FRED HOKANSON

Steve Virgen

Fred Hokanson is all about loyalty. Yet that is not the reason why he

has been at Orange Coast College for the past 35 years.

He’s there because of the people working alongside him and he’s

also there because of the school’s success.

“It is the best community college around, bar none,” said

Hokanson, who is OCC’s Athletic Director. “I think the reason it’s

the best is because we hire the best people. The coaches who are here

have been here for years. They want to help and do the right thing

for OCC. It really is a family here.”

Hokanson learned the importance of loyalty when he was in high

school. Actually, his loyalty was tested and he ended up doing what

was best for a new school.

Young Fred Hokanson played football at Huntington Beach High and

he was looking forward to his senior season because the Oilers were

going to be “excellent,” he said.

However, the team was broken up when Westminster High opened and

Hokanson was in the area which required students to transfer to the

new school. Hokanson was not pleased but he still made the most of

his final year with the Lions.

“I did not want to transfer at all,” he said. “But I was out for

all the sports at Westminster. I had pride in the school.”

Hokanson graduated in 1960 from Westminster. He said the class of

1960 has reunions that also include the ’60 class of Huntington Beach

because so many of the people know each other and have been linked

ever since Westminster opened.

After Hokanson graduated at Westminster, he went to OCC, where he

played football and competed in track and field. He injured his back

and played one year as an offensive tackle for the Pirates. He found

his niche in the throwing events for OCC. Eventually Hokanson

excelled in the hammer throw, but that came after he transferred to

UC Santa Barbara.

In his senior year with the Gauchos, he took up the hammer and

quickly found success. Hokanson and a teammate built their own hammer

ring and trained for that final season. He reached the NCAA

Championships in Division II.

Later, when Hokanson went on to coach at OCC, he started the

hammer throw competition for the Pirates.

At UCSB, Hokanson earned a degree in physical education. The idea

of becoming a coach was inspired by the people he associated with.

Hokanson also admired his coach, Sam Adams.

“I really liked his attitude and I just liked the way he coached,”

said Hokanson, who was also influenced by fellow athletes at UCSB.

“When you live with guys who want to be coaches and that’s all they

talk about, you start to think like that. If I was living with

stockbrokers I would probably become a stockbroker.”

Hokanson, who also earned a master’s degree in administration at

Chapman University, began his coaching and teaching career at

Westminster. He became the first alumnus to work at the school.

Later, in 1969, he was hired at OCC as the throws coach for the

Pirates track and field team. From 1978 to 2000 he was the head coach

of the men’s and women’s squads.

“I’ve had so many good memories,” Hokanson said. “I have had good

memories of coaching. When we won our first conference championship

in track. And Sheldon Blockburger, he’s the best athlete I ever

coached.”

Hokanson also said he enjoyed coaching all the athletes, including

Leon Phillips, a standout in the javelin. Hokanson also was excited

to be part of ground-breaking sports at OCC. He helped start the

women’s track and field team.

“It was a thrill when we started women’s track,” he said. “We

started women’s track at OCC and we became a power.”

Hokanson stopped coaching in 2000 and became the AD and the dean

for physical education. Last year, the Pirates claimed the California

Community College all-sports trophy, the third time OCC has won the

award, which has been issued the past 10 years.

The Pirates also won the Orange Empire Conference Supremacy Award,

the honor for overall excellence in athletic achievement. It was the

22nd time in 26 years OCC has earned the award.

“That has been exciting,” Hokanson said. “To be a part of the

start of something, to keep it going, that’s what has also been

exciting and great.”

Hokanson, who lives in Mesa Verde with his wife, Judy, is the

latest honoree of the Daily Pilot Sports Hall of Fame.