MISSION VIEJO : Stadium Won’t Bear Coach’s Name

The football stadium near Mission Viejo High School will not be named in memory of Mike Rush, the school’s former football coach, trustees of the Saddleback Valley Unified School District decided.

Despite pleas from a group of students and parents who said naming the stadium would be the only fitting tribute to the popular coach who died in November, trustees said Tuesday they consider a memorial on the Mission Viejo High campus more appropriate.

“I very strongly and wholeheartedly support a very special memorial on the Mission campus,” said Trustee Marcia L. Birch.

Trustees directed that the school appoint a committee of Mission Viejo high students, parents, faculty and alumni and Rush’s widow, Pam Rush, to consider a tribute on the school’s campus. Among the ideas they suggested were naming the library, weight room, practice field or a scholarship in Rush’s honor.

Trustees said they also want a report from the committee within a few weeks.

“I would like to see this done as quickly as possible,” said Trustee Bobbee Cline.

Pam Rush and Sandie Gonzales, who led the drive for putting the coach’s name on the now unnamed stadium, said they would be willing to sit on the committee.

“I want to see a positive, fitting . . . memorialization for Mike Rush,” Gonzales said. Board members said naming the stadium for Rush would not be welcomed by other high schools in the district, especially Laguna Hills High, which shares use of the stadium for football games and other events. Several persons representing those schools emphasized that point to the board Tuesday.

Said Monika Bickert, a non-voting student member of the board from El Toro High School:

“The naming of the stadium for Mike Rush could cause feelings of resentment for students at Laguna Hills. . . . He was a coach at Mission Viejo High School, his contributions were at that high school, and his memorial should be kept at that high school.”

Rush died of a heart attack at age 46, eight months after he resigned his coaching position amid controversy over the school’s devil mascot and reports of conflict between him and Principal Robert Metz. He continued to teach at the school.

In five seasons as head coach his teams compiled a 45-16 record. He had also been an assistant coach for 10 years.