Orange Coast College John Altobelli died in a helicopter crash along with Kobe Byrant and three others in Calabasas Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020.(Register file photo)
Members of the Santa Ana College softball team pause to remember baseball coach John Altobelli at Pirate Park at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa CA, on Monday, Jan 27, 2020. Altobelli, his wife Keri Altobelli and their daughter, Alyssa Altobelli, all died in a helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant on Jan. 26, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Baseball trainer Chaz Kekipi, center, consoles fellow trainer Isabel Carpio, right, and OCC athletic employee Ashley Rippeon at Pirate Park as they gather to remember baseball coach John Altobelli in Costa Mesa CA, on Monday, Jan 27, 2020. Altobelli, his wife Keri Altobelli and their daughter, Alyssa Altobelli, all died in a helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant on Jan. 26, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Orange Coast College women’s basketball coach Sammy Doucette, right, hug college president Angelica Suarez as they gather to remember baseball coach John Altobelli at Pirate Park in Costa Mesa CA, on Monday, Jan 27, 2020. Altobelli, his wife Keri Altobelli and their daughter, Alyssa Altobelli, all died in a helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant on Jan. 26, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A baseball is one of the many items left at a makeshift memorial at home plate Orange Coast College baseball field in Costa Mesa on Sunday, January 26, 2020 for Orange Coast College baseball Coach Altobelli, his wife Keri and daughter Alyssa who were killed in the helicopter crash that also killed former Lakers star Kobe Bryant. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A makeshift memorial was created on home plate Orange Coast College baseball field in Costa Mesa on Sunday, January 26, 2020 for Orange Coast College baseball Coach Altobelli, his wife Keri and daughter Alyssa who were killed in the helicopter crash that also killed former Lakers star Kobe Bryant. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A memorial sits at home plate to remember baseball coach John Altobelli in Costa Mesa CA, on Monday, Jan 27, 2020. Altobelli, his wife Keri Altobelli and their daughter, Alyssa Altobelli, all died in a helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant on Jan. 26, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Baseball trainer Chaz Kekipi pauses for a moment near baseball coach John Altobelli’s jersey at Pirate Park at Orange Coast College as people gather to remember baseball coach John Altobelli in Costa Mesa CA, on Monday, Jan 27, 2020. Altobelli, his wife Keri Altobelli and their daughter, Alyssa Altobelli, all died in a helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant on Jan. 26, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Two people kneel at Orange Coast baseball field home plate, after placing flowers, honoring Orange Coast College head baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife and daughter who died in early morning helicopter crash in Calabasas on Sunday, January 26, 2020. Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his 13 year old daughter, Gianna also died. A total of 9 people died in the crash. (Photo by Richard Koehler, contributing photographer)
Jim Altobelli , the father of Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, walks though the home dugout at OCC the day after his son died in a helicopter crash with his wife Keri Altobelli and daughter, Alyssa Altobelli, in Costa Mesa CA, on Monday, Jan 27, 2020. All three died in a helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant on Jan. 26, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A memorial sits at home plate to remember baseball coach John Altobelli in Costa Mesa CA, on Monday, Jan 27, 2020. Altobelli, his wife Keri Altobelli and their daughter, Alyssa Altobelli, all died in a helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant on Jan. 26, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Members of the Santa Ana College softball team pause to remember baseball coach John Altobelli at Pirate Park at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa CA, on Monday, Jan 27, 2020. Altobelli, his wife Keri Altobelli and their daughter, Alyssa Altobelli, all died in a helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant on Jan. 26, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A memorial sits at home plate to remember baseball coach John Altobelli in Costa Mesa CA, on Monday, Jan 27, 2020. Altobelli, his wife Keri Altobelli and their daughter, Alyssa Altobelli, all died in a helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant on Jan. 26, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jersey’s belonging to baseball coach John Altobelli’s hang at the entrance to Pirate Park at Orange Coast College as people gather to remember baseball coach John Altobelli in Costa Mesa CA, on Monday, Jan 27, 2020. Altobelli, his wife Keri Altobelli and their daughter, Alyssa Altobelli, all died in a helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant on Jan. 26, 2020. The letters “NEGU” stand for “Never Ever Give Up” (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Orange Coast College students and friends of baseball coach John Altobelli lay flowers at home plate at the Orange Coast College baseball field in Costa Mesa on Sunday, January 26, 2020. Coach Altobelli, his wife Keri and daughter Alyssa were killed in the helicopter crash that also killed former Lakers star Kobe Bryant. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Doug Bennett, director of the Orange Coast College Foundation, pauses at a home plate memorial for baseball coach John Altobelli at Pirate Park at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa CA, on Monday, Jan 27, 2020. Altobelli, his wife Keri Altobelli and their daughter, Alyssa Altobelli, all died in a helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant on Jan. 26, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Baseball trainer Chaz Kekipi wears a black strip on his cap to remember coach John Altobelli in Costa Mesa CA, on Monday, Jan 27, 2020. Altobelli, his wife Keri Altobelli and their daughter, Alyssa Altobelli, all died in a helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant on Jan. 26, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Orange Coast College baseball players Zebadiah Storie, left, Oscar Favela, center, and Enrique Morales pause at a memorial remember baseball coach John Altobelli in Costa Mesa CA, on Monday, Jan 27, 2020. Altobelli, his wife Keri Altobelli and their daughter, Alyssa Altobelli, all died in a helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant on Jan. 26, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Altobelli’s brother Tony, Orange Coast College’s sports information director, confirmed that Altobelli’s wife Keri and daughter Alyssa also were among the crash victims. Alyssa was a club basketball teammate of Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant who also was killed in the crash. The other victims have not yet been identified.
Tony Altobelli was walking around Balboa Peninsula when he got a text message that Bryant died in a helicopter crash. So he texted Orange Coast College women’s basketball coach Sammy Doucette who had been with Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy before going to OCC.
“She said it might be true,” Altobelli said. “Then her next question was, ‘Have you heard from your brother?’ and I was confused. She explained he goes on chopper rides with Kobe.”
Altobelli was unsuccessful trying to contact Pirates baseball coaches until he reached assistant coach Tim Matz.
“He could barely get a word in,” Altobelli said. “He just said, ‘They’re gone.’”
Word spread quickly among Orange Coast College players, past and present, and coaches Sunday. Many gathered at Orange Coast College’s baseball field where the Pirates are scheduled to open the 2020 season with a home game against Southwestern College on Tuesday.
A Costa Mesa Fire Department truck passed through an Orange Coast College parking lot entrance that borders the south side of the school’s baseball field. On the truck’s loudspeaker a firefighter said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Coach Alto was a friend of ours, too.”
The baseball field today at Orange Coast College where John Altobelli would have started his 28th season as head coach Tuesday. Altobelli was on the helicopter with Kobe Bryant this morning #Kobepic.twitter.com/v7CSSBj3Za
Orange Coast College athletic director Jason Kehler said it would be up to Pirates players if they will play Tuesday.
The school established an Altobelli Family Memorial Fund that can be accessed here.
Altobelli, 56 and better known as “Coach Alto” or just “Alto,” was entering his 28th season as Orange Coast College’s coach. In 2019, Altobelli was selected as the American Baseball Coaches Association’s national coach of the year following a season in which he led the Pirates to a state championship, their fifth during Altobelli’s tenure. He got his 700th career coaching win during the California community college playoffs.
A successor had not been named Sunday. Assistant coach Nate Jackson also has the title associate head coach and he was the coach who addressed the players gathered at the Pirates baseball field Sunday. They had their intrasquad game at Orange Coast College on Saturday.
“When our day was over yesterday,” La Ruffa said Sunday, “Alto mentioned that he would be flying up with Kobe tomorrow for a basketball tournament in Thousand Oaks, something they had done routinely throughout the year. We were all so happy the fall league was over and we were all bored with everything and excited about the season after Alto won another state championship last year.
“We were looking forward to Tuesday with another great group of kids. We all couldn’t wait for Tuesday to be here.”
Orange Coast College sophomore first baseman Justin Brodt said Altobelli could be tough on players but showed genuine affection toward them, too.
“He cared,” said Brodt, who was at the Orange Coast College field Sunday. “He cared about every single player in the program. Everyone in his program was family.
“He treated every player like his own son. He wanted the best for everybody involved. That’s what made him such a successful coach and such a great guy.”
We are providing free access to this article. Please consider supporting local journalism like this by purchasing a subscription.
