Corona del Mar Freshman Coach Suspended for Violation of Rule

Ted Williams, a freshman football coach at Corona del Mar High School, has been suspended from coaching for one year by the school because he talked to a junior high school student about football, a violation of the Southern Section “undue influence” rule.

Williams, who has taught special education for 17 years in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, admitted he spoke with a student from Ensign Intermediate School in Newport Beach at the Corona del Mar campus in January.

Section rules prohibit high school coaches from having any contact with students who are not yet enrolled in the high school, unless it is during a clinic-type event open to all students.

Williams said Corona del Mar Principal Tom Jacobson--president of the section Executive Committee--told him last week he would be suspended from coaching for the 1991 football season, but Williams said he plans to appeal to the section. Jacobson did not return phone calls Friday.

Williams said the boy was at the high school visiting with eighth-graders in Williams’ weight-training class.

Williams, 44, said he and the boy talked for a few minutes, discussing topics including weightlifting and football. He said he was aware of section rules prohibiting contact with students not yet enrolled in the high school, but the short conversation, he said, seemed innocent.

“I was naive,” Williams said. “I guess I should’ve told the boy, ‘Hey, get out of here.’ I didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. My job is to take care of students, teach them and talk to them. That’s what I do. But apparently what I’ve done is against the rules.

“You can’t breathe to an underclassmen (as a high school coach). But see, I teach underclassmen.”