Southern Section Toughens Policy for Fighting

In an attempt to crack down on the increased violence that has plagued high school athletic events in the last year, the Southern Section council voted Thursday to suspend players and coaches for fighting.

Beginning next fall, any player ejected for fighting or leaving the bench or team area during a fight will be suspended for a game. The same penalty applies to any coach who has similarly been ejected by an official.

In other action, the council:

--Elected Tom Triggs, the principal at Buena Park, president-elect. He will become the Southern Section president in two years, at the end of Ken Gunn’s term. Gunn, principal at Walnut High, takes over for Gary Smidderks, superintendent-principal at L.A. Baptist, who officiated his final meeting Thursday.

--Passed a $1.245-million budget proposal for 1994-95.

--Voted to support at the State level an ad hoc committee’s recommendation that “any student transferring under the provisions of the open enrollment provision . . . would have immediate residential eligibility.”