SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : Groups Seek Revival of Sports Programs

In the wake of massive budget cuts that scrubbed such athletic programs as gymnastics, surfing and after-school intramural teams, local educators, parents and community groups are considering new partnerships to save the programs.

Under an agreement approved earlier this week by the Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees, the South Coast YMCA will step in this fall and start running the after-school intramural athletic program at the four middle schools in the district.

And in an effort to save some high school team sports, district officials are trying to develop a plan that would allow athletic programs to be supported through donations from parents and even corporate sponsors.

“We’re looking at all the different angles,” said William D. Eller, associate superintendent of instruction.

Not only would such a donation policy help teams this year, it would help in the future when budget cuts are expected to be as bad, if not worse, Eller said. Athletics “will be the most vulnerable,” he said.

Several parents and coaches have already lined up to help raise donations or explore corporate sponsorships. “We know there are parents out there willing to do it,” Steve Rimel, a parent, told the trustees.

Some sports, such as surfing and gymnastics, could benefit from the formation of districtwide teams, or so-called “Unified Teams,” trustees suggested.

“It works for the (former) Soviet Union, maybe it will work for us too,” Trustee Kathryn I. Itzel said.

In June, the district cut about $10 million to balance its $115-million budget. About $84,000 of those cuts involved the elimination of coaching stipends for such teams as surfing, gymnastics and boys and girls freshman-sophomore volleyball.

“We hate to lose the programs,” Supt. James A. Fleming said. “We have the facilities, we have the trained staff.”

As for the middle schools, until this year the district had been using lottery funds to support after-school intramural sports. When the district had to cut the funds in June, several South Coast YMCA board members suggested that the nonprofit organization take over the program, especially since it is similar to programs already being directed by the group at local elementary schools. Several hundred youngsters play in the intramural volleyball, basketball, softball and track league each year.

“We tend to strive toward getting kids involved in positive, preventive-type programs, to help them get off to a good start,” said Vincent A. Corsaro, executive director of South Coast YMCA.

The YMCA will keep the program just as it was, except that students will now have to pay a fee of about $25 per seven-week session to participate, Corsaro said.

In the hopes of filling other gaps left by budget cuts, the YMCA plans to set up student councils and parent councils at the middle schools to analyze local needs and develop other programs, Corsaro said.