Christiansen steps down

The longest game in Bill Christiansen’s 27 years coaching girls’ volleyball also marked the end of his Corona del Mar High career.

Christiansen resigned Tuesday, ending a successful 12-year relationship with the Sea Kings, the last seven as the girls’ head coach in which he won a CIF Southern Section Division III-A title and led the school twice to section runner-up finishes.

At 53, Christiansen said he plans to spend more time with his two children and family, but he didn’t rule out returning to another school after taking a year off.

“I had an idea I would,” Christiansen said of stepping down after CdM lost a five-game thriller on Nov. 20 that included a 38-36 Game 3 at Cathedral Catholic of San Diego in the opening round of the CIF State Division III Southern California Regional playoffs.

“[Game 3] might be the longest [game] in [girls’] volleyball state playoff history. That was one of the greatest games to watch as a spectator. During the heat of the battle I was just focusing on us getting through. It was hard afterward.”

The Sea Kings missed reaching the state quarterfinals, where they would’ve played Laguna Beach, Christiansen’s alma mater and the school that gave him his first varsity coaching job.

Now Christiansen, who posted a 134-65 record and won four league championships at CdM, said he will referee high school matches and continue working with the Laguna Beach Volleyball Club team.

Christiansen leaves a young and promising CdM program, which finished 18-12 and won the Pacific Coast League title for the second straight year as it went 7-0. Athletic Director Paul Orris said CdM will miss Christiansen, a walk-on coach. Orris added there are no candidates for the job that will garner a lot interest since it is in a volleyball hotbed.

CdM boys’ coach Steve Conti, a former successful CdM girls’ coach, said he might be interested in the position, but he’s not sure if he has the time as he’s pursuing his master’s degree in administration.

Conti, who has won four section titles with the boys since 1995, led the girls to a section championship in 1997 with Christiansen as an assistant. Christiansen took over the girls in 2001.

“The program is always well stocked. I would put [it] as one of the top two [Southern Section Division II-AA] teams in CIF next year,” said Christiansen of CdM, which returns seven players, including sophomore setter Maddie Smith and junior middle blocker Conley Kipp. “Bishop Montgomery loses a lot [to graduation]. Laguna Beach loses Dana Hutchinson [to the University of Arizona].”

Section finalists Bishop Montgomery and Laguna Beach have each handed Christiansen tough losses in recent years.

This year CdM lost a five-game match at Bishop Montgomery in the section semifinals.

In 2006, Laguna Beach beat the Sea Kings in the section title match, stopping Corona del Mar from claiming its eighth section crown in school history. In the state playoffs that year, the Breakers eliminated Corona del Mar in a regional semifinal match.

“We were surprised,” said Kipp of Christiansen’s decision. “He was a great coach. We’re going to miss him. He taught us so much and it’s a shame for us that he has to go.”

Christiansen’s best year was in 2004, when the Sea Kings went 27-6 and won the section title by beating Nipomo. The championship was the program’s first since 1997.

“I have hundreds of memories I will cherish forever,” Christiansen said. “I’m proud that we were competitive every single season. We competed against the best teams in the nation from Hawaii to Chicago to all over California. My best year was every year.

“It’s been an honor and pleasure to be a part of the Corona del Mar family.”

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at [email protected].