Prep column: Coaches who snooze, lose

Barry Faulkner

The outrage over last week’s CIF Southern Section Council vote to

prohibit teams from moving up in sports with enrollment-based playoffs

was as predictable as it was powerful.

But, as with most legislation that comes through the section council,

coaches and athletic administrators were negligent about bringing their

considerable expertise and clout to the discussion, before it ever came

to a vote.

As a regular attendee of section council meetings for close to a decade,

I’ve seen a handful of proposals shot down by the mere protest of an

informed and passionate coach. If this dissent comes under the umbrella

of a sport’s coaches’ advisory committee, the council nearly always takes

heed and sides with those closest to the situation: the coaches.

Yet, when the playoff fates of several schools, none affected more than

Back Bay representatives Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor, came to the

floor Thursday, not a syllable of caution came forth from coaches who

railed (correctly, I believe) about the news of its passage later that

same day.

Los Alamitos Vice Principal Jerry Halpin, as misguided as he may be, was

thorough in his presentation, which included a researched handout. Upon

introducing the proposal at the previous council meeting, Halpin rallied

initial support with a particularly effective tale of woe about last

year’s Division I baseball playoffs, in which nine schools played up,

forcing less credentialed Division I schools to play on the road, or play

a stronger first-round opponent.

I’m not about to defend the proponents’ position, but you’d be surprised

how much a few snappy graphics and the lack of a dissenting voice can

sway some council representatives. Those representatives, mostly

principals with relentless schedules and responsibilities, likely spend

about as much time pondering the unique competitive landscape of boys and

girls volleyball and boys and girls tennis, as their students spend

contemplating their retirement.

So, when principals are confronted with heartfelt conviction on a topic

of which they have no stake and, frequently, no interest, they simply

waive their voting paddles toward the direction of least resistance.

So casually do some council members take their voting responsibilities, I

actually had to remind one, during a mid-meeting break taken only moments

after the vote on a thoroughly debated issue last year, how she had

voted.

So, now, the counterattack must begin and Newport Harbor High boys and

girls volleyball coach Dan Glenn, an active member of his sport’s

coaching community, is prepared to pick up the ball.

Logistics (only one council meeting between now and the start of their

season next fall) will force girls volleyball and girls tennis to abide

by the recent ruling, at least one season.

Boys volleyball and boys tennis, however, have ample time to show the

negative impact the plan could have on their sports, as well as initiate

reform, before they play for section titles again next spring.

This was their wake-up call. And, hopefully, it will inspire

conscientious coaches in all sports -- of which the Newport-Mesa District

has in impressive supply -- not to be caught napping by the legislative

process in the years to come.

q

The Sea View League voted against moving up in playoff divisions, but the

Pacific Coast League, including CdM, voted to support it. Go figure.

q

Eric Tweit, Newport Harbor’s boys athletic director, said several months

ago, an effective counter to apprehension about selective move-ups --

We’re good this year, so we’ll play up; or we’ll move up to Division II,

but not Division I -- would be to require schools who wish to move up to

compete in the highest enrollment division for the duration of the

releaguing cycle (most often four years).

q

Glenn, as well as CdM boys tennis coach Tim Mang, recall an old section

rule which used to require schools to move up one division, if they won

back-to-back section championships. If this legislation is not modified,

CdM boys tennis figures to put together a daunting string of CIF

lower-division crowns.