After starting the Servite Wrestling program in 2007 and growing it to Orange County prominence over the last 19 years, Coach Alan Clinton has decided to step down as head coach and move into a consultative role in the program, with plans to stay involved as a coach. He will assist with the search process and transition as the next head coach is identified.  

A mainstay in Southern California high school athletics for over 40 years, it is difficult to quantify the impact he has made among the Servite, El Modena and greater wrestling communities. He has led his Fight’n Friar teams to six Trinity League titles, six CIF Championships and one Masters Championship while coaching Servite wrestlers to 73 individual Trinity League Championships, 25 CIF-SS titles and three Masters Championships. Over 25 of his alumni have gone on to compete at the NCAA level including All-American Liam Cronin ‘16. In addition, during his tenure with the Vanguards, he tallied 10 team league championships and five CIF Championships adding to his legendary career. In total, between the two programs, he coached 42 State Placer and had five Senior All-Americans.  

Athletic Director Matt Marrujo shared, “It’s amazing to have witnessed firsthand the influence Coach Clinton has had at Servite throughout his esteemed career. We are truly grateful for the foundation he’s laid and the legacy he’s built through his work as an administrator and coach. I am excited that he has agreed to remain a part of the program and assist in the process of finding the next Head Wrestling Coach. His experience and leadership are invaluable assets for this transition and I have personally benefited from his guidance. I am excited to continue to partner with him and carry on the tradition of excellence that has been Servite Wrestling.” 

In recognition of all his accomplishments, Coach Clinton has been bestowed various honors of his own, being inducted as both a wrestler and coach into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016 and the California Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018. He was selected the NFHS National Coach of the Year in 2018 and honored as the CIF Model Coach of the Year in 2011. He has also been recognized as the OCRegister, OCWCA, Trinity League and Century League Coach of the Year numerous times throughout his career. Furthermore, he was inducted into the El Modena High School Hall of Fame as a coach and athletic director in 2013. 

Coach Clinton shared, “It has been an incredible honor to lead two (Servite and El Modena) great wrestling programs and to have had the opportunity to build and develop traditions that will last beyond my tenure. When we started this program with the support of the administration, the vision was always to grow it into something special. To see where it stands today, knowing the legacy we’ve created at Servite, is something I will always be proud of. But no program is built by one person. It takes a dedicated community of coaches, parents, athletes, alumni, and, most importantly, the support of my loving family. Without their unwavering support, none of this would have been possible. Wrestling teaches you about life—hard work, sacrifice, the highs and lows, victories and defeats. It molded me into the person I am, first as a competitor and then as a coach. I am forever grateful for the journey and for every person who has been part of it."

In addition to his role as a coach, Clinton has been influential in growing the sport of wrestling at the CIF and State level serving on the State CIF Wrestling Advisory Committee, Southern Section Wrestling Advisory Committee and the Orange County Wrestling Coaches Association Board, not to mention his work with committees in the same sectors focused on athletic administration as a whole. For his work, he has been recognized with numerous honors including the CIF Southern Section Distinguished Service Award in 2020, the CIF State Athletic Director of the Year in 2016, the Sue Kamiyama Award for California State Leadership in 2015 and the Southern Section Athletic Director of the Year in 2009.  

Principal Nancy Windisch added, “Coach Alan Clinton’s dedication to the sport and to our students over the past 19 years has left an incredible impact on Servite High School. Since joining us in 2006, he has not only been an exceptional coach but also a mentor, instilling values of hard work, integrity, and leadership in every athlete. As he steps down from his role as Head Coach, I am deeply grateful for the passion, wisdom, and heart he has shared with our school. His legacy will continue to inspire us, and I wish him nothing but the best as he enters this next chapter of his life.”