Coach Victorino Earns His Title -- Mattson Mentor Voted Tops Among Junior Highs

For Ernest "Vic" Victorino, coaching is its own reward.

"I just love doing it," he said. "Don't tell Coach (Dave) Lutes this, but I'd probably do it for free. I've got kids coaching at the schools where I coached who still call me coach. That makes it worth it. And I still call my old coaches coach, and they're old. It's really rewarding. It's worth the 35 cents an hour, or whatever coaches make."

For all the hours he puts in at Mattson Junior High School in Kent, and the quality of them, Victorino received a more tangible reward yesterday as he was named the winner of the Howie Martin Coach of the Year Award. The award is given annually to the junior high school coach/teacher in the Kent School District who closely exemplifies the style and character of the late Howie Martin.

Martin, a Federal Way native, taught and coached football in the Kent School District for 30 years. He had a fatal heart attack while coaching a game at Sequoia Junior High School in 1980. He coached many championship teams, but is best remembered for "his dedication to instilling high ideals in his students," according to material provided by Lutes, a former Kentwood High School football coach who now is the district's athletic director.

A Coach of the Year winner is chosen annually from each of the five junior high schools in Kent. The overall Howie Martin winner comes from those five. All selections are made by a five-person committee that does not include any school district personnel.

Victorino also was the selection from Mattson in 1988, when Rick Weinbrecht of Meridian earned the ultimate award.

"I was excited just to get the award (from Mattson) again," said Victorino, a native Hawaiian who has taught and coached at Mattson for five years. "That was hot enough for me."

The other four winners this year were Dick Johnson (Kent Junior High), Al Pizzalato (Meeker), Al Turnbow (Meridian) and Dean Montzingo (Sequoia).

Victorino, 36, moved up from assistant football coach to head coach last season and guided Mattson to a 5-1 season, second in the Auburn-Kent League. He also is assistant wrestling coach and helps out in track. His teaching assignment is as a reading specialist.

Victorino wrestled and played football in high school and college. He said the coaches he had influenced his decision to go into the profession. He graduated from Southern Utah State University and got his first teaching and coaching job at Nampa High School in Idaho 15 years ago. He was an assistant in both football and wrestling for 10 years.

Just before coming to Kent, Victorino took two years off from coaching to pursue his master's degree at Boise State University, "but I missed it." He began looking for a job in Washington.

Victorino's wife, Brenda, teaches and coaches at Totem Junior High School in Federal Way. They have a 2 1/2-year-old son, Kekula.

Victorino said he stresses education to his players.

"That's the big thing I push to all my kids," he said.

He also tries to instill them with a strong work ethic.

"Hard work is going to pay off, no matter what you do," Victorino said, "and not just in football. What I've learned about sports as a player and a coach stays with you for the rest of your life, being competitive and working hard. Everything you do in sports affects everyday life, forever.

"My kids know they might not be the best athletes, but the hardest workers are the ones who end up playing the most. You might lose a ballgame because of it, but that's the way it goes. It pays off in the long run. A lot of coaches say that, and I really believe it."

-- Mattson wins trophy - Mattson won the Kent School District junior high all-sports trophy for the first time this year. The five junior high schools in the district earn points for victories in each sport throughout the school year at all three grade levels. Mattson won by nearly 40 points over Meeker, which took the trophy in 1988 and '89. Meridian came out on top in 1990.

HOWIE MARTIN AWARD WINNERS

1991 - Ernest "Vic" Victorino, Mattson

1990 - Dean Montzingo, Sequoia

1989 - David Jamison, Kent

1988 - Rick Weinbrecht, Meridian

1987 - Alan Pizzalato, Meeker

1986 - Mark Sencenbaugh, Mattson

1985 - Mike Foster, Meridian

1984 - Dennis Duva, Meeker

1983 - Terry Fein, Kent

1982 - Gary Agarpo, Meridian

1981 - Roger Goodspeed, Sequoia