One of California’s most successful all-time high school football coaches, Bill Redell is calling it a day.
The 70-year-old coach for Oaks Christian announced Wednesday he is retiring.
“It’s time for me to go. It’s been a great run,” Redell said. “It’s kind of a sad day for me.”
Redell won a Southern Section-record six consecutive championships and seven overall during a 12-year run at Oaks Christian. That was preceded by successful stints at St. Francis in La Canada Flintridge and Crespi in Encino, where he won the 1986 Southern Section Big Five championship — the only San Fernando Valley program to win a football championship in the section’s top division.
“Coach Redell’s legacy speaks for itself,” Oaks Christian principal Jeffrey Woodcock said. “He has been the greatest, single-most influence on the school as far as putting us on the map and giving our students great visibility with major colleges and universities. He will be greatly missed and we wish him all the best in his retirement.”
After twice hinting at retirement over the past few years, Redell was expected to coach two more seasons before making the announcement. A beloved figure at every campus Redell has coached, he was gracious about retiring.
“I have gained far more than I have given to these players and Oaks Christian,” Redell said.
Redell’s career record is 233-65-3. Oaks Christian was 11-3 last season, which finished with a loss to Westlake in the Northern Division championship.
Before his coaching days, Redell was a college All-American football player at Occidental after transferring from USC, and he was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos. He played six years in the Canadian Football League, earning All-Pro honors. He also played in the Grey Cup Championship in 1967.
It is unclear who will succeed Redell at Oaks Christian, but it’s a coveted gig that includes a reported six-figure salary, and some of the games are televised and draw sellout crowds of 7,000.
