Flores out as Larkin girls basketball coach
Saying the program needed a "new direction" and "new leadership," Larkin High School Athletic Director Mark Ribbens announced Monday that Ruben Flores will not return next season as the Royals' head girls basketball coach.
"We appreciate his efforts," Ribbens said of Flores, the program's head coach the past three seasons. "I don't think the program had a whole lot and there had been some turnover in coaches when Ruben came in. He did what he could but (principal) Dr. (Jon) Tuin and I had some thoughts about a change in leadership. I got input from my assistants and other coaches in the program and we were all thinking the same thing: the program needs a direction change."
Although Ribbens said, "Wins and losses are the last thing we thought of," the Royals struggled on the court, going 20-67 the last three seasons under Flores. Larkin's last winning season came in 2004-05 when it was 19-11. After going 15-15 and 14-15 the next two years, the Royals are 37-179 since.
"There wasn't just one thing, there were a lot of factors and wins and losses were the last thing we thought of," Ribbens said of the decision to not bring Flores back. "The program just needed a change."
Ribbens cited low participation numbers as one of those factors. Larkin's three levels of girls basketball had just 31 participants this past season, according to online rosters.
"I think there's a lot of athletic potential at Larkin," said Ribbens, who noted the Royals' boys and girls spring sports programs have 380 student-athletes participating.
Ribbens said ideally he'd like to find a head coach who works in the building, which Flores did not.
"It would be great to have someone internal and in the building," Ribbens said. "It's a very big job. Being a varsity coach today is so much more than X's and O's.
"We want to get more interest in the program and I think with a leadership change we can get a fresh start."
Ribbens said he'd like to have a new coach in place by the end of April, if possible.