Council’s Individualists See No Profit in ‘Team-Building’

The pamphlet invited Hermosa Beach city councilmen to “improve their working relationships . . . while still respecting the integrity of honest differences in opinions, principles and policies.”

It was called “team building,” and it was the fervent wish of City Manager Greg Meyer that the five councilmen would set aside the bickering characteristic of recent meetings and join him and the city attorney for the three-day seminar, set up by the League of California Cities. Perhaps, Meyer reasoned, the tranquil environment of Lake Tahoe would enhance cooperation.

Councilman Tony DeBellis made the motion to attend, as he put it, “so we can all grow up.” From there, the motion was discussed, dissected, disputed and clarified, before the debate deteriorated into a squabble between Mayor George Barks and Councilman Jack Wood.

A typical Barks-Wood exchange occurred when the mayor interrupted Wood’s comments by saying Wood had not been “recognized” by the chair. Wood responded, “I’m the fat guy at the end.”

Wood said he could not see any use in allocating $2,800 plus air fare from city funds for “team building.”

“I’ve never thought of the City Council as a team,” Wood told the panel. “As far as this ongoing battle between George and myself, I could stop that any day. I just don’t want to.”

His comments appeared to anger other council members, who said the seminar wouldn’t resolve anything without support from all members. The motion was defeated.

“I think we have proven that we need help in working together as a body,” Councilman John Cioffi said of the defunct team-building effort. Individual council members could benefit from a higher tolerance of each other’s differing political and personal styles, he said.

“We don’t have to love each other or even have a high degree of respect for each other or our opinions or morals or anything else, but while we’re up there we have a responsibility to the public,” Cioffi said.

Mayor Barks said he agrees that the seminar could help council members understand individual roles and work better together, even if they still disagree. He has spoken to council members from other cities about the conference and not one has said it was a waste of time, he said.

Meanwhile, Wood says strong leadership, not team building is what’s needed.

“I don’t think there are any successful organizations that are run by a team,” he said. “If team building is what the council wants to spend their money on, that’s fine. I will always oppose this kind of foolishness.”

As for City Manager Meyer, he has to look no farther than Carson to come up with at least one possible bright spot in the demise of his team-building dream. After Carson held a similar retreat late last year, the previously bickering Carson “team” coalesced enough to fire its city manager.

36 Girls Move as 1; It’s Routine

“Attention!” the captain shouted. A whistle blew and the line sprang into motion. “ . . . five, six, seven eight . . . left, left, left . . . “ All at once the line came to a stomp. Not a stop, a stomp. That is how every good drill team comes to a halt--loud, clear, and all at exactly the same time.

It’s the after-school practice of the Wilmington Junior High School drill team. The 36 girls, all 13 and 14 years old, practice like this twice every school day, going through precision drill routines with the same expertise expected of boot camp recruits.

It’s not all work, though. This practice also had the giggles and cheerful clamor found with any group of teen-age girls.

The Wilmington Warriors are among the top precision military drill teams in the state, having won 15 competitions this year. In past years they have won the National Junior Miss Drill Team competition, the state title and, four times consecutively, the Los Angeles City championships.

“I think they’re a great bunch of kids working their hardest to be the best they can,” said Judy Gonzales, who has coached the team for six years.

Working on a dance routine to the theme song from “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” the group went into an intricate routine of steps, Rockette kicks and arm movements.

“You have three things to do on count nine,” Gonzales yelled across the gym. “Head back, arm out and toes up. . . . Now let’s try it again.”

The girls went through it again. And again. And again. After completing a movement, one teen-ager found herself out of sync with the other girls. Almost immediately she cast a cautious look toward Gonzales. “Whew! I didn’t get caught that time,” the look seemed to say.

“I’m never going to get this,” another teen-ager moaned after repeatedly trying to master the turn and kick movement.

Gonzales said the girls realize that winning is serious business, and they have to be ready to work to be part of the winning team. Each year about 250 try out for the drill team. Those selected must devote themselves to drill team class and an hour of after-school practice every day. Not to mention the Saturdays spent at competitions. During the summer the girls practice three or four hours a day, twice a week.

They work together, from helping plan routines to seeing that their partners standing next to them, or other girls down the line, are in step with everyone else.

“Sometimes we don’t get first place, but we just work harder,” said Stephanie Hopkins, one of the drill team captains. “We always strive for the best.”

How many times do you practice a routine?

“Until Ms. Gonzales is satisfied,” said one girl. Another quoted what has become one of the two verbal prods Gonzales uses during practice: “We’re not going to take out the move, we’ll take you out.”

Since only 16 or 20 of the girls perform at the same time, each knows she has to work hard to participate. And Gonzales said it keeps everyone from getting lazy.

“It’s definitely not a democracy,” she said. “I found that the better you get, the more the girls want to win, the easier it is.”

There is one other command the girls remember during their practice sessions: “Shape up or ship out.”