Prep Review / Ann Killion : Reaction Is Positive After Council Votes to Comply With Soccer Rule

Orange County soccer coaches and Southern Section Commissioner Stan Thomas reacted with relief to Thursday’s Southern Section Council vote to overturn a section rule governing soccer teams that was in conflict with a state rule.

The vote by the council, made up of one representative from each of the section’s leagues, overturned Southern Section rule 2712.1.

The rule allowed members of school soccer teams to compete on outside teams during the off-season, but with a restriction: No more than five players from a school’s team could play on the same outside team.

This rule was at odds with CIF rule 600, which exempts the sport of soccer from restrictions on how many players from the same team can compete together in the off-season.

“I’m very pleased. . . . The rule (2712.1) should never have been passed,” said Manny Toledo, Brea-Olinda High School boys’ varsity soccer coach and a staunch opponent of the Southern Section rule, which was at the center of a three-year controversy.

Thomas said he was relieved that the conflict between the state and the section appears to be resolved.

“I feel fortunate that this issue is behind us,” Thomas said.

“The Southern Section rule was going to create--without any doubt--a conflict between high school and community soccer programs,” Toledo said. “And that would be doomsday for high school soccer. If, for example, eight of my players decided to play for the same club, I could lose them from my program.”

Rule 2712.1 was challenged by the Brea Soccer Assn. last July. The association appealed to CIF Commissioner Tom Byrnes, who issued a temporary stay against the rule.

In September, the CIF Federated Council repealed rule 2712.1.

Since then, the Southern Section has tried to mount a challenge to the CIF ruling. The section council’s choices were: Take legal action against the CIF, seeking a change in state rule 600; rewrite the rule and submit it to the state body for consideration, or comply with the rule.

Finally, on Thursday, the council voted, 29-25, to accept the rule.

“The issue is now dead,” Thomas said, speaking Saturday at the state basketball championship in Oakland. “My personal opinion is that kids should be able to do what they want outside the season of sport. It should be the kids’ choice.”

Toledo was surprised at the vote, because previous Southern Section votes had heavily favored rule 2712.1.

He believes the switch occurred because council members were tired of battling the state and also because they were better-informed about the rule.

“All the letters we sent out had a lot to do with it,” Toledo said. “They knew more what the rule was all about.”

Thomas said many Southern Section principals had favored rule 2712.1 because they wanted students to diversify their activities.

“Some don’t like the idea of kids playing soccer all year,” Thomas said. “But I think (the rule) really hurt kids who live in outlying areas.”

Both Toledo and Thomas expect other team sports with similar restrictions--specifically baseball, basketball, volleyball and water polo--to follow soccer’s lead and challenge the Southern Section.

“I expect to see interested parties in other team sports to come forward to the next council meeting,” Thomas said.

Toledo said: “They will wonder, ‘If soccer can have it, why can’t we?’ I don’t see how they can lose.”

Trials and tribulations--The soccer issue is just one of many controversies Thomas has faced as Southern Section commissioner. In this, his second year as commissioner, Thomas has had his hands full.

The issues he has dealt with include: the Capistrano Valley High School football controversy, which resulted in head coach Dick Enright’s resignation; the Muir basketball incident, when Muir was ordered out of the basketball playoffs and then reinstated after it filed a $32 million suit against the section; and the charges of illegal recruiting against Mater Dei, which resulted in Mater Dei being placed on probation for a year.

And, just Friday, Royal of Simi accepted recommendations by the Southern Section to suspend the principal and athletic director and place the school on a two-year probation for the use of an ineligible soccer player.

‘It’s been a very difficult year,” Thomas said. “It seems that schools that are dues-paying members of our section no longer will accept recommendations by our governing body. I’m hoping to have a smooth spring.”

Add Thomas--The commissioner’s thoughts on the state basketball tournament: “I like the state tournament because it showcases the best teams from throughout the state and has a settling effect. But I don’t like the expenses involved, the lengthening of the season by two weeks and the instructional time that students miss by participating in the regionals and state final.”

Bred to be a controversy--Orange County sports fans have been hearing about Todd Marinovich long enough to no longer be fazed by the stories of the Capistrano Valley quarterback’s rigorous training program, overseen by his father Marv Marinovich. But not so for the rest of the country.

Sports Illustrated reader reaction--expressed in the letters section of the March 21 issue--to the Feb. 22 article “Bred to Be a Superstar,” which detailed Todd’s high school career and its culmination in his signing with USC, was unanimously negative.

Mark J. Riley of Chicago wrote: “Are we talking about a father and a son, or a trainer and a 3-year-old at Churchill Downs? What happens if Todd ruins a knee?”

Bob Welch of Bellevue, Wash. wrote: “. . . But should he (Todd) not become the best quarterback ever to throw the ball . . . I hope Marv won’t see him as a failed laboratory experiment. Instead, I hope he’s big enough to say, ‘I’m proud of you anyway, son.’ And perhaps take him out for just one Big Mac.”

And Jim Quirk of Rumson, N.J. added: “. . . It’s too bad there are washed up ‘marginal pros’ like Marv Marinovich who appear to be basking, at the expense of a child, in a glory they never attained.”

Todd, who has faced more criticism and analysis during his high school career than most college quarterbacks, said he didn’t notice the letters when he looked at the issue but didn’t seem bothered at learning of them.

“I don’t think people writing know the whole situation and can’t really base an opinion on one thing they read,” he said. “I thought the article was a fair representation.”

But Todd did agree with one reader’s comment. Ed White of Grayslake, Ill., expressed the “sorrow” he felt for Todd and wrote: “My advice to Todd is this: Have some fun in college; it’s your last shelter from the real world.”

Todd said he’s planning to have fun at USC.

“Oh yeah, I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

Canyon junior Allison Franke had a stellar performance this weekend in two track meets. On Friday, at the Katella relays, Franke had three first-place finishes, including a personal best in the discus of 139 feet 10 1/2 inches. That mark easily broke her previous personal best--138 feet 6 inches--which was the winning mark in last year’s state meet.

Franke’s other first-place marks Friday were in the triple jump (36-6 3/4, one inch off her personal best) and the long jump, which she rarely competes in, with a personal best of 16-6.

On Saturday, Franke again had three first-place finishes, in the Brea-Olinda Relays. She won the 100-meter low hurdles (15.4 seconds), the triple jump (35-6) and the discus (117-11).

“It was the finest performance of any Canyon (track) athlete ever during the regular season,” said Mike Sayward, the Canyon varsity girls’ track coach, who has been at the school for 13 years.

Last year, as a sophomore, Franke placed fourth in the state meet in the discus, in addition to winning the discus at the Southern Section master’s meet and the 4-A championship meet. A starter on the volleyball and basketball teams, Franke has competed in track for only two years.

Prep Notes

Adam Keefe, Woodbridge’s 6-9 center, finished his prep career with 2,212 points, placing him 11th on the state’s all-time scoring list. Keefe scored 31 and 34 points in two Southern California Regional playoff games and finished one point behind Joe Hillman of Hoover (1982-84) and Nomo Williams of Sacramento River City (1983-85) with 2,213 points. . . . Capistrano Valley’s boys’ basketball team finished sixth in the Division I rankings by Cal-Hi Sports of Sacramento. The Brea-Olinda girls’ team finished second in the Division II rankings by the same publication.