Obituary of Edward A Ulloa

Edward A. Ulloa Ed Ulloa, a two-time CIF champion football and softball coach at Upland, Damien, Irvine and Mater Dei High Schools and at numerous youth leagues in Southern California, passed away on October 13, 2015, in Simi Valley, California. Coach Ulloa was a star athlete at Pomona High School, graduating in 1955. He served honorably in the United States Navy as a gunner on naval aircraft. Ed worked as a paint supervisor and engineer for Freightliner Trucks, and as an engineer for Dynalectron before retiring and devoting his life to coaching youth sports. In 1972, Ed became the first head coach of the Upland Pop Warner Bandits where his teams became a dynasty within the Mt. Baldy Conference, winning three conference championships and going undefeated twice. Moving up in divisions, Coach Ulloa coached Upland Pop Warner teams in the Jr. Midget and Midget divisions to conference championships, bowl victories and national rankings. In 1978, Coach Ulloa was named head coach of the Freshman football team at Upland High School and served as offensive coordinator for the Upland varsity football team in 1983-1984. More undefeated seasons and San Antonio League and Baseline league championships followed, at Upland, and then at Damien High School from 1985-1988. In 1989 Coach Ulloa returned as head coach the Upland Freshman team, leading them to a 10-0 record and Baseline league championship. In 1990, Coach Ulloa moved to Orange County, and became head coach of the Irvine High School freshman team. Between 1990 and 1997, Coach Ulloa's Irvine teams won several Sea View and South Coast league championships. In 1997, Coach Ulloa's undefeated Irvine team shut out the three major parochial programs in Orange County (Mater Dei, Servite, and Santa Margarita). After seeing Coach Ulloa's team shut out the Mater Dei freshman team led by Matt Leinart, Mater Dei hired Coach Ulloa to coach its freshman football program. The Mater Dei freshman program consists of two teams and over 110 players. Coach Ulloa ran the program from 1998-2001. In his last season, both teams went undefeated, making him 20-0 in his last year, and Trinity league champions. In the championship game against Santa Margarita, Coach Ulloa's Monarchs shut out the Eagles and their quarterback, Mark Sanchez, 13-0. Coach Ulloa also was head varsity softball coach at Upland (1991-98) and Mater Dei (1999-2001), winning two CIF Division championships, and making the finals three other times. At Upland, Coach Ulloa’s teams were a perennial powerhouse that made the CIF Finals three years in a row. Coach Ulloa was named First Interstate Bank CIF Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1997, and received the Gib Dear Award from the SCIFCA. He had a remarkable career. Over 30-odd years, his records were 218-40-4 in football, 249-71 in softball. Beyond the records and statistics, Coach Ulloa was instrumental in forming the character and work ethic of thousands of young men and women in Southern California, and will be loved and remembered by them for generations to come. In 2009, Coach Ulloa authored “27: A Football Coach’s Memoirs” which details the successes and memories of so many of these teams, athletes and their stories. Coach Ulloa was a lifetime USC Football fan and season ticket holder. Coach Ulloa is survived by his wife of 55 years, Stella, sons John (Catherine) and Edward (Tatum), daughters Denise Fowler (Don) and Darlene Kersten (William), grandchildren Robert Ulloa, Stephanie Ulloa, Nicholas Ulloa, Courtney Reiner, Hunter Reiner, Dakota Ulloa, Jake Fowler, Don Fowler, Jr., Derek Meglan, Tyler Meglan and Lacey Kersten. Coach Ulloa is also survived by his brothers Carlos, John, Robert and Bill, and sister Rosalie Reed. He was preceded in death by his father, Charles, his mother, Virginia, and his son, Michael. Memorial arrangements are being made by Rose Family Funeral Home & Cremation, of Simi Valley. A memorial service will be held on October 24, 2015, at 10:00 a.m., at Shepherd of the Valley Church, 4191 Cochran St., Simi Valley, CA 93063. Internment will be at Assumption Cemetery, 1150 Fitzgerald Rd., Simi Valley, CA 93065.