2018 Inductees
NORTH HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME: 2018 Induction Class
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2018 Inductee Biographies
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Bill Kinnett was always proud to be a North High Star. His father, Bill Sr., was a Geography and U.S. History teacher at North High before his untimely death at just 50 years old. Later, Bill’s Mom, Irene became head of the Audio Visual Department at North. Many lifetime family friends were formed during those years at North High School.
One of those family friends was Coach Winfred Bootman. Bill received a lot of his desire to succeed in wrestling because of the encouragement from his Dad and Coach Bootman. In 1963, Bill’s senior year, he received Outstanding Wrestler honors and placed first in the S.Y.L. Tournament. Bill was also the very first NHS wrestler to win the Valley Wrestling Championships. After high school, Bill attended Bakersfield College and continued to be an outstanding wrestler under Coach Bruce Pfutzenreuter.
Bill was a top rated wrestling official for nearly 50 years and also became the Wrestling Instructor and Assignor for the Kern County Officials Association. He mentored new and seasoned officials. As a Wrestling State Tournament Volunteer, he took the lead in assigning table workers, coordinating groom check and weigh-ins, and, anything else that needed his leadership and expertise. In 2017, Bill was inducted into the California Wrestling Hall of Fame receiving the Lifetime Service Award.
Bill was proud to be a member of the United States Marine Corps. He served as a California Highway Patrolman for 34 years and retired as the Lieutenant Commander of the Grapevine Inspection Facility. He was atraffic school instructor for many years and became the Executive Director at STEPS after retiring from the CHP.
Bill married Ann (Yeager) Kinnett in 1968, and, they have two children, Billy and Kristina. Bill passed away in December of 2016. He would have been extremely proud to know that he was inducted into the North High School Athletics Hall of Fame.
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When North High opened its doors in 1953 and throughout that decade, students were coming from a lot of different directions. Because of the booming oil business in Kern County, families were moving in the area from not only California but out of state as well.
Dale Standifer was one of those, being born in Roswell, New Mexico. His father worked in the oil business and was being moved around from places like Ventura, Bakersfield, Coalinga and finally back to Bakersfield and settling in Oildale. At one point Dale attended Beardsley Jr. High as an 8th grader before leaving for Ventura. Standifer finally returned and entered North High in 1955 and immediately became a star athlete.
Playing for North’s legendary football coach Turk Eliades, Standifer was all-SYL as a senior. He scored 15 TD’s and averaged 7.5 yards per carry. In track, he ran the 100-yard dash in 9.9 seconds, which still stands as the school record. They no longer run the 100-yard dash, it’s now 100 meters. He was also timed at a school record 22.1 in the 220-yard dash.
After graduation he attended Bakersfield College and played for another local legend, Homer Beatty and was part of two Potato Bowl winning Renegade football teams. From there on to UC Santa Barbara to play football and get a degree. There he was able to play alongside his older brother Fred for the first time.
He received his degree in Physical Education in 1962 but then came Uncle Sam and the traveling began again. He spent two years (1963-65) in Germany as a member of the US Army before finally settling down in Bakersfield.
In 1966 Dale began a 30-year teaching and coaching career at Delano High School. He was head track coach for 17 years and coached at all levels of football. He retired in 1996 and still resides here in town. Never married but had plenty of nieces and nephews, including North High’s own legendary ladies’ basketball coach and Hall of Famer Curt DeRossett.
Welcome to the North High Athletics Hall of Fame Dale. You went the long way around to get here but we are the lucky ones to have you as one of our own.
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David was born and raised in Kern County. He attended Standard and Highland Elementary, Standard Junior High and North High School. His parents’ families moved from Texas to Oakland during WWII to work in the Bay Area industrial war complex. After the war they moved to Oildale in 1945.
The influence of sports was in David’s life from an early age. David’s older brother Terry (NHS class of 1968) was involved in multiple sports at NHS, played football at Bakersfield College and Portland State University. David started lifting weights at age 14 and playing football because his brother did.
David’s first tackle football experience was on the undefeated Oildale Jack Frost football team the “Highlanders” with NHS HOF coach Bill Williamson. We played Saturday mornings at BHS Griffith field. David was a big kid at 5’6” and 145lbs. He thought this football game was pretty easy stuff as an 8th grader. He wanted to be a running back but was told he didn’t lift his knees high enough when he ran. He was assigned to the line. He made “Lineman of the Week” in October 1967 for tackling a runner in the end zone for a safety.
David entered NHS and played junior varsity football under HOF coach Terry Hill during his freshman and sophomore years. He recalls his freshman year wondering if maybe he should have played on the Comet B team SYL Champs instead of playing with bigger more experienced sophomores and juniors. During the off season he would lift weights. He started at the YMCA then later on in his home garage when his dad made it into a weight room. Finally at NHS in their first weight room which was a small portable classroom with a Universal gym set.
David’s junior year was the fall of 1970. He played football under HOF coaches Turk Eliades and Jack Obrien (his first year at NHS). He was assigned left guard. Many years later when David went to visit Turk he would call David “The Guard”. When David saw Coach Obrien at the first HOF induction ceremony he said, “Now there is one heck of a guard”. David played on this team with four other HOF members. Mark Drennan, Randy Rich, Skip Slayton, and Duane Williams. This team went undefeated 9-0, SYL champs. David made “Honorable Mention” on the All City Team. David is now the 5th member from the 1970 team to be inducted into the NHS HOF.
David’s senior year was 1971. He was now a Co-Captain. He played offensive guard, defensive left tackle, and was the punter. The team went 7-2 and shared the SYL Championship with two other teams that we had previously beaten. There was a no repeat rule for the playoffs so our season was over. The 1970 and 1971 NHS football teams are the only back-to-back championship football teams in school history. David was awarded to the “Bakersfield All City Football Team”. At that ceremony UCLA Coach Pepper Rogers gave David his “Lineman of the Year 1971” trophy. David and fellow teammate Ron Pritchard (1970) are the only two lineman from NHS to ever receive this award.
As previously mentioned David was a weight lifter. As a senior he could bench press, squat, and deadlift over 300 lbs. each. He continues to go to the gym on a regular basis.
David is also an accomplished musician. He started playing tuba (because they gave tubas to big boys) in the fifth grade under Standard School Band Director Dick Grubbs. He played in multiple Kern County Honor Bands, the 1972 California State Symphonic Band, the 1971, 72 McDonald’s All American Band and the Bakersfield Community Band for three seasons. David received the “John Phillip Sousa Award” at Standard in 1968and at NHS in1972. He currently plays in four bands in northern California.
David has lived in Sacramento for 45 years. He retired as a Captain at Sacramento Metro Fire Dept. He has been married to his wife Janice for forty years. They have two children Brian and Kristen, son-in-law Joel, and grandson Lewis.
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Born in San Jose, Lorraine moved around a lot as a youngster due to her father's job. Lucky for North High, when she was nine her father took the opportunity to relocate back to Bakersfield to be near family and she attended Norris Elementary and Junior High.
Lorraine’s start in basketball began when in the 4th grade she took home a NOR flyer for girls’ basketball at Norris Elementary. While her parents supported Lorraine and her sister Alexis, little did they know that the flyer would lead to another 10 years of girls basketball.
Showing some early talent for the game, she was fortunate to have good coaching that would capitalize on her abilities and willingness to work hard. Coach Don Tillman at Norris recognized this talent and challenged her and fellow teammate Amy Elkins by moving them up to play with the older team.
Then entering North High, she was again fortunate to play basketball all four years for the legendary Curt DeRossett. She also credits assistant coaches Kirk Ansolabehere and Jay Eliades for the development of her game. During her varsity career, the Lady Stars won 3 consecutive SYL Championships, 2 Valley Titles and a final 8 appearance for the State Title. For her efforts Lorraine was All-SYl three years and All Area Player of the Year in both her junior and senior seasons. Lorraine also played three years of varsity softball for coach Randy Roberts.
The effort she put into sports, Lorraine also put into academics and she received numerous scholar-athlete awards. Graduating co-Valedictorian of her class, she was heavily recruited by several colleges to play basketball. Ultimately, she chose West Point with a goal of becoming a physician and playing basketball. After one year at West Point she decided to return to Bakersfield College to concentrate on pre-med requirement courses and to finish her career by playing a season for the Lady ‘Gades. From there, it was on to UCLA where she completed her undergraduate degree. She was also able to assist coach DeRossett with the Lady Stars basketball team for one season before entering medical school in Missouri.
She would graduate #2 in her medical school class and credits DeRossett for instilling the work ethic needed. Her post graduate training included an intern year in Bakersfield at Kern Medical Center. She would complete her medical specialization in Radiology at the Cleveland Clinic and Neuroradiology training with fellowships at both UC Davis and the University of Michigan.
After a 15 year hiatus due to school and training, Lorraine chose to return to Bakersfield upon the impending birth of her twin son and daughter, Charles and Avital, and to be close to family and friends. She is currently practicing at Quest Imaging Medical Associates here in town.
Lorraine feels a deep debt of gratitude to her parents, Charles and Rochelle Ash, who were always supportive of her goals and ambitions. She also feels fortunate she was able to spend her basketball years playing with her best friend and twin sister, Alexis.
Welcome to the North High Athletics Hall of Fame Lorraine. Very deserving and just another in the long line of outstanding Lady Stars from that era.
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Born in Indianapolis, Gary Sedam graduated from Connersvilje, Ind. High School, leaving his mark as not only an outstanding basketball player but an all-around athlete playing football, baseball, golf and even ran cross country.
If you ask him about his sports accomplishments he will tell you he was lousy at golf. But his cross-country team finished 7th in the State meet (he finished 103rd). He played 3 years of baseball and as a senior pitched every inning of all 9 games and finished with a 6-3 record. Due to the spring weather in Indiana they played just a ten-game baseball schedule and one of the games was snowed out.
Basketball was his sport, playing 3 years, just one on the varsity. As a senior, his team made the semi-finals of the State tournament. He was named to the Hoosier 100 (top 100 players in the State). Claiming he never shot unless he had the ball, he set a school record in one game with a 41-point performance.
From high school on to Miami of Ohio to play basketball and get a teaching degree. He played in the basketball program there for only his first two years but in his words, “due to limited playing time,” gave up basketball to focus on school. Fortunately for him at Miami he met the love of his life, Jacklyn, and after graduation got married and began teaching in Muncie, Indiana for just one year.
Then they headed west in 1967. First stop for Gary was Arvin High School where he spent a very successful 19-year coaching/teaching career while Jacklyn took a job at East High where she taught for 15 years. While at Arvin, Gary coached baseball, football, golf and of course basketball. His Class “C” basketball team won 25 games in a row at one point and won 4 league titles, plus he won two more championships at the Varsity level. He has also been inducted into the Arvin High School “Hall of Fame”.
In 1986 he moved to North High and again coached basketball, being the varsity coach for 12 years. In 1986 he was named North High “Teacher of the Year,” teaching algebra and PE. He spent the next 17 years at North before retiring, Jacklyn joined him on the staff at North High in 1989 then both retired at the same time in 2003. She decided she was not going to work while Gary played golf.
He and Jacklyn have been married now for 50 years and had two kids, son Russell who played one year of basketball and 2 years of golf. Daughter Jennifer graduated from North playing basketball and was on the swimming team as well.
Welcome Gary to the North High Athletics Hall of Fame. it’s people like yourself that make a difference in our young peoples’ lives.
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For anyone that read the Bakersfield Californian sports pages during the 1980s, they realized how prominent North High girls athletics were during that time. One of those who blazed that trail was JoEllen Jeffrey.
North High’s Hall of Fame basketball coach Curt DeRossett was a big influence on JoEllen’s success. You never know just what impact a coach or a teacher might have on a student or athlete, but in this case, it was life changing. He saw something special in her and helped guide her through the challenge of becoming better. JoEllen became determined to do the same for others later in her life.
Born in Downey, she moved to Oildale in the fourth grade. She attended Norris Middle School then Beardsley Jr. High before entering North High in 1985.
JoEllen was a force in basketball during her time at North, playing varsity all four years. As a freshman, she played JV volleyball and then varsity the next three years. In addition to being team captain and MVP in both sports as a junior and senior, she was also first team All-South Yosemite League and second team All-Area honors in volleyball, and MVP of the South Yosemite League and first team All-Area in basketball. JoEllen won valley championship titles in both volleyball and basketball in her senior year. Her greatest accomplishment was scoring 22 points and 22 rebounds in that Valley Championship game.
After graduating from North, she received a volleyball scholarship to attend Cal State Bakersfield and was part of a D-II National Championship team as a freshman.
Her junior year in college she married a former Bakersfield Dodgers infielder, Steve Kliafas, which took her to Texas. She finished her eligibility in volleyball at the University of Houston and was part of a South West Conference championship team.
JoEllen was a student assistant at the University of Houston the following year. In 1993, after having her first son at age 23 and wanting to pave her own career path, she opened her own business, a Houston-based Texas Tornados volleyball club.
For over 23 years, she has guided the nationally-ranked Tornados with over 300 volleyball players each year that range from 10-18 years of age. She has a 56,000-square foot facility with four full basketball courts, eight volleyball courts, three sand courts, physical therapy, weight training, pro shop and concession area. JoEllen also works alongside former North High athlete Heidi Robertson-Johnson. Heidi runs all the team’s strength and agility training and shares JoEllen’s drive and passion. The two of them provide a funnel that provides opportunity and creates hope. Incredibly, 95% of the girls that play on LoEllen’s club teams are awarded college scholarships.
JoEllen has always carried herself with quiet, self-assured dignity. She continues to be a big influence on the lives of those she has coached and mentored over the past 23 years. She is giving back some of what Coach DeRossett had given her all those years ago.
JoEllen divorced Kliafas in 2010, but the two still remain great friends. They have three children, sons Hunter and Logan and daughter Kirby, a 7th grader who plays club and beach volleyball for nationally ranked Texas Tornados.
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Another in the long line of outstanding volleyball and basketball players that made North High a powerhouse during the 1980’s.
Kelly’s athletic career began in 1983, playing JV volleyball and frosh-soph basketball. Kelly was a varsity starter in volleyball in her soph, Jr. and Sr. years, winning many awards, including: scholar-athlete (Big N Award – 3 times), most inspirational player, Star Awards and All SYL and All Area honors. During her Sr. year she was also named one of Kern County’s top 10 scholar-athletes for the fall sports season. Her teams twice went to the valley playoffs.
In basketball, Kelly had 3 solid varsity years – two as a starter. Her basketball awards included: Big N Award in all three seasons, All Area honorable mention as a soph. and Prep of the Week as a Junior. In her Junior year, Kelly was tabbed by the Bakersfield Californian as one of 6 players to watch in the upcoming season, where she averaged 17.3 ppg and 12.7 rpg while earning All SYL and All Area honors.
As a Senior, Kelly was MVP of the Foothill Christmas Tournament and won Prep of the Week as well as Jockey Club Athlete of the Month honors. She was named team MVP and earned all area honors while averaging 18.3 ppg and 12.6 rpg. Kelly was named one of Kern County’s top 10 scholar athletes for the winter sports season and was the only female basketball player in Kern County selected to the all NorCal Team. As a Senior, Kelly was also awarded the prestigious James Tyack Award as the best female athlete in Kern County. During her time at North, Kelly was part of 3 SYL Championship teams and twice played in the Valley Championship. Kelly had the pleasure of playing with and learning from prior HOF inductees including Wendy Martel, Karen Langston, Linda Ross and Melinda Harrison.
Kelly was offered scholarships in volleyball and basketball. With basketball being her first love, she chose Div. II powerhouse Cal Poly Pomona where she was a 4 year starter and an All Conference performer as a senior. Her teams at Cal Poly never finished lower than 5th in the nation, winning the CCAA title and regional championships all 4 years. Her teams gained the final 4 twice, once playing in the National Championship game and once finishing 3rd. Kelly graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in finance, real estate and Law.
Some of Kelly’s best memories at North: Playing on the 1984/85 varsity basketball team that went 24-0, prior to losing in the valley championship game; being presented the James Tyack Award by her coach, Curt DeRossett; twice playing in the Valley Championship basketball game; the never ending support and encouragement of teachers, administrators and mentors like Warner Brooks, Richard Ross, Lloyd Williams and of course coaches Penny Roberts, Curt DeRossett, Jay Eliades and Kirk Ansolabehere as they were a huge part of her life and success in school and athletics.
Kelly has been working for CIBA Insurance Services for the past 20 years. She’s been married to Ed Lemoine, a Law Enforcement Officer, for 17 years and they reside in Norco in Southern California. They have two sons, one who played hockey and is now studying to become a firefighter, and one who currently plays both baseball and football.
Congratulations Kelly, you are joining a long list of distinguished Lady Stars.
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Pam Ash-Boyles not only had such a great career at North, but since she was the editor of the school’s newspaper, she could have written some flattering things about herself. But she would have needed more than one page and a heck of a lot of ink to tell her story.
Born and raised in Oildale, she attended Beardsley grammar school and entered North High not sure what was her sport. But thanks to a suggestion from track coach Gary Kuster, she embarked on a running career that has taken her to the NH Athletics Hall of Fame.
She tried out for volleyball as a freshman but got cut. Tried tennis but running was her ticket. Starring in track and cross country each for 3 years at North and she also played basketball for 2 years. Her cross-country team lost only one meet and finished with a 6-1 record. She won the SYL meet and was named team MVP. As a sophomore at North she qualified for the State meet in the 2-mile run. She won the Star award and was named Best Scholar. Also voted Outstanding Girl Athlete by the Interact Club. Under the tutelage of coach Kuster, she was just getting started as her career would later blossom at Bakersfield College and Cal State University Bakersfield.
Not only was she talented on the athletic fields, she stood out in the classroom as well, graduating 3rd in her class at North. As a senior she was named the winner of the Mayor’s Award as top scholar/athlete in Kern County. She was also ASB Commissioner of Athletics at North, member of the National Honor Society, a member of the German Club and a member of FCA.On to Bakersfield College where she was voted the Outstanding Freshman Athlete in 1989 and Outstanding Sophomore Athlete in 1990. While at BC she set school records in the 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000. As a sophomore she was named Community College “Athlete of the Meet” at the State track and field finals. She also won the Wilson Scholar Award for Most Outstanding Female Student/Athlete for the entire California Community College Association.
You can imagine Cal State Bakersfield was happy to have her in their program. While at CSUB in 1991 and 1992 she was a D-II All-American in track as well as an Academic All-American both years. She was also named All-American in Cross-Country as senior. As a result, she won an NCAA Post Graduate Scholar Award. To top it off, she was named Most Outstanding Graduate in the Humanities for CSUB.
After graduating with a Master’s Degree from CSUB, she started teaching English at BC and has been doing so for the past 25 years. She has been married to Robert Boyles for 35 years. He has also been a teacher at BC for the past 6 years. Prior to that, he coached runners at CSUB for 10 years and prior to that was an Electrician for 18 years. They have two children, daughter Sharon and son Eric. They attended East High and were both involved in athletics and like their Mom, were runners. They also have two grandchildren, Emily (8) and Marcus (3). Pam says they keep her in shape running.
Write your own story Pam, but the headline would tell the story: “Hall of Famer, On and Off the Field.”
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If anyone ever invented a human Swiss army knife they would have to name it Pat Mellon. He arrived on the North High campus in 1964 and when he retired in 2000 he left a legacy very few can compare.
Born in Harlingen, Texas, Pat attended Indiana State University after high school and graduated with a teaching degree and a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Radio and Television. While in college he was considering a career in sports announcing and never with the idea of becoming an English teacher.
North High was still a very young school in 1964 and they were looking for teachers. So Pat and Peggy, his new bride of just a three days, headed west to North of the River. When they arrived it was nothing as advertised, especially the heat. They had never been to California, let alone Oildale, but they stuck it out.
He started out as an English teacher which lasted 7 years, but he somehow found time over the next 36 to serve at the school in a variety of positions. Surely there had to be more than one Pat Mellon. Besides teaching English at one time or another he was also a Counselor, Director of Counselors, Assistant Dean of Students, Testing Director, Scholarship Chairman and Activities Director.
Athletically he coached the Lady Stars softball program, one year at the Frosh- Soph level and served 3 years as varsity coach. He was head coach for the Powder Puff game for 19 years and cheerleader advisor for 18 years. Oh yes, almost forgot. Early in his career he operated the clock for football and basketball games and wrestling meets. Since he had a lot of extra time on his hands he also served as the starter for swimming meets.
He and Peggy now have been married 53 years and had a family of five children, three girls and two boys. His bio could serve as a job application for someone wanted to get into the education system. Problem is they would have a hard time finding someone to fill even a couple of his jobs. Pat, we are so glad you found your way to the big city of Oildale and welcome to the North High Athletics Hall of Fame. A job(s) well done
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As a youngster, Randy Jones grew up running the streets of Oildale. He was so good at it, he ran himself not only into the Bakersfield College Track Hall Of Fame but now the North High Athletics Hall of Fame.
He graduated from Beardsley Jr. High in 1971. Randy was never a part of organized sports until he became involved in track as a sophomore at North High. He spent most of his youth riding bikes, swimming and floating in the Kern River. The rest of his free time was spent at the Riverview gym.
As a sophomore at North, he joined the track team and spent half the season running hurdles. At the suggestion of coaches tan Ingram and Gary Kuster (both members of the NH Hall of Fame), he dropped the hurdles and focused on the 220 and 440, eventually focusing on the 880 his junior year. He ran cross country in his junior and senior years and as a senior, head coach Bill Bimat became a part of his development
In his junior and senior seasons, Randy was the SYL and Area 880 champion. In addition, he won the SYl 440. As a senior, he was the Valley 880 champion. The Stars also won the prestigious West Coast Relays 4 x 880 and set a Valley record in doing so. He’s still the school record holder in the 880 at 1:52.6 (converted to 800 meters 1:51.9), the 10th fastest time in CIF history. The Stars also broke the school 4 x 440 record that was finally broken in 2017. He also finished 4th in the California State Championships, one of the few North High athletes to ever make it to the State in that event.
After graduating from North, he went on to Bakersfield College where he competed for the Renegades under their great coach Bob Covey. There, Randy would be named BC Freshman Athlete of the Year in 1976. He was all-Metro Conference in the 880 and then finished 3rd in the State JC meet. He still holds the school’s record in that event.
An achilles injury ended his track career after his freshman year at BC. He later attended Cal Poly, hoping to compete, but the injury never allowed him to return to form.
He graduated from college in 1980 with a degree in Physical Education, with a minor in Science. From there his teaching career began. He spent five years teaching and coaching in the Lost Hills School District. Then, 10 years at Norris Middle School. There he coached future North High great distance runner Lori Miller to a 2nd place finish in the National 1,500-meter race. He also produced Brianne Barber, the National 1,500 meter champion.
He finished his teaching and coaching career at Centennial and Golden Valley High School and retired in 2015, but not before some outstanding accomplishments there as well. His Centennial girls cross country team won 10 league championships and five CIF Valley titles. In addition, his 2000 girls team finished eighth in the state cross country championship. The girl track team won nine league championships.
The Golden Hawk’s boys cross country team won six league championships and one CIF title. They also won four league championships in track while Jones was the coach.
He was a seven-time All-Area coach of the year and in 2001 was named Valley girls cross country coach of the year.
Now living in Los Osos, he had achilles surgery in his late 40’s with the hopes of training and returning to something he loved to do, run. He was married to his wife Pati for 28 years before she passed away in 2016. She herself was a former North High diver and swimmer. They have two kids, son Brant and daughter Teale.
Randy was born to run and those ‘ole boys over on the Central Coast better get ready to eat dust very shortly when this new Hall of Famer gets in shape. Welcome Randy and congratulations.
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He’s been called Robbie Bray, Rob Bray, Robert Bray, you name it, but it would be easier if you just called him “Speedy”.
The talented four-year track and cross-country star at North High was born and raised in Oildale. While attending Highland Elementary then Standard Jr. High, he became interested in running and developed his passion for the sport. Giving credit to his coaches Stan Ingram, Gary Kuster and Bill Bimat, they developed the talent and he set some records that still stand.
Among his records while at North included the mile, mile relay, the two-mile relay and the cross-country home course record. He was a two-time league champion in cross country and was both the SYL and area champion in the 2-mile in both 1974 and 1975. He finished 2nd in the Valley Championship in both the mile and 2-mile in 1975. He also qualified for the State Championship in those events in both 1974 and 1975.
From there onto Bakersfield College under the great coaching of Bob Covery. While there he set the 10,000 meter record, set in 1977, which still stands today 40 years later. He was a big part of the Renegades cross country team that won the Metro Conference championship as a freshman and individually he finished 9th in the SoCal Championships.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo came calling after BC and while there was part of a National Championship D-2 Cross Country team and he was named All-American in the process. One of his teammates was fellow North High alum and roommate Randy Jones, also inducted into the NH Hall of Fame.
Graduating with a degree in Physical Education, he took a job as an assistant coach in both cross country and track and field at BC before landing at Edison Jr. High in 1982. He taught PE and coached all sports there for 4 years then took a job in the Lake Isabella area in the Kernville Union School District. In 1990 he was named Principal at the Rosedale Union School District making it 30 years he’s been a Principal and he loves his job.
Now single, he has 3 children by a previous marriage( one boy and two girls).
Don’t be surprised if he runs to the podium to accept his induction into the North High Athletics Hall of Fame. Congrats Principal Bray.
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Steve’s family migrated west from Oklahoma in 1957. After working in the fields picking cotton, his father became involved in the oil business and opened Surface Pumps, Inc. in 1970.
Steve was born and raised in Oildale and still resides there today. He attended Highland Elementary and Standard Junior High where he played basketball for coach Jack Denison. Loving all sports, Steve entered North High in 1975 and was an over-achieving standout in football, basketball and baseball.
He played basketball all four years and was MVP as both a freshman and junior on the JV team. He played varsity in his senior year for Lloyd Williams.
In baseball, he played on the freshman team for Hall of Fame coach Tony Silver. As a sophomore, he played on the varsity for another legendary coach, Sam Barton. The Stars won the school’s first-ever Valley Championship in 1976. He also played on the 1977 SYL championship team.
He played one year of football, as a sophomore, wisely giving it up to focus on baseball.
Following high school, he attended Bakersfield College and played baseball for two years. In 1979, he had a 17-game hitting streak and was named the team’s MVP.
After BC, Steve took a chance and walked on at Division I power San Diego State and worked himself into the starting catcher spot. That 1982 team made it to the West Regionals.
The following year, SDSU reeled off 24 straight wins to improve to 53-8 and a No. 1 national ranking. They won the Western Athletic Conference South Championship, finished 62-14 and were ranked No.9 in the final polls.
Steve finished his career with the Aztecs with another 17-game hitting streak and, through that stretch, hit .425 in WAC play and .555 in the regionals. He was named First Team All-WAC South Division, the All-Regional team and was the Aztecs’ Most Inspirational Player.
Knowing that 165-pound catchers were not in big demand in professional baseball, Stevd returned to Oildale to work with his dad at Surface Pumps. That may have been the best decision he could have made. In 1984, he married his lovely wife Joan. They have been married 32 years and have two beautiful children, Ryan (28) and Erin (24).
The competitive juices still there, Steve joined up with former North High and BC teammate Terry Denesha to coach youth baseball for several years. In 2002, he coached a 12-year-old team that included sons Ryan Durrett and Christopher Denesha and competed in the prestigious Cooperstown Tournament of Champions.
In 2003, he joined the Liberty High baseball staff and was part of the Patriots’ first-ever Valley Championship.
Not done yet, he was approached by Garces girls basketball coach Tod Denison to help with that program. After learning to play the game from Jack Denison, he learned how to coach it from Tod, Jack’s son. Steve spent seven years there and was part of the 2014 Valley Championship team.
Steve is now president of Surface Pumps, Inc., still located in Oildale and still serving the Kern County oil industry.
Welcome to the North High Athletics Hall of Fame, Steve. Nobody worked harder to get there.
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When North High opened its doors in the fall of 1953, the school was blessed with a number of outstanding athletes attending the school from a lot of different places and in all sports. One of those was Vern Crisman. He made his mark primarily in basketball but also played football and baseball and even ran in a track event once.
Vern’s father owned a coal mine near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, but sold it and headed west in 1922. However, Vern’s mom and family stayed behind as his dad pursued work in the oil business. One of 10 boys and girls in the family, Vern was born in 1938 and the family moved to the North of the River area in 1945. He attended Standard Jr. High in 1952, attended Bakersfield High as a freshman, since North High had not opened at that time.
Talk about a growth spurt. He entered North High standing 5’3” and weighing 135 pounds. By the time he was a senior, he stood 6’4” and weighed in at 215 pounds.
A 3-year starter for the Stars on the varsity basketball team, amazingly he played for three different coaches. He made all-South Sequoia League and all-Valley in both his junior and senior seasons. He also played three years of varsity baseball as a first baseman and two years of varsity football under North’s legendary coach Turk Eliades. Since he was such a great all-around athlete, the track coach Dusty Rhoads talked him into running the 440-yard race in one meet. Exhausted after the race, that was the extent of his track career.
After graduating from North High, he took a year off from basketball, then went on to Bakersfield College to play for the Renegades. He was named team MVP after leading the team in scoring and had the highest shooting percentage on the team.
After BC, he was recruited by USC to play basketball for the Trojans, but chose Fresno State instead. He was able to play three years for the Bulldogs, winning the conference title two of the three years he played there.
After graduating from Fresno State, he entered the Army and was sent to Korea where he spent 16 months. He spent most of his time playing basketball and football while he was there and even found time to dabble in wrestling. Upon his return home, he went to work in the banking business for about 8 years. From there he went into the insurance business and ended up owning his own very successful agency in the Delano area.
He has been married to his wife Normalee for nearly 50 years. One of his younger brothers Paul (Class of ‘63) was an outstanding basketball player for North High as well. In fact, he scored 80 points in a game playing for Southern Cal Bible College. He followed that up with a 55-point performance in his next game.
Welcome to the North High Athletics Hall of Fame Vern. You join a long list of outstanding athletes and coaches that helped open North High’s doors and helped put the Stars on the area’s map. Congratulations.
Bill Kinnett, Dale Standifer, David Smith, Lorraine Ash, Gary Sedam, Joellen Jeffrey-Thibodeaux, Kelly Connelly-Lemoine, Pam Ash-Boyles, Pat Mellon, Randy Jones, Rob Bray, Steve Durrett, Vern Crissman, 1955 Boy’s Varsity Tennis Team
