Barnes at ease in job at Tesoro

LAS FLORES - A stressful spring has given way to a liberating summer for Tesoro's powerhouse football program.

Brian Barnes, who quickly turned the Titans into CIF Pac-5 Division contenders, has escaped the second and most serious challenge to his coaching position.

The Register's reigning coach of the year received a reduction in force notice in the spring but will be rehired as a full-time physical education teacher, Tesoro principal Dan Burch confirmed Wednesday.

"Things were pretty bleak but it's a lot better now," Barnes said earlier this week.

The 30-year-old can now focus more clearly on Friday's 50th Brea Lions Orange County North-South Prep All-Star Football Game. He will guide the South all-stars against the North, which will be coached by his father, John Barnes of Los Alamitos.

But while Barnes is relishing the chance to coach standouts Preston King, Robbie Picazo, Scott Graves and Tanner Hodgdon for the final time, the rest of the Titans' program is taking huge sigh of relief.

For weeks, Tesoro - last season's Pac-5 Division runner-up to Long Beach Poly - has wrestled with the reality of losing one of the top young coaches in Southern California.

"I'd say it's been pretty stressful," said Rick Hahn, president of the Titans' football boosters club. "It came up all the time."

Burch said the loss of Barnes would have been a major blow for Tesoro, part of the financially stressed Capistrano Unified School District.

"It would have been a huge loss to our community because he's become the face of Tesoro football," said Burch, who has confirmed Barnes' status with the district.

"I'm very, very thrilled (he'll be back). … He's got the kids believing and he's got the kids working hard."

Barnes also received a layoff notice last year but was brought back sooner than this year. In June, he filed for unemployment.

"I've never been in this situation," Barnes said. "The education system is hurting right now everywhere. There are just no jobs anywhere."

Barnes has maintained his sense of humor. He chuckled after talking about his financial challenges.

"I figured if anything, I'd be moving back with mom and dad," he said with a laugh this week.

There was speculation that the Tesoro boosters would pick up Barnes' salary if he wasn't rehired.

Hahn read about the topic on OCVarsity's blog but said the boosters didn't consider that option. He said the hope was that Barnes would be brought back by the district.

On Friday, Barnes will face off against his dad for the second time.

In November, Tesoro beat Los Alamitos, 23-7, in the first round of the Pac-5 Division playoffs.

But Barnes isn't making too much of the sequel with his father.

"It's a good game for charity," said Barnes, who played for the North in 1997. "We want to win. We're going to fight our butts off to win. (But) ultimately, we want to make it a great experience for the kids."

Barnes has benefitted from one of game's charities: the PADRE Foundation (Pediatric Adolescent Diabetes Research Education). During his junior season of football at Los Alamitos, he was diagnosed with diabetes.

An offensive lineman, Barnes spent a week at Children's Hospital of Orange County. He recalls that PADRE was there.

"(This game) means a lot to me and I know it means a lot to my family," said Barnes, a Type 1 diabetic.

Barnes gives himself two shots of insulin daily, one in the morning and another a night. Every once in a while during a game, he'll ask an assistant coach to get him a candy bar because his blood sugar runs low.

"The kids know," Barnes said of his condition. "I really haven't had any problems."

Barnes hopes to say the same thing about his job status at Tesoro.

"This is the place that I'd like to retire at someday," he said. "I'm hoping I can be like my dad over at Los Al. Stay here, 30, 35 years, retire, and build a legacy."

Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com