Baseball

Head Coach: Jon Larson
Assistant Coaches:  Roger Frash, Howard Hilton, Art McAnulty, Geno Beville, Phil Valenzuela

Jon Larson, in his ninth year as Head Men's Baseball Coach, is at the helm of a program that has a rich tradition at Oxnard College. Established by former Athletic Director Jerry White in 1978, it has sent an unprecedented 11 players to the big leagues since then. Larson's program is based foremost on the premise that Oxnard College should act as a stepping-stone to the next level. Centered on the fundamental goal of making his players bigger, stronger, and faster, Larson and his staff  focus primarily on developing motivated student athletes who want to reach the next level but failed to receive attention after high school. And apparently it works: three players-two in the last 8 years-that were not recruited after high school are know major league starters.

In addition to preparing athletes for further success in baseball, Coach Larson's program develops students as well. The stress on athletics and academics that Coach Larson espouses is evident in the number of players that go on to universities. Last year alone, 8 athletes received scholarships to Division I, II, or NAIA schools.

When all is said and done, the method to coach Larson's success is fundamental if not obvious. "The objective is just to try to get as good as we can be," Larson says, "Our goal everyday in practice throughout the year from first day to last is to get as good as we can be. At the end of the year, you just add everything up and see where you're are." Judging by the fact that an average of one O.C. player makes it to the major's every two and a half years, when they do add everything up, the coaches, as well as major league and college scouts, like what they see.