CHINO HILLS — Ayala High School has established a legacy of success in various sports since opening 35 years ago.

But that legacy has taken a hit in recent months as coaches, athletic administrators, parents and athletes became unhappy with the current state of the athletic department.

“I’ve always been able, as a special ed teacher, to work with all the principals,” athletic director Warren Reed said. “I’ve always felt it was a strength of mine.”

But like many Ayala coaches recently, Reed last month announced he was stepping down after 13 years as athletic director, effective at the end of the school year.

The common denominator is Principal Diana Yarboi.

Vocal community members supporting Reed and departed coaches are expected at tonight’s Chino Valley Unified School District board meeting.

Ayala parents and athletes held a protest directed at Yarboi outside the school on May 23. About 60 parents and athletes gathered, many of them holding signs either supporting Reed or a coach, or denouncing Yarboi.

“She’s had a negative impact on football, specifically,” said Blake Frausto, who will be a senior football player in the fall. “I’ve seen multiple kids transfer. Mr. Reed had nothing to do with this. It’s all Yarboi.”

At issue with football is the hiring of new football coach Terrance Smith as an off-campus coach.

Smith was hired with the support of many in the program, then fired by Yarboi, which Reed said was without his knowledge. Reed said the firing was due to some concerns about his ability to run a program before he had coached a game, as well as an error in the initial job listing that said the job was for the 2024-25 school year and not 2025-26.

He was eventually rehired but many felt there was damage done.

“Ultimately it was her decision,” Reed said. “Me not knowing ahead of time was a slap in the face.”

Girls water polo coach Kevin Hammond was encouraged to resign to save his team’s spot in the CIF Southern Section playoffs after allegations he played too many lower-level players in varsity games. Reed and parents said Yarboi told them that Hammond — who also coached boys water polo — did nothing wrong and she would consider him if he reapplied. He reapplied but the position has not yet been filled.

“It’s not just affected water polo, it’s affected all sports,” said Nandar Mulqueen, who is the water polo booster club president and mother of recently graduated boys water polo and current girls water polo athletes. “All the coaches are at a low morale with Mr. Reed leaving. I feel like there’s no transparency with the district and administration.”

Tony DiMarco resigned recently as cross country and track coach. As did co-track coach Jeff Allen, along with assistant coaches.

DiMarco had been running timing for league track meets for years off-campus and getting paid by schools in the league to do so with no complaints. When concerns were brought to his attention, he said he offered to let the money go back into the program and not to be paid at all. Instead, he was told he could not do timing for events anymore and the alternative to run the timing was going to cost about three times as much as DiMarco was charging.

“Really it (resignation) came down to the support that wasn’t there from the principal anymore,” said DiMarco, who teaches in another district. “There’s always parents complaining about something. But in the end, little things started coming up. You get to the point where enough is enough.”

CVUSD received letters of support for Reed from outside the district, including from Charter Oak athletic director Dominic Farrar.

“On behalf of countless coaches, student-athletes, and fellow administrators who have benefitted from Warren Reed’s example, I respectfully ask this Board to examine the broader implications of his departure. We should be doing everything in our power to retain leaders like Warren, not creating conditions that drive them away,” Farrar wrote in the letter.

Yarboi did not respond to emails seeking comment, but CVUSD spokesperson Andrea Johnston did.

“While CVUSD leadership respects staff’s personal sentiments and assessments regarding their supervisors and campus operations, school site administrators are tasked with upholding and applying local, state, and federal guidelines and protocols related to programs hosted on their campuses,” she wrote. “While school leaders’ decisions may not always be popular, they are made in the best interest of the students to ensure they qualify for competition while safely enjoying their sports.”

Reed said he would consider returning to his position if there was a “change in the principal position. ... It’s sad why some of these coaches are feeling like they are not being supported.”