son attended, he too focuses on these same attributes. Again, we the public are not involved nor are we privy to the decisions that are made, only to the opinions of others. Good luck Mr. Loggins, best wishes to Mr. Anastasio, and finally a great big congratulations to Mr. Troy Brown for being named the new principal of West High. Now, can we all just get along and stop the character assasinations of others? Thank you and have a great weekend!!
Reply
UODucks58
|
March 08, 2013
In the past four years I played on teams under both coaches, and can vouch that they both are excellent coaches. This will be a great addition for Kimball next year,I learned how to play linebacker inside and out from coach Loggins and can credit him for A lot of the defensive success I had in the past. One thing I will say that is different about the two coaches though, is players will be held accountable at a new level. You will be expected to study game plans , audibles, signals, film in meeting during lunch and after school, Saturday practices, and must always be coachable. He will instill discipline into you, and WILL NOT at all settle for any disrespect for the coaching staff or the team or neglegent behavior on and off the field, nor lackluster academics.If so you will soon be introduced to those players best friend, camp Johnson (aka rolls) haha. But overall, this should highly benefit you players at bringing your game to the next level. I can tell you that first hand.

Reply
norcaldad
|
March 08, 2013
Great person, great coach. He played D1 football and knows what it takes. Watching the West/Kimball game last year. It was obvious that Kimball had the better athletes(were bigger and faster) but it appeared that West tried harder. Kimball is the best high school in town because they set high standards and are not arrogant about themselves(sorry Tracy High). Kimball just got a lot better. We are building character in these young men. That is what these coaches/educators are supposed to do.
Reply
OMGletsbehonest
|
March 08, 2013
What behavior was displayed last year. Kimball had numerous kids on the side lines that did not make grades or were punished for disciplinary reasons. Special treatment Thornton was getting the boys basketball players(the good ones)special treatment for years over at west. My nephew was one of his big shot players and i know for a fact that my nephew and a couple of his friends were given special treatment many times. I think the point is that the parents are not happy with the way coach Anastasio was released. The day after his release Loggins was there touring the campus...a lil fishy
Reply
HermDog
|
March 11, 2013


From what I hear, the parents are overjoyed that they have a new coach.



For your information, Loggins was at Kimball the day after the Anastasio dismissal to attend his mother-in-law's retirement party. I think you need to get your facts straight.

As for Thornton, I think his record speaks for itself.

MikeJ01
|
March 12, 2013
HermDog, Maybe your the one who needs to check his facts. I know for a fact that Steve Thornton was showing Matt Loggins around the facilities at least a week before Coach Anastasio was let go at 6:00 AM in the morning. They were seen by a member of the staff. Now that's a lot fishy.

As for Steve Thornton's record, I'll just leave it at he has a lot of skeletons in his closet that I saw first hand while my kid was at West. And I know he doesn't want them brought out here.

And for the record the vast majority of the parents are not happy about losing Coach Anastasio. The players have been talking to the West players and are not looking forward to their new coach. But I did myself talk to a number of West players who are very excited that Loggins has gone to Kimball.

The biggest difference between Anastasio and Loggins is that Anastasio truly cares about his players and Loggins only cares about what they can do for him to get him to the next better opportunity.
btraut
|
March 08, 2013
Matt Loggins is a coach with dedication, integrity and class. He will not tolerate the behavior that was displayed by the players this year. And he will not try to get special treatment for his players if they cheat or if they are failing. What more can you ask for? Kimball has good players. However, they should have won more games last year…I'm sure with a new head coach that will happen.

Loggins did what he could do with the eligible players when the new boundaries were drawn.

Obviously "tracysucks" believes sports are more important than education based of his/her ability to spell and form complete sentences - did you even graduate from high school?

I guess time will tell whether whether Kimball made the right choice - I'm confident that they did!
Reply
Laugher
|
March 08, 2013
Lets talk about the real problem!! Why would the school district take a PE Teacher/Football Coach and place him laterally to another school. Is Loggins moving because Kimball has better athletes?? What is more important, being a teacher or are we hiring coaches around here and making them pretend to be teachers? Lastly, why is it OK to leave West in the same dyer situation that Kimball was put in by the district 5 weeks ago.
Reply
mjam5
|
March 08, 2013
Im sure she had everything to do with those high test scores.
Reply
wowza
|
March 08, 2013
I like how the people criticizing Loggins and Kimball don't know how to spell either correctly... thus cluing us into the multitude of ignorance of the commenters.

First of all, the hiring and firing had little to do with records and all to do with character. There were many flaws at KHS this year in the conduct of athletes.

Second of all, if you don't think Matt Loggins can win, you know little about the man and his intense work ethic. West High last year had by far one of the best staffs around; Good men with great knowledge and amazing hearts.

And to say Domenichelli should be fired and the only reason why she's not is because she is black? I don't know if you realize this but Kimball High has had the highest test scores of comprehensive high schools, not only in Tracy, but in the whole county. The school district clearly doesn't want to ruin a solid record.

Reply
mjam5
|
March 08, 2013
Oh yeah btraut, Great year next year, just like West had last year. Lets be serious, hes not a good coach.
Reply
mjam5
|
March 08, 2013
I agree with Tracysucks. What does his daughter have to do with him being the head football coach at Kimbal. The point is they should have never got rid of Anastasio. Anastasio's daughters went to west and he coached softball there while teaching at Kimball I believe. My daughters have played softball with anastasio for years and not only a winning coach but was GREAT with the kids and parents. My son goes to kimball, and i have a couple friend's who are teachers there. They need to get rid of Domenichelli that's the problem. Teachers have told me she has numerous complaints on her from teachers and parents. Why dont they fire her? Answer: TUSD is afraid of a lawsuit because shes a minority and a women.
Reply
btraut
|
March 08, 2013
Congratulations Matt!!! So glad to have the Loggins' at Kimball…football and water polo…next year will be a great year!!
Reply
crap1210
|
March 08, 2013
Polotics at it's best. 12 and 19 over a three year period is not a winning record. The wolf Pack was 1 and 9 in 2012.Let me guess, during the interview, if they had one went like this, It was a rebuilding year, that's it!
Reply
Tracysucks
|
March 08, 2013
What program has ever fired a winning coach to hire a losing coach. Thornton couldn't get passed game 2 in Arco they should have fired him. Tusd is nothing but politics
mtrew
|
March 08, 2013
He may or may not be a good coach. I do not know him. (I do know the Wichmans, who were awesome!) But I do know Loggins may have wanted to go to Kimball because that is where his daughter is going to go. So you may want to realize when you write on here disparaging him that his daughter may read it. Be careful how you word things. I wish them both the best.



We encourage readers to share online comments in this forum, but please keep them respectful and constructive. This is not a space for personal attacks, libelous statements, profanity or racist slurs. Comments that stray from the topic of the story or are found to contain abusive language are subject to removal at the Press’ discretion, and the writer responsible will be subject to being blocked from making further comments and have their past comments deleted. Readers may report inappropriate comments by e-mailing the editor at tpnews@tracypress.com.