Holcomb Leaves Westlake Track Team After Coach’s Strategy Rankles Father

Erik Holcomb of Westlake High, the defending Marmonte League champion in the boys’ 400 meters, has left the school’s track team and is not expected to return this season, Coach Jim Benkert said Wednesday.

Benkert and Holcomb’s father Buzz became embroiled in an argument Saturday at Rio Mesa High’s Spartan Relays over the way Erik was utilized during the sprint medley relay. Benkert had Holcomb run the 200-meter leg; Buzz Holcomb believed that Erik should have run the 400-meter leg.

Buzz Holcomb said Wednesday that he was confident the problems between him and Benkert could be worked out.

“I think it will be resolved,” Buzz Holcomb said. “Hopefully, it will be resolved. I would like nothing more than to have Erik run for Westlake this season.”

Benkert, who coached Holcomb for the past three seasons on the Westlake football team, expressed surprise when informed of those comments.

“(Erik) is not on the team, and as far as I’m concerned, he’s not coming back,” Benkert said. “I was told Saturday that Erik was not going to run for the team any more, and I haven’t heard from either one of them since then.”

Holcomb, a record-setting wide receiver at Westlake, has signed a letter of intent to play football for UCLA. He has personal bests of 10.7 in the 100 meters, 21.8 in the 200 and 48.42 in the 400.