SOUTHERN SECTION BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : Coach’s Ouster Leaves Players Shocked, Angry : Capistrano Valley Tries to Go On After Zamora Is Banned for Violating Rule

When Bob Zamora, Capistrano Valley High School baseball coach, was barred from any contact with his baseball team Thursday, his players and associates were shocked and angry. Zamora, they said, had been allowing his high school players to play on his semi-pro baseball team for years and had never been questioned or accused of Southern Section rule violations.

The violation of the Southern Section rule, which prevents a coach from organizing his players on an outside team, apparently happened in the winter, when three Cougar players suited up for the Lamppost Stars with Zamora one Sunday. Capistrano Valley’s season still had not started.

Tom Anthony, Capistrano Valley principal, said the Southern Section first contacted him late Tuesday afternoon. Bill Clark, a Southern Section administrator, told Anthony that another school had notified him of the rule violation and asked Anthony to research the charge.

After meeting with Zamora, Anthony drafted a letter to the Southern Section which contained the results of his research.

“We felt we were not in violation of the rule,” Anthony said. “Yes, coach had played for a semi-pro team for 23 years and some other kids played randomly. Kids from other schools participated as well. It wasn’t a real organized thing.”

Thursday, Anthony said he met for 2 1/2 hours alternately with Zamora, Clark and Stan Thomas, Southern Section commissioner.

“The CIF made some recommendations and I had my own personal recommendations,” Anthony said. “As the (Southern Section) interprets the rule, the minute a coach says they can play, he is organizing them to play.”

Anthony said he had to abide by the Southern Section’s interpretation of the rule. He decided that Zamora would not participate with his team, including the summer program the coach was to oversee this season, and would be placed on probation next season. He could have imposed a more severe penalty of not allowing the Cougars to compete in the Southern Section 2-A playoffs and forfeit all 28 games.

Anthony said he and Zamora informed the players of the coach’s ban at a 7 p.m. meeting.

“It was very difficult,” Anthony said. “(Zamora) is such a great person and does such a tremendous job here. I honestly thought we were in violation of nothing going into the meeting.”

The announcement came as a surprise.

“I think it sparked us,” said outfielder Tommy Adams after Friday’s, 4-3 win over Central Union. The Cougars donned wristbands adorned with the letter Z in support of Zamora. “I think it really pumped us up a little. But in my mind he doesn’t deserve something like that.”

Said Pitcher Brett Snyder: “They wait till we’re down here, doing well, and then they call.”

Craig Anderson, who was Zamora’s assistant and now acting coach, also voiced surprise.

“I think if we win the whole thing (2-A Southern Section title) that it might prove to some people that what happened to Bob was unfortunate--and maybe a little wrong.”