Russell White resigns as Calabasas boys' basketball coach

After seven seasons, two Marmonte League championships and endless nights pouring over game film and studying scouting reports, Calabasas boys' basketball head coach Russell White has stepped down as the leader of the Coyotes.

White, a 34-year-old Agoura resident, and his wife, are expecting their first child in a few months. White said he resigned because he wanted to spend more time with his family. He'll continue to teach at Calabasas and will remain the boys' varsity golf coach.

"My wife's having a baby and I want to be a part of that process," White said.

"I'm sure I'll miss coaching basketball," he said. "But I won't miss the late nights of watching videotape, then waking up the next morning to go to school and trying to teach classes."

Coaching golf doesn't take nearly as much time as coaching basketball, White said, which is why he's opted to remain with the team.

"Golf's two and a half months a year," he said. "It's not on weekends and rarely on Fridays."

While he won't be roaming the Coyote sideline next season, White said his basketball coaching career has not ended.

"I'm not done coaching, for sure," White said. "But I'm not going to coach at Calabasas next year, and it's doubtful that I'll coach anywhere next year as a head coach. It's just time."

Under White's leadership, Calabasas compiled a 118-76 overall record during the past seven seasons.

In his first year, the Coyotes were 4-21. Two seasons later they won 15 games. And over the last three years, CHS has posted a 7218 record.

"It's been awesome. Our staff's had a great run," White said. "We've built a winning tradition, which brings a lot of pride to all of us."

It's the players who deserve the credit for turning the program around, the coach said.

"The first year we had one player on the team that ended up playing college basketball, and he didn't even start for a Division III program," White said.

"Right now we have a program that has three or four players playing college basketball, and two or three more are going in next year," he said. "Certainly the talent pool has gotten much better, no question."

Working with the young men and watching them mature and advance to college has been one of the most pleasurable parts of his coaching job at CHS, White said.

"It's fantastic," he said. "It's why you do the job. It's why you get into it. Besides winning, which is very fun, ultimately giving the guys a good experience and helping them be successful in life is what it's about."

White said he'll have no input into who the Coyotes next boys' basketball coach will be. Two or three of his assistant coaches could apply for the position, he added.

"I know they're going to open it up to outside applicants as well," he said. "Obviously, they're going to try and bring in the best person possible."

White is well aware that with his first baby on the way, the late nights are far from over.

"That's right," he said. "I'm going to have new chores with the baby that'll be a heck of a lot more important than coaching basketball."