Joey Ramirez named head VC basketball coach

    March 02, 2011
    Sports

    Santa Paula native Joey Ramirez has been named as the new, full-time head basketball coach at Ventura College.

    Ramirez has been the assistant coach for the VC men’s basketball program for the past two seasons.  Ramirez prides himself on assembling a competitive and respectable basketball program.

    Ramirez said being chosen as head coach was very emotional for him.  “This is where my career took off and where I was given a lifetime opportunity,” he said.  “I hold many relationships here and love this place.  All I can think about is the sacrifices that my family has made for me to get here.  My parents providing my sister and I with everything we could possible need to be successful.  Love, being the first thing.”

    Ramirez returned to Ventura College two seasons ago, where he had a great playing career under coach Phil Mathews from 1992 to 1994.  As a team captain, Ramirez led his team to the State Championship Finals both years and a number two ranking in the country.  He was awarded first team All-Western State Conference both years, Western State Conference Co-MVP in 1994 and first team All-State the same year.  From VC Ramirez went on to Pepperdine University as a starting point guard.  He transferred to UC Riverside in 1995.  While there he was a team captain and an All-CCAA Selection.

    He said his coaching philosophy involves many things.  He breaks it down into 3 parts:

    “Education:  Our players will know that their academics come first.  There is no floor time unless they are taking care of their books.  There is no compromise.  We believe in this very strongly.

    Community Involvement:  Our players will be involved in our community activities such as camps, adopt a school program, visiting local libraries to read and talk with kids.  It is important that our student athletes understand they are part of our community.

    On the Court:  Our players will compete EVERY second they are in the gym.  When I was here, our practices were better than the games.  It was a WAR on the floor and only the strongest survived.  I wasn’t going down.”

    As a player and later a coach at SPHS, did he ever envision coaching at VC?  “It has always been in my mind, “what if?”  I love this place and to not ever think about it would not be normal.  Coach Mathews built an empire that helped many kids reach their goals and build better lives for themselves.  Ventura College is a very powerful institution.”

    Ramirez honed his coaching skills at his alma mater, Santa Paula High School, where he was an assistant coach from 1997 to 2000.  He helped league the Cardinals to its first league championship in more than 20 years.  In 2001 he took over as head coach for the Lady Cardinals.  He took them to a Frontier League championship and won their first CIF playoff game in school history.  He was honored as Frontier League Coach of the Year that year.  From 2202 to 2006 Ramirez headed the boys basketball program.  His squad took second place in the Frontier League and qualified for CIF his last two years.

    In 2007 Ramirez left Santa Paula to become assistant boys basketball coach at Oak Park High School.  A year later he took on the job of head coach and led the boys to a Tri-Valley League Championship.  The team played in the CIF semi-finals as well as the State Tournament.

    Ramirez graduated from Santa Paula High School in 1992.  He was an all-league, three-sport athlete there in basketball, baseball and football.  He currently teaches math at Oak Park High School and lives in Oxnard Shores with his wife and three boys.

    Who have been his mentors for basketball?  He said that he has two:  “My Dad and Coach Philip Mathews (Assistant Coach at UCLA).  “My Dad has is my best friend,” Ramirez noted.  “He is my ROCK.  He has always taken the time to be my DAD.  I can remember living down the street from Isbell Middle School.  We would go down there and play.  When we were finished he would always have me make a shot before I left.  He would write notes and put them on my chest while I was asleep.  When I would wake up and read them, they would always have the word DEFENSE written in almost every sentence.”

    He added that coach Mathews nurtured him into a division one student athlete.  “He taught me how to play the RIGHT WAY.  He has always taken the time out to help me and teach me.  To this day he continues to teach.  He is a big reason why I continue to Coach and teach.  He touched my life in so many ways.”





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