New Section Could Cost Southern Section a Lot

The Southern Section would lose $200,000 per year if administrators of 72 public and private high schools in Orange County vote to form an Orange County Section of the California Interscholastic Federation, according to Southern Section Commissioner Stan Thomas.

County superintendents and administrators will meet Aug. 20 at the Anaheim Union High School District office to discuss the feasibility of a county section. They are expected to vote in favor of forming a new section.

The 72 county schools with 104,500 students paid the Southern Section $24,327.56 in membership dues in 1990-91, according to a study prepared by consultant Barbara Wilson, a former deputy superintendent in the Tustin Unified School District.

The study also showed that 57 public schools paid nearly $20,000 to the section for sport fees. Schools pay the section $15 for each sports program in its athletic department. Private schools paid the section $2,325 for its sports programs.

County schools also figured prominently in supporting the section’s budgeted income through playoff revenues in the sports of football and boys’ and girls’ basketball. The section earned about $585,000 in football and basketball playoff revenues, with county schools contributing approximately $154,000 in 1990-91.

Nearly half of the Southern Section’s budget is funded by playoff revenues. The section receives 50% of playoff gates with participating schools each receiving 25%. County schools provided some big pay days for the section last year.

The section earned $13,626.63 as its share from the Division VI football championship between Sunny Hills and Tustin at Orange Coast College. The section made $12,809 as its share from the Division II football championship between Capistrano Valley and Paramount at Santa Ana College. The section earned $14,430.50 as its share from the Division III football championship between Esperanza and St. Paul at Cerritos College.

The section’s share of profits from county schools participating in the boys’ basketball playoffs were also significant. The section earned $5,837.80 from a Division I-AA boys’ semifinal game between Mater Dei and Marina at the Bren Center. Four county schools--Tustin, Woodbridge, Estancia and Servite--helped the section earn $5,044.04 from the afternoon session of the boys’ basketball championships at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

The Southern Section would not only lose the playoff revenue, but would have to look outside Orange County for facilities to host its championship events.

“We’d lose the great facilities in Orange County if they decided to become a section,” Thomas said. “We play our championship football game at Anaheim Stadium and some of our basketball championships at the Bren Center. Those are great facilities that we would certainly miss.”

But Thomas insists the biggest impact that would be felt by the Southern Section if county schools departed would be felt by the desert schools in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

“If the (county) section comes to pass, there will be a pocket of non-competition for Southern Section schools,” Thomas said. “Desert schools will increase their travel. They’ll drive right past county schools to play others in the Long Beach area.”

Superintendent Peter Hartman of the Saddleback Valley Unified School District foresees the Southern Section dividing further in future years.

“I personally believe that in the next 20 to 30 years, maybe sooner, that the Inland Empire (schools) will form their own section,” he said. “I really believe that. Transportation is going to get worse, not better, unless there’s some kind of miracle. And I don’t see any miracles.”

Some administrators think the formation of a county section would also have a far-reaching effect on the 10 sections of the state. They specifically point to the tiny sections in Oakland and San Francisco with six schools each.

“If the county schools form a section, it could have a chain-reaction in the state,” said Tom Jacobson, president of the Southern Section general council. “You’re going to create a big hole in the Southern Section. You can look for the entire state to reorganize. We have sections with six schools, and I don’t know how that ever happened.”

The Southern Section would also lose the leadership of county administrators among its Executive Committee that helps interpret and enforce rules in the section. Five of the 14 officers in the committee are county administrators.

“Orange County is known for high-profile athletics and losing those schools would definitely have an effect on the Southern Section,” said Tom Triggs, a member of the Executive Committee and principal at La Habra High.

“The media coverage is here. The interest is here. And financially, it will hurt to lose those schools. But most of all, there is great leadership here. We have some great administrators in Orange County. They’ll (the Southern Section) miss that leadership.”

The Southern Section’s income would be reduced significantly if the county schools leave, but Thomas also noted that operating costs would be reduced.

“We wouldn’t be servicing 70 schools,” Thomas said. “We’ll also save a lot of time and money in the world of litigation.”