 While in high school, Trakh coached junior high and youth basketball.Trakh was boys' sophomore head coach for Western High School in Anaheim in the 1979–80 season before becoming girls' varsity head coach at Brea Olinda High School, a position he would hold from 1980 to 1993.Inheriting a program that won only four games in the previous two seasons, Trakh had a 354–45 overall record with four state titles (1989, 1991–93).