Old stomping grounds

Mike Sciacca,

When Kelly Painter begins his 30th year as a teacher and coach in the

Ocean View School District this fall, he will be returning to an old

stomping ground.

Painter will return in late August to Mesa View Middle School

where he once taught and coached.

The 54-year-old, who also is the sports coordinator for the

district, has spent the past 11 years building the sports program at

Marine View, a rival of local middle schools Mesa View, Spring View

and Vista View.

The Ocean View School District sports program offers middle school

athletes competition in four sports -- cross country, volleyball,

basketball and track and field.

“Student/athletes in this district are very, very talented,”

Painter said. “What we do in the district is give our students a

taste of competition in four sports and if they like it, then they

can go on and compete at the high school level. It’s always a lot of

fun to see these student/athletes have fun and even succeed at the

next level.”

His 11 years spent at Marine View is the longest tenure at any

district school for Painter, who began his teaching/coaching career

at Circle View Elementary School, continued at Haven View and then

went to Mesa View where he taught and coached for 10 years prior to

moving to Marine View.

At Mesa View, Painter, a father of three and whose wife, Lindy

Leech-Painter, is a resource specialist at Golden View, will be

replacing Kurt Lundberg who accepted another teaching position.

“I had an incredible time at Marine View but it’s time to move

on,” said Painter, who said hethought at the outset of his career

that he would teach for four years before moving into an

administration position.

Early in his career, Painter turned down the position of principal

at Wawona School in Yosemite National Park to stay in teaching.

“I declined that position when I came to the decision that I’d

rather be in the classroom with the students than go into

administration,” he said. “That decision changed my course of

action.”

In addition to his coaching duties at Marine View, Painter taught

sixth-grade literature and language arts.

He will teach the same subjects at Mesa View.

“The kids at Marine View are just phenomenal. It’s a Blue Ribbon

school and the teachers and parents are so, so supportive,” he said.

“The one thing I feel very fortunate about is that I was able to work

with Sheila Blyth at Marine View. She taught me a lot, especially how

to teach P.E. in depth. She’s a phenomenal coach and human being.”

In Painter’s 11 years at Marine View, the Mariners won 10 overall

district championships in track and field and the girls’ athletic

program won 11 and the boys’ won eight Olympus trophies, a district

award given out each school year to the middle school that had the

best year in athletics.

Mesa View boys’ won the other three Olympus trophies during those

11 years.

Blyth, the girls’ physical education teacher at Marine View, said

Painter’s presence at the school will be greatly missed.

“First of all, he’s an inspirational leader to students,” she

said. “He can motivate students to believe in themselves. He really

has an eye for what a student possesses.

“If it weren’t for Kelly, the 175 to 180 students out for cross

country and track wouldn’t be there because he has so much energy

that he exudes a true love for sports, even after some 30 years of

teaching and coaching. He still has more enthusiasm and love for the

program. He’s just a phenomenal individual. I’m sad to see him go.”

Dave Stanford, the current cross country and assistant track coach

at Marina High, will replace Painter at Marine View.

At Mesa View, Painter says he’ll see some familiar faces.

“I once taught with some of the current teachers there and some of

my ex-students teach there now,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a

lot of fun there this school year.”

During Painter’s years spent as a teacher and coach at Mesa View,

the school won four Olympus trophies in boys’ and girls’ competition

and four-straight district track and field championships.

“Keep an eye on Mesa View in the future,” Blyth said.

Mesa View, he says, will be the last stop in his district teaching

and coaching career.

“Three years and then I’m retiring -- that’s a promise,” he said.

“But for now, I’m looking forward to the move to Mesa View.”

* MIKE SCIACCA covers sports and features. He can be reached at

(714) 965-7171 or by e-mail at [email protected].