Sun Screen Is a Burning Issue in Water Polo

Water polo players hoping to avoid the damaging effects of the sun will have to be more selective in their sun screen choices if they hope to remain in the game.

A Santa Margarita player was disqualified last week for having visible sun screen on his face, which, because of its slippery nature, can not only give a player an advantage but is also a violation of the sport’s foreign substances rule.

Steve Yancey, the head water polo official for Orange County and the boys’ water polo coach at Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley High, said officials are required to give players one warning before they are ejected for use of a foreign substance.

Santa Margarita Coach Kevin Ricks said officials who refereed his team’s game against Anaheim Canyon told the Eagles’ captains to warn the player about the sun screen, but they failed to do so and the player was disqualified.

“I just tell my players not to use oil-based sun screen,” Yancey said.

Dan Arritt

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Kyle Weatherspoon will miss his second game of the season tonight when Lynwood’s football team plays at Nogales.

Weatherspoon, a senior receiver and defensive back for Lynwood, was declared ineligible last Friday, when members of the San Gabriel Valley League voted, 5-1, to find Lynwood guilty of undue influence in Weatherspoon’s transfer from Paramount last spring. Lynwood cast the dissenting vote.

Lynwood lost its season opener to Rolling Hills Estates Peninsula, 16-7.

Thom Simmons, Southern Section spokesman, said Weatherspoon’s family has filed an appeal, which will be heard before the section’s executive committee on Wednesday.

Martin Henderson

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The Palm Desert girls’ golf tournament today at The Lakes Country Club will feature an added twist to the usual high-school format: Coaches will be allowed to talk with players during the round.

Palm Desert Coach Jack Stewart has been lobbying to allow coaching during competition in Southern Section play, but section rules currently prohibit it.

In today’s tournament, coaches may instruct players from the time they hole out until they tee off on the next hole.

Palm Desert, ranked No. 2 by The Times, heads the eight-team field that also includes No. 3 Rolling Hills Estates Peninsula and Murrieta Valley, a section championship qualifier last season.

Peter Yoon

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Charles Leathers of Riverside North and Kenny Mitchell of Woodland Hills Taft have been selected as the girls’ and boys’ coaches of the year by the Assn. of Black Track & Field Coaches.

Leathers guided North to an upset victory over Long Beach Poly in the state championships on June 1, despite losing top sprinter Tracee Thomas to an injury early in the season.

Mitchell, a sprint coach, helped the Toreadors finish second in the City Section championships and set a section record of 40.74 in the 400-meter relay. Mitchell also guided Justin Tryon to a state-leading time of 47.25 in the 400.

John Ortega