Undercover Insider
Kick it!
I had this conversation with an official at a school in our Mid Valley Sports coverage area (Mid-Valley & Southeast divisions).
I will reference him as “Insider”…You are under no obligation to believe what he says, I’m just passing it along.
Insider: If you want a glimpse into the future of high school sports; district teams.
Leagues based on district alliances cutting out the CIF. Club sports running everything but football (the moneymaker).
Joe T.: How soon?
Insider: The end is nigh.
Joe T.: All the resignations playing a part?
Insider: Just my take on the whole coach resignation stuff and looking around. What’s funny is the CIF’s laziness in not wanting to enforce the association rule will just hasten all this stuff happening.
The second they decided they didn’t want to worry about teams practicing out of season, they made themselves all but worthless.
Burned out teachers/coaches equals resigning coaches, which equals increased club influence.
Increased club influence equals gradual club control over high school sports.
Joe T.: Other sports always seemed to play year around. Why is it different with football.
Insider: The association rule has put districts in a tough position at the worst possible time because they certainly can’t pay coaches as year-round employees which they essentially become with the lack of association rule.
So instead of paying everyone, they’ll cede it to the clubs and keep their only money-making sport i.e. football. They’ll pay their football coaches year round but not before you see a few rounds of attrition like we’ve seen this off-season.
And in order to help pay for these year-round coaches, districts will pool resources and create district teams. I can see La Puente, Alhambra pooling teams, El Monte, Pasadena, among others.
Joe T.: Have you been waiting to chime in on this subject or did something happen recently to inspire you?
Insider: No, just my thoughts while watching this avalanche of resignations
and watching winter sports of not just our school, but other schools.
Joe T.: Why don’t you go on the record? Everyone talks about this but no one really on the inside wants to step up.
Insider: I’d rather not go on the record with it. I don’t need to be chastised by the higher ups in my district.
Joe T.: So you just want to stir the pot.
Insider: Not really stirring the pot. I don’t see my take as controversial or anything, but some may take it as a slight against CIF and to a lesser degree, club coaches and programs.
Joe T.: So go on the record and give me some of the deeper details.
Insider: (laughs)
The Dude abides…
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Contact Joe at joe@midvalleysports.com
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