DiPoalo inducted into CCCFCA Hall of Fame

Former SBCC football coach Carmen DiPoalo has been inducted into the California Community College Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He was honored during the 28th CCCFCA Spring Convention and Hall of Fame Luncheon on March 12 in Visalia.

DiPoalo spent 33 years at SBCC (1970-2002) as an assistant coach, defensive coordinator and head coach. He was the head coach of the Vaqueros his last two seasons, inheriting an 0-10 team and turning them into a 6-4 squad in 2002. That Vaquero team went undefeated at home and rallied to beat Bakersfield 23-22 in DiPoalo's final game.

He was a football and baseball star at Monrovia High and Citrus College. He played two years of football for UCLA and participated in the 1962 Rose Bowl.

He started his coaching career in 1964 when he was hired to coach at Clovis High by Bob Dinaberg. He was an assistant at Hueneme High in 1967-69, helping the Vikings to their first league title in 1969.

In 1970, DiPoalo came to SBCC and was reunited with Dinaberg, the Vaqueros' head coach for 18 years. During his 31 years as an assistant coach and defensive coordinator, the Vaqueros won eight conference championships, went to the State playoffs twice and played in eight bowl games, highlighted by a 1991 appearance in the prestigious Potato Bowl.

"Carmen coached and positively influenced hundreds and hundreds of football players," said Dinaberg, who's been friends with DiPoalo for 52 years. "He was assistant coach for more than three decades under four head coaches at SBCC and his reputation is legendary.

"We had the No. 1 defense in the state in 1979 and he coached All-Americans at every defensive position during his career."

DiPoalo coached numerous All-State a nd All-American players and sent many players to four-year colleges and a few to the NFL.

  In 2007, DiPoalo was inducted into the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Hall of Fame.

"Carmen is one of the most demanding, passionate and loyal coaches I have ever been around," said SBCC's head football coach Craig Moropoulos. "As a player, who had to practice against his defenses every day, I always admired and respected his love and commitment to his school and players. That attitude and approach was, in my opinion, what made Carmen such a successful teacher.

"Carmen is and will always be a true Vaq!!"

DiPoalo has two sons, Joe and Tony, and a daughter, Dana. He has 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. His sons and grandsons were outstanding high school and college players and Joe DiPoalo spent many years as a Vaquero assistant coach with his father.

Carmen DiPoalo retired in 2003, ending a 40-year teaching and coaching career at SBCC. Since then, he has been able to pursue his love of hunting, fishing and traveling in the Western United States with his companion, Pat Moorhouse, and their Yellow Labrador Retriever Greta Garbo.