South High Spartan Basketball: Coaches
Head Coach – Leo Klemm
Coach Klemm is enthusiastic about his return to Southern California where he accepted the position as Head Basketball Coach and Dean of Students at South High School. He leaves a legacy of hard work and achievement during his 25 year career as a Head Basketball Coach and an Administrator at St. Monica and Brebeuf Jesuit High Schools.
From 1983 – 1995, Coach Klemm transformed St. Monica into one of the most successful basketball programs in Southern California. He accumulated more than 200 wins in 12 years with an overall winning average of 70%. Under his direction, St. Monica earned national recognition as a Southern Section title contender (from the mid 1980s through the early 1990s.
Coach Klemm and his family moved to Indiana in 1995 where he accepted the position of Head Basketball Coach and Vice Principal at Roncalli High School. He led Roncalli to their first Sectional Basketball Championship in 1998.
In 1998 he accepted the position of Head Basketball Coach and Dean of Students at Brebeuf Jesuit Catholic High School in Indiana. From 1998-2007, Brebeuf gained national recognition under Coach Klemm’s direction, winning five Sectional Championships an Indiana State Championship in 2000.
Coach Klemm is a Notre Dame graduate with a Master’s Degree in Secondary School Administration from Mount St. Mary’s College.
Assistant Varsity Coach– Jamal Benjamin
Coach Benjamin is returning for his 5th year with the South High School Boys Basketball program. He will be focusing on the development of the players on the Sophomore team, preparing them for upper level play in the years to come. Coach Benjamin brings a lot of excitement and enthusiasm to the program
Junior Varsity Coach – Ron Omoto
Coach Omoto is a graduate from Torrance High School when he played basketball and golf for four years. He attended Cal State University, Long Beach and graduated in 1988 with a BA degree in Marketing.
Coach Omoto is a seasoned dynamic coach that promotes sportsmanship, develops teamwork, and motivates players to perform at their highest potential both on and off the court. He has dedicated 16 years to coaching at South High and is undoubtedly one of the most respected Junior Varisty coaches in the South Bay.
Freshman Coach – Al Mayate
Coach Mayate's passion for basketball continued on after his high school varsity. He formed his own team, participating in various Asian Leagues in Los Angeles. He was very involved in the YMCA basketball youth program for several years until he was asked to join South High School. This is Coach Mayate’s fifth year with the South High Boys basketball program. He was Varsity assistant coach for the first few years before he took on the freshmen team last year.
Coach Mayate has devoted his personal attention to training and educating the players by developing their knowledge of basic fundamentals, improving their skills, and emphasizing teamwork. His belief is that proper mentoring and proper molding of young minds is very critical. It builds the solid foundation in order for an athlete to succeed. With this in mind, he has committed himself to offering the best program possible by ensuring each athlete will be able to enhance their overall skills on the court and through their journey in life.
