Poly Chooses Kennedy’s Schwal to Replace Cord as Baseball Coach

Poly High has selected Chuck Schwal of Kennedy as its baseball coach, according to two sources.

Schwal, who coached the junior varsity at Kennedy for the past four seasons, will replace Jerry Cord, who resigned after the Parrots’ loss in the City Section 4-A Division final last month.

Schwal joined the Kennedy program in 1989 when Manny Alvarado was named the Golden Cougars’ varsity coach.

“I’m sorry to lose him,” said Alvarado, an academic dean at Kennedy who said he learned of Schwal’s hiring Wednesday.

Schwal, a physical education teacher at Porter Junior High in Granada Hills, led Kennedy to North Valley League junior varsity titles the past two seasons.

Cord led Poly to three appearances in the 4-A final in his 17-year tenure.

Poly lost, 6-3, to San Pedro in the 4-A final June 3 and Cord resigned after the game for personal reasons. Poly has never won a City baseball title.

Poly Athletic Director Al Richards and Schwal could not be reached for comment.

Cord, who said he had not received the final word on his replacement, said a formal announcement is expected from Poly next week.

Poly finished 21-5 and had won 15 games in a row before falling in the City final.