CIF governance: CIF Southern Section being sued

Barry Faulkner

LONG BEACH - A lawsuit challenging the CIF Southern Section’s

controversial “association rule,” which prohibits high school coaches

from instructing their own players on non-school teams outside of a

section-imposed season-of-sport time frame, was filed in July, section

commissioner Jim Staunton announced at Thursday’s section council meeting

at The Grand.

“We are now being sued on our association rule,” Staunton told the

section’s legislative body, consisting of league and at-large

representatives. “Our original intent, after being contacted by (the

party bringing the suit) was to come back to this body and see if we

could modify or change our rules. But, now, I’m waiting to talk to our

legal counsel on how to proceed.”

Staunton said Barry Snyder, a Santa Barbara attorney who reportedly

has a child competing in a Southern Section water polo program, is

handling the suit, in association with what Staunton identified as USA

Water Polo’s Olympic development program.

“We are going to support our rules and we will vigorously support

them,” said Staunton, who cited previous legislation that, he contends,

places Olympic athletes under CIF governance. “There are some strong

feelings on both sides of this.”

The association rule, unique to the Southern Section and implemented

to prevent year-round high school programs, has long been criticized by

coaches in several sports, most notably volleyball, soccer and water

polo.

“I don’t believe it’s right that coaches in other parts of the state

can coach their kids year-round and we’re the only section that can’t.”

Newport Harbor High boys and girls and former U.S. men’s national water

polo coach Bill Barnett said. “And, No. 2, it’s taking money away from

water polo coaches by denying them the chance to work out of season.

Third, what do you do in small communities like Big Bear or Mammoth,

where the only person with expertise in the sport is the high school

coach, who is not allowed to work with kids in that community?”

Barnett also said athletes who receive top coaching all year have an

advantage over those in the Southern Section when it comes to earning

college athletic scholarships.

Southern Section coaches, including those at four Newport-Mesa Unified

high schools, have been forced to choose to coach either club or high

school teams, if players on their club teams attended the schools at

which they coached.

“It carries over to all the sports to a certain degree,” Barnett said.

Neither Snyder, nor Rich Foster, president of USA Water Polo, who is

out of town, could be reached Thursday.

CIF General Council Diane Marshall-Freeman was also unavailable for

comment.

In other council news:

Orange County league representatives voted unanimously to approve the

county principals’ releaguing proposal, making official what will become

new alliances for Newport-Mesa schools for a four-year term, beginning

the fall of 2002.

Costa Mesa and Estancia will shift to the Golden West League, joining

Ocean View, Orange, Saddleback, Santa Ana and Westminster.

Newport will remain in the Sea View League, which will also include

Aliso Niguel, Foothill, Irvine, Laguna Hills and Woodbridge.

Corona del Mar will remain in the Pacific Coast League, which will

also consist of Calvary Chapel, Laguna Beach, Northwood, Tesoro,

University and Tustin-based Beckman, scheduled to open the fall of 2003.

Sage Hill will compete in the Academy League with Brethren Christian,

Capistrano Valley Christian, Oxford Academy, St. Margaret’s and Whitney.

The council voted to instruct its delegates at the Oct. 26 State

Federated Council meeting to support a proposal that would make an

athlete guilty of falsifying eligibility information ineligible for 24

months, double the current penalty.

A proposal that would allow all baseball teams to play 30 games, with

each game, including tournaments, counting as one game, was introduced by

the Suburban League. It is now scheduled to be voted on at the next

Southern Section Council meeting, Jan. 24.