Information provided by Hollister High School
Hollister High School announced Baler alumnus David Kaplansky as the new boys varsity team head coach. According to the release, this will be Kaplansky’s third stint with the team. He coached the boys varsity team from 2001 to 2005 and from 2011 to 2014. He also coached the girls varsity team from 2007 to 2011 and has an overall record of 226-75 as head basketball coach at Hollister High School, previously named San Benito High School.
His accolades include two Central Coast Section championships with the girls’ program, four league coach of the year honors, led the boys’ team to a Monterey Bay League Gavilan Division championship in 2013. He is also a member of the Baler Hall of Fame.
“We are excited to have Coach Kaplansky back with Baler Basketball,” said Athletic Director Tod Thatcher. “Coach Kaplansky is a class of ‘94 grad and brings years of head coaching experience to our boys’ program. Our players will benefit from Coach Kap’s relentless coaching style that should fit well as our boys’ program moves back into the Gabilan Division this season.”
Hollister High School said Kaplansky replaces Todd “Bo” Buller, who led the Balers to a 17-7 record this past season and a trip to the Central Coast Section playoffs. Buller announced in the Spring that he was taking a teaching position at Stevenson School in Pebble Beach.
Kaplansky, an undersized guard who went from a college walk-on to a scholarship basketball player at Division 1 San Diego State University after his playing days in Hollister, said his “passion for Haybaler athletics runs deep.”
“As a former (Baler) student-athlete and coach, I understand the standard of the athletic program,” he said. “While serving as head coach for 12 years, my teams were able to win four league championships, two CCS Division 1 championships, and 15 tournament titles. My goal would be to bring our community together and create a competitive and exciting program to support.”
He noted that the team’s return to the upper tier of the Monterey Bay League this coming year “is an opportunity that creates excitement for our fans and student body.”
The release said Kaplansky will be joined on the sideline by assistant coaches who played for him during their time at Hollister High School, including Class of 2005 alumnus and two-time league MVP Kyle Sharp, who played collegiately for the University of Montana, and Class of 2014 alumnus RJ Collins, who played collegiately at Pacific University.
Kaplansky also coached mens basketball at Gavilan College from 2014 to 2018 where he had an overall record of 35-67. His best year was 2017-18 where the team achieved an overall record of 24-5.