Oiler Soccer Coach Takes Leave as Southern Section Investigates

Kevin Smith, the Huntington Beach High boys’ soccer coach, is taking a leave of absence from his team while the Southern Section reviews an investigation of a possible rule violation.

The investigation, recently conducted by Oiler Athletic Director Dave Van Hoorebeke, was prompted by a claim from a rival Sunset League school stating that Smith was coaching a Wolfpack under-19 club team during the school year. Three members of that club team also play for Smith at Huntington Beach.

The section’s “association rule” limits the time a coach can train or instruct his players during the school year to a sixth-period class when the sport is not in season.

Smith, who is also the Wolfpack’s assistant director of coaching, said he coached his club team last summer, and, according to the section’s constitution and by-laws, that is not a rule violation. However, Smith acknowledged he did fill in for the head coach once this fall but denied any other contact with the team.

“As assistant director of coaching,” Smith said, “I was forced to fill in for the head coach, who did not show. I don’t feel that is abusing the rule.

“I’m not doing anything differently this year than I’ve done in the past.”

Karen Hellyer, an assistant section commissioner in charge of boys’ soccer, would not comment on the situation, but the section’s sports information director, Thom Simmons, acknowledged the section has been in contact with Huntington Beach High. He would not say, however, if or when his office would rule on the matter or what the penalty would be if it was determined Smith broke the rule.

Smith, who is in his second year at Huntington Beach, played soccer at Edison High and UC Irvine. As coach at Fountain Valley (1992-98), he led the Barons to the Division I final in 1995 and ’97. Last year, his Oiler team was ranked among the top five in the county all season but failed to qualify for the Division II playoffs. This year’s team is 5-0-1, 2-0-1 since assistant John Clark took over as interim coach.

Said Smith: “If we were 0-6, nobody would give a darn. I just hope they decide soon. Let’s decide who the coach is. They’re not doing anything to me. It’s a three-month, $2,000-a-year job. They’re hurting the kids.

“I’ve been up front with every athletic director I’ve ever worked for regarding my position with the Wolfpack. If you’re going to go after me, you’ll have to go after half the high school coaches around here.”

Club coaches run many of the section’s high school soccer programs, but rarely do they directly coach high school-age players. Most boys’ high school coaches avoid a possible conflict by working with the younger club teams or with the girls’ teams.

Smith said Van Hoorebeke’s inquiry began last week after he received a complaint from another Sunset League school. Van Hoorebeke did not elaborate on the details of his investigation.

“Part of it has to do with our interpretation of the rule,” Van Hoorebeke said. “It’s not a black and white rule.”

Kevin McAthy, president of the Huntington Beach soccer booster club, said parents are solidly behind Smith.

“The parents are concerned, but we’ll help Kevin any way we can,” said McAthy, whose son Drew is the team’s leading scorer and a member of the Wolfpack under-19 team. “It is affecting the kids. Thank God we have a good team and we’re still playing well.”