BUSES READY TO ROLL AGAIN FOR PREPS MOST VARSITY EVENTS WILL BEGIN AGAIN THIS WEEKEND.

Byline: Lee Barnathan Staff Writer

The City Section issued a memo to athletic directors Wednesday announcing that varsity track and field will be played Friday and that other varsity sports could resume their seasons as early as Saturday. A Section memo said there will be enough buses so that private transportation will not be needed.

High school athletics had been a casualty of the two-week old Laidlaw bus drivers' strike.

The memo was in contrast to Tuesday's 2 1/2-hour meeting between City officials and the schools' athletic directors. There had been no decision about track, Monday was to be the restart day and leagues had the option of using buses on Saturdays or private transportation during the week.

City officials said the reason for the change was that officials learned Wednesday morning there will be enough buses to transport varsity athletes.

``We have located 75 other buses for the sporting events,'' Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Roy Romer said. ``We have been able to get the kids to school but not to the sporting events. These are very important activities in the schools and for the athletes. I've been working to find a way to get them back on board.''

What hasn't changed, however, is cancelling the lower-level seasons for now. But unlike Tuesday, when the City said the seasons would be canceled until the strike is settled, Fiege said there is a chance the lower-level seasons could begin before a settlement to the strike.

Fiege said the City needs to determine whether there are enough buses to accommodate the lower-level athletes.

``We don't have that information to make that call,'' Fiege said. ``In physical education, it's always been about large numbers, and dealing with different ideas and with different groups and trying to keep it fair. That's what you do.''

Not surprising, junior varsity coaches were not happy with the decision.

``There's no justification,'' Granada Hills JV softball coach Gary Snyder said. ``The kids are lethargic. They don't have anything to work for. They're just going through the motions. It's hard to keep them motivated.''

Still, news that their season could restart earlier was welcomed by some of those affected. So was the City rules committee deciding to vote Tuesday on whether a lower-level athlete can be promoted to the varsity and then return to the JV once the JV season resumes. Normally, a player promoted must stay on the varsity.

``That's a lot more positive news, (but) I'm disappointed educated people couldn't come up with something better,'' Chatsworth JV baseball coach Ron Martinez said. ``The kids work so hard, plus in baseball, there's a considerable capital outlay. These kids have made a significant (financial) investment, not to mention their time spent practicing and fund-raising.''