Piner High School Alumni Newsletter A joint publication of the Piner High School Foundation and Hall of Fame Volume 12, Issue 2 January 2021 Jim Underhill Teacher, Coach, Mentor and Much More about 12,000 people, and life were fortunate to have a good was so much simpler. There faculty and administration. were opportunities during Participating in football and those days such as, hiking in track was fun and valued ex- the hills and fishing for trout perience for learning team in the many streams through- concept, hard work, and dis- out Sonoma County. At a cipline. During my junior year young age, my brother and I in high school, I signed up for would be dropped off early in the Naval Reserves which re- the a.m., fish for 5 or 6 hours, quired 6 years inactive and 2 and were picked up at a pre- years active duty. During that Jim Underhill at (2017) PHS Hall of Fame Dinner designated place. time frame I attended classes at the Naval Air Station San Farm job opportunities were Diego boot camp training I was born in Oakland, and available and we took ad- program, practicing tactical lived in Moraga, California vantage during our years in maneuvers on a destroyer with my parents Jim & Helen, elementary and junior high escort. The Navy cancelled and older sisters Jayne and school, including picking the final 2 years active-duty Patricia. We lived in a rental prunes, berries, apples, etc. requirement due to so many on a farm while our father was Gaddis nursery was next door, new recruits. I was able to employed at St. Mary’s Col- and while in the 5th grade at start teaching earlier than ex- lege as an assistant football Fremont School, I was hired pected. and head basketball coach. to make redwood flats for 2 Two years later we moved to ½ cents per flat. From 6th While attending Santa Rosa Santa Rosa where he taught grade to early 9th grade, I Junior College I was offered and coached at Santa Rosa had a lawn mowing business. a job coaching the 5th & 6th, High School. Our mother was During summers while at- 7th and 8th grade baseball very kind and had a big influ- tending high school, I worked teams at St. Rose. The expe- ence in our lives. on a ranch as well as Codding rience was fun and I learned Enterprises as a laborer for 3 through trial and error. Our brother Richard was born summers. after arriving in Santa Rosa. In 1955 we moved to San Jose During the early years, the Santa Rosa High School was after being accepted to San population in Santa Rosa was a good experience and we Jose State College. I majored Cont’d. on page 2 in Physical Education and minored in health sci- special and an important component of the pro- ence. Fortunately, during those times, I was able to gram. work my way through college without assistance. My employment was with the San Jose City park- Piner’s 1976 cross country team of talented run- ing lot service and a type writer company which ners were ranked #1 in California and 2nd Nation- helped pay my college experience. ally in both the 2- and 3-mile postal meets. They were incredible trainers and highly competitive. In 1958 I student taught at Tennyson High School in Hayward CA. My assignment was teaching In July of 1974 I met the “love of my life”, the for- physical education, and because they were very mer Carol Nielsen-Sciallo. We were married a year desperate, I was tapped to coach the Varsity ten- later and combined our families, Cheryl, Theresa, nis team. I bought a good book on tennis and told Steve, Ken, Joe and Steve. They all completed their the team they needed to help me regarding tech- education and live from California to Colorado. niques, but I would be sure they were the best con- In the late 60’s, Mr. Albert Biella asked if I would ditioned group in the league. like to join the West Santa Rosa Rotary Club. Over Upon graduating from SJS in 1959, I moved back a period of years, I served as Advisor to the Rotary to Santa Rosa and worked for a lumber mill North Interact Clubs at Piner and Ridgway High Schools. of Healdsburg for 5 months, then received a call My responsibility was to work with youth and from the Hayward Unified School District that mentor them in projects relating to others. I was hired at Tennyson High School as a driver The District Rotary Clubs started the Rotary Lead- training Instructor and frosh-soph Football coach. ership Awards Program known as RYLA. Approxi- We had 2500 students at Tennyson and the total mately 65 students from throughout North-West staff, students and student-athletes were like a California who had just completed their junior year team. would arrive by busses at Westminster Woods for After 7 years I applied for a position at Piner High an intensive 6 days leadership program. Rotary School & fortunately was hired by Principal Albert Clubs throughout the District sponsored scholar- Biella. He was highly respected throughout the dis- trict. Teachers in and outside of the district wanted Cont’d. on page 4 to be a part of the Piner experience. Mr. Robert Zeni was a key factor in the success at Piner and served as Vice Principal. In 1966 we began with a small student body and it remained under 900 students for several years. Mr. Jack Hayes became principal after Biella retired. My assignment in 1966 was physical education, driving training, assistant Frosh-Soph football coach with Izzy Derkos, and head track coach. A year later the cross country assignment became available. I was fortunate to have outstanding coaches on our staff. Jan Hansen was involved with helping me in track and cross country for ten years and was a vital part of making the teams successful. Piner was blessed to have many very talented student-athletes through the years. Dur- ing this time, it was a delight to be able to train the athletes in their sport. I organized the Golden Spike Club, led by President Robin London-Wirtz (class of 1969). The 30 girl members were trained in officiating the various events and putting on the team banquet at the end of the season. They were 2 And then put the below HOF picture on the left 2021 Crab Feed side of the page (below the Crab Feed article) with the article starting on the left side of the HOF pic- Cancelled ture if that works. When I ask for directions, please don’t use words like “east.” 2021 Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet Cancelled For the same reasons, the annual Athletic Hall of For the past 15 years, January is the month when Fame induction banquet traditionally held in April Piner High School Booster, Foundation and Ath- is also being postponed. As many of you know, letic Hall of Fame volunteers are feverishly putting we were days away from our April 4, 2020 event the finishing touches on the crab feed preparation when the first shelter-in-place orders were given. efforts. The annual event raises thousands of dol- At that time, we secured the revised date of April lars supporting Piner’s athletic programs; provid- 17, 2021, hoping that in a year’s time, social gath- ing grants to teachers for sustainable classroom ering would be safely permissible. However, given improvements and projects; and honoring student the uncertainty regarding the pandemic and vac- athletes, teams and coaches. The crab feed is also cine, the event has been rescheduled for April 2, an annual reunion for many, where classmates, 2022. With optimism, on that day, the Piner High friends and family reconnect, enjoying delicious School Athletic Hall of Fame, will formally induct food prepared and served by the awesome Piner its previously announced Class of 2020 - Michelle Culinary Department. The Friedman Center in Ferguson - Cross Country, Track, & Soccer 1987- Santa Rosa is filled to capacity in numbers, with an 1990; Faith Baggett - Girls Volleyball 1994- abundance of smiles and Piner Prospector spirit. 1998; Greg Alexander - Football & Basket- But sadly, not this January. As we all know, this ball 2001-2005; Derek Shaffer - Boys Soccer past year was a year like no other because of the 2000-2004; Moises Medrano - Boys Soccer coronavirus pandemic. Although the news regard- 2000-2004; and the 1985 Boys’ Baseball ing a vaccine is encouraging, the timing of its Team. availability is unknown with a distribution process Until we see each other again, be well and that may take many months into the year 2021. stay safe. Therefore, in compliance with State and local or- ders, and for our health and safety, the crab feed previously planned for January 30, 2021 is can- celled. The tentative revised date is January 29, 2022. 3 Editors Notes: Jim Underhill is too modest to mention any awards he received over the Sometimes, someone unexpected years, but with some research we found the comes into your life out of following: nowhere, makes your heart race, and changes you forever. We call Vocational Service Award—For exceptional dedica- those people cops. tion and ethics in his career as an educator and his service to Rotary Youth. Rotary Club of Santa Rosa West, (2016). A member for over 50 years. Rotarian Hall of Fame Award—With Sincere Appre- ships for all participants. The student’s goal was ciation to Jim Underhill “Mr.