Capo Valley’s Enright Resigns in Wake of Spying Controversy

Dick Enright resigned Friday as Capistrano Valley High School football coach in the wake of severe sanctions imposed on him by the Saddleback Unified School District for a breach of coaching ethics.

Enright, 53, was the central figure in spying charges brought by El Toro High School officials two weeks ago. In what he described as “an error in judgment,” Enright viewed videotape of an El Toro practice a few days before Capistrano Valley’s game against El Toro.

“I feel so bad about what has happened,” Enright said Friday. “Thursday, I felt so low that part of me wanted to go to China where they tell me a billion people don’t care about football. The other half wanted to go to church where God can forgive you. I decided to go to church. It was a lot closer.”

Enright said he was not pressured by school officials into resigning, and he added that Tom Anthony, Capistrano Valley principal, was “emphatically against my resignation.” Anthony could not be reached for comment Friday.

A Southern Section executive committee recommended to school district officials Wednesday that Enright be suspended for the remainder of the 1987 season and all of the 1988 season. It also recommended that Capistrano Valley, the No. 1-ranked team in Orange County, forfeit its 22-21 South Coast League victory over El Toro.

The Saddleback Unified School District complied with the recommendations.

Under the terms of his suspension, Enright, who said he will continue to teach physical education at Capistrano Valley, would not be allowed to have any contact with any member of the football team, on or off the field.

“That situation would have been impossible,” Enright said. “Resigning seemed like the thing to do.”

Enright conceded, however, that he is uncertain if, by resigning, he will be allowed to have contact with the team or attend Capistrano Valley football games as a spectator.

“I’d just like to go see the boys play,” Enright said. “I can just watch and not worry. From what I hear, they’re a pretty enjoyable team to watch from the stands.”

Hesitating a moment, Enright added: “But then, I enjoyed worrying about them.”

Friday evening, Enright said he decided not to attend Capistrano Valley’s game against Mission Viejo, although he was unclear whether he would have been allowed to go.

“I don’t want to jeopardize the team by anything I do,” he said. “I only live a couple of blocks from the field, but I think it’s best that I stay home tonight.”

Enright was hired at Capistrano Valley in 1980, and he had posted a 66-23-3 record since then. His team won the Central Conference championship in 1980.

Enright had played professionally for the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams before coaching at Gardena High in Los Angeles County and the University of Oregon.

Asked if he thinks he will eventually return to coaching, Enright said he wasn’t sure.

“I haven’t even thought that far ahead,” he said. “Right now, I’m trying to remember all the good times I’ve had in football, all the good people I’ve met and things that football has made possible for me. I’m sure I’ll wake up someday soon and have a big itch to get back.”