Longtime Simi Valley coach Murphy now guiding Musketeers
Girls' basketball team familiar with new leader
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers GETTING READY- Moorpark senior Lauren Carter, right, looks for someone to pass to as junior Kathya Ceja, center, applies the defense during Tuesday's practice. MHS was co-league champs a year ago.

Joe Torre isn't the only coaching legend that changed teams recently.

After coaching the Simi Valley High girls' basketball team for 25 years and leading the Pioneers to 420 wins and 20 playoff appearances, David Murphy decided to resign from coaching after the 2005-06 season.

While watching from the stands for a year, Murphy got the itch to coach again, and before he knew it, a perfect opportunity presented itself at Moorpark High.

"I started to miss it (coaching)," Murphy said. "Around May I heard that Adam Wohlstattar was leaving the girls' team to coach the boys' team, so a position opened up. I live in Moorpark and my daughter Keely was playing on the junior varsity team, so it really was the perfect situation for me."

The Musketeers were stunned when they found out who their new coach was.

"We had no idea who was going to be our coach when we went into a classroom last May for a team meeting," senior guard Molly Carson said. "I was happy to see that our new coach was Murphy, because he has coached me before on club teams.

"When he started calling out drills the first day of practice, I was already so familiar with them that I looked over at Keely Murphy and kind of said 'Yep, these are Murphy drills.'"

Although the Musketeers respected Murphy, some of the seniors admitted that the adjustment to a new coach was strange.

"The coaches (Wohlstattar and Murphy) are definitely different," senior guard Megan Natelson said. "I like both coaches, but the routines of each one are not the same. After learning one person's routine for three years, it was weird to have to get used to another."

With the Musketeers coming off a coMarmonte League championship, Murphy said he wouldn't steer away from last year's routine too much.

"A good coach is always trying to change things up a little, but I don't think I'm going to change much here," Murphy said. "I may have a few tricks I use, but this is a very good team already."

Despite losing their two top scorers, Tiffany Hurd and Laura Barker, to graduation, the Musketeers should be one of the early favorites in a very competitive league. Moorpark brings back forward Lauren Carter, guards Natelson and Carson, and center Jessica Kidder. Kidder returns after missing her junior year due to injury.

"Teams are going to be surprised with just how good Kidder is," Murphy said. "The first day of practice, I demanded that everyone on the team throw the ball in to her often. She has become a lot better at catching the ball, and her scoring and rebounding have improved due to it."

After missing last season, Kidder said she's really looking forward to the beginning of this year's campaign.

"I feel like I'm around 95 percent back," Kidder said. "My left leg still tingles a bit when I put pressure on it, but it's getting better each day."

One of the players that will look to get Kidder the ball is Natelson, who will handle the point guard duties. Last season, Natelson averaged 6.6 points, 5.1 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game.

"Megan is going to be the key to our team," Murphy said. "She is a wonderful defender, and she continues to improve each and every day. She's a threeyear returning starter, so she knows what it takes to get the job done here."

If Natelson can't get the ball in to Kidder, she will have plenty of other options available, including Carter, the senior forward. Carter, who has accepted a full scholarship to Cal State Bakersfield, averaged 11.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game last season.

"I've seen Carter since she was probably in seventh grade, and I always knew she was a great inside player and had incredible energy," Murphy said. "What I've been surprised with is how good of a ball-handler she is."

Murphy said there are many players on the team, including Tara Noorani, Kathya Ceja, Jenna Cirillo, Amanda Sedo, Brittany Light, Keely Murphy and Carson, that can make up for the loss of Hurd's outside shooting.

Although Murphy said the outside shooting will get better, it's the team's work on the backboards that needs the most improvement, he said.

"Right away, when I came to Moorpark, I saw we had a problem with rebounding and screening out," Murphy said. "We have to be more physical, and I definitely think we have the height and the bodies to do that."

The Musketeers will be without the services of Lauren Rohach, who tore a knee ligament during volleyball and is out for the season.

While Murphy coaches at Moorpark this season, he will still teach at Simi Valley. Although the coach has changed programs, he still has love for the Pioneers.

"I still have a good relationship with Simi Valley," Murphy said.

"The week when we will play Simi Valley, I'm sure it will be intense. I have some of their players in my classes. Still, I wish them a lot of luck this year, and I hope they win every game this season . . . except for two."