Coach of the Year: Mike Voelkel

When it comes to pursuing victory with honor, no one has lived up to that standard better than Palisades High baseball coach Mike Voelkel, who stepped down in July after 18 successful seasons in which he accumulated 316 wins, 11 Western League titles and an Open Division finals appearance at Dodger Stadium.

In March he became the first coach in school history to receive the CIF state Model Coach Award, given annually to coaches who exhibit positive role modeling, leadership and community service.    

“I understand you’re judged by wins and losses but the Model Coach Award means more to me than winning 300 games or making the Hall of Fame,” he said. “It justifies I tried to meet those high standards, pursuing victory with honor, playing by the rules. Our players always had high GPAs. I developed the talent we had and that’s what I’m most proud of.”

In the aftermath of the Palisades Fire in January the baseball field was cemented over to create space for portable classrooms, but Voelkel handled the situation like a pro, moving practices to Cheviot Hills Rec Center and scheduling a full slate of games. The Dolphins finished 18-11 and reached the City Division I quarterfinals. Along the way, they got a pep talk from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and were invited to a game at Dodger Stadium.

While Voelkel is deserving of the honor, others worthy of mention are Pali High football coach Dylen Smith, who improved to 28-7 over three seasons while guiding the Dolphins to an undefeated regular season and a Western League title; Pali High tennis coach Bud Kling, who claimed his 53rd and 54th City championships after leading the boys and girls to section titles; Vijay Srinivasan and John Skinner, who piloted the Palisades Recreation Center’s Coed Minor All-Star basketball squad to the Citywide Tournament title in April; and Marymount volleyball coach Cari Klein, who passed the 700-win plateau in August.