By Brandon HENSLEY

John Goffredo spent almost 20 seasons as head coach for the Crescenta Valley High School boys’ basketball team, and led the program to the CIF finals in 1994, so it may have been a surprise that it took almost this long for him to be inducted into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame. On the other hand, the May 14 ceremony at the Oakmont Country Club included the induction of his son Jim, making it a night to remember for a family that has left a lasting mark on the school’s hardwood legacy.
Goffredo and his son were joined by seven other inductees for the class of 2016: Claire Collison (track/cross country); Deneil Noah (softball); Brian Goorjian (basketball); Mark McCauley (baseball/basketball); Mike Muhlethaler (baseball/football); Jordan Olson (baseball), and Jorden Schulz (soccer).
Goffredo was a coach in the basketball program from 1972 to 1997, and head coach for 19 seasons. Along the way he saw and coached many special players who could easily fill up the basket, including Greg Goorjian, Brad Holland, Harvey Mason and Adam Jacobsen. The 1993-94 team may not have been the most talented squad to ever grace a court (fourth place in league with a 20-10 record), but it got hot at the right time as it marched its way to the Pond in Anaheim, falling short in the CIF championship game.

Goffredo, who was fiery and demanding patrolling the sidelines, made a point of acknowledging the influence and direction of the first CV basketball coach, Ed Goorjian, who helped guide Goffredo in the early years.
“He was like my second father. Ed Goorjian taught me everything,” Goffredo said.
In 1993, Goffedo’s wife Kathy passed away from cancer, leaving him without a wife, and his two daughters Kristen and Kimberley, and Jim without a mother. Goffredo acknowledged Kathy in his speech and also thanked his wife Stevie, whom he married in the years since, for her dedication and support as a wife and stepmother.
Jim was a wunderkind growing up in La Crescenta. He was a ball boy for the Falcons as a youngster, and excelled at his father’s annual summer basketball camps in middle school. As a freshman in 1999-00, he started for the varsity as guard and formed a talented trio with point guard Chris Tarne and center James Jenkins. The next three years he would become the focal point of the offense as a prolific scorer, earning his All-Pacific League and All-CIF honors.
He averaged 30.8 points per game as a senior, and is second all-time in scoring in team history. He also holds the team record for most three-pointers in a game (10) and is second all-time to Adam Jacobsen for most three-pointers in a season, with 97 in 2002.
Jim finished his high school career with a GPA well above 4.0, having never received any grade other than an A. After graduating in 2003, he attended Harvard University and, in the four years with the Crimson basketball team, he averaged just over 10 points per game. Jim attributed his work ethic and success to his family. Kathy was a math teacher who stressed homework above basketball, and after his father retired from coaching he became Jim’s personal trainer.
“From Little League to Harvard, my family’s been there every step
of the way,” Jim said. “Receiving this honor validates the years of hard work.”
Goffredo said he knew how hard it was to for his dad to raise three kids in the wake of his mom’s death, to hold a job and still be a successful coach.
“I never could tell where fathering stopped and coaching began – but then I realized it was all the same. All I wanted to do was make you proud,” he said to his dad. “Today’s for you.”