Bennie Edens
Encyclopedia
Bennie Edens was the head football coach at Point Loma High School
from 1950 to 1998. He received many individual coaching awards (including NFL High School Coach of the Year), coached the team to 5 CIF
championships, and finished his career with the most wins at a single school of any coach in section history. The football stadium at Point Loma High School is named in his honor.
. Edens attended Hoover High School, where he played football and boxed. Graduating from Hoover in 1944, he then attended San Diego State University
where he played football. He graduated from SDSU in 1948 and began a career at Point Loma High School as a student teacher, while also working at the Kona Kai Club as the activities director and swim instructor.
Edens family included his wife Maxine and their 2 children: Jim and Kathie. Edens and his wife would experience the death of Kathie at the age of 23. The car accident responsible for her death also claimed the life of her husband.
His teams won CIF
championships 5 times during his tenure, in 1962, 1966, 1982, 1987 and 1991.
After 10 years of retirement, Edens succumbed to a heart attack in early February, 2008. Obituaries called him "a legend", and his memorial service, held at the Point Loma High athletic field, filled the stadium that bears his name to capacity.
Following his death, Point Loma High School established the Bennie Edens Scholarship Fund in his honor.
Point Loma High School
Point Loma High School is a public high school in the San Diego Unified School District in San Diego, California. It is located in the Loma Portal neighborhood of Point Loma. The school serves the neighborhoods of Point Loma and Ocean Beach. In addition, students who live in Mission Hills may...
from 1950 to 1998. He received many individual coaching awards (including NFL High School Coach of the Year), coached the team to 5 CIF
California Interscholastic Federation
The California Interscholastic Federation is the governing body for high school sports in the state of California. It mirrors similar governing bodies in other states; however, it differs from some of the others in that it covers most high schools in the state of California, both public and...
championships, and finished his career with the most wins at a single school of any coach in section history. The football stadium at Point Loma High School is named in his honor.
Personal life
A true San Diego native, Coach Edens lived his entire life in San Diego, CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Edens attended Hoover High School, where he played football and boxed. Graduating from Hoover in 1944, he then attended San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
where he played football. He graduated from SDSU in 1948 and began a career at Point Loma High School as a student teacher, while also working at the Kona Kai Club as the activities director and swim instructor.
Edens family included his wife Maxine and their 2 children: Jim and Kathie. Edens and his wife would experience the death of Kathie at the age of 23. The car accident responsible for her death also claimed the life of her husband.
Coaching career
Edens became head coach of the Pointers in 1955, and continued in that role though generations of students until his retirement in 1998. He would finish his career with a record of 241-168-16, a sectional record for the most wins by a coach a single school, and second on the sectional all-time list.His teams won CIF
California Interscholastic Federation
The California Interscholastic Federation is the governing body for high school sports in the state of California. It mirrors similar governing bodies in other states; however, it differs from some of the others in that it covers most high schools in the state of California, both public and...
championships 5 times during his tenure, in 1962, 1966, 1982, 1987 and 1991.
After 10 years of retirement, Edens succumbed to a heart attack in early February, 2008. Obituaries called him "a legend", and his memorial service, held at the Point Loma High athletic field, filled the stadium that bears his name to capacity.
Following his death, Point Loma High School established the Bennie Edens Scholarship Fund in his honor.
Athletes Coached/Influenced
Edens coached many athletes who went on to professional sporting careers, including:- Jeff StaggsJeff StaggsJeffrey Hugh Staggs was an American college and professional football player. He played college football at San Diego State University, where he was a linebacker. He played professionally in the American Football League and the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers and the St. Louis...
(linebackerLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the St. Louis CardinalsArizona CardinalsThe Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1960s) - Greg Slough (All-American linebacker at USCUniversity of Southern CaliforniaThe University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
; played for New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
and Oakland RaidersOakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1970s) - Eric AllenEric AllenEric Andre Allen is a former professional American football cornerback who played in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, and Oakland Raiders from 1988 to 2001....
(cornerbackCornerbackA cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
for the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Oakland Raiders in the 1980s and 1990s) - J. J. StokesJ. J. StokesJeral Jamal Stokes is a retired American football wide receiver. Stokes played in the National Football League from 1995 to 2003 with the San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars and the New England Patriots.-High school:...
(wide receiver for the San Francisco 49'ers in the 1990s) - La'Roi GloverLa'Roi GloverLa'Roi Damon Glover ; born July 4, 1974) is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League who ended his career with the St. Louis Rams. Glover retired from the NFL on June 22, 2009...
(defensive tackle for the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis RamsThe St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, 49'ers, Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
) - David WellsDavid WellsDavid Lee Wells , nicknamed "Boomer", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Wells was considered to be one of the game's better left-handed pitchers, especially during his years with the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays. He pitched the fifteenth perfect game in baseball history...
(pitcher for the New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
during the 1990s and 2000s)
Awards and honors
- 1966 San Diego County High School Football Coach of the Year
- 1981 California Athletic Director of the Year
- 1983 All-San Diego County Football Coach of the Year and Southern Section Coach of the Year.
- Jan. 11, 1988 was proclaimed Bennie Edens Day by the city of San Diego
- 1992 California High School Coach of the Year
- 2002 NFL High School Coach of the Year
Newspaper Articles
- San Diego Union/Tribune (1997); Coach Edens Steps Down
- San Diego Union (1990); Big games keep football fun for Coach Edens
- San Diego Union (1987); Coach Edens: Winning ways aren't limited to football field
- The Tribune (1987); Point Loma still garden of Edens 33 years later
- Los Angeles Times (1985); Bennie Edens: Point Loma Coach Has Changed With the Times for 36 Years