Football: It's deja vu time for Southern Section vs. Welch

Back in the early 1990s, the Southern Section determined that Canyon Country Canyon and Coach Harry Welch violated rules after a photograph ran in the Newhall Signal showing players using blocking dummies and tackling sleds in the off-season when they were not allowed. The Southern Section tried to impose a one-year suspension.

Welch went to court and ended up with a settlement. It also led the Southern Section to end attempts to impose punishments on coaches. It's up to the school to do so.

Fast forward to March 31. Welch, the new coach at Santa Margarita, apparently violated Southern Section undue-influence rules by holding a gathering of youth football coaches and players at the school's new Eagle athletic facility.

Santa Margarita Principal Ray Dunne imposed a punishment on Welch after the Southern Section deemed it a violation. Dunne refuses to reveal the punishment, saying it is a personnel matter. He also says Welch is not permitted to talk about the punishment. And the Southern Section is also mum.

It leaves me wondering if the Southern Section is really as powerless as it looks and why the Catholic schools always seem to hide behind a veil of secrecy.

Welch made a mistake. It isn't a fire-able offense, but keeping the punishment secret doesn't help deter anything. In fact, it creates confusion, speculation and added interest. And if Santa Margarita thinks we'll never find out what happened as far as the punishment, then good luck on that goal of replacing Mater Dei as the Orange County powerhouse.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Comments

[Press Box John]

Hollywood - If you are from NY as you claim where did your complete hatred of Crespi come from? Where does your ND worship come from? I see ND's new QB drives from Montclair every day. I was not aware that a 50 mile drive equals "local".

[chris hollywood]

harry welch is a crespi celtic graduate.that says it all.
and cornell, how many celtic athletes have come from all
over so cal only to get their butt kicked by ND, whose
student athletes are all local?

[Fred]

I think we know "why the Catholic schools always seem to hide behind a veil of secrecy." The lack of accountability flows from the Vatican to the churches to the schools.

[bro-man]

There should be two seperate divisions Private and Public. Its done in other states because it is not fair across the board. Also with your comment to City schools being allowed to use the PWT to get kids to places like Taft and Birmingham it is now a wash. LAUSD has stopped it for the coming year. No more bus rides from LA or the SF Valley to places like Taft, Palisades and others in the Valley. Kids can still get in the school and take the Blue/Red line but who is going to do that, its cost too much in these times. Have a Private school Championship and a Public School Championship and then let the Cal Hi board and regents pick the state qualifier.

[Greg]

If management of a media organization takes action against one of its employees, that information always becomes public right? No.

As to the public school and walking issue, please!!! Does Taft have all of its student-athletes living in Woodland Hills or within one mile of the campus? What about Palisades? Long Beach Poly? Some enrollment decisions have the smell of recruiting and others are hidden by transfer permits or open enrollment. Selection of schools for athletics, academics, a combination or both or for other reasons is not new and has been that way for many decades.

[Press Box John]

Tony - the only problem with your suggestion is that the City has the "Magnate" program that allows student athletes to travel to a school of their choosing. Just look back 3 years ago at the Birmingham Football team that went undefeated. I do not recall Milton Knox or the Jackson twins walking to their local school. It is a pretty far walk from Arleta to Birmingham. Every school has plenty of students that do not walk to their local High School.

[Tony Solorzano]

Complaning about athletic programs at Catholic High Schools is like "kissing your sister" nothing happens. For years we always here about the powerhouses that come out of Mater Dei, Loyola, Amat and even the Christian High Schools, Oaks Christian. My solution is let them play themselves, form them a league so the recruits from public school can play each other.
Let the players from public schools, that walk to their schools, see who is really the top team. Now if the administration from Loyola and Santa Margarita can provide the number of football players that walk home from there, then maybe will let them play West Adams Prep or whatever public school is nearby. Would'nt that be something!!!