Swim sports could sink due to lack of coach
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

A group of local parents have threatened to take their children out of the Moorpark Unified School District unless officials hire a full-time coach for the Moorpark High School aquatics program.

Water polo, which serves both boys and girls, is the fastest-growing sport in Ventura County, Cindy Markling told school board members at Tuesday night's meeting. Markling is the parent of an eighth-grader who wants to play the sport competitively at the high school level.

The high school's aquatics sports program was created five years ago and grew increasingly successful until it lost its permanent coach last year.

"We can't go another year without a full-time coach," Markling said. Several interim coaches have been filling the void to keep the program afloat, she added, but that won't keep local swimming and water polo teams competitive.

The Moorpark Aquatics Booster Club has been pressuring the district to open a physical education teaching position at Moorpark High to attract a qualified coach, said club president Joe Markling.

More than 100 students traditionally participate in water sports at Moorpark High, but the numbers are dropping this year because of the coaching issue, according to another speaker at the school board meeting Tuesday. "We need stability in the program for it to grow," said several students.

School board members couldn't address the request in detail at the meeting because the matter wasn't on the evening's agenda. But board president Ron LaGuardia said the district has been diligently looking for funds to fill the need.

"It's obvious a considerable number of people are passionate about this sport," he said.

"They want to have a solid program at the high school for their kids and we're doing everything we can to make that happen, but it's complex," said Superintendent Ellen Smith.

The school district is trying to meet the needs of all students.

"They're all a priority and that's the challenge," she said.

While parents may be frustrated because they don't see what school officials and administrators are doing, everyone is on the same page in regard to the goal, Smith said.

Moorpark High needs a coach, but that individual must be a credentialed teacher so he can also fulfill the school's academic needs as well.

"Finding a math teacher is our first priority," said Teresa Williams, assistant superintendent of personnel services for the district in a later interview.

To date the district hasn't received an application from any water polo teacher and coach, she said.

"We're working closely with the high school as they determine their staffing and coaching needs," she said.

Before parents decide to transfer their children, they should be aware of the new California Interscholastic Federation transfer eligibility requirements. CIF strongly discourages studentathletes from transferring, with or without a valid change in residence, for athletic purposes.

As of July 1 this year, most transferring high school students, with the exception of freshmen, will be forced to sit out for a year before they can participate in varsity sports.