Sailors’ Tweit, Chalmers ousted

When two of his seniors on Saturday played in an all-star baseball game, their last representing Newport Harbor High, Coach Evan Chalmers looked back at his fourth year with the program.

One upset stood out. On May 6, the Sailors pulled off a 13-5 victory against Edison, ranked No. 2 in the CIF Southern Section Division I coaches’ poll.

At the time, the Sailors knocked the Chargers out of first place in the robust Sunset League. Chalmers said his good friend and colleague, Eric Tweit, called it one of the school’s biggest wins in the last 16 years.

Tweit has seen a lot of impressive victories during his 20 years as athletic director with the Sailors.

Tweit won’t experience another one in that capacity for Newport Harbor. Chalmers also won’t get to lead the school’s baseball team to another victory.

Tweit was let go as one of the school’s athletic directors and Chalmers as baseball coach, Principal Michael Vossen said Monday.

“It was my decision as principal,” said Vossen, who has been at Newport Harbor the last 11 years, nine as principal and two as assistant principal. “I can’t get into commenting on personnel matters for reasons [why] out of respect for the individuals involved.

“We still have [Tweit] lined up to coach [girls’] track and field and cross country next year.”

Tweit, 61, said he plans to return next year to coach and teach physical education at Newport Harbor.

Vossen said he talked to Tweit as early as Friday about going in a different direction with Newport Harbor’s athletic program.

“I don’t know what a new direction is,” said Tweit, who was hired full time at Newport Harbor in 1980. “[Vossen] did not go into a reason. He wanted me to resign [Friday]. He let me go. I wouldn’t resign.

“I told them about a month ago, I had one more year. [I gave them] a one-year notice, so they could bring somebody in … so I could help mentor. I didn’t want to leave because our [athletic] secretary [Judy Ayers] is leaving [after 26 years on her own terms], not a good time. I wanted to help the person come in. The principal decided to change [course].”

With Tweit as one of the athletic directors, the Sailors won CIF Southern Section team championships in football, boys’ and girls’ cross country, boys’ and girls’ water polo, boys’ and girls’ volleyball, boys’ swimming, boys’ soccer, and girls’ track.

When reached by phone Monday, Chalmers said he preferred to wait a day before commenting on losing his coaching job. Vossen said Chalmers is expected to continue teaching social studies at Newport Harbor.

This spring, Chalmers guided the Sailors to their best season in the Sunset League since joining it in the 2007-08 school year. Newport Harbor went 5-10 in league, matching the program’s win total in league play from the first two seasons.

Newport Harbor finished tied for fourth place, better than the previous two years last-place finishes.

Chalmers said he and Tweit met with Vossen Monday afternoon, two days after Chalmers wore his Newport Harbor baseball uniform for the final time. Chalmers took part in the 13th annual Ryan Lemmon Foundation Senior Showcase as part of the Sunset League’s coaching staff.

Newport Harbor’s Alex Rios and Nick Vlahakis played for the Sunset League against the Trinity League.

Tweit helped hire Chalmers as coach four years ago. The Sailors failed to reach the playoffs every year. The only season in which the team finished above .500 was Chalmers’ first.

“This season, as far as Newport Harbor is concerned, we’ve had a great year of community support,” said Chalmers on Saturday after the Sunset League lost to the Trinity League, 13-6, at Windrow Community Park in Irvine. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished this season.”

Tweit agreed with Chalmers’ claim.

“It was very disappointing to me,” Tweit said of seeing Chalmers lose his job after he led the Tars to wins against the past two league champions, Edison and Los Alamitos. “I feel bad about it. Evan really showed signs of turning around the baseball program.

“They were going down the right road. He was doing the right job.”