Santa Barbara High is looking for a new boys basketball coach.
The school announced Thursday that Corey Adam is stepping down as coach after four years in the position.
“After much consideration of a variety of factors, I will be stepping down as basketball coach at Santa Barbara High School,” Adam said in a statement. “It’s been a fun ride for the past four years and the many years before that working with the lower levels, but other factors in life are calling me away.”
In his four years as the varsity coach, Adam went 56-42 and made the CIF-SS playoffs twice. There were no playoffs during the 2020-21 pandemic season and the 21-22 team finished under .500 (12-14). His best season was in 2019-20, going 19-9 and 9-1 in the Channel League and reaching the second round of the playoffs.
Last season, he took a young squad and led it to a 17-13 overall record and a 10-4 mark in the much tougher eight-team Channel League, finishing in third place. The Dons made it to the second round of the CIF-SS 4AA Division playoffs, and sophomore Luke Zuffelato made the All-CIF team, becoming the first sophomore in the program to earn CIF honors since Roberto Nelson in the 2006-07 season.
Santa Barbara returns most its players next season.
“I am eternally grateful to all those who helped along this ride,” Adam said. “It’s difficult to step away at this time knowing what the upcoming season holds for the boys, but for my family and I it is the right decision.”
Adam will continue in his role as a teacher in the social science/history department at SBHS.
“I want to sincerely thank Coach Adam for these past four years as the program’s head coach,” SBHS Athletic Director Todd Heil said. “Being an alum of Santa Barbara High, Coach Adam understood what it means to be a member of the boys basketball program.”
Adam played for the Dons in the mid-1990s under coach Bob Purdy. He graduated from Santa Barbara in 1996.
Before returning to his alma mater to coach, he coached at Carpinteria High and led the Warriors to the CIF-SS Division 5 semifinals.
“I want to thank Corey Adam for leading the boys basketball program through the past four years, including the pandemic year” said SBHS Principal Elise Simmons. “He will continue to be a valued member of our school community as a
social science/history teacher.”
Heil said the school will immediately begin the hiring process for a new coach.