Shrine Game Duties Split Family Ties

It’s hard to believe an athletic trainer would ever have bad dreams that were occupationally related. After all, what’s the worst that could happen? In no particular order, running out of ice, ankle tape, elbow pads, water bottles and arm slings.

The slings of outrageous fortune, however, do occasionally affect trainers. Imagine a worst-case scenario: Trainer watches from the sideline as his son--a starting lineman for the team dad works for--blows out a knee and writhes on the field in pain, his season or career in jeopardy. The player looks up and sees dad, who stands there looking whiter than a freshly wrapped ankle, blinking down at him.

What could be worse? Consider what would happen if the player was injured, but dad was the trainer for the other team. Does dad hold his ground, or throw occupational loyalty and his black bag to the wind and race to his son’s side?

“That’s a tough question,” said Larry Cummings, the trainer for the North team in tonight’s Shrine all-star game at the Rose Bowl at 6:30. “You hope nothing happens, but if it does, I’d try to get ahold of myself and maintain. I’d be there with my fingers crossed hoping it’s just a momentary thing.”

Cummings could conceivably find himself dealing with scenario No. 2: His son, Kyle is the starting center for the South team.

For the last two seasons at Crespi High, the pair worked together, Kyle as a player and Larry as the trainer and defensive line coach. When the 5-foot-11, 240-pound Kyle was slowed by a series of nagging injuries last year, dad was there to minister to the muscles. Tonight, for the first time, the two will be on opposite sides of the field.

“We laughed a little about it,” Kyle said. “I’m used to him taking care of me, yelling at me and pointing out what I’m doing wrong. It’ll be different.”

The elder Cummings, 44, owns Larry R. Cummings Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine, which has offices in Woodland Hills and Agoura Hills. He served as trainer for last season’s Shrine game when Crespi’s Bill Redell was a co-coach, and after the game, volunteered to help this year.

“At the time, we had no idea Kyle would be chosen to play,” said Paulette Cummings, Kyle’s mother. “Larry figured that since the North team was practicing at Northridge, which was practically in his own back yard, helping out would be no problem.”

Larry, who played at Birmingham High, Pierce College and Valley State--now Cal State Northridge--has worked as a trainer in all sports and as defensive line coach at Crespi since 1982. He also worked as an assistant and trainer with the victorious West team in the Daily News All-Star Game last Friday.

Despite his professional background, he said it has been hard to remain objective as he watches North workouts, conducted for the past two weeks at Northridge. The defensive line coach especially has been impressed with the play of North’s Estevan Avila, a 6-3, 240-pound Stanford-bound nose guard from Analy High in Sebastopol.

Three guesses who Avila will be trying to behead?

“He’s a great kid, with good speed, great moves and all the tools,” Larry said of Avila. “I stood out there watching him trying to figure out in my mind how Kyle would do against him.”

Even if Kyle wrestles Avila to a standoff, Kyle said he figures his dad won’t be able to stand there impassively.

“I’ll be listening for his voice,” Kyle said. “I’m used to hearing it. I hear it everywhere. On the field. At home. In the garage. . . I’m sure he won’t be quiet while he’s out there.”

And what happens if Kyle--who had dad’s shoulder to lean on when he was being helped off the field with a severely sprained right ankle during a loss to Loyola last season--gets injured?

“He’ll be the first guy out there,” Kyle said. “He’ll patch me back up and get me back in the game. Hey, family comes first, game or not.”

Kyle, a two-way starter at center and nose guard the last two seasons at Crespi and The Times’ Valley lineman of the year, is one of three area linemen on the South team. He joins Eric Anhalt (6-4, 240) of Royal, an All-Coastal Conference defensive lineman who will play tight end tonight, and offensive tackle Brian Jacobs (6-5, 260) of Hart, a USA Today All-American and a South co-captain. Cummings will attend Colorado, Anhalt is headed for Stanford and Jacobs will play at UCLA.

Running back Marc Monestime of Thousand Oaks, Ventura County’s career rushing leader who had 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns last season to lead the Lancers to the Coastal Conference championship, is one of two skill-position players selected from the Marmonte League. Gil Valencia of Camarillo, Ventura County’s all-time leading receiver who caught 41 passes for 705 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, will play receiver. Kyle Jan of Granada Hills, the most valuable player in Granada Hills’ upset of Carson in the City Section 4-A Division championship game, also will play receiver. Jan, who set a school record with 15 touchdown receptions, finished with 65 catches for 950 yards.

Monestime (5-11, 187) will attend Montana, Valencia (6-0, 170) is undecided and Jan (6-4, 195) will attend Arizona. Monestime will be joined in the South backfield by Crespi fullback J. J. Lasley (6-1, 205), who rushed for 928 yards and 12 touchdowns. Lasley will attend Stanford.

Mack Humphrey of Thousand Oaks (6-0, 195), who will also attend Montana, will play linebacker. Thousand Oaks’ Bob Richards and Fontana’s Dick Bruich are the South co-coaches.