CALLING IT A CAREER AFTER 40 YEARS OF COACHING, LITTLEROCK'S PARKER RETIRES.Byline: Gideon Rubin Special to the Daily News LITTLEROCK - Just about everything in the High Desert has changed since Lin Parker began his coaching career as an Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley High assistant in 1966. As the sparsely sparse adj. spars·er, spars·est Occurring, growing, or settled at widely spaced intervals; not thick or dense. [Latin sparsus, past participle of spargere, to scatter. populated pop·u·late tr.v. pop·u·lat·ed, pop·u·lat·ing, pop·u·lates 1. To supply with inhabitants, as by colonization; people. 2. desert countryside has given way to new homes, restaurant chains The following is a list of restaurant chains. See also: Fast-food restaurant, Casual dining, List of reference tables. International
Noun a glass tube containing neon, which gives a pink or red glow when a voltage is applied neon light n → lámpara de neón neon light n and booming growth, the stubbornly stub·born adj. stub·born·er, stub·born·est 1. a. Unreasonably, often perversely unyielding; bullheaded. b. Firmly resolved or determined; resolute. See Synonyms at obstinate. 2. old-school Parker has remained one of the area' few remaining constants. That link to the past is about to end. Parker, a direct descendent of some of the region's earliest settlers in the late 19th century, concludes a 40-year coaching career and a three-year stint at Littlerock - the seventh high school for which he's coached - when the Lobos play host Antelope Valley tonight at 7. Parker, who turned 62 Wednesday and is eligible for full retirement benefits, cited fatigue as a primary factor in leaving the only career he's known. ``I'm tired of driving home tired,'' Parker said. ``It wasn't always like that. I used to have energy; I used to mow my lawn when I got home. Now my feet hurt when I get home.'' Parker's coaching accomplishments include being Caltech's now-defunct program's all-time winningest coach. He started Highland's program, led it to league titles in 1996 and 1999 and a Southern Section Div. II semifinal appearance in 1996, but was unceremoniously dismissed in 2001 after 13 years at the school. He took over the Littlerock program in 2003 after a year at Rosamond. The types of victories that are reflected on scoreboards and box scores have become scarce at Littlerock for various reasons, including lack of enrollment and discipline issues. Four players were taken off the team three weeks ago for non-football reasons. Last week, four others were declared academically ineligible in·el·i·gi·ble adj. 1. Disqualified by law, rule, or provision: ineligible to run for office; ineligible for health benefits. 2. . Littlerock (3-6 overall, 1-4 Golden League) ended a 16-game losing streak with a 9-7 victory over Boron boron (bōr`ŏn) [New Gr. from borax], chemical element; symbol B; at. no. 5; at. wt. 10.81; m.p. about 2,300°C;; sublimation point about 2,550°C;; sp. gr. 2.3 at 25°C;; valence +3. in Week 2. The Lobos' 50-3 rout of Knight on Oct. 28 was its first Golden League win since 2002. Parker, who has 165 career victories, has had to find wins teaching what he considers valuable life lessons. ``When you don't get a whole bunch of wins to hang your hat on, you've got to talk to them about how to behave and what it means to be a grown man and not just a teenage punk,'' Parker said. Beneath a crusty crust·y adj. crust·i·er, crust·i·est 1. Having, resembling, or being a crust. 2. Rough or surly in manner. See Synonyms at gruff. exterior, by all accounts, is a coach. ``People have this image of Parker as this gruff gruff adj. gruff·er, gruff·est 1. Brusque or stern in manner or appearance: a gruff reply. 2. Hoarse; harsh: a gruff voice. , old-time coach, and the truth is he does demand a lot of you, but he also gives a lot in return,'' said Rosamond coach Kevin Rizer, an assistant under Parker at Highland who followed Parker to Rosamond in 2002. Said Littlerock senior tight end/defensive tackle Ryan Cambaliza: ``He understands why we lose. It's hard for him, it's hard for everybody here, but he understands it.'' Parker leaves a program at Littlerock he said has been his most enjoyable coaching experience, mostly because the players give what they've got knowing they're unlikely to receive any tangible rewards for their efforts. ``It's certainly not the scenery,'' he said, pointing to the barren bar·ren adj. 1. Not producing offspring. 2. Incapable of producing offspring. barren see infertility. barren adjective Gynecology Infertile, sterile, fruitless, inconceivable hillsides that surround the campus. Parker won't completely rule out a return to coaching. He's attracted to the possibility of helping out a small school near the cabin he owns in Kernville, where he'll pursue his favorite hobbies: hunting, fishing and baking bread. Baking bread? ``It's not something most coaches do,'' Parker said. ``I have this starter thing for sourdough my aunt gave me 40 years ago, and I've kept it going.'' He hopes the players he's reached out to over the years will do the same with some of the life lessons he's tried to instill in·still v. To pour in drop by drop. in  stil·la tion n. in
them.
``Hopefully, these kids will say when it's all over Thursday night that it was a valuable experience for them,'' he said, ``and, whatever happens on the field, that they're happy they got the chance to play.'' Gideon Rubin, (818)713-3607 gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos, 4 boxes Photo: (1 -- 2) Above, Littlerock coach Lin Parker goes through practice. Parker, below, is retiring after 40 years as a football coach. Photos by Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer Box: (1) GAME OF THE WEEK (see text) (2) TODAY'S GAMES (3) FIRST AND 10 (4) INSIDE THE NUMBERS |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion