The college basketball coaching fraternity is a special one, made up of men and women who have a great passion for the game and the players who participate. Rare, though, is the coach who uses his profession as a platform to share the gospel of Christ and bring glory to God over a significant period of time and win, too.
For 13 years, The Master’s College had that rarity in Bill Oates.
Arriving in 1993, Oates guided the Mustangs to unparalleled success at the regional and national levels, earning six regional Coach of the Year honors in the process. From 1994-2000, the Mustangs produced seven consecutive 20-win campaigns and made a like number of appearances at the NAIA National Tournament, highlighted by a pair of Elite Eight showings, while being a regular member of the NAIA Top Ten.
In that seven-year window, he posted a sparkling 181-59 (.754) record and completed his 13 years at the helm with a school-record 283 wins. Along the way, he coached six NAIA All-Americans, including former Laker Mike Penberthy. But, there was more to this man than just the time he spent as coach and athletic director at The Master’s College.
Before assuming the dual roles of athletic director and head coach at TMC, Oates had already coached a total of thirty seasons, including five at Santa Ana College (1970-75), seven at St. Mary’s College (1979-86), and five at Menlo College (1987-92). In his five-year run at Santa Ana, Oates led the Dons to a pair of first-place finishes and a 95-55 record. At St. Mary’s, he coached the Gaels to four winning seasons in conference play and the 1980 West Coast Conference title. During his stint at Menlo, the Oaks went 80-51, including a school-best mark of 21-7 in 1989-90.
Coaching success also came at the national and international levels. From 1974-79, Oates coached Athletes in Action (AIA) squads to an amazing 171-28 record. His AIA squads, one of the premier amateur teams in the world at the time, won the 1976 AAU Championship and the 1977 Western Hemisphere Championship. During those two years, Oates’ teams defeated some of the country’s elite college basketball programs, including three which reached the NCAA Final Four.
Following his 13th and final campaign (2005-06) at the college, Oates was hired as Director of Community Outreach at Bishop Alemany High School in Mission Hills where he has worked for the past six years. At a time when other private schools in the Los Angeles area have experienced declining enrollment, Oates has worked not only to maintain but increase enrollment by over 350 additional students, making Alemany the largest private school in the San Fernando Valley.
In addition, Oates has worked side-by-side with Principal Frank Ferry and the school’s athletic directors to develop one of the most successful high school athletic programs in Southern California.
Possessing a rare and balanced approach to basketball and life, Oates has positively influenced thousands of people throughout his coaching career and beyond. Sharing in that legacy are his wife, Jean, and their children, Kelly, Deron, and Kortney.
The Oates’ family attends Northpark Community Church.
