Football: Steve Garrison back on Monrovia sidelines.

5426-Garrison.gif

Steve Garrison, the former Monrovia football coach who led the Wildcats to three consecutive championship games in the mid-1990s, is back on the Monrovia sideline.

Garrison, who coached Monrovia for 15 seasons before resigning following the 2007 season, joined Monrovia’s coaching staff at the start of the playoffs. He recently served as an assistant at Northview and agreed to join Maddox’s staff after the Vikings’ season ended. Maddox replaced Garrison in 2008 and guided the Wildcats to the semifinals in his first season, followed by two trips to the CIF-SS Mid-Valley Division finals. They won in 2010.

Garrison joins Monrovia’s staff after revered offensive line coach Phil Lujan accepted an assistant principal position at Glendale High. Maddox said Garrison does not have a definite role, but he is on staff and is getting acquainted with the team before officially taking over as offensive line coach next season. Maddox said he brought in Shawn Holden as offensive line coach on a temporary basis. Holden was part of Maddox’s staff his first two seasons.

“I talked to Steve towards the end of the season about possibly coming on,” Maddox said. “He’s glad to be back and he’ll be in charge of our offensive line next year.

“He’s out there learning and assisting. He’s getting himself acquainted and helping out where he can.”

Lujan’s departure comes as no surprise. He’d been pursuing an administrative position and Maddox knew this day would come.

“It’s not something that was sudden or unexpected,” Maddox said. “He’d been applying for a while and he got his opportunity. He loves it. We miss having him around, but we’re happy for him.”

Monrovia (9-3) will play top-seeded Covina (11-1) on Friday 7 at Covina District Field in the semifinals of the Mid-Valley Division playoffs.

Garrison brings a wealth of experience, and that he coached against Covina and San Dimas (the other semifinalist that plays San Gabriel) will only help the Wildcats.

Facebook Twitter Plusone Reddit Tumblr Email