Sockers Booted Out of Their Practice Facility

The Sockers, who only last spring were wondering if they would have an arena available for their games, are now without a practice facility.

A story in Thursday’s editions of the San Diego Union quoted two players and Coach Ron Newman comparing their current practice site unfavorably to conditions at the Sports Arena, where the team often practiced in years past, before the arena was also host to the Gulls of the International Hockey League.

The complaints about the San Diego Indoor Soccer Center facility were two-fold: First, Socker midfielder Branko Segota was quoted as saying the hard surface, a thin carpet laid over cement, was harmful to knee and ankle joints.

Secondly, the construction of the dasher boards differs from that at the Sports Arena and therefore caroms and bank shots are much different as well.

Center owner Tom Higginson, who is out of town, took exception to the article, which was faxed to him by an employee. Higginson then faxed a letter to Sockers President Ron Cady advising him that the team is no longer welcome, the Union reported Saturday.

Higginson and Cady could not be reached for comment, but Newman confirmed the Union story.

“Nothing was said that was detrimental to the place,” Newman said. “I had said the surface is hard, but really it’s a very nice place, a great place for a game, but if you’re training there six days a week, the constant pounding can wreak havoc on the old legs.”

So are the Sockers without a practice facility?

Newman said he is unsure where his team will practice this week but expressed confidence Cady and Higginson could resolve their differences. In lieu of rent, the Sockers traded game tickets to Higginson.

If Cady can’t work out a deal with Higginson, then Newman said he will scurry around for an alternate site.

“I don’t know where we’ll be practicing,” Newman said. “Maybe we can find an empty hangar someplace.”

Other options are the Sports Arena and the North County Soccer Park in Poway. However, Sports Arena operator Harry Cooper is asking for $55,000 from the Sockers to cover labor costs of continually covering the ice with boards and artificial turf, then unpeeling it. “I’d love to use (the Sports Arena),” Newman said, “but I know the economics of the game.”

The Poway facility also has problems. For instance, it has not installed the bigger goals mandated by the MSL this year.