Centennial-Beverly Hills--A Game With Real Lessons : Platform

On Oct. 20, at a football game between Compton Centennial and Beverly Hills high schools at Beverly Hills, Centennial player Kumasi Simmons punched referee Ken Smotrys, later charging that Smotrys had used a racial epithet to him and another player. The punch was videotaped and has been replayed on television news and magazine shows. Smotrys denied using the epithet.

The field isn’t level, in the game or in life.

SCOTT COLLINS

Carson

Inglewood police officer

There are two separate cases here. One is the [alleged] use of a racial slur and perception of racism in South Bay sports. The other is a player striking an official.

I have been to a lot of high school football games in the South Bay. The officiating is decent, but lots of times, there is not an equal playing field when a white and a minority school play. Referees call phantom penalties on minority schools. If you get a tape, you can see it.

People like to say that racism doesn’t exist. If your mind is not open, you are not going to see it. It needs to be addressed. You can poll coaches for minority schools. I bet you would get the same observations and answers.

Then people wonder why blacks and other minorities have such anger, such rage. Well, it happens because there is not a level playing field, not only in sports but in life.

But we must teach our kids that, even if the official used the “N-word,” a player must be able to control himself. Kids must be taught that they have no right to lay their hands on anyone except in self-defense.

It is my understanding that the Centennial player is a good student. Something like this can be damaging. Definitely, colleges are going to look into this in considering him for acceptance.

I don’t know what frustrations outside of sports that the young player may have faced that day, and I do have compassion for him. But we must use incidents like this one to teach kids that there are consequences for their actions.

I have been a police officer for 12 years. Since 1989, I have done volunteer coaching in schools. In talking with young men, I know that some of them feel it is macho to strike someone when angry or insulted and that not doing so is being passive. I tell them: You are not a man. You are a kid. And it’s not worth it to put something like this on your record if you plan on going somewhere and being somebody.

If the referee did use the N-word, I feel that disciplinary action should be taken. Also, coaches can use this incident to open communication with players and remind them to let the adults handle situations like this one.