Q&A; : Taking Issue With the Issues : Administrators Tackle the Problems Facing Prep Sports : STAN THOMAS, TOM TRIGGS and MARGARET DAVIS

There is more to high school athletics than game-winning touchdowns, last-second baskets and state championships. As the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) and the Southern Section continue to grow, so does the number of issues facing high school administrators.

Sportsmanship, violence, drug testing, open enrollment, growth and summer participation are among the many issues school administrators are currently dealing with. How are administrators dealing with crowd control? How effective is voluntary drug testing? Is summer participation contributing to athletic burnout? How realistic is open enrollment? What are the consequences of it?

The Times Orange County prep staff posed these and other questions to Stan Thomas, Southern Section commissioner of athletics; Tom Triggs, La Habra High School principal and Orange County representative to the Southern Section, and Margaret Davis, CIF associate commissioner of athletics.

Thomas, the Southern Section commissioner since 1986, has held teaching and administrative positions at a variety of levels. He was a teacher, football coach, principal and assistant principal at Neff, Excelsior and Foothill high schools. Thomas has a bachelor of arts degree and a masters of education degree from Whittier College.

Triggs has spent 28 years as a teacher, coach and administrator in Orange County schools. He is in his 10th year as principal at La Habra, where he also taught and coached tennis in the early 1960s. He is in his second year as Orange County area representative to the Southern Section. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and masters’ degree in education from Whittier College.

Davis has worked for the state and Southern Section for 16 years and was largely responsible for organizing the girls’ sports programs in the Southern Section in the early 1970s. She began her teaching and coaching career in 1970 at Poway High School, where she was a physical education teacher, assistant athletic director, department chairwoman and girls’ basketball and softball coach. She has a bachelor of arts degree in physical education from San Diego State and a masters’ degree in educational administration from Cal State Fullerton.

Q. The Southern Section has taken some steps to solve the problem of violence in prep sports. What is the present plan to re-educate players, parents and coaches regarding sportsmanship and officials?

A. Tom Triggs, who designed a package of rules to deter violence in the Freeway League: When you sit on the hearing panels, especially the ones that deal with violence, afterwards you always say, “That could happen at La Habra High School.” Each of those registered in a very dramatic fashion in terms of my views of high school athletics. And I’m not alone in that. Principals I deal with in the Orange County section share the same concerns I have in terms of the escalation.

Most of the communication I’ve received (about the Freeway League violence package) has been from other leagues in Orange County. I would say many of them are considering implementing similar rules that we have now in the Freeway League. I think you’ll see similar rules come forth in the (Southern) Section.

Margaret Davis: It’s statewide and nationwide (problem). Our general council has undertaken to write some language that is before the May council meeting (this weekend). Basically it says that any student who perpetrates, instigates, etc., a physical assault upon a person in a game or event official shall be banned from interscholastic activity for the remainder of the students’ eligibility.

Q. Do you have any reaction to this issue on a personal level?

A. Triggs: I really didn’t enjoy basketball games at the high school level this year. A lot of it has to do with that level of anxiety about what can happen in a gymnasium. They are very emotional young people, parents and players. I’m a fan of basketball, that’s my favorite sport. But for me to sit in the gymnasium, and all I’m doing is watching the crowd and looking for signals of something that could happen, has distracted me from watching the game.

I really had concerns about opening the sports section Saturday morning and reading about the next incident. I didn’t look forward to that, but it was sort of on a regular basis. These things were popping up on Friday nights. That just has no place in high school athletics. One of the primary functions for school administrators, athletic directors and staff now is to look for possible violence that could take place. And that takes away from the enjoyment of the game.

Q. Is there anything the CIF can do to attack the violence at the source? Do you know what the source is? What’s causing the difference in attitude and behavior?

A. Triggs: There are a number of reasons why this has come about. One has to do with the interest. There’s heightened interest on behalf of parents and students in athletics. Then, our young people see things happening in the college and professional ranks and think it’s OK to do that at the high school level.

Thirdly, there are fewer teachers in the officials pool of candidates. We went through a declining mode in our school district; we went a number of years where we hired no coaches or teachers. That has had a bearing on this. When you bring in the walk-on (coaches), they’re not trained in terms of working with kids and that has contributed to this.

Davis: The (state) CIF would like to target the coaches. We have a proposed certification program being discussed. It will help all people employed as coaches to be prepared in working with youngsters in a healthy way--in a safe, caring environment. Part of the curriculum will be in crowd control, youth psychology and teaching techniques that could assist the walk-ons in particular.

Stan Thomas: The overriding response to the question rides with the role model of the coaches. When you see coaches who are completely under control in the most stressful and adverse conditions, so is their team. When you see coaches who are yelling and screaming and challenging the officials, so is their team and so is the crowd. . . . It all begins with the coach on the field and the behavior that coach demonstrates to the players as well as the crowd. Any time you have a riot, at least the ones we’ve dealt with this year, and we’ve had a whole bunch of them, it generally became an issue where the coach lost control.

There lies the problem in my opinion.

. . . We need to have more instruction because we have fewer staff coaches and more walk-on coaches than we ever (had). That trend isn’t going to change, it’s going to get greater.

We are training coaches, and the training is outstanding. The best people are being brought together through the auspices of the Amateur Athletic Foundation. We are currently (partners) with them in a program that will include Los Angeles City, San Diego, and the Southern Section in boys’ and girls’ soccer, more than 700 schools. We’ve just completed a soccer program with more than 100 schools. We’re entering a complete training program with boys’ and girls’ track with more than 100 schools.

Q. Numerous incidents this year involved crowds. Is there anything you can do to stop a crowd from getting out of hand before it happens, instead of reacting to it?

A. Triggs: We’ll (the Freeway League schools) have sessions in September involving parents, students, activity directors in terms of better defining the role that they play. The yell leaders have pretty much become performers. I think they can play a very important part in crowd control along with our campus supervisors and administrators and working with booster groups. It’s a perfect topic to have with them.

Q. What can be done about the declining number of officials? Does this pose a significant problem?

A. Thomas: I can assure you without a question that the next major issue we’re going to deal with will be the officials. An official today is no longer the school person who works all day and then goes out and does a game. It’s the other way around. Ninety percent of them used to be school people. Today, only 10% of them are school people. Ninety percent of our officials today are firemen, lawyers, stockbrokers and salesmen.

They’re (from) every walk of life, and they’re starting to count on the money that they earn as income in order to live. They’re becoming a more militant group of people within the Southern Section. I’ve already had two major escapes with officials saying they were going to withhold services. When our next negotiating contract comes up (this is the first of three years) our schools have reached the level of payment that I think is fair, it’s stretching their (Associated Student Body) accounts.

Today we spend, in the Southern Section alone, $2.5 million a year just for the services of officials. We’re talking boys’ and girls’ (events). If you continue to pay the officials the way we are now, you’re going to have a lot of officials. We have some shortages in some sports, we just need to separate the days of the week for contests so we can maximize them. The hardest time to get an official is in the afternoon.

Q. There are currently two measures in the state senate calling for wholesale open enrollment throughout California. How would you see open enrollment affecting sports?

A. Davis: I have a response from my boss (Tom Byrnes). He said the job of the CIF is to adjust our program to what is best educationally. If open enrollment is best, the CIF will adjust. He says, however, our legislative advocate has made it clear to the authors of those two bills that the CIF’s basic transfer rule would be preserved. And should be preserved. And that nothing should preclude the CIF from exercising its transfer rule.

Thomas: I would not perceive this to be something whereby a youngster would play football at (school) A, move over and play basketball at B, then baseball at C, then start that all over again.

Q. The public school vs. private school issue heated up again (April 26) at the general council meeting. Is it inevitable that we will have a merger of the public and private schools in 1992, in the next releaguing cycle, and do you anticipate an outcry on the part of the public schools?

A. Triggs: The Orange County principals are pretty much in place in opposition to that. And I don’t see that changing in terms to their views.

Thomas: Throughout the Southern Section, we have every type of cross-section of leaguing you can think of. We have public and Catholic. Catholic and public. Private and public. We have every opportunity within the section to share what is best.

Q. But we don’t have that in Orange County. Why?

A. Triggs: There have been schools that have been in public leagues in Orange County for a sport or two. So we have had relationships. It comes down to football and basketball mainly--that’s what’s at issue.

Davis: I just want to add that the trend in the state is to mix the schools.

Q. Do you think that’s healthy?

A. Davis: Yes, I do, personally. Recently, the (North Coast Section) broke up an all-Catholic league and mixed them up (with Public).

Q. We have a hard time seeing the public schools (in Orange County) welcoming these schools with open arms. Aren’t there going to be some lukewarm feelings?

A. Davis: Well, change does come hard. I think it will be worked out. It has (been worked out) in other areas. The merger occurred. It seems to be working now.

Q. Do you see the use of anabolic steroids as a major concern heading into the ‘90s? Is there a chance drug testing will become a part of high school sports the way it is with the NCAA and pro leagues?

A. Triggs: I think we’ll see an increase in drug testing. Part of the problem is the financing of it, especially the steroid test. You’re talking about $85 per test. In our school district, the Fullerton district, we’re considering testing for next year. One of the things we’re groping with is the financing of it.

But there’s an interest. Every school that’s involved with it now sees it as a deterrent. It’s giving students an opportunity to say to their peers, “There’s a possibility I will be tested.”

Q. Are you worried about the legal ramifications of drug testing?

A. Triggs: Yes. In fact, the testing companies have that same concern. The schools that have become involved in voluntary testing have had little involvement. It’s voluntary, first of all. And secondly, the results are given to the parent. The school has no involvement other than providing a program.

A. Thomas: Currently, we have schools testing on a voluntary basis. Fontana was the exception, starting out on a mandatory program. A lawyer from the (American Civil Liberties Union) came over and did a number on them.

I would predict, in the very near future, as soon as we get over this rights of privacy, as soon as we can get past that, then I would think a legislator would have some pretty good success mandating drug testing within high schools for all activities.

It’s done everywhere. It’s done in college, pros, the federal government. Almost everywhere we go today we see drug testing.

So we’re getting to the point where rights of privacy are being set aside. (High school athletics) is voluntary. You don’t have to do it. If you want to participate, you’re going to be tested. It’s a wonderful thing to have. It could be a real deterrent to the drug problem.

(Drug abuse) is an issue, an issue we need not to turn our heads away from. An issue we need to face squarely and deal with to try to correct it.

A. Davis: Our state executive council has targeted steroids as an issue of major concern. Our medical adviser has already addressed the council at its last meeting. He is currently studying an action plan. I would anticipate some plan would come out (in the fall).

Q. Drug testing, where it exists, is voluntary and schools do not learn the results but the parents do. What effect does this have?

A. Thomas: The key thing is, what I’ve been told--and Edison is the primary leader in this whole voluntary drug testing process--the kids are so proud of being clean they put it (their test results) right on the (Edison athletic department) bulletin board. They take that thing when it comes back and says “No Trace” and put it right on that bulletin board. And that puts a lot of pressure on everybody else.

(They can say) “Where’s yours? I want to see yours.” Peer pressure is a tremendous thing. It gives the kids a chance to say, “I might be tested.” It gives them an out. It’s great.

Q. With congestion on the freeways, growth in the desert areas in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, is the Southern Section too big? Isn’t it time for a change? Isn’t it time to split it into smaller sections?

A. Thomas: Six or seven years ago, there was a consideration on the part of the state to re-section. And a committee did an exhaustive study. And the vote was close, but it was to maintain the status quo. That was probably the closest we’ve come to it.

Q. Tom, why don’t you explain what happened with a study undertaken by an Orange County group? Tell us the positives and negatives of being part of a big section.

A. Triggs: George Allen, the principal at Esperanza, chaired the group. We brought the principals of Orange County together. There wasn’t the support to continue the study. The satisfaction with the current operation is there. I would say the strong financial base of the Southern Section has a lot to do with it. There are a lot of question marks if we had an Orange County Section as far as the costs.

On the other side, and these are not necessarily my views, but they were expressed, the concept of local control (is an issue). Another issue would be the nature of Orange County and there is corporate sponsorship that would assist. And the obvious one about congestion and transportation.

Q. It seems like a lot of problems are coming from summer sports competition and the lack of control over same. There doesn’t seem to be anyone who wants to step forward and monitor it.

A. Thomas: Recently, a survey of all California superintendents was taken requesting data on summer sports and one of the most interesting suggestions was establishing a fourth season of sport. The CIF should take a hard look at a fourth season. I know the state office is against that.

A. Triggs: I would like to cut the string for the summer. And that we have no contact with the students and coaches. That would be my preference. I don’t think we need another season of sport. We see our young people being taxed now in terms of what they’re doing. Some youngsters participate in three sports and their nights are tied up. And they’re hitting the weights and I think that’s an overemphasis. There has to be a time for the family. I believe that so much. There has to be a time for parents and children to have some time together. But when they are driving their young person each night of the week to some type of event dealing with athletics, we’re a little off base.

Q. Don’t you think coaches should say to parents, “Yes, you can take a summer vacation and your kid will still have a chance to play on the team next season”?

A. Triggs: I think we have coaches that are saying that. I would say most coaches are saying that. The problem we have is when we have a three-sport athlete, who is having to make decisions, which is hard. I have a lot of trouble with the summer situation because I’ve seen what has happened to families. When a young person enters high school, many parents strongly feel their son (or daughter) is going to get an athletic scholarship. And that (the earning of the scholarship) is going to be the solution to all the problems in this family.

Q. Isn’t there something wrong when summer basketball people are paid high amounts of money from athletic shoe companies at the cost to a lot of families’ time?

A. Thomas: We have, in Orange County right now, several schools who will compete, say, in the sport of basketball in the summer in excess of 40 contests. Our rule of (regular) season contests is 20. They will more than double the number of contests because there are no limitations. I think of all the sports, basketball is the biggest abuser. There are so many tournaments and so many games. And, it’s not a casual pickup game where you have fun. Winning is important. Losing is not accepted.

The same with some people who get into these crazy (football) passing leagues. It becomes almost like a league contest. And I know some of the best football coaches in our section--Dick Bruich out at Fontana, Ted Mullen, who used to be here in Orange County--their summer activity in football was laid-back. Dick Bruich won’t go to a passing league. Ted Mullen won’t go to a passing league. These people are as good coaches as the Southern Section has ever produced. We have others that are going two and three times a week. And the kids are getting hurt.

Somewhere we have to say enough is enough and bring it back to a position where it’s best for our kids.

Q. But you understand the rationale of coach A, who says if I’m not doing it and coach B is, then he has a competitive edge?

A. Thomas: But Bruich disproves that theory. Bruich’s idea of a summer program is to lift (weights) and to get to know everyone. If he gets through the summer on that basis, he’s achieved his goal. Then he goes out and kicks everyone’s butt.

It’s a craziness. I don’t subscribe to that philosophy that we have to compete during the summer in order to be the best in the fall. There’s more to life than first and 10. You do have to put it into perspective. It’s up to us to give that direction, I think.