City Section, LAUSD trying to come up with solution for Marine League hostilities

There’s a problem in the Marine League. The rivalries are producing incidents on the field and off the field, leading to increasing concern among administrators in the City Section and LAUSD.

Last spring, San Pedro and Carson engaged in a baseball brawl, followed on Jan. 29 by a soccer incident between the two schools. Washington and Gardena got into a football brawl. Athletes have been taunting each other at other events.

Once again, the schools have had to forfeit games, but the traditional method of punishment doesn’t seem to be working in changing behavior. The incidents are continuing.

“Tensions are high, and San Pedro has had numerous incidents with numerous opponents in the last 12 months,” said Trent Cornelius, the athletics administator for LAUSD.

“It’s very serious,” City Section Commissioner John Aguirre said. “It’s happening in multiple sports.”

Cornelius plans to have a meeting with Marine League representatives looking to come up with long-term ideas in an attempt to deal with the rivalries and add sportsmanship to the equation. Using the Positive Coaching Alliance could be one suggestion adopted.

“There’s a lot of red flags,” Cornelius said. “We’re going to have conversations with school personnel.”

For the latest on high school sports, follow @LATSondheimer on Twitter