City Section golf coaches criticize reduction in teams and individuals for championship

With less than a week before the City Section girls’ golf championship takes place, coaches are expressing displeasure over a decision announced Monday by Commissioner John Aguirre to cut the number of individual participants from 44 to 26 and limit only two teams, Granada Hills and North Hollywood, to compete for the team title.

There are rules in the City Section Gold Book that require teams and individuals to average a specific score over the course of the regular season to qualify, but they have been used only as guidelines in the past. Now Aguirre is enforcing them, and several coaches believe that is not warranted even though the standard was averaging at least 15-over-par for nine holes.

“Why not give them a reward?” Granada Hills Coach Steve Thompson said, referring to the girls who have been trying to improve over the course of the season. “That’s what athletics is about.”

Gary Ino, the coach at LACES whose team won a league title but isn’t being allowed to participate, said in an email to Aguirre, “Golf is like any other sport where on any one day any given individual or team can beat another individual or team. . . .The reason for your decision is very arbitrary. High school sports builds character and teaches perseverance and resiliency. Golf, in particular, is a sport based on character-building values.”

James Paleno, the coach at Palisades, said in an email, “This is grossly unfair and goes against what we consistently hear about, ‘Growing the game of golf.’”

The reductions come at a time when the City Section has increased the number of divisions and participants for its basketball and soccer playoffs.

The girls’ golf finals are scheduled for Monday at Balboa Golf Course.

The boys’ finals next spring also will see a reduction in participants from 80 in past years.

There’s already a movement by coaches to appeal the decision and change the Gold Book rules, but unless Aguirre changes his mind, that’s not going to help the girls or boys teams and players this season.

Aguirre, in a response to the criticism, said in an email, “One of my responsibilities as the commissioner of the CIF Los Angeles City Section is to have knowledge of rules, sound judgment to interpret the spirit of the rule, and the ability to apply the rules appropriately and consistently.

” The girls golf discussion centers on a championship event with qualifying criteria as dictated by Section Bylaw 2005-4 in the Gold Book. I should acknowledge that the criteria was designed by and proposed to the section by the coaches of the sport. With the understanding that no sport has the arbitrary ability to admit teams or individuals into the playoffs or championships I approach my responsibility of enforcement with caution for fairness, equity, and legal requirements.

“I take exception to the accusation of not treating students (schools) with dignity and respect as this assertion does not reflect the motives or actions of the section Office. Increased opportunity to participate in education based athletic programs is not only a priority but has been accomplished by continual expansion of schools, teams, divisions, and championship opportunities in all sports.

” Playoff and championships are based on competitive opportunities that the students and coach are able to participate by achieving goals and a higher standards of competition. It is a privilege to participate in high school athletics (founding principle of the CIF) and especially in playoffs and championships, as those events are set aside for the teams and individuals that have displayed a body of work which meet the set standards and qualifications for post season participation.

“If the criteria is followed, the set number of participants in girls and goys golf is set by their performance with a cap of a total allowed and not a predetermined number. It should also be understood that there is a process for change within the section that would accommodate the need for reconsideration by our governing board of managers should the sport advisory wish to address this concern with action for the 2015-16 year.

“I do not believe that non-compliance or the lack of administrative oversight should be the driving determinant for continuing a wrongful practice for the determination of students in a championship. This may be a culture change for some, but the rest of the interscholastic athletic world is playing by the same rules.”

Twitter:@LATSondheimer