WINNING ALL IN THE FAMILY FOR HART FOOTBALL COACHES.

Byline: GERRY GITTELSON

NEWHALL - In the world of high school football, where envious assistant coaches constantly try to claw their way to the top or bolt for better deals, there's something to be said for loyalty.

Hart High assistant Rick Herrington has been a faithful defensive coordinator under head coach Mike Herrington for 18 years, and the 44-year-old has no intention to do anything else.

Of course, big brother Mike steadfastly proclaims Rick is an assistant in title only. Mike is affectionately known as ``Coach One'' and Rick as ``Coach Two.'' (Youngest brother Dean, an ex-assistant now at Alemany, was ``Coach Three.'') But the numerals are misleading because Rick is as important to the team's spirit and personality as he is to the defense.

``Rick is more than a co-head coach. He's almost the heart and the soul of the program,'' Mike said. ``He makes so many decisions, and he runs the defense and the film sessions. He probably puts in the most hours of any coach.''

Rick and Mike played football at Hart and have since dedicated their lives to the program 7/8 except for one year in 1988 when all three brothers coached at Bellflower High after Mike was turned down for the head job at Hart.

The head position opened again the following year, and ever since then, the Herringtons have been at Hart -- Mike, the confident, calm leader and decision maker; Rick, the tough taskmaster and vociferous motivator.

While Hart's high-scoring passing offenses have propelled the program to national prominence through the years, for every great quarterback there have been equally special All- Southern Section defensive players:

When Ryan Connors first began setting passing yardage records, there was George Kase.

When there was Steve McKeon, there was Marc Zimmerman.

When there was Travis Carroll, there was Todd Hourigan.

When there were David Neil and Kyle Boller, there was Scott Hunt.

When there was Kyle Matter, there were Pat Norton and Peter Dubsky.

When there was Matt Moore, there was Chris Frome.

When there was Sean Norton, there were Cody Kase and Brian Elledge.

Rick Herrington is a legend who doesn't wear a name tag.

The crazy thing is that, when he applied for head jobs early in his career, Rick was actually turned down by foolish school principals who probably didn't know the difference between football and foosball.

``I've stopped now, but I was a finalist for the job at Burbank, Burroughs, Alemany -- and Saugus twice,'' he said.

Rick Herrington has found his place in the world, putting together football and family, the things he cherishes most. And while his older brother and younger brother remain bachelors, Rick has started his own family. He and his wife, Jamie, a former star softball player at Hart, have a daughter, Kasie, 7, and son, Todd, 5.

That cold, tough exterior isn't the real Rick Herrington, and it hasn't taken long for most of Hart's top players through the years to connect with Herrington's soul.

``The guys who played for him respect Rick so much,'' Mike said. ``I don't know if maybe they're a little intimidated while they play for him, but I think they eventually realize he's just trying to make them the best football players possible. I'll tell you one thing: When players come back, they usually come back to see Rick before me.''

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Photo:

Hart High School Assistant Coach Rick Herrington runs the varsity team through drills during practice.

David Crane/Staff Photographer