Antelope Valley’s Effort Certainly Isn’t Half-Hearted

As an air traffic controller at a Palmdale flight facility, Bill Chilson is trained to avert disasters.

But as an Antelope Valley High coach he hasn’t been able to keep the Antelopes from plummeting to the bottom of the Golden League boys’ soccer standings.

Rock bottom came last Friday when Chilson convinced the referees to suspend action during the second half of a 13-0 loss to Lancaster.

“[Lancaster] could have scored every minute on the minute by that point,” said Chilson, 37, a third-year coach whose team is 0-15 and has lost its five Golden League games by a combined score of 51-3.

“My stomach was in my throat and I couldn’t bear to see my guys getting their butts whipped.”

After the postgame handshake, Chilson, overwhelmed, broke down and wept.

“Nobody said a word to me,” Chilson said. “None of the parents came up to me, they just all took off.”

Lisa Oates, Antelope Valley’s athletic director, said Chilson will be told not to halt any of the team’s remaining five games.

“The game should always continue,” Oates said. “Never give up.”

But by now, many coaches might have been at least tempted to throw in the towel on the inexperienced Antelopes, many of whom lack basic soccer skills.

Practice drills are considered a success when players manage to complete multiple passes. In an attempt to keep the score of games closer, Chilson this week switched to a formation without forwards and with a singular focus on defense.

“It’s more fun to lose 4-0 instead of 10-0 because then other teams don’t laugh at you,” said Andy Ritenour, the team’s top player.

Ritenour, 14, was prepared for a losing season but he said he almost let his frustration boil over as the Lancaster game went on.

“I was really trying until the second half when we got down by so much and then it didn’t matter anymore,” he said. “People wondered why [Chilson] was crying, but he’s doing the best he can with the talent we have.”

Coach John Cox of Lancaster said he tried position switches and wholesale substitution to keep the score down, but the plan backfired when his reserves seized upon the rare chance to score.

“I really feel bad, but what can I do but offer up a prayer?” said Cox, whose team plays Antelope Valley again on Feb. 12 in the regular season finale. “I think I’m going to move up some [junior varsity] players for that game.”

Chilson’s team, comprised mainly of freshmen and sophomores, should be learning the game at the junior varsity level.

But with few upperclassmen, he is forced to play neophytes.

“For so many of our players, this is the first time they’ve touched a ball or it’s been a real long time,” said Chilson, whose three-year record is 7-45-6, 1-20-4 in league play.

“They don’t understand that if the ball’s in our end, they have to clear it out to one of our players.”

Chilson is used to more success as coach of the Palmdale Heat’s under-15 boys’ club team. His Heat players dot the varsity rosters of Antelope Valley’s league opponents, meaning Chilson’s club efforts work against him during the high school season.

Antelope Valley’s roster this season has dwindled from 38 to 26 players through attrition and disciplinary action.

Chilson said his biggest frustration is the varsity’s failure to learn from its mistakes.

“These guys are frustrated because they’re losing, but they don’t understand how to correct it,” Chilson said. “They feel when they’ve lost, it’s time to go home, they don’t want to evaluate and correct.”

Although Chilson cites academic ineligibility as the main reason his program lacks older, experienced players, his athletic director does not agree.

“I don’t think academic eligibility is an issue,” Oates said. “I think the students who want to participate do and those who don’t do not. But those who play are trying hard and I support that.”

Chilson said he will resign at the end of the season because of a conflict with his work schedule. He would like to remain as the boys’ or girls’ junior varsity coach at the school.

“I’m not going to give up on them,” Chilson said. “They have heart, but there’s not enough time to get them up to speed. You can’t put two years of training into two months.”