Cleveland Puts Track Teams on Hold, Offers Alternative

After a fruitless two-month search for a qualified coach, Cleveland High has canceled its track season. However, athletes at the school who wish to participate in the sport do have recourse if they are willing to triple-jump through a series of obstacles that ultimately could lead to eligibility at another school.

The program was canceled when a replacement for Steve Landress, a last-minute replacement a year ago, could not be found. Last month, Landress, the school’s football coach, was named junior varsity baseball coach, leaving school administrators scrambling to find a new track coach.

While the boys’ and girls’ programs were headed toward limbo, school administrators worked out a plan whereby track athletes at Cleveland can participate at a another City Section school with a track program--if several provisions are met.

According to Bob Kindseth, Cleveland’s administrator in charge of athletics, the athlete would need permission of both principals and the coach at the second school, would be required to enroll in a sixth-period physical-education course at the new school and would have to provide his or her own transportation.

“Feasibly, he could go to any school (with a track program),” Kindseth said. “It’s not easy, but it can be done.”

Whether the athlete will be welcomed by his new coach is another matter. Kindseth said that the athlete would be able to participate but that any points earned would not count for his or her new team. Kindseth conceded that, in events in which limits are set regarding the number of entrants per school, coaches might be hesitant to enter a non-scoring athlete.

So far, Kindseth said, only one Cleveland athlete has inquired about the possibility of competing elsewhere.

According to Principal Ida Mae Windham, the school sought only credentialed applicants from throughout the L. A. Unified School District for the track position.

A credentialed teacher was sought, Windham said, because of expertise required to supervise and train athletes in a track program.

Windham said that Cleveland will continue to seek a coach capable of re-establishing the program next season.

Landress, who last season was the third track coach in as many years, said he believes student interest in track might be waning--or at the very least, that participation has been curtailed by a variety of factors. Last season, the boys’ and girls’ track teams combined numbered about 40, Landress said.

“It takes a lot of money to run a track program, and a lot of schools just don’t have the budget for that,” Landress said. “And track is a different kind of sport where it takes a lot of different coaches because there are so many different events.”

However, Landress predicted that the recent relaxing of City Section eligibility requirements might give track a shot in the arm. Under the revised district rule, students participating in extracurricular activities--including sports--need only maintain a C average to remain eligible.