Christian Aurand
Varsity Head Coach
caurand@sbcglobal.net 

Returning for his eleventh season as the Head Coach of the Pioneer Basketball Program is Christian Aurand. A former All-Marmonte League point guard and defensive specialist during his playing days from 1983-1985 under the guidance of former Pioneer mentor Bob Hawking, Aurand has carried on the program's consistent success started by Hawking and Dean Bradshaw. Coaching at his alma mater, Aurand takes great pride in working with the student-athletes at SVHS. Last season his Pioneers had another solid winning season and were once again a force to be reckoned with in league and the CIF campaign. Last year’s squad finished the season with an impressive 22-7 record and finished 12-2 in the Marmonte League. The 2008-09 was amongst the states’ leading scoring teams once again averaging 77 points a game with its up-tempo and pressing style of play. During Aurand's term, Simi Valley High School has averaged 21 wins a season and has qualified for 10 straight playoff appearances.

With a deep understanding of the program's basketball tradition and high expectations, Coach Aurand will look to maintain the established blueprint of strong work ethic. Philosophically, the song will remain the same: The program is committed to establishing the ABC approach: Attitude, Basketball, and Character. Coach Aurand will also inject a tough, smart, unselfish, and fundamental approach to the game in facilitating the growth of the student-athletes in the basketball program at SVHS.

The 2009-2010 basketball campaign presents a variety of challenges. This season Aurand will have a more balanced and experienced squad and faces the challenge of replacing the 25 PPG supplied by All-State Guard Brad Lewis. Coach Aurand will be working to mesh a team that does return 3 starters and 4 players who earned solid varsity minutes last season with a JV team eager to demonstrate their ability to step up to the varsity level. In a year in which the Marmonte League, will once again be strong and balanced, Aurand and his charges will look to carry on the SVHS tradition of competing for the title of league champions. Prior to taking on the league endeavors, the Pioneers will help attempt to defend their SVHS Tip-off Classic title for the fifteenth time in twenty-six tries. In addition, the rigorous schedule will take the Pioneers on the road trying to defend a tournament championship at the Crescenta Valley Falcon Classic and then on to the tough Torrey Pines National Prep Classic in San Diego in late December.

Beyond the philosophical foundations, another constant and one of the proud accomplishments under Aurand's direction is the always-popular Pioneer Basketball Camp. Serving as the camp's director for the past eleven years, Aurand, his coaching staff, and players, look forward to working with the hundreds of Simi Valley and Ventura County youths in the community who attend the four weeks of camp each summer to hone their hoop skills.

Honored as the Marmonte League and Ventura County Coach of the Year in 2008, as well as being named the LA Times Coach of the Year in 1999, Christian is a graduate of California State University at Chico and has taught Social Studies for the past 17 years at Simi Valley High School. Aurand lives in Simi Valley and has a seven year old son, Chase, a future Pioneer.

Coach Aurand – by the numbers

• 1983-’85 – All Marmonte 3rd Team Selection (1985) 
• 146 assists (1985) 15th all time at Simi Valley
• 193 career assists currently 17th all time (4th all time when it occurred)
• 18 career charges taken 13th all time
• 1999-present – Best Overall Winning Percentage in School History (73.4%)
• 211-77 overall record (3rd all time in wins)
• Qualified for the CIF-SS Playoffs 11Consecutive Years, SVHS Record
• 1999-2000 CIF-SS Runner Up and CIF State Quaterfinalist
• LA Daily News and LA Times Coach of the Year – 2000
• Marmonte League Coach of the Year – 2002, 2007
• Ventura County Coach of the Year - 2007
• Finished no lower than 3rd in Marmonte League Play
• CIF-SS Runner Ups - 1999
• CIF-SS semifinalist – 2003
• CIF-SS quarterfinalist – 2005, 2006, 2009

Ryan Moore
Varsity Assistant Coach
ryanmas4@gmail.com

Entering his fifth season with Simi Valley Basketball is Assistant Coach, Ryan Moore. Coach Moore first came to Simi High five seasons ago after being the head coach at Oaks Christian High School for the previous two seasons. While at Oaks Christian the team reached the CIF-SS IVAA semifinals, won a league title, and amassed a 32-23 record. Since joining the staff at Simi Valley the Pioneers have enjoyed a transition from traditional half court offense and defense, to a full court aggressive defense and up tempo offense. Over the past three seasons assisting at the varsity level, the Pioneers have amassed a 69–16 record and a winning percentage of 81%, tops in Ventura County. Coach Moore is currently a student at California Lutheran University majoring in History and resides in Simi Valley.

Coach Moore by the numbers 2001 – 2002 – Calabasas High School Assistant

• 15–10 overall, first winning record/playoff appearance in 15 years
• 2002 – 2003 – UC Irvine
• Undergraduate Student Manager
• 2003 – 2005 – Oaks Christian High School Head Coach
• 32–23 overall record (11 – 5 in Frontier League Play)
• 2004 CIFSS IVAA Semifinalist
• 2004 Frontier League Coach of the Year
• 2005 – Current – Simi Valley High School Assistant Coach
• 39-19 overall record (19-9 in Marmonte League Play; 4-2 CIF playoffs)
• 2006, 2009 CIF-SS IIAA Quarterfinalist
• 2007-2008 JV Coach 18-6 Overall Record at SVHS

Jon Green
Varsity Assistant Coach

Entering his first year as an assistant coach in the Pioneer program is former Simi Valley star, Jonathan Green. Green graduated in 2004 garnering the Defensive MVP award in his senior campaign as well as every other year in his Pioneer career. Coach Green helped lead the team to the CIF-SS IA Semi-finals with his team first and tough defensive mentality. Jon has quickly worked to establish a strong relationship with the current Pioneer squad and has proven to be a powerful addition to our coaching staff. He has also spent many hours volunteering and coaching at the Simi Valley Boys and Girls Club. He is currently a student at Cal State University of Northridge as a history major. Coach Green works at Parkview Elementary and as a private trainer when he is not working out with the Simi Valley Basketball players. Jon is a lifelong resident of Simi Valley.

Chris Garton
Junior Varsity/Varsity Assistant Coach
svfresh2001@yahoo.com

Coach Garton continues control of the JV reigns this season after helping lead the Pioneer squad to a 15–9 record and a third place in the Marmonte League. Last year’s JV squad was definitely a team that benefited from Coach Garton’s calm demeanor and defensive expertise. In 8 years of coaching at the all levels, Garton has amassed a 119-45 career coaching record for a winning percentage of 72.5%. He was named the Ventura County Coach of the Year on the Freshmen and Junior Varsity teams in 2005. Those years of skilled service earned him a head coaching position at Fulton College Prep High School in the San Fernando Valley. Previous to Simi High, Coach Garton worked for legendary coach, Newton Chellette at Antelope Valley College for 3 seasons and for 2008 Big West Coach of the Year, Bobby Braswell, at Cal State University of Northridge. Coach Garton is currently a Physical Education teacher at Fulton College Preparatory and resides in Simi Valley.

Coach Garton by the numbers

• Simi Valley  Freshman Coach – back to back 17–5 seasons
• Freshman Coach of the Year 2002 
• Sophomore Coach – 30–14 Overall record
• JV Coach 2007-2009 Overall Record 33-15
• JV Coach – 2003–  Marmonte League Champions
• JV Coach of the Year 2005
• Varsity Assistant – 21 – 7, CIF-SS 1 AA 2nd Round

 
Ryan Bradshaw
Sophomore Coach
bradshawsvhs@aol.com

 Coach Bradshaw by the numbers

• 1999–2001 – 96 career three pointers made (72 in 2001)
• 5th all time in career three pointers/7th all time in single season
• 37.5% from three point range senior season (2001)
• 80% from the free throw line senior season (2001)
• 1 career charge taken
• 2006–2007  Overall Sophomore Record 17-3
• 2007-2008  Overall Sophomore Record 14-6
• 2008-2009 Overall Sophomore Record 15-5
• Sophomore Coach -2009- Marmonte League Champions
• 46-14 Overall Record at Sophomore Record, 

Nicholas Grandchamp
Sophomore Asst. Coach
nick@americanrecorder.com

Former Pioneer defensive standout, Nick Grandchamp, returns for his third season at the helm of the Pioneer Freshman team. During his senior season of 2001, Nick set not only the single season but the career charge record (since broken by current Pepperdine Freshman Lorne Jackson) with 41, in his only season of varsity play. Coach Grandchamp’s defensive mindset meshes well with the philosophy employed by the Simi Valley Basketball program. Coach Gandchamp is an effective teacher of sound defensive philosophy and technique whose passion for winning and preparing players for the next level is a valuable asset to the coaching staff. Along with his head coaching duties, Coach Grandchamp also serves as the scouting coordinator for the varsity team and helps the coaches obtain game tape on all their future opponents.

Coach Grandchamp by the numbers

• 2001 – 41 charges taken (1st all time career/1st all time single season)
• 4 charges taken in one game (1st all time)

David Suniga
Freshman Coach
duniga14@yahoo.com

Back for his third season as a coach in the Pioneer program is David Suniga. A hard-nosed and playmaking point guard during his playing days at Simi Valley, Coach Suniga will look to infuse those characteristics into this year’s freshman team as he takes the main seat as the head coach. In addition, to working for the frosh team he will double as a varsity assistant completing many of the behind the scenes jobs vital for program success. His energy and enthusiasm made it an easy decision to promote him to a head coaching position as the spot became available. Coach Suniga is a graduate of San Diego State University and holds a degree in Business Administration and a minor in Statistics. Since graduation, he has worked as an Executive Recruiter and Head Hunter and has gathered valuable information on the job market, as well as, numerous tips to obtaining a position no matter what state the Economy is in. With this knowledge that he has gained, coupled with the knowledge of previous and current co-workers, David Suniga has created ResumesforYOU.com, where they “Write Resumes that get YOU Working.” ResumesforYOU.com also specializes in CV Writing, Multi-position Cover Letters, Electronic Resumes and CVs, Phone and In-Person Interview Preps, Follow-up Letters and Emails, and Job Market Consultations. He resides in Simi Valley and is a proud member of the Pioneer staff.