Dean Yoshimura (pictured middle, between current assistant coaches Mike Lorge, left, and Robert Mendez, right) will be entering his 17th season (1993-2009) as the varsity head coach of the Valencia Tigers boy's basketball program. He replaced John Cyrus, who coached the Tigers for three seasons (1990-93), in the spring of 1993. Coach Yoshimura has led the Tigers to 14 C.I.F. play-off appearances in his 16 year career.

Over the last five seasons the Tigers have won three Empire League championships and are 95-46 (67.4%) overall and 40-10 (80.0%) in the tough Empire League. The Tigers have also advanced to the C.I.F. play-offs six consecutive years.

Coach Yoshimura and his staff led the 2008-09 Tigers to their first undefeated league season in school's history. The Tigers also won a school record 13 consecutive games before losing to West Ranch High School (Valencia, CA) in the 2nd round of the 2AA CIF play-offs.

The Tigers under the leadership of Coach Yoshimura have won four league championships (Orange League championship in 1993-94 and Empire League championships in 2004-05, 2006-07 and 2008-09). There has been only two other league championships in the school's 75 year history (1959-60 and 1986-87). His career overall record is 227-213 (51.6%) and his career league record is 99-61 (61.9%).

One of Coach Yoshimura's most successful season was the 2004-05 season. The Tigers defeated Orange Lutheran in the last game of the league season to win the outright Empire League title. The Tigers advanced to the 2AA CIF semi-finals before losing to Pasedena High School, 58-39. The team ended with a 9-1 league record and were 24-6 overall (the 24 wins is the most in school's history). The 1959-60 team, coached by Orange County legend Bob Hamblin, is the only Valencia boy's basketball team to advance to the C.I.F. final game.

Another career highlight for Coach Yoshimura was winning his 200th career game on December 26, 2007 against Santa Ana High School, 60-50, at the Century High School Holiday Tournament.

Coach Yoshimura has coached 24 first team all-league players (Junior Alatorre, Keinan Briggs, Rashad Chambers, Eric Dixon, Brandon Duarte, John Frechette, Jermaine Gray, Erik Jackley, Kevin Jackley, Michael Johnson, Ben Jones, Ethan Jones, Steve Lajkowicz, Noel Larkins-2, Christian Mack-2, Ray Magee-4, Daniel Mather, Mike McCowan, Jeffrey Mutabazi, Emmanuel Ortega-3, Rich Reynoza, Joe Secoda, Bryan Simmons and Robert Smith-2), three league M.V.P.'s (Magee 2005, Mather 2007 and Mack 2009), two All-C.I.F. players (Magee 2005 and Mack 2009), two players selected all-Orange County (Smith 1997, 3rd team and Mack 2009, 4th team) and five players selected to play in the Orange County All Star game (Smith 1997, Magee 2005, Mather 2007, Larkins 2008 and Mack 2009).

Coach Yoshimura became the longest tenured coach in Valencia High School history in the 2007-08 season, surpassing Bob Hamblin (1959-73) and Ray Rodriguez (1976-1990) who each coached the Tigers for 14 seasons.

This years league championship is Coach Yoshimura's 11th varsity league title since he began coaching at Valencia High School in 1986. He coached the girl's volleyball team to four consecutive Orange League titles (1989 to 1992). He also guided the boy's volleyball team to back to back to back league championships in 1991, 1992 and 1993.

Coach Yoshimura began teaching math at Valencia High School in the fall of 1989. He also did his student-teaching at Valencia and at Kraemer Junior High School during the 1985-86 school year. During the 1986-87 school year, Yoshimura served as a substitute teacher for PYLUSD. From 1987 to 1989 he worked at Valencia as a campus supervisor. He was voted as Valencia's co-Teacher of the Year (along with Mr. Brent Shenton) in 1992.

Yoshimura is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton (1984), Mira Costa Community College (1981) and El Camino High School (1978) in Oceanside, CA.

Coach Yoshimura and his family live in Yorba Linda. He has been married for 20 years to his wife Melanie (Stefero) and they have a 14 year old daughter, Danica, who is a freshman at Yorba Linda High School.

Coach Yoshimura is looking forward to a strong 2009-10 campaign. Led by varsity returners seniors Mark Anderson, Ioane 'Junior' Gauta, Dominic Grace and Jimmy Kable and juniors Gregory Hammond, James Holden and Omar Perez the Tigers will try to become the first Valencia team to win consecutive league championships.