Buena Park’s Bell Resigns After 19 Seasons as Coach

Ken Bell said he will resign today after 19 years as basketball coach at Buena Park High School.

“I’ve really thoroughly enjoyed coaching basketball, but maybe it’s time to see what else is going on in life,” Bell said. “Maybe work on my tennis game.”

Bell’s tenure at Buena Park was the second longest among Orange County basketball coaches. Only Katella’s Tom Danley (22 years) has been at one school longer. Fountain Valley’s Dave Brown has also coached for 19 years.

Buena Park won one league title and qualified for the Southern Section playoffs seven times under Bell, who started as an assistant coach for the Coyotes in 1962.

“I’ve had the opportunity to coach so many fine men,” said Bell, 49. “It has been a tremendous experience and I’ve been very lucky.”

Bell contemplated resigning after the 1983-84 season, but decided the time wasn’t right.

“It entered my mind, but I wasn’t ready (to quit),” Bell said.

The next season, Buena Park won its first league title since 1959-60.

Bell will remain at the school as a health teacher and boys’ tennis coach.

“I never even considered leaving,” Bell said. “I always enjoyed the community and the teaching situation very much.

“I really won’t know if I’ll miss basketball until next November,” he said. “If I do, I can always get back into it. I just want to see what else is going on outside of coaching.”