James Resigns as Ventura College’s Football Coach

Dick James, the Ventura College football coach for the past three seasons, resigned Tuesday, citing his failure to produce a winning program.

James, 52, coached Ventura to a 57-34 record and two Western State Conference championships from 1970-79, but his second term as the Pirates’ head coach resulted in a dismal 8-22 record, including a 2-8 mark this year.

“After three years, it became evident to me that it was time for a change,” James said. “I didn’t feel like I was measuring up to the standards I had set for myself as a coach.”

James will remain at Ventura as a full-time physical education instructor and said he hopes to work as an assistant next season.

James left Ventura after the 1979 season to become offensive line coach at Stanford, for which he worked from 1980-82.

He then served as the recruiting coordinator for Stanford’s athletics department from 1983-88.

James returned to Ventura and served as an assistant during the 1989 season before taking over the head coaching position in 1990 when Phil Passno resigned.

“I figured then that I’d be a head coach here for at least five years and maybe 10,” James said. “But it got to the point this year where what used to be a labor of love was no longer that.”

Seven consecutive losses to start this season weighed heavily on James’ mind.

“There were times during the season when I felt the kids were really looking to me for some guidance and knowledge to break out of (the losing mold),” James said. “And I just had nothing left to give.”

When James took over the program in 1990, he figured it would take three years to make the Pirates competitive again in the WSC.

“The bottom line is that we weren’t competitive in the WSC and we weren’t winning,” James said. “I did not feel like we were progressing. We were standing still at best, and I really felt we were going backward.”

James said he does not intend to recommend a successor.

“When you’re part of the problem, I don’t think you should be involved in trying to be part of the solution,” he said.