With several top football head coaching jobs open at high schools in San Diego, Dave Bottom had to make some hard decisions. He chose not to apply at Helix and El Camino instead he went after the Vista job.
Vista Principal Anthony Barela announced Dave Bottom is the new coach of the Vista Panthers.
Bottom, 36, coached at Everett Alvarez High in Salinas, where a team that was 0-10 in 2012 and finished 11-1 in 2013. In three seasons at Alvarez, Bottom was 23-12.
Bottom, who was one of six coaches interviewed at Vista and replaces Dan Williams. The Panthers won the San Diego Section Division I title in 2010. But were 4-7 last season.
Vista’s Dick Haines Stadium will have a complete overhaul by May. It includes new seating, a pressbox, a snack bar, restrooms and a plaza.
I covered football for thevistapess.com this year, and I’m not sure why Dan Williams was fired after making the postseason this season. He has led the school to two CIF San Diego Section championships in the past. If he was to win another championship, he would tie legendary coach Dick Williams’ accomplishments. Williams also coached softball for the school. I think we all need a better explanation as to why Williams was let go. Did disgruntled parents complain? … Please let us know? … Williams has always been cordial and honest to me. I’m sad to know he will no longer be the coach of “Big Red.”
Those championships were strictly based on the talent that sat right in front of Coach Williams. He would have had another championship in 2005 if he hadn’t decided to do a live scrimmage on the first team offense during a Wednesday evening practice prior to a Friday night Semi-Finals Game. Consequently Loa Madon (the starting quarterback) broke his collar bone during that Wednesday evening practice and as a result his team couldn’t beat Torrey Pines with a second string quarterback.
Coach Williams made poor decisions and was an inept leader. I imagine that making decisions such as the one he made in 2005 culminated in his termination as head football coach at the end of the 2015 season.
Any coach can win when they have multiple Division One Athletes on the team but when Coach Williams was dealt a lesser hand he couldn’t even muster five win seasons.