How Much Is Lost When You Win at Any Cost?

Congratulations for putting into print what City basketball coaches have known for years (March 8). Crenshaw has blatantly recruited players, seemingly with the blessing of its administration and the City athletic office since Willie West has been coaching.

Officials in the athletic office have avoided thorough investigating complaints about Crenshaw for so long that Crenshaw, literally, feels it has a license to steal.

Coaches with the win-at-any-cost mentality eventually degrade themselves, their schools and all associated with their programs. They should not be coaching.

TAK AOKI

Teacher-coach

South Gate High

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Once again, the L.A. Times and Eric Shepard have chosen to mount an attack on Willie West and his Crenshaw High basketball program. After winning the State title last year, the Times ran a series of articles alleging various allegations of misconduct against Crenshaw and its coaches. The articles led to a thorough investigation by L.A. City officials, resulting in no penalties whatsoever. Apparently, this has angered Mr. Shepard, who writes that West is “obsessed with winning, so much that (he has) compromised principles for victories. Values such as respectability, responsibility and sportsmanship have taken a back seat to championship trophies.”

As a former teacher and coach, and now an attorney specializing in juvenile criminal law, I have known Willie West for 30 years. He is obsessed--obsessed with getting his players scholarships so they can continue their education. Obsessed with making them go to class. Obsessed with trying to help them get jobs after they have graduated. Willie West was so “obsessed” with winning the holiday tournament at South Carolina mentioned by Mr. Shepard that he benched his star player for an entire game for violating minor team rules, resulting in a loss.

STEVEN F. EPSTEIN

Beverly Hills

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Congratulations to Eric Shepard for pointing out the obvious abuses of two high schools (Crenshaw and Mater Dei) who are interested in winning at all costs. These two schools should always have an asterisk (as in tainted) next to their names as they top the polls.

MARC GARDE

Pacific Palisades