Coach’s Criticism of El Camino Real Player Irks Parent

The father of an El Camino Real High football player plans to circulate a petition critical of the school’s varsity coaching staff because he feels that his son was unfairly singled out as the scapegoat after last week’s 28-12 loss to Kennedy.

Pete Pistone Sr. said that he will not call for the resignation of co-Coaches Mike Maio and Ralph Stam but wants to address issues of team morale and what Pistone believes to be abusive behavior by the coaches.

Pistone plans to “mobilize the parents of the other players” on behalf of his son Pete Jr., a punter, defensive back and receiver.

Parents contacted by The Times who requested anonymity said that they shared many of Pistone’s concerns.

Pistone Sr. said published comments by Stam after Friday’s game were irresponsible because they placed the blame for the loss on his son’s shoulders.

“For a coach to blame one of his players for a loss in a newspaper is just very, very unfair,” he said. “Some of us don’t like what we see.”

Stam, who refused comment Tuesday, told a reporter after Friday’s game that Pistone was “free-lancing” after taking a snap in punt formation in the fourth quarter and attempting to run for a first down. He was tackled short of the first down at the El Camino Real 25-yard line, and, on the next play, Kennedy scored to take a 21-12 lead with 6:08 remaining. Before the touchdown, El Camino Real had scored 12 unanswered points to move within 14-12.

The younger Pistone said that Stam berated him on the sideline after the play. Stam later told a reporter that Pistone “had plenty of time to punt the ball.”

The father said that he received several phone calls from parents over the weekend regarding the story. On Monday morning, the elder Pistone visited the school and spoke briefly with Principal Martin King and Vice Principal Don Thomas. The father then spoke with Stam, and the exchange soon became heated, the father said.

Thomas, a teacher and administrator in the L. A. Unified School District for 37 years, said the situation is unusual. Most angry parents typically voice complaints about a son or daughter’s lack of playing time, Thomas said, and he cannot remember hearing formal complaints regarding published criticism of a high school player by a coach.

“To be very frank, I’ve never seen this type of problem,” said Thomas, who is also the school’s administrator in charge of athletics.

Thomas said that he spoke to Stam on Monday about the comments but indicated that the school will take no action.

“What we have is a concerned parent who has become animated over a rather factual comment,” Thomas said. “But I understand the parent being unhappy with the comment.”

Pistone Jr. said he believes that his family deserves an apology.

“From Stam, I think I do,” the player said. “For what he said to my dad and me.”

Co-Coach Mike Maio said that Stam’s comments were taken out of context and that the Pistones misunderstood Stam’s intent.

“I don’t think he was saying the play was the reason we lost the game, but a reason,” Maio said. “I think it was more, ‘This is what happened,’ rather than ‘This is what lost the game.’ ”

Maio admitted he is a “demanding coach” but said that many times a parent cannot objectively evaluate what is taking place on the sideline.

“I establish a relationship with a player,” Maio said. “If I grab you by the face mask and say ‘Do this,’ from the stands it may look like I’m beating you up. I’m a demanding guy, I’m tough on the players, but they’ll be the better for it.”

Maio, in his first season as the varsity coach, also dismissed Pistone’s charges that morale is low.

“I’ve been a coach for a month,” he said. “We hadn’t won for three years, and we’ve already won once this season. How can morale be down? If winning isn’t having fun, then I don’t know what is.”

After viewing the game film, Kennedy Coach Bob Francola said that the younger Pistone might have used good judgment on the play.

“We knew coming in that we could put pretty good pressure on the punter,” Francola said. “We almost blocked five or six punts earlier in the game. The kid was probably standing over there on the sideline wondering when we were finally going to get to him.

“I’m not sure that in the same situation, I wouldn’t have run with it, too.”

The controversy comes a week after Pistone was credited with saving a 6-3 win over Westchester. Pistone intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter that helped clinch the victory for El Camino Real, breaking a 24-game winless streak.