LAGUNA HILLS El Toro coach Robert Frith showed his ability to learn and adapt quickly long before he assembled a team in less than two weeks for tonight’s inaugural Orange County vs. Inland Empire All-Star Classic.
Frith was a relatively unknown 32-year-old assistant when he was hired by El Toro in June of 2009 to take over its football program.
Three seasons later, the Chargers played for a CIF-Southern Section title at Angel Stadium.
“My path to the head coach (position) is not the normal path,” Frith said after an all-star practice this week at Laguna Hills High. “It was an accelerated path.”
So was his path to tonight’s game at Corona High. He assembled a roster in less than two weeks to help get the match-up on track.
Frith rose quickly at El Toro after arriving from Schurr High in Montebello. He coached at Schurr under his stepfather, Mike Mayoral, now El Toro’s defensive coordinator.
Frith, who attended San Clemente High and Saddleback College, came to El Toro to be a varsity assistant for baseball. He also spent two seasons coaching El Toro’s freshmen football team and one with the varsity as an assistant.
After Jake Haley resigned as El Toro’s football coach to become an administrator, he encouraged Frith to apply for the opening.
“I had never even been a coordinator before,” Frith said. “(But) I needed the job because I got a reduction in force notice. If I’m the head football coach, it’s more job security. I needed that with a wife and two kids.”
After two solid but unspectacular seasons, Frith made a bold move. The defensive-minded coach went to Louisiana Tech to study its spread, hurry-up, no-huddle offense.
Frith implemented the offense before the 2011 season and the Chargers reached the CIF finals.
El Toro’s offense is now one of the most prolific in the county, and the Chargers have qualified for the playoffs two of the past three seasons.
“It’s been a learning experience,” Frith said.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
