usdhs update

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SoCalHoops High School News

San Diego: USDHS' New Coach,
Chris Grazier, Unveiled--(Sept. 7, 1999)

USDHS (University of San Deigo High School), a perennial power in San Diego Section and the State tournament for the past few years may be likely to make yet another run at the State Championship in Division III, the same division in which Fresno Washington Union, West Hills Chaminade, several other excellent teams compete. But this year they'll be doing it without the longtime former Head Coach, Jim Tomey, who was hired this past month by San Diego State Head Coach Steve Fisher as an assistant coach.

We've been searching around for some information on USDHS' new coach, and came across an article in the San Diego Union Tribune from last week, September 1. The Dons reportedly conducted a nationwide search for a new coach, but ultimately settled on Chris Grazier, a seven year assistant to the boys' team at USDHS.

While we've done previews of the Dons for the past few years (97-98 and 98-99) and we'll be doing one for the team this year as well. But in the meantime, here's some information from the Tribune on University of San Diego High School's new head coach, Chris Grazier:

USDHS looks for continuity with Grazier as head coach
By Steve Brand
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

September 1, 1999

Although the search went nationwide, in the end USDHS stayed close to home in hiring longtime assistant coach Chris Grazier to guide the varsity basketball team. Grazier, 34, succeeds Jim Tomey, who earlier this summer an accepted an assistant coach position at San Diego State.

"I believed the decision would go my way," said Grazier, "but it was not a given. I've been through a lot of wars with these guys and they know what needs to be done to ensure success. "There are nine seniors and they're very self-motivated."

Outspoken, too. Two of those seniors, Chris Walton and Nathan Staggs, were on the committee that made the selection and they passed along to the committee a unanimous recommendation from the team that Grazier be given strong consideration.

Grazier has been an assistant to Tomey the past seven years. In 1997, the Dons became only the second boys team in San Diego Section history to capture a state championship. He also was an assistant with the USDHS girls program for three years.

"Anybody who has been around San Diego the past few years knows this is not a typical situation," Grazier said of USDHS' success, which includes the last six Division III section titles and seven overall. According to athletic director Dave Smola, there were more than 30 applicants and four finalists. "As we reviewed what we wanted, we kept coming back to Chris," said Smola. "We wanted continuity and he brings us that. The outpouring of support from the senior group was also a consideration."

The Dons were 20-9 last season, losing in the Southern California Regional semifinals. However, all but one starter returns and six of the team members played together this summer on the High Five America team.