Drawings Cost Coach His New Job : He Denies Sexual Interpretation on Tackling Markings

The newly named head football coach at Van Nuys’ Grant High School has been removed from that position in the wake of allegations that he drew female genitalia on tackling dummies used in spring practice, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Unified School District said.

The 34-year-old coach, Jeff Engilman, will keep his job as a physical education teacher at another school in the district, school district spokesman Bill Rivera said Wednesday.

Rivera said a district investigation of the matter could result in additional penalties for Engilman, ranging from a letter of reprimand to a three-day suspension without pay.

Teachers ‘Offended’

“Our information is that the coach created or drew on several of the dummies objects that supposedly resembled vaginas. Several of our teachers saw the drawings and reportedly were offended by them and reported them to the school administration,” Rivera said.

Grant Principal Robert Collins then removed Engilman from the head coaching position last week, Rivera said.

Engilman denied Wednesday that he had drawn genitalia on the tackling dummies. He said he had drawn lines that were to be “attack points” for blockers, and that those were misinterpreted by players’ girlfriends.

“Nothing was drawn on the bag that was sexual,” he said. “It was blown way out of proportion.”

Thought Incident Was Settled

Engilman said he thought the incident had been settled within the school, and that he had never been questioned by district officials.

“I’m quite down,” he said. “I think I’ve been tried, or pretried, without anyone talking to me.”

Engilman had been one of two head coaches at Manual Arts High School, near the Los Angeles Coliseum, for eight years before being named to the Grant High School position several months ago, Rivera said.

The transfer was not to take place officially until the fall semester, Rivera said, but Engilman was directing the football team’s spring workouts.

Transfer Halted

About a month ago, teachers at Grant received reports that Engilman had drawn vaginas on the padded, canvas-covered metal braces against which blocking is practiced, Rivera said. He said the drawings were repeated on “several” dummies.

Rivera said Engilman’s transfer was halted last week. Engilman will continue teaching at Manual Arts but will not coach there, he said.

Rodney Spencer, who is currently head coach at Manual Arts, described Engilman as a “very good” coach who won two City Division football championships in the 3-A Division.

“He’s very upset about this,” Spencer said, adding that Engilman had sought a transfer to Grant to be nearer to his home in Saugus.

Engilman, a former college linebacker, said he was not sure whether he would try to appeal the cancellation of his transfer.