Pasadena names Doug Bledsoe as its new varsity football head coach …

PASADENA — Pasadena High School finally has its man.

The school named Doug Bledsoe its new varsity football head coach on Thursday afternoon ending what’s been an interesting search for a replacement to Randy Horton, who resigned in December after three seasons at the school.

“For me, this is an investment,” Bledsoe said. “It’s an investment in the community and for my family. I have a son right now who’s in the fourth grade and he’s going to be a linebacker.

“A dream of mine is to coach him right here at Pasadena High School, so I’m definitely in it for the long haul.”

Bledsoe was most recently the head coach at North Hollywood High where he turned around a program that was 1-9 the season before he took over and went 6-5 last season and reached the playoffs.

Bledsoe inherits a Bulldogs program that went 1-9 last season and hasn’t been competitive in The Turkey Tussle against rival Muir. Beating the Mustangs is at the top of his to-do list.

“Our objective is definitely to ring the bell at the end of the season,” Bledsoe said. “We feel that we have the pieces here to get it done. It’s a matter of getting the kids to believe.

“I know it’s been too long since we rang the bell. It’s been 16 or 17 years and that’s much too long. It’s not a rivalry unless both teams are winning. By the end of the year, it will be a big-time rivalry.”

The Bulldogs reportedly thought they had their next head coach earlier this month when it was reported by another local newspaper/website that former UCLA assistant coach Eric Scott had been hired to replace Horton, according to a unnamed school source.

The story later changed, citing Pasadena Unified School District Director of Communication Adam Wolfson, who said Scott was not hired after the school completed a background check.

Before Bledsoe can think about achieving one of his stated goals of winning a state championship, he must first figure out how to keep the local talent home and away from private schools that have been bankrolling their programs by looting the area of its top players.

“We believe that some of the best talent in the state of California is right here in Pasadena,” Bledsoe said. “We want to be able to keep that talent home. Of course, winning solves everything. When you’re winning, everyone loves you. We’re going to get that going this season.

“What we want to show all these parents and student athletes is that your child can be developed here and moved on to the next level.”

Bledsoe already has a staff in mind and is just awaiting principal’s approval. Several members of the staff will consist of former head coaches.

Bledsoe grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from Dorsey High in 1987. He began his coaching career in 1995 as an assistant at Marshall High in Portland, Ore. He later moved on the junior college ranks and had stops at Pierce, West L.A., Compton and Pasadena City College before winding up at his alma mater Glendale College in 2009.

Bledsoe lives in Chatsworth with his wife and three children. He will be a walk-on coach at Pasadena, which did not offer a full-time teaching job with the position. He’s currently working toward a masters’ degree in special education.

I heard things …

Editor’s note: We’re starting a new thing around here at In the Huddle. It’s called “I heard things” … what it will be is a place where latest RUMORS that we think are likely to become fact (or fade away) will be thrown out there as JUST THAT, RUMORS! It will be up to you to figure out whether you believe it or not.

I heard things … the frontrunner/last finalist for the Etiwanda job is a current coach on staff at Covina. But finding out a name has been very difficult. The Etiwanda job is expected to be a walk-on position. So maybe this guy teaches at C-Town and will commute for the football gig?

Alhambra names Chuck Leonardis new head coach ….

This may be old news to some of you, but for those who didn’t know, hopefully this ties up that loose end.

Leonardis had previous coaching stints at Hoover, Arcadia, El Rancho and Monrovia. The district approved him on Jan. 8. He replaces Joe Kanach, who lasted one season before being let go.

Aram’s take:
Hopefully he breathes lift into the program. I have to beleive there’s talent to work with, but putting it all together has been another story.

I heard things … Bonita to the Sierra or Baseline leagues?

Editor’s note: We’re starting a new thing around here at In the Huddle. It’s called “I heard things” … what it will be is a place where latest RUMORS that we think are likely to become fact (or fade away) will be thrown out there as JUST THAT, RUMORS! It will be up to you to figure out whether you believe it or not.

I heard things … With preliminary discussions between athletic directors and principals already taking place as they work toward official proposals for re-leaguing and re-divisioning for the 2014 school year, one thing that keeps popping up is that the Hacienda League wants BONITA, and not WEST COVINA, OUT! While West Covina has somewhat dominated in football, that’s not not enough to get them out. Meanwhile, Bonita’s dominance in all sports across the board, is. Bearcats fans had better get ready for life in the Sierra League or the Baseline League. With Damien/St. Lucy’s a near-lock to be gone from the Sierra, Bonita looks like a major candidate to replace them … this may be hard for some Bearcats fans to swallow, but I Heard Things …

Strong field assembled for passing tournament May 18 at Charter Oak …

They get started earlier and earlier … Charter Oak football coach Lou Farrar announced this week that his program will host an eight-team passing tournament on May 18, that includes local powers Monrovia, La Habra and Chino Hills in addition to the Chargers.

The rest of the field is South Hills, Diamond Ranch, Rosemead and Glendora.

Each team will be guaranteed four games and there will be an elimination round toward the end of the day to determine a champion.

Aram’s take: It beats the hell out of spring practice. Only thing that concerns me is baseball guys not being available, but so be it. This will offer an early look into what these top area teams are working with heading into the summer circuit.