By Jordan Freisleben

Two services were held this week for former head volleyball coach Jesse Quiroz, who died March 14 after battling kidney problems. He was 59.

One service was held Monday at Campbell Hall, where Quiroz coached for the past two years, and another Tuesday morning, at Forest Lawn, was officiated by Harvard-Westlake Chaplain Father J. Young.

Sportswriter Eric Sondheimer wrote in the Los Angeles Times that Quiroz was “recognized as one of the best volleyball coaches in the southland.”

“I remember Jesse as being just an incredibly caring and giving human being,” Head of Upper School Harry Salamandra said. “He always was there for his players, for our students, for the athletes – whether it be the number of hours he put in, which was just tremendous.”

“It was a sad shock and he’s somebody who’ll be remembered fondly, I’m sure, by a lot of students who were with him over the years, as well as colleagues,” Salamandra said.

Quiroz resigned from coaching at Harvard-Westlake in February 2007 after nearly two decades of coaching varsity volleyball.

Quiroz led the volleyball teams to seven CIF Southern Section titles and three Div. III state championships. He was selected the CIF Southern Section Div. III Coach of the Year four times.

“He was a genuine teacher of the game who inspired his players to excel as citizens, students and athletes,” Head of Athletics Audrius Barzdukas said.

Since leaving Harvard-Westlake, Quiroz had been coaching at Campbell Hall. A memorial service will be held at Campbell Hall’s gym on Monday at 4 p.m.