UPDATES
Who We Are
Our Monterey Bay Wizards Youth Basketball Academy are excited to tip-off our 10 th Annual Spring Basketball 2024 season starting on Saturday, March 16, 2024. And will end on Saturday, June 29, 2024.
We are here to support the youths of the surrounding area of Salinas, Monterey Bay and Hollister. All of our home games for the past 10 years have been at the Hartnell Community College Auxiliary Gymnasium.
The Wizards Basketball Academy are about developing our young athletes to be Student-Athletes, and to hone their basketball skills to get to the next level and at the same time to win or lose with the highest degree of sportsmanship.
DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER: Jim Rimando, who has been a head coach for the past 39 years. One of longest tenure and winningest coach in the Central Coast Section.
Rimando was the Hartnell College women’s basketball recruiter and head coach for the past six years until his retirement back in 2021.
Recently, Coach Rimando was asked to come out of retirement in September 2023 to once again be the head coach of the Seaside High School Spartans varsity girls basketball program.
This season he guided the Seaside Spartans to his 24th Central Coast Section Playoff appearance.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- Guided the North Salinas High School Vikings girls’ varsity basketball program to the Northern California State Playoffs in 1989
- Five Monterey Bay League titles and 14 years of CCS Playoff appearances
- Hired to be the Head Coach at Seaside High School 1999, where Coach Rimando won 9 Monterey Bay League titles and 12 Central Coast Section Playoffs
- Served on the Central Coast Section High School Girls’ Seeding Committee for eight years
- Named Coach of the Year by both Monterey Herald
- Salinas Californian newspaper sports writer chosen
- Coach of the Year in the Monterey Bay League five times by his coaching peers.
MSSION STATEMENT: To pass my 39 years of coaching experience to our prospective Wizards players. And to my Wizards coaching staff. My passion is basketball and for future Student/Athletes of our community.
OUR ORGANIZATONAL GOAL:
1) To Get Your Child to the Next Level in terms of his/her basketball skills.
2) To build Character. Camaraderie, Cohesiveness and Team Trust.
3) Sportsmanship with Honor
4) Learn from Losing as well as Winning.
WE ARE THE WIZARDS – WE ARE FAMILY – AND WE WIN AND LOSE AS A TEAM
REMEMBER: “How You Practice Is How You Will Play in the Game”
Thank you – Jim Rimando
Monterey Bay Wizards Director
Jim Rimando
Monterey Bay Wizards Director
A graduate of University of San Francisco with a Bachelor's Degree in Human Relations and Organizational Behavior. Head Coach Rimando has 38 years of coaching basketball experience at North Salinas, Seaside High School and most recently retired as the head coach and recruiter for five years at Hartnell Community College Women's Basketball Program . Coach Rimando, also played for North Salinas High School as a shooting guard where he was part of two Vikings Championship in the Monterey Bay League under the legendary head coach Joe Chappell back in 1964 through 1966. Later, Rimando became the head coach where he took the Vikings girls varsity to the Northern California State Playoffs in 1989 and four Monterey Bay League titles; then took the Seaside High School Spartans to 8 Monterey Bay League titles. All together, Coach Rimando took both Vikings and Spartans to 21 Central Coast Section Playoffs. Coach Rimando was the Monterey Herald Sports and Salinas Californian Girls Varsity Coach of the Year in 1987 and 1988. Chosen by his Coaching peers as Coach of the Year in Monterey Bay League four times and served on the Central Coast Section Seeding Committee. Coach Rimando is the founder of the Monterey Bay Wizards back in 2014. Coach Rimando also served in the Vietnam War in 1970 - 1971
Our Coaching Staff
Our coaching staff has played or coached at every level. They specialize in working with Monterey County youth to deliver a one of a kind experience that instills positivity and encourages confidence.
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Shoot Your Shot
Monterey County's premier youth basketball program, where we focus not only on developing basketball skills but also on promoting confidence in our young athletes. We believe that basketball is not just a game, but an opportunity for children to learn valuable life skills such as teamwork, perseverance, and sportsmanship. Our program is designed to provide a safe, supportive, and fun environment for kids to learn and grow, both on and off the court. Through our experienced coaches and personalized training sessions, we aim to help our young athletes build a solid foundation of fundamental skills and confidence that they can carry with them throughout their lives. We believe that every child has the potential to succeed, and we are committed to helping them reach their full potential both as basketball players and as individuals.