The Preps / Scott Howard-Cooper : Assembly Bill Would Have C-Average, No-Fail Rule Enforced Statewide

In the nearly three years since it has been implemented, the controversial C-average, no-fail eligibility rule in the Los Angeles Unified School District has been a sore spot among the majority of City coaches. It’s not the 2.0 standard most disagree with, just the notion that one classroom slip-up will bench the athlete.

“The rule should be amended to where you have to have a C average with no more than one fail,” Granada Hills Kennedy football Coach John Haynes suggested recently. “It discourages the athletes from taking college-prep classes. A kid thinks twice about taking chemistry or an advanced math class if he’ll be ineligible.”

Or, as another coach said more vehemently: “It is the most obscene rule I’ve ever seen in my life.”

But in Sacramento, Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) introduced a bill of major importance for athletes and coaches last week that, if passed, would require every district in the state to have the same minimum academic standards for students involved in extracurricular activities.

According to Dotson Wilson, an assistant to Brown, AB2613 could go into effect 90 days after becoming law and each district must have it implemented by Dec. 1. He would not speculate on the chances of it being passed, saying only that “if the success of the L.A. policy is any indication, the support should be fairly strong for this legislation. “We looked at a number of policies around the country,” he continued. “The one in Texas is the most noteworthy state policy in effect. There are policies back East that were also close to L.A., except that some required just a C average and some said no F’s. The L.A. policy is a combination of both.”

And so will the one for the entire state, if passed without amendment.

As it stands, grade standards for competing in sports is done on a district-by-district basis. Most have some kind of minimum requirements--one from the California Interscholastic Federation stating that a student must pass at least four classes is perhaps the most common--but then there is the case of the Orange County administrator who said of his district in 1984: “I think the faculty would be in favor of more stringent rules because, as it is right now, if you’re breathing, you’re eligible.”

Prevent defense: Just to make sure things don’t get out of hand with football recruiting at Long Beach Poly, co-coaches Jerry Jaso and Thomas Whiting have each college coach make an appointment before they can meet with a prospect and have already brought in a lawyer from the NCAA to explain what is allowed and what is not from the colleges.

“It hasn’t been as crazy as in the past, when we weren’t that knowledgeable and recruiters were more apt to break the rules,” Whiting said.

But that doesn’t mean things aren’t busy. The Jackrabbits, co-champions of the Big Five Conference, will send at least five players and as many as eight or nine to Division I schools, most coming from a defense that did not allow a touchdown until the final regular-season game.

The top three, safety Mark Carrier, lineman Stacey Elliot and linebacker Brian Tuliau, are all looking at USC, UCLA and Arizona State, among others. Carrier has also made Penn State one of his finalists, one reason being that he has relatives in Harrisburg, Pa.

There is a chance that one of Poly’s offensive stars, wide receiver Chris Roscoe, will wait until April in hopes of getting a scholarship for basketball and playing both sports in college.

Defensive lineman Dennis Brown of Long Beach Jordan took a recruiting trip to Oklahoma last weekend, leaving him only one more visit, to Nevada Las Vegas, before announcing his decision.

That is earlier than most, but Brown, a top prospect, can also start college earlier since he is expected to graduate from high school in less than two weeks. Then, he will have the big advantage of practicing with his new team months before other freshman, as if he was a returning lettermen or junior college transfer.

“A lot of recruiters have said if he goes through spring football, he could start for them when the season starts,” Jordan Coach Mike Ono said.

In addition to Oklahoma and UNLV, Brown is also considering USC, Colorado and Washington.

High-scoring Bell will meet a Belmont team known for defense for the City soccer championship Thursday night at 7:30 at Bell. Kennedy will play San Pedro earlier that day in the third-place game.

Bell, the top-seeded team with a 12-1-2 record, is led by Waldir Guerra, who set a City record with 47 goals this season. He scored all three of the Eagle goals in last week’s semifinal victory over San Pedro.

Belmont, coached by Ron Melin, is 14-1-2 with 13 shutouts, including all three playoff games.

Prep Notes It’ll be No. 1 against No. 3 in City basketball Wednesday afternoon when Crenshaw plays host to Palisades. The Dolphins were ranked second before losing to Westchester last Friday. . . . Hamilton meets Reseda in a 4:30 p.m. prelude to the Clippers and Lakers at the Sports Arena Friday. The junior varsity game will begin at 3. Next Monday, Jefferson and Los Angeles will play before the Clippers’ game with the New Jersey Nets. . . . Running back Tony VanZant, the Parade magazine Player of the Year in football, announced last week he will play for Missouri. . . . Fourteen scholar-athletes from 10 area schools will be honored Feb. 6 by the Los Angeles chapter of the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame. Steve Garvey will be the keynote speaker, Ron Masak the emcee and Jayne Kennedy will present the awards. For more information call (213) 827-8510.

Times’ Top 10

SOUTHERN SECTION Through Jan. 20 No. School, League Record

1. Mater Dei, Angelus 18-0

2. Capistrano Valley, South Coast 17-2

3. Santa Monica, Bay 12-3

4. Muir, Pacific 16-2

5. HH Wilson, Sierra 16-2

6. Serra, Camino Real 12-4

7. Simi Valley, Marmonte 17-1

8. Ocean View, Sunset 13-4

9. Culver City, Ocean 16-2

10. Riverside North, Ivy 15-1

CITY No. School, LeagueRecord

1. Crenshaw, Central 11-2

2. Carson, Marine 11-4

3. Palisades, Central 12-2

4. Fairfax, Valley 11-4

5. Fremont, Central 11-3

6. Westchester, Central 10-4

7. Manual Arts, Marine 10-3

8. Cleveland, Valley 8-5

9. Dorsey, Central 9-5

10. Kennedy, Valley 9-4