Warrior coach picked to lead Mustang hoopsters
Newly appointed Mira Costa boys basketball coach Neal Perlmutter. Photo Courtesy of Neal Perlmutter
West Torrance boys basketball coach Neal Perlmutter, who turned around a losing Warriors program and led the team to a CIF title two years ago, has been hired as the new boy’s basketball head coach at Mira Costa High School. He replaces Jeff Amaral, who resigned last month after seven years on the job.
Perlmutter was chosen from among 30 applicants for the job, which is a little less plum than it normally would be because the Mustangs will lack a home gym for approximately two years. Fisher Gymnasium will be torn down sometime next fall or winter to make way for a $38 million sports complex.
But the prospect of leading a homeless basketball team for a couple of seasons did not bother the 37-year-old Hermosa Beach resident who has known nothing but success in his coaching career.
“I’m really excited about this opportunity,” Perlmutter said Sunday night. “My goal is to win a CIF title for Mira Costa.”
Costa Principal Ben Dale is equally excited about the new hire.
“Neal has won everywhere he’s been,” Dale said. “He was especially impressive at West, where he turned the program around quickly. What he did at West is similar to what we need here.”
In the two years before Perlmutter took over at West Torrance, the team had won a combined total of 13 games. In the 2015-16 season, his first one at West, Perlmutter led the Warriors to a 10-17 record and they reached the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.
In the 2016-17 season, they went 23-9 and won the Pioneer League title for the first time in 17 years. Then, they advanced all the way through the playoffs to win the Division 4AA CIF Southern Section title – the first in the school’s history. They then lost in the second round of the state playoffs. Last season the team had a 20-8 record and again advanced to the second round of the playoffs.
Perlmutter said Mira Costa administrators had assured him they are committed to making Costa a premier basketball program, similar to the Mustang volleyball, football and baseball programs. He told them he had a multi-pronged plan to make that happen.
“First, I’m going to get out in the community and create a buzz in the lower levels, let them know it’s a serious program, and that we’re going to step it up a few notches,” he said. “Second, I’m going to bring in a dedicated staff, although I’m sure we’ll keep some of the current staff. Third, we’ll make it a year-round program.”
However, Perlmutter said, he will not insist that his basketball players play only basketball, an issue that has arisen in the past.
“I’ve got to be open to players who want to play multiple sports,” he said. “Volleyball guys, football guys – I look forward to working with them and with the other programs.”
He said he is not worried about the school’s reputation for having overly involved parents who seek to exert influence over playing time through the booster clubs that raise money for the school’s sports teams.
“I’ve worked with parents on every level, and never had issues with parents,” he said. “I think we’ll have a great working relationship. It’s all about laying out clear expectations and having transparency about where players are at and their playing time. The key is to let them know what their role is going to be.”
Dale said he was very impressed by the pool of applicants.
“There were some assistant college coaches, current high school head coaches, and some really exciting assistant high school coaches looking for their first head coaching job,” he said.
Dale said he is confident that lacking a home gym for up to two years is not going to be a problem.
“We’re going to knock on every available gym door in the South Bay and find a place to practice and play,” he said. “Everyone we’ve talked to, from Hawthorne to Redondo has been supportive.”
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