FOOTBALL

Ben is in his fifth year as a coach with the Valley Catholic athletic programs, his fourth with the football team. In 2008 he served as head 8th grade basketball coach for the Middle School, winning the City Championship, and as the High School JV2 basketball coach. Coach Grimm will continue his duties as the offensive and defensive line coach. Ben Grim was a three time letter winner in both football and basketball at Cutbank High School in Montana. He earned first team all conference honors in football as a junior and senior while leading his team to the state tournament each year. He and his wife live in Beaverton with their two daughters.

Joe Walsh joined Valley Catholic’s football staff in 2011 as the wide receivers and defensive backs coach. Joe graduated from Glencoe High School in 1995, where he played lacrosse for the undefeated state champion Crimson Tide. He continued playing lacrosse at the University of Oregon where he received his B.S. in Communications in 2000. After graduation Joe became the Athletic Director at the Hillsboro Boys & Girls Club where he managed the basketball, soccer and football programs. Joe currently coordinates Clark County’s youth gang prevention task force and is excited to bring his 15 years of experience in coaching and mentoring to Valley Catholic football.

Pat Walsh joined the staff in 2008 as an assistant coach. Coach Walsh works closely with Coach Grimm as the offensive and defensive line coach. He has several years of youth football and basketball coaching experience. Pat has also spent time coaching in the boys’ basketball program at the middle and high school levels. Coach Walsh has had two sons and a daughter graduate from Valley Catholic. Pat’s youngest son, Liam is a sophomore on this year’s team.

CROSS COUNTRY

Tommy Manning took over the boys’ cross-country program in 2007 after a stellar high-school and collegiate career and is now also head track coach. Coach Manning is a graduate of Jesuit High School, where he earned eight varsity letters in track and cross-country and in 2000 helped lead the Crusaders’ cross-country team to the 4A State Championship. He was also track State Champion in the 1,500 meters in 2001. He went on to compete in both track and cross-country at Georgetown University (Division I, Big East Conference), where he earned All-American honors in the 800 meters and the Distance Medley Relays. In addition to coaching, Mr. Manning teaches History and Government at Valley Catholic and serves as the Chairman of the Social Studies Department. In 2009 he was named cross country District Coach of the Year. In 2010, Coach Manning led the Valiants to a district title and a 2nd place finish at the state meet. Coach Manning was named as Valley Catholic's Coach of the Year for the 2010-2011 athletic season. In 2011, Coach Manning led the boys’ cross country team to a second consecutive district title and to the first state championship in school history.

Eric Berge began coaching the girls’ cross-country program in 2007. Coach Berge ran four years of varsity cross-country and track for Gonzaga University (Division 1; West Coast Conference), representing the Bulldogs in four West Coast Conference cross-country championships and in two NCAA West Regional Championships. Coach Berge was a member of the 2004 WCC All-Academic team. He was a teammate of Valley colleague Tommy Manning at Jesuit High School in Portland, where the Crusaders won the 4A state championship in 2000. Mr. Berge teaches religion and history at Valley Catholic and also serves as an assistant track coach. In 2008 and 2009 he guided the Valiants to consecutive 4th place finishes at the OSAA state championship. In 2010 Coach Berge was named the District Coach of the Year while leading the Valiants to a 2nd-place finish at the State Championship, highlighted by Austin Lundin’s individual state title. Coach Berge's work with the cross-country and track programs helped earn him the 2010-2011 Valley Catholic's Coach of the Year award. In 2011, Coach Berge led the girls to their first district title since 1983 and their sixth consecutive appearance at the state meet, finishing in 6th place.

Ian Berge ran four years of varsity cross-country and track at Gonzaga University, where he was coached by the legendary Pat Tyson, roommate and teammate of the late Steve Prefontaine. Ian served as team captain and twice represented the Bulldogs in the West Coast Conference Championship. He received his B.A. from Gonzaga in 2011, graduating magna cum laude with a double major in History and Political Science. Ian is a graduate of Jesuit High School, where he ran varsity cross-country and track for the Crusaders. He is currently working on a master’s degree in History at Portland State University. Coach Berge made his marathon debut in October 2011, finishing 13th place at the Portland Marathon with a time of 2:42.

VOLLEYBALL

Justin Denham did not wait long to make his mark on Valley’s volleyball program: in 2009, his first season as head coach, he captured the school’s first league championship in four seasons and successfully defended the championship in 2010.

Under Coach Denham the Valiants made their third and fourth consecutive appearances at the OSAA state championships, bringing home a 3rd place trophy in 2009 and a 4th in 2010. Justin began his volleyball playing career in 1996 for Camarillo High School in Southern California (he was also Camarillo’s tight end in football). In his second volleyball season, he was named to the all CIF Southern Section team as a middle blocker. He played volleyball for Harvard University from 1999 to 2002, where he earned a degree in archeology, earning four varsity letters, three as a middle blocker and one as an outside hitter. He was ranked nationally in 2000 for hitting percentage, in 2001 for kills/game, and in 2002 for aces/game, blocks/game, and hitting percentage. Coach Denham began his coaching career as a summer volunteer assistant at Mammoth Lakes High School in California before the ’99 high-school season, working primarily with middle blockers and outside hitters. He gained extensive summer-camp coaching experience beginning in 2000 as an assistant court coach for skills camps at Brandeis University and Wellesley College. He returned to those positions the next summer, working camps also at Bentley College and, in 2002, became head coach of the Brandeis and Wellesley camps.

Diana joins the Valiants coaching staff after a stellar playing career at both Reynolds High School (Portland) and for the Vikings at Portland State. Diana was a two sport athlete at Reynolds earning six varsity letters (four in volleyball and two in track). She was a first team all conference player as a senior at Reynolds. Diana then went on to play collegiately at Portland State where she put together an excellent career. She holds the distinction of playing in every match from 2007-2010 for the Vikings. She was named the Big Sky’s co-defensive player of the year as a freshman. While playing for Portland State her teams won three conference championships and appeared in the NCAA tournament in 2008 and 2010. Coach Villalpando will graduate from PSU this spring with a Sociology degree.

BOYS SOCCER

Brad Pollard - Head Coach (2008 - Present)

Brad Pollard took over as the Valley Catholic boys’ soccer coach in the summer of 2008. He holds an NSCAA National License and is always working to further his coaching education. He has coached at Sherwood High School as head JV coach and for clubs in Oklahoma and Colorado, where he led the varsity team of James Irwin Charter High School in Colorado Springs to the state playoffs two of his three seasons as head coach. In 2010 Coach Pollard guided Valley Catholic back to the league playoffs, showcasing a very young and talented team. In 2011 Valley Catholic looks to compete for a league championship and a return to the state tournament.

Sabi Sudy brings nearly twenty years of soccer experience as a player and a coach to the Valiants. Sabi was a three-year letter winner at Central Catholic High School. After high school Coach Sudy immediately got into coaching soccer while he continued to participate recreationally. Coach Sudy has coached at the freshman, JV, and varsity levels, mostly in the Portland Interscholastic League. He is currently coaching for the Timbers’ Youth Academy in the Portland area. His roles include overseeing their youth program at clinics and tournaments. For the Valiants Sabi will focus on skill development and mid-field play. He will also serve as the headJV coach.

GIRLS SOCCER

Kayla Crandall - Head Coach (2011 - Present)

Kayla played her high-school soccer for Jesuit High School (Portland), then four years at Westmont College in Santa Barbara—an NAIA powerhouse—where she was team captain and star forward. In her four-year playing career Kayla led Westmont to the Final Four once and Elite Eight twice. She also was given Westmont’s Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Award for excellence in academics, character, and play.

After coaching five summers at the University of Portland’s summer soccer camps and at Santa Barbara High School, Kayla became an assistant at the University of Portland in the 2009-2010 season. She has a B.S. in Kinesiology from Westmont College and an M.A. in Teaching from the University of Portland. She not only holds has credentials in teaching Health and P.E. but is also certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist and has much experience in athletic training. In addition to serving as head girls’ soccer coach, Kayla teaches Health and P.E. in the high school.

Emmy played for Snohomish High School (Snohomish, Washington), then four years at Westmont College in Santa Barbara where she was team captain and starting goalkeeper.  She led Westmont to two National Championships (2002 and 2003), the Final Four once, and the Elite Eight once. Kayla and Emmy met while playing together at Westmont College (2004 and 2005 seasons).

After receiving a B.A. in Communication Studies and completing her Master's degree in Sport Management from the University of San Francisco, she became Assistant Women's Soccer Coach for Cal State San Bernardino in the 2010 season. Emmy has a US Soccer National "D" license in addition to her NSCAA Advanced Regional Diploma.