Coach Anthony Murillo is entering his second season with the Clark College Penguins. In his first year with the Penguins they went 2-11 to open the season, but down the stretch they went 19-9 earning the Penguins an NWAC play-off birth.
Coach Murillo has known the ways of winning programs throughout his career. Having participated at Centralia Community College in 1984, the Trail Blazers played for the NWAACC championship falling short both times during his two years under coach Ken Wilson. Wilson gave Murillo the stepping stone of his career by giving him a role of assisting in the recruiting process after his sophomore season. His career then took him to the Division 1 Level with Portland State University, which competed in the then Northern Pac-10 division. Murillo served as an assistant coach under legendary coaches Jack Dunn and Kelly Smith
In 1994 Murillo reunited with Kelly Smith who was hired as the Head Baseball Coach for the Lower Columbia Community College Red Devils. A true and traditional power house in the NWAACC. Under Smith, Murillo assisted in leading the Red Devils to three consecutive NWAACC Championship seasons as the number one seed. During that time, they also won the tough Western Division of the NWAACC, bringing the Pennant home for three consecutive years.
Murillo’s career took him to Oregon State University where he served under Head Coach Pat Casey, and Head Assistant Coach Dan Spencer at the D-1 level. His career then took him to accept a position with the Oakland A’s as a part-time groundskeeper and minor league coach at the famous A’s Papago Spring Training Complex. During that same year Murillo left the Oakland A’s to take on a full-time minor league coaching job with the San Diego Padres organization.
During his time with San Diego and towards the end of spring training, Murillo was involved in a career ending automobile accident. After being medically cleared to travel, Murillo was transferred to OHSU in Portland, OR for continued care and also returned to reside in Longview, WA. The accident left Murillo with severe abdominal trauma, a TBI, and continued abdominal surgeries that left him disabled for nearly 20 years. Needless to say, during this time he was also diagnosed and suffered from major chronic clinical Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). During this time, Murillo was not involved in the game at any level. As Murillo progressed through his medical recovery he was eventually able to start re-entering life again and slowly began moving forward, but not in the game where he felt he was truly and peacefully done with his career.
In 2015, Murillo attended the NW Baseball Convention assisting his friend and vendor, Mike Hebrard of Athletic Field Design. While manning the AFD booth Murillo with his back to the next vendor overheard a conversation regarding a local college baseball program actively seeking a third assistant coach. Murillo turned around and said laughingly, “I can be that guy”, and met the new Head Coach of the Clark College Penguins, Mark Magdaleno. The rest unfolded resulting in Murillo being hired as an assistant coach to help turn the program around to be a traditional competitor in not only their Southern division, but in the NWAC as a whole.
“I am grateful to Coach Magdaleno for giving me the opportunity to get back into the game at my own pace. I am also grateful to the Clark College Athletic Department for all their tremendous support. “It’s been all about taking one day at a time, and one step at a time. At this point in time, I feel we are on the right track towards reaching our goals of competing for the top spot in the NWAC Southern division, and reaching the NWAC Championship tournament”.
In addition to coaching, Murillo’s second career has seen him gain education and knowledge in renovating, upgrading, and improving fields at both the collegiate and professional level. He has also served time as a committee and board of director’s member, and as the Head Groundskeeper for various baseball related events. Murillo has previously served five years as the Assistant Head Groundskeeper for the Little League Softball World Series winning the 2012 SportsTurf Managers Association (STMA) national award for “Field of the Year” in their specific category. Murillo states, “My passion for groundskeeping doesn’t outweigh my passion for coaching. I also enjoy being a dirt dog to take a field from its current condition, and put it through a complete renovation process, upgrading the facility all while making it a safe playable surface. For me, it’s all about improving the playability of the playing surfaces with player safety at the forefront, that is the foundation of having a beautiful field”. He also states, “I cannot do this alone and give thanks to the Clark College Facilities Landscape Crew, and the help and support of his personal resources, along with the support of the community as a whole.”
“My goal is to make Kindsfather Field a facility that is safe and that has the best playing surfaces in the NWAC”. Murillo has already begun the process and it is starting to show. Murillo states, “Who knows maybe at some point in time, I can improve Clark College’s field to the condition needed for it to be a worthy applicant for the STMA “Field of the Year” award”.
Murillo is accompanied by his beautiful wife, Marilou. “Marilou has been there with me at all levels of baseball and if it wasn’t for her encouragement, understanding, and participation I would not be back in the game. I wouldn’t be me”. They share part-time custody of a Jack Russell Terrier named, Wahlter Finnegan.
