County Section Dealt Another Setback

The move to create an Orange County Section received another setback Thursday when the Southern Section Council voted against supporting the proposal at the State Federated Council meeting May 8.

Although the move was expected, it is a defeat for proponents of an Orange County Section. The vote came on the heals of the State Section Relations of the California Interscholastic Federation voting 6-2 against forming the new section.

“An Orange County Section is really in limbo right now,” Trabuco Hills Principal William Brand said. “We’ll have to wait and see what happens at the state meeting.”

League representatives voted 39-9 against supporting the Orange County schools forming their own section. There were 18 leagues not in attendance.

All nine of the votes in favor of supporting the move were from Orange County representatives.

“The issue is still governance,” Brand said. “This is another example of the Orange County schools not being heard.”

Before the vote, Gary Smidderks, president-elect of the council, said the council was against county schools forming their own section because it would increase costs and diminish services for the Southern Section.

He also said it would impact the competitive balance and state playoffs.

“I’m not surprised by the vote,” said Corona del Mar Principal Tom Jacobson, who is president of the council. “The data we collected showed that section members were against an Orange County Section.”

In other matters:

--Representatives voted to approve the new playoff groupings for all sports for the ‘92-94 period.

--Representatives voted to change the timetable for league realignment from two to four years.

--Representatives approved a motion to amend the Blue Book to ban the use of all tobacco substances by coaches, players and officials at all Southern Section events.

--Representatives approved the Southern Section’s proposed 1992-93 budget of $1,310,193.