Walk the halls of Lindsay High School, tour the gym, sit at a football game and you may not notice all the little contributions coach, teacher and Athletic Director Don Perales has made, but they're there.

After spending 48 years in the Lindsay Unified School District and 36 years coaching the Lindsay High School varsity boys basketball team, Perales will be missed by the community for his commitment to the school and his team upon his retirement in spring 2008. His impact is felt on a large scale in Lindsay and the Central Valley.

He is the most winning basketball coach in the section with 448 victories in 35 seasons. He's held the position of the high school Athletic Director since 1976 and he's been a teacher in the district from the first day of his career in 1969.

But the big things are just the start of what Perales has given to Lindsay High School. From producing weekly football programs, to initiating girls athletics to installing new mats on the gym walls, Don Perales gives more to Lindsay than most people will ever be aware of. But those teachers and coaches who have worked with him and the students who have learned from him, know some of the day-to-day work he puts into his multiple roles at the school.

“Don's best attribute is his professionalism as an educator,” Lindsay High School teacher and coach Brett Kendig said. “His work ethic is second to none. His years of service to Lindsay High and the youth of our community will never be matched. I feel fortunate to have worked with Don for 20 years and if anyone deserves the privilege of retirement, it's Coach Perales.”

Perales' most noticeable legacy will no doubt be his basketball program, but he's retiring from more than just coaching. In spring 2008 after the mortarboards are thrown at the LHS graduation, Perales and his wife of 40 years, Donna will retire to San Luis Obispo. The couple has purchased a condominium and plan to move in by July 1.

“I'm going to take a year off and see if I can survive without coaching. If not, maybe I'll get into something over there,” Perales said. Perales and Donna's happy ending will be somewhat of a return to their beginnings.

Getting Started

Perales, born and raised in Wasco, spent two years at Bakersfield Junior College and graduated from Cal Poly with his teaching credential three years after that. All along the way he had Donna by his side, who also grew up in Wasco and attended Cal Poly.

Searching for a small town to coach and teach in, Perales landed in Lindsay after being turned down for an assistant coaching position at his Alma Mater in Wasco.

Perales began his nearly four-decade stay in Lindsay at the age of 22. Fresh out of college, he joined the staff at Lindsay Junior High (before it was renamed Steve Garvey Junior High) in the fall of 1969.

“I came back and wanted to work in a small town because I knew I could coach more than one sport and I wanted my children to play more than one sport,” Perales said.

As soon as he arrived at Lindsay junior high, Perales began his coaching career. He started at the middle school level but by his second year in Lindsay, he was coaching freshman basketball at Lindsay High.

After two years, Perales moved over to the high school to teach fulltime while coaching the freshman basketball team.

Baseball, Volleyball and Golf, oh my!

Perales became the head varsity basketball coach in the winter season of 1972-73 and as time went by, he tried his coaching skills in several different programs.

Perales knew the benefits of multi-sport participation first hand. While in high school at Wasco, he played football, basketball and baseball.

His passion for playing a variety of sports fed into his desire to coach multiple sports.

“Coaching multiple sports gave me a good opportunity to excel,” Perales said.

This season will be Perales' 36th consecutive year as the varsity basketball coach but along the way, he made his name in a slew of other athletic endeavors.

Perales coached baseball for eight years, varsity football for four years, freshman football for three years, Pop Warner football for four years, boys volleyball for 13 years, girls volleyball for three years, boys golf for four years and girls golf for three years.

“I always coached more than one sport except for one year. In 1991, I only coached basketball during my son's senior year of high school,” Perales said.

He was honored as the All-star coach for football one year and earned the same honor twice in basketball and twice in boys volleyball.

Perales also picked up a freshman football championship and won the league title in an undefeated boys volleyball season in 1991.

“It was a fun experience,” Perales said.

Leader of the Pack

Perales started teaching at Lindsay High School in fall1972 and by March 1976, he was promoted to the position of Athletic Director.

Principal Byron Gavrilis announced Perales' new position at the end-of-the-year basketball banquet and described him as a model coach who had the respect of his colleagues and the community according to a Lindsay Gazette Article published on March 15, 1976.

Perales has held the position since and has succeeded in his goal to build all-around athletes rather than football players or basketball players.

It's important to remember that upon his retirement, Perales will not only vacate head coaching positions for varsity basketball and boys and girls golf. He is also leaving behind the role of athletic director.

“Some people say it will be strange not seeing him here,” Lindsay high teacher, coach and alumnus Eric Smith said. “But we've got to carry on the tradition that he's startedŠtry to continue what he's always done. He's been a representative for our league. He's always tried to get the best seeding for our teams and do what's best for them.”

Measure of Success

Entering his 36th year in varsity basketball, Perales has a winning record of 448-417 and the most wins of any Central Section coach. From a time when there were no playoff divisions to a time when there were three to today's five-division system, Perales has had successes and disappointments. But the good has by far outweighed the bad.

Under Perales' leadership, the Cardinals are seven time league champs, three time division runner ups, one time State tournament qualifiers and three-time unofficial Sierra Division Champions.

His program saw a 17-game league winning streak from 1961 to 1963 and a 13-game overall win streak in the 2001-2002 season. In that same season, the Cardinals went 12-0 in the East Sequoia League.

“My senior year in basketball, we were league champions,” Smith said. “We were his second championship team in 1984. That was a great thrill for us. We came up a little short in the valley playoffs. Now that I've seen his career, we were one of the three teams that really gave him a shot at the valley championship that he really deserved.”

Perales' coaching success can also be seen in the post-high school careers of his athletes. Scott Gallaway (1978) and Rich Lo (1979) went on to play basketball at Porterville College and COS.

In 2002, twins Matthew and David Misko both went on to play NCAA basketball. Matthew started at COS then went on to play at San Jose State while David went straight to UC Riverside.

2000 graduates Kevin Greer and Carlos Gomez both played ball at COS.

Perales' son Carly ('91) had a successful volleyball career at Cal Poly. Manuel Sanchez ('02) made a name for himself in Fresno State Football.

Perales' basketball players also made great baseball players. Abel Gamboa ('06) is currently playing baseball at COS. Sergio Silva ('00) played for the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise and Eric Smith ('84) took his talent to the University of La Verne.

Those are a few of the collegiate successes Perales can rattle off of the top of his head.

Cardinal Ball

Lindsay basketball evolved when Perales took over the program in the early ‘70s. The system established by Perales and his staff has adjusted to fit each new group of athletes but has always had the same principle elements.

“Our trademark has always been our defense,” Perales said. “It's a baseline Go. I picked it up from different college coaches' philosophies. It's a combination.”

On offense, Perales runs the “Lindsay Cardinal Flex.” And on both sides of the court, Perales demands excellence from his players to make the system work. Like any other school, Lindsay's teams range in size each year from the 6'10” Misko twins in 2000 to a more likely 6'2” big man in most other years.

“We NEVER made excuses,” Perales said of Lindsay's size. “We take what we can get and go with it.”

“It's fantastic because what they've built is a program that kids know and that's respected,” Central Section Athletic Commissioner Jim Chrichlow said. “Dedication from a man like [Perales] is fantastic and is hardly seen in coaches today.”

Family Court

Ask Don Perales why he's spent his entire career at one school. His answer is simple.

“Most coaches leave because they think the grass is greener on the other side. I can tell you, the grass is plenty green in Lindsay,” Perales said. “It's always been like home here. The families I've met have kept me here.”

Although many spectators see Perales dressed in his timeless leather jacket screaming from courtside with a snarl on his face during most Lindsay basketball games, that is not the man players will remember.

To most athletes, Perales is a family member and he returns the sentiment.

“It's been a real family atmosphere my whole career,” Perales said.

In his early years, coaching the Salinas boys was like making friends.

“On my first team, I had Adolf and Lionel. We still get together a lot. I was so young then, they're more like brothers to me,” Perales said.

Perales has also coached generations of families. After coaching Ruben Gonzalez, Perales coached his sons Anthony, John and Bryan. He also coached generations of the Blue family including brothers Shann, Quinn, Vann and the next batch of boys - Alec and Jordan.

A special group of guys for Perales is the Class of 1975 including Dan Ross, Joe Cercado and David Hurtado.

“I had them for two years in junior high and four years in high school. Those are real memories,” Perales said.

“The guys from '77-80 were really good athletes and I made lifetime friendships,” Perales said. “All the teams have been special.”

His actual family has made its way through the halls of Lindsay high school as well. His only son, Carly, played varsity basketball for four years and earned the school record for most career points with 1,747 from 1988 to 1991. Carly went on to graduate from Cal Poly, and, like his father, spent a few years teaching at LHS. Currently, he teaches Physical Education at Armijo High School in Fairfield, Calif. where he is also the varsity girls volleyball and the JV boys basketball coach.

Perales' nephew Brett Kendig was the second member of the family to graduate from college (after Perales). After graduating from Wasco high and playing for the same basketball coach, Kendig followed in Perales' footsteps. He started his career at Lindsay High 19 years ago and hasn't budged.

“Pretty much why I got into teaching and coaching is because I admired him while I was growing up,” Kendig said. “He's the most passionate person around. People see the snarl but I bet there's been no coach ever that cries as much as he has when he speaks at the banquets. He gets so compassionate about the guys and he does what he thinks is best for the kids.”

After seeing Perales from both sides, as a coach and as a colleague, Eric Smith agrees.

“I see how he can demand excellence on the court but once off the court, he portrays a genuine caring feeling. He's not afraid to tell players he loves them,” Smith said. “Off the court I've always respected him and appreciated his caring nature.”

After seven years of coaching beside Perales, JV Coach Lance Cheatwood knows Perales' style is incomparable.

“For me personally, it's been the best thing that's happened to me as a coach to be able to learn under him,” Cheatwood said. “The amount of time he spends with the kids and coaches has been an asset. It will be something I will cherish.”

Old friends, players and colleagues will get the chance to share their memories and thoughts on Don Perales' career at his retirement party on June 21 at China's in Lindsay.

To see Perales stretch his record number of wins, stop by Lindsay's next home basketball game at 7 p.m. tonight, Wednesday, Nov. 28 against Farmersville.

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