Legendary CV High Basketball Coach Ed Goorjian

Recently CVHS grad Mike Schermerhorn (Class of ’71) sent me a heartfelt tribute to one of the coaching greats of our local high school who passed away a few months ago. I’ll let Mike take the helm of this column by copying extensively from his letter.

Ed Goorjian, whose basketball coaching career spanned over six decades in the ranks of high school and college, passed away at his home in Oceanside on Dec. 9, 2022. He was 96 years old.

Ed’s father fled from Armenia to Los Angeles in 1915 after witnessing the massacre of seven family members in the Armenian Genocide. “My father’s first business was as a fruit peddler,” Ed said, “and he delivered fruit on the West Side to movie stars like Cary Grant. He took me with him on his routes, but when I watched my high school coaches have so much fun teaching basketball, I decided that’s what I want to do!” Thus began a lifelong love affair with the game.

Goorjian was the founding coach of the startup Crescenta Valley High School basketball program in 1960 and, with his trademark dedication, he quickly built the Falcons’ program into a respected CIF powerhouse. He coached numerous all-CIF players and sent dozens of players to Division 1 colleges. Goorjian compiled a record of 328-103 from 1962-1978, including seven league championships. His 1970-71 team accumulated a 29-1 record and is considered the greatest basketball team in the school’s history. That team was inducted into the Crescenta Valley Hall of Fame in 2013. Ed Goorjian was inducted into the CVHS Hall of Fame in 2008 and then into the CIF Southern Section Hall of Fame in 2015.

Following his tenure at CV, Goorjian went on to coach at Glendale Community College (1978) and was the head coach at Loyola Marymount from 1980-85. He went on to hold several assistant coach positions at USC, Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine and UNLV where the Running Rebels of Jerry Tarkanian (his longtime friend) were crowned NCAA champions in 1990.

In his own basketball career, the 5’-10” Goorjian was a decorated third team All-City guard and a standout at LA City College. He played in pickup games against future professionals like Bill Sharman and more than held his own. When asked teasingly, “So were you good?” Goorjian smiled and said, “I wasn’t the best – but I could play with the best!”

Goorjian considered the opportunity to coach all three of his sons to be one of the great blessings of his life. His son Brian led the 1971 Falcons to the CIF finals with a 29-1 record. Brian’s own legendary coaching career flourished in Australia, culminating in the country’s first ever Olympic medal in basketball in 2021. Brian is widely regarded as the most successful coach in the history of Australian basketball.

Ed coached his son Kevin, who went on to spend 10 years in the NBL as an assistant coach, then as head coach at a decorated Australian high school program.

Youngest son Greg was an electrifying scorer at CV, averaging 43.4 points per game as a senior. He broke the all-time California scoring record and was selected CIF Southern Section Division 4-A Most Valuable Player in 1978. At Loyola Marymount, Greg got to play again for his dad, and averaged 26 points a game before being drafted by the Golden State Warriors.

Coach Goorjian’s demanding practices and passion for excellence built an inner strength, discipline and confidence in every player who passed through his program.

In July 2022, former players, students and fellow coaches gathered at a country club in Seal Beach. Ed heard from all of them how much he had meant to their lives. After an afternoon of laughter, tears and moving tributes, he said, “I look at all of you and to think I had a small part of your life – what you’ve accomplished. And not only in your jobs, but being real people. You’re the best. I want to thank you for today – very much. And I love all of you. I’ve lived a long life, a great life, and I’m so fortunate. Thank you very, very much.”