Another loss in coaching community

“He was having some physical issues even last season,” Schmidt said. “He ran summer workouts (ahead of this season), came back in November and tried to do it and then he had to step away right after tryouts.

“The boys (on the soccer team) were saying they were sad because they didn’t get to say good-bye.”

Markoulakis’ death is the fifth major loss for the San Mateo County soccer community and the third in the Redwood City/Sequoia Union High School District area. Longtime club coach and Woodside girls’ coach Jose Navarette died in March 2023 at the age of 59. Two months later, Ed Huber, longtime Sequoia boys’ coach and athletic director, died at the age of 79.

In June of 2024, longtime Capuchino head coach Greg Pierce died just shy of his 76th birthday and last August, Frank Mangiola, the godfather of Peninsula soccer who created championship programs at both Cañada and Skyline colleges, died at the age of 83.

Markoulakis got his high school coaching start at Menlo-Atherton before he took over the Aragon boys beginning the 2012-13 season and was head coach until health issues forced him off the sideline. He returned for the 2019-20 season, but had to step down early in the season, with his assistant, Joe Rousseau taking over.“He was one of the all-time bests,” said Steve Sell, Aragon athletic director who hired Markoulakis.

Sell said when Markoulakis was ready to return once again, he would never think of trying to oust the person who took over and instead applied for the coaching opening at Sequoia.

Schmidt perked up when she saw his name in the resume system. She was familiar with him though the club soccer scene and when she called Sell and M-A co-AD Paul Snow, Schmidt snatched him up.

“I saw his resume pop up in the system and I said, ‘I know this name.’ He had M-A and Aragon on there,” Schmidt said. “I called Paul (Snow at M-A) and he said, ‘Don’t even bother interviewing him, just hire him.’”

Sell gave a similar recommendation.

“Melissa called me and said, ‘What do you think?’,” Sell said. “I told her, ‘Hire him and don’t look back.’”

Schmidt said Markoulakis’ approach to education-based athletics was in line with what she stands for and even their approach to the game itself were in alignment.

But more than his X’s and O’s, it was the way the man comported himself that is the biggest loss. Markoulakis was one of my favorites. A thoughtful, kind, considerate man whenever I had to interview him after games, he really appreciated the coverage the Daily Journal gave his programs over the years and seemed to be just a genuinely nice guy.

“It’s just heartbreaking,” Sell said. “He was knowledgeable, kind, thoughtful. He was one of my all-time favorites. It’s really sad to lose him.”

***

Peninsula Athletic League commissioner Terry Stogner admitted he’s been trying to convince Oceana to leave the Peninsula Athletic League for a league more on the school’s level for about a decade now.

Nothing against Oceana. Stogner just wants the student-athletes at the small Pacifica school to have a better experience in interscholastic activities.

Well, the time has come. Oceana will join the Private School Athletic League beginning the 2026-27 school year, while still maintaining a spot in the PAL for sports the PSAL does not offer.

“I met with the Oceana administration about 10 years ago and just outlined where I thought they fit better,” Stogner said. “They just weren’t ready to do it.”

But with Dan Johnston coming onboard as the Sharks’ athletic director and boys’ basketball coach a couple years, the decision has been made to make the move.

“When Dan took over, that’s one thing he initiated,” Stogner said.

The Sharks have struggled in most sports while playing in the PAL and all involved believe playing in the PSAL in a number of sports will give Oceana teams a more even playing field, considering the student body population sits at under 500 students.

“It’s already gone through the (realignment) committee (at CCS). If there was an appeal, we would have heard of it by now,” said Steve Sell, CCS president. “The (CCS) executive committee will approve it at our next meeting. It was good for both groups.”

Oceana will compete in the PSAL in cross country, girls’ volleyball, soccer, basketball, baseball, softball and track.

“The PSAL is thrilled to get a track facility,” Stogner said.

But the Sharks will still compete in the PAL in swimming, tennis and wrestling.

The move in a two-year process and one that requires the school informing their current league of their intention to move and then reaching out to other leagues about joining it.

Sometimes, these types of moves can be contentious. There was a lot of outcry Castilleja’s girls’ water polo was forced to leave the PAL after the 2019 season because the private school dominated a league comprised of public schools for several years.

This time around, everyone seems amenable to the move.

“[The two-year process] is done on purpose so you don’t have people jumping leagues all the time,” Sell said.

While the move helps with PAL scheduling in some sports, it does mean that some sports will no longer be split into three divisions. To qualify for the CCS playoffs, a league — or division — has to have at least five teams. With Oceana leaving the PAL in sports like soccer and basketball, there will no longer be a Lake Division as the PAL goes from 17 schools to 16 in those sports.

That is minor inconvenience for the PAL as the ultimate goal is make the high school sports experience better for those involved.

“This is good for Oceana,” Stogner said.

***

OK, this is wild. Other than the drummer kid Cubby from the “Mickey Mouse Show” from the 1950s, I had never heard of anyone else ever going by that name.

Now, over the course of two days, I’ve seen the name twice. The first came when Hillsdale baseball scorekeeper Diane Rasmussen sent the box score from the Knights’ season-opening loss to 5-2 loss to Branham Monday, with Hillsdale pitcher Cubby Gementera getting some run.

Now, I get the PAL tennis results from the PAL scorekeeper Simi Lee and there it is again – Cubby Derrough, the No. 3 singles player for the Menlo-Atherton boys’ tennis team.

Nathan Mollat is in his 24th year covering high school sports in San Mateo County for the San Mateo Daily Journal. He can be reached by email: nathan@smdailyjournal.com.

editor's note: this column has been updated to show the date of death as Feb. 24.