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The Paul & Jan Gannatal Athletics Endowment

Established in 2006, the Paul and Jan Gannatal Athletics Endowment is an endowment within the Ventura College Foundation benefitting VC Pirate Athletics. The goal of the endowment is to provide permanent fundraising for Pirate Athletics through income generated from the Fund. Each donation to the endowment will remain invested permanently, generating interest income for future Pirates, helping to supplement annual fundraising efforts by Pirate administrators, coaches and student athletes.

To donate, fill out the form on the right of this page and select "Gannatal Athletics Endowment" as the recipient of your donation or you can go the the VC Foundation Athletics Donation Page and complete the same form.

To donate using your mobile phone, text "WePlayHard" to 41444, follow the linked instructions and select "Gannatal Athletics Endowment" as the recipient of your donation.

For more information on the Paul and Jan Athletics Endowment, please call VC Athletic Director Jimmy Walker at 805-289-6423 or email him at jwalker1@vcccd.edu.

Coach Paul Gannatal became a VC Pirate in 1954 as head football and baseball coach. Of his 14 years coaching baseball, 1960 was his best. In that season, the Pirates logged in 23-2 record and took the WSC championship—VC’s first ever.

Gannatal coached golf from 1969-74 and guided the Pirates to three WSC championships and a ninth ranking in the state in 1970.  He also served as assistant track coach from 1975-76.

He will be remembered as more than a coach; Gannatal began our weight lifting program in 1957 and introduced our first running and conditioning classes at VC.  

The athletes he coached include an all-American football player, three high school sports coaches, George Ragsdale – head football coach at Moorpark College and several pro golfers.

Among the young people he helped through school were his own four children—all VC grads and successful athletes.

Prior to VC, Gannatal played football at University of Michigan, graduating with academic honors in 1942.  He served in the Navy as an officer during WWII in China and was in the reserves until retirement in 1974.  Paul earned his Master’s at Stanford in 1949 where he was assistant coach for the football team. He met his wife-to-be, Janet, in 1949 while he was teaching and coaching at Coalinga Junior College.

In 2006, the Gannatal’s started the Paul and Jan Gannatal Athletic Endowment at VC to benefit the Athletic Department.  This fund now holds over $65,000.

For his life-long commitment to student athletes and his legacy of support for the Ventura College Athletic program, we offer this grateful tribute to Coach Paul Gannatal posthumously.