FELTON >> San Lorenzo Valley High’s boys basketball program underwent a head coaching change in the offseason, as leadership for the varsity team switched hands from one doctor to another.

Dr. Bill Ciancio, a retired dentist and educator in his late 70s, replaced Dr. Daryl Nounnan at the helm after Nounnan headed the program the past two seasons.

Ciancio has aspirations of making the Cougars relevant again, not just in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League, but at the section-wide level. More than that, he wants to develop teenage boys into quality young men.He said he applied for several coaching positions throughout the county, and is excited to commute from Aptos to Felton with the intention of building a winner.

“I applied to several schools, but this was the job that was the most exciting,” Ciancio said. “I was honored to be accepted at SLV. They have treated me like royalty over there. I really feel comfortable there.”

Ciancio has a wealth of basketball coaching experience. He was a men’s assistant coach at NCAA Division I UC Santa Barbara (1985-87) and head coach at NAIA program Eastern Oregon University (1987-90). He has also coached boys varsity programs at Murrieta Valley (1990-93), Rancho Verde (1993-99), and La Quinta (1999-2004).

In all, he’s coached at a dozen programs, which included stints in New Mexico and Hawaii.

Most recently, he coached at Aptos, where he was boys lacrosse head coach for two seasons, and a varsity football assistant and junior-varsity basketball coach (2018-23).

“Bill is organized and knowledgeable about what it takes to be a successful head coach and build a winning program,” said Chris Coulson, the Cougars’ athletics director. “What really stuck out is, as excited as Bill is about the sport of basketball, he is even more excited about the opportunity to teach character building lessons and habits that lead to success in sports and beyond.”

Ciancio, who had two children and three grandchildren, said his players are his family and that he’ll treat them as such. He said he’s honest and transparent with his athletes.

“I get rewards from the kids being successful,” he said. “These kids are transitioning from middle school, preparing to go to college. In a four-year period, they’re learning to be adults and what it’s going to take to be successful in life. I give them the formula.”

The youth-laden Cougars (12-14, 1-9) tied Harbor for last place in league last season, but qualified for the Central Coast Section Division IV playoffs. Moreover, they won their first round game.

Ciancio is expected to return as many as nine players, including four multi-sport student-athletes currently competing on the school’s unbeaten football team: Dom Aguilar, Jack Dagan, James Dahlen, and Haden Woolworth.

If the Cougars qualify for the CCS playoffs in football, it will likely hurt the basketball team’s success early on. Ciancio expects the team should be an improved product in the second half of the season.

“I’m a playoffs type coach,” Ciancio said. “As we roll this season, I build for the playoffs. League is important, I enjoy winning, too, but how you do in the playoffs is what really matters. If the players play my game plan, we’ll do well. It’s not tough, if the our kids play the game plan. If everyone does their job, the players will be successful.”

Ciancio knows it won’t be an overnight transformation. Still, he’s excited to play a part in their growth, both on and off the court.