Agoura names new girls’ basketball coach

Dina Palmisano-Poteracke

As Dina Palmisano-Poteracke takes the reigns as head coach of the Agoura girls’ basketball team this season, she hopes her wealth of experiences as a player and coach—in addition to her family’s background in athletics—will bring the team success.

She’s a 1980 graduate of St. Bonaventure who starred as a member of the school’s basketball team and then continued an outstanding collegiate career, the first for two years at Ventura College and then at Sonoma State University.

Palmisano-Poteracke was an assistant basketball coach at Thousand Oaks High School from 1988 through 1995, where she worked with head coach Chuck Brown.

"Being at Thousand Oaks for eight years, I know the coaches and have been able to come in and not totally learn everything new," she said. "I have a little familiarity with what’s going on."

In addition to high school basketball coaching, Palmisano-Poteracke has coached area youth basketball leagues, American Youth Soccer Organization teams for six years—as Region 9 division director for three years—and has coached Little League for one year, in addition to substitute teaching.

She replaces Joshua Jacobs who filled the position on an interim basis, after he replaced Bruce Smith in midseason 2002-03.

"I am hoping to bring some stability to the program because that’s what I think they’ve been lacking," she said. "I have kept up coaching at Thousand Oaks eight years, and knowing the area and the Marmonte League, I was familiar with them and their program."

At St. Bonaventure, Palmisano-Poteracke was a four-year varsity basketball player who also earned letters in volleyball and track. She was the basketball team’s leading scorer and rebounder, received California Interscholastic Federation first-team honors and was the team’s Most Valuable Player her junior and senior years.

Also as a junior and senior, she was on the All Tri-Valley League first team and was a member of the All Ventura County Team. Also, during her senior year, Palmisano-Poteracke played in the county All-Star game and was the Kiwanis Student of the Year. As a sophomore, she was on the All-League second team.

While attending Ventura College where Charlie Dunn was the head basketball coach in 1981 and 1982, she was the team’s leading scorer and rebounder in her freshman and sophomore years.

As a VC freshman, Palmisano-Poteracke was named the most improved player, and, as a sophomore, she was the Most Valuable Player. During both of those years she was on the All-Western State Conference Team.

Completing her college basketball playing career at Sonoma State in 1983 and 1984, Palmisano-Poteracke was the team captain her senior year and during her two years there she averaged 12 points and nine rebounds a game. As a senior, she made the All-California Collegiate Athletic Association Team.

At Sonoma State, Palmisano-Poteracke graduated with a degree in history and physical education. In addition, from Cal State University Northridge, she earned a master of science degree in educational psychology and counseling, and has received a people/personnel services credential to be a school counselor.

Palmisano-Poteracke began teaching a basketball class last week on the Agoura High School campus.

"I am getting to know them, watching them scrimmage a little bit, seeing what we need in conditioning," she said. "I am coming in with a bunch of seniors. This will be good until they leave, but I do see some girls coming in who look strong, too. So, we should be competitive. I really hope we’ll be able to do something this year and get together, and that I can bring them some stability."