Daddy’s girls

Mike Sciacca

When Ricky Butler played basketball at Ocean View High, he was a

player among players, according to his coach, Jim Harris.

Once dominant on the court, Butler now sits in the stands, rooting

on his daughter, DJ, a starting center who now plays for Harris.

The 6-foot-2 sophomore, whose given name is “Dannieka Jean,” also

shares the court with another Harris, Kelsey, who used to sit in the

bleachers at Ocean View games and now plays varsity for her father.

“I have been to countless Ocean View basketball games and through

the years, watching my father and my brother being involved with the

program taught me that the program isn’t only a basketball program,

but also a family,” said Harris, a 5-foot-8 freshman guard. “OV is in

the center of ‘love.’

“I couldn’t see myself anywhere else because everyone and

everything that I love is in some way or another involved with the

Ocean View basketball program. Through my years of observation, I

also learned that the basketball program is not only made to teach

basketball, but also to teach about life, which is a direct

reflection of my father.”

Jim Harris is in his 27th year coaching the boys’ basketball

program at Ocean View, the past two years as co-head coach, along

with his son, Jimmy, who also had a standout career while playing for

his father at Ocean View.

Jim Harris took over as girls’ varsity head coach last year and

had DJ Butler on that team, which won the Golden West League title.

“I agree with Kelsey -- Ocean View basketball is a family affair,”

Butler said. “Coach has taught me so much about the game, and so has

my father. I think it’s pretty cool to be playing for the coach who

had coached my dad.”

Ricky Butler played varsity at Ocean View for four years before

graduating in 1987. He averaged double figures in rebounding during

his high school career.

“He was a team player,” Jim Harris said. “Ricky was also the

calmest tough player you could imagine. His improvement in school was

remarkable. And he has continued that success into his family and his

career.”

Butler played low and high post, and some power forward. He was

named MVP of the Sunset League and was all-county, All-CIF-Southern

Section, all-state and a high school All-American.

“Ricky brought our program, basketball-wise, a dominant force

inside,” Harris said. “His seven-foot wingspan caused many shots to

be altered.”

Butler still holds the Ocean View record for blocks in a single

game, with 13.

Harris said that DJ Butler has brought to the Ocean View program

much of the same game as her father. She also gets some of her

athleticism from her mother, Dalene, also from the class of 1987, who

was a stellar athlete at Ocean View.

Dalene Butler played volleyball for Harris’ daughter, Kim, and was

a member of an Ocean View team that won a CIF-Southern Section

championship in the sport.

DJ Butler wears the same number -- 51 -- that her father wore

during his Ocean View playing days.

“DJ’s a dominant inside force,” Harris said of Butler. “She also

is a gentle soul. She also is much appreciated by her peers. DJ is

our leading rebounder and has averaged double figures both years, and

she’s our leading scorer.

“Her being at Ocean View is one of my dreams come true, as it

enable me to see Ricky and his family very often. It affords me

another opportunity to hopefully help in the raising of a loved one.”

Ricky Butler remembers his days at Ocean View with great fondness,

and appreciation.

“I learned the benefits of working hard, to have pride in what you

do, and always strive to be your best, whether it be on the court, in

the classroom, or in life,” Ricky Butler said. “It’s kind of cool to

be sitting in the stands now, with my wife and son, watching DJ out

there playing for Coach Harris.”

Kelsey Harris is the youngest child of Harris, who also has three

other daughters, in addition to son, Jimmy.

“They all do a terrific job of being involved with their little

sister’s life,” Jim Harris said. “This is the first time coaching my

daughter in high school. I’ve coached them all in youth sports, from

basketball to soccer to softball and baseball.

“Coaching Kelsey is very much like coaching Jimmy. They have been

around the game and all the “talks” with teams, that they already

know what is expected. They are exceptionally court-smart. They can

understand instructions almost without demonstration and put then

into action. They are expert passers, see the court exceptionally

well and play great individual and team defense. The last thing Jimmy

did, and Kelsey will, is bring to the table the maturation as a great

shooter. The experience of coaching Kelsey has been awesome and a

blessing.”

Jim Harris teaches life lessons that extend beyond the basketball

gymnasium. But one thing the veteran coach has learned, he said, is

the delicate balance between coaching the boys’ and girls’ programs.

“Coaching girls is different by the very nature of gender,” he

said. “Kelsey handles my coaching very well and approaches our

relationship on the court, differently than Jimmy did. I learned a

lot by coaching Jimmy that I hope I’m doing better this time around.

“They both have to deal with the criticism that they were only

playing varsity because their dad was the coach. Jimmy proved to be

one of the best ever at Ocean View and in Orange County, and I

predict Kelsey has it in her to also be exceptional.”

From the atmosphere you see inside its comfy confines, there’s no

denying Harris’ home away from home is the Ocean View High gymnasium,

and that his extended family includes all members of the boys’ and

girls’ basketball teams.

“Having former students’ children at Ocean View is awesome, he

said. “It does, however, remind you that time has kept ticking. But

to continue those relationships in a new and different way is

priceless.”