Coaches Lament Cuts in Programs

Kim Yourczek, Mira Mesa High’s boys’ swimming and water polo coach, said he’s been hearing about the death of his sport for five years now. Until Tuesday night, Yourczek kept saying “Yeah, right,” when Wayne Debate, director of athletics for San Diego city schools, warned him that his sports might be eliminated.

But Yourczek said Wednesday he knows Debate isn’t crying wolf this time.

“This one seems to be a bit more realistic,” Yourczek said.

“When I read in the paper that my sport was being cut, it was like somebody taking your heart out,” San Diego High boys’ soccer Coach Milton Hidalgo said. “It leaves you numb. I spoke to some of my kids (Wednesday) and their jaws just dropped.”

Needing to cut more than $30 million in order to balance the San Diego city schools budget, trustees voted Tuesday night to eliminate swimming, water polo, golf and soccer. The cuts, which will include 15 city schools in four conferences, will save the district $200,000.

The sports cuts are part of $10.2 million in cuts that were listed in phase two of the proposed reductions. Items listed in phases three and four have the best chance of being retained.

“I still have some hope left,” said Yourczek, whose water polo teams have won four of six City Eastern League titles. “If we get some money back from the state, we’ll be able to remain afloat.”

How hopeful is Yourczek?

“I’d say our chances are about one in 10,” he said.

Yourczek had an All-American water polo player in 1990 (Jeff Geary) and an All-American swimmer in 1990 (Mike Picotte) and he said junior Ed Barnsley is an All-American candidate this year.

“If we do not field a team this year, I would tell him to go to another school,” Yourczek said.

Said Hidalgo, whose teams have won three Section 2-A titles in the past four years: “I told my kids, if they have to leave us for another school to chase their dream, I understand.”

Hidalgo said he expects many members of his team, especially senior goalie Joe Panian, who set the section record for career shutouts with 36, to be courted by schools continuing their programs.

Wendell Montague, who has been the golf coach at Patrick Henry since the school opened in 1968, said some of his players will still be able to participate in junior programs, but others might be forced to quit playing the sport.

“I think (the district) is thinking by cutting golf and swimming that the kids can play junior golf or join swimming club, but not all kids can afford that,” he said. “Here, we give them supervision and transportation and a team atmosphere. I’ve had some years where three-fourths of my kids don’t play junior golf. ‘ ‘

Montague, who led Patrick Henry to its second Section title last season, said it’s unfortunate that an inexpensive sport such as golf has to be one of the four to go.

“You could run all the programs on a beginning teacher’s salary,” Montague said. “The kids pay for everything, except my coaching salary (about $1,800) and golf balls. I’m not knocking the other sports, but golf is less expensive to run that all the sports.”

But in lieu of all the other budget cuts--teachers salaries, sex education courses, secondary and career counselors--Montague said it figured that some sports programs would have to be eliminated.

“We’ve always been the scapegoat,” Montague said.

What upset Hidalgo more than anything was the lack of effort put forth in trying to save his sport.

“Wayne Debate never called a meeting asking for solutions,” he said. “Officials were willing to take pay cuts. There are things that could have been done.”

Hidalgo said soccer being the fifth largest participant sport in San Diego County didn’t appear to matter much.

“We only cost the taxpayers $90,000 a year and to take that little away is tough,” he said. “I make 50 cents an hour to coach these kids--to build self esteem and leadership qualities.”

Hidalgo said eliminating sports such as soccer will eventually come back to haunt the trustees.

“I’m sick and tired of them not finding alternatives for all these youths,” he said. “These are good kids that are going to be left with a lot of time on their hands. I think people are going to realize that soccer did a great service to the whole educational program.

“When drop out rates go up because these kids are no longer motivated to stay in school, I think they’ll see that spending 10 cents on a kid is not such a bad bargain.”

But Hidalgo said he is not about to give up.

“I’m already looking at possible solutions,” he said. “I’ll work for free.”