CHATTER: RUSSELL: 30 DAYS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO DECIDE A SPORT'S FATE.

Byline: Lee Barnathan Staff Writer

Duke Russell's excitement turned into frustration this week.

Russell, a community sports activist, expected the state's Assembly Higher Education Committee to vote on Senate Bill 338, which would require colleges to give at least one year's notice if they plans to cut any sport.

Instead, the committee didn't vote. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley), seeing she didn't have enough votes, instead shelved the bill until at least January. Had the bill been defeated, it would have died. The bill previously passed the full Senate.

The main reason Wright doesn't have the votes, said Assemblyman Jack Scott (D-Pasadena), is the majority of the 12-member committee objected to the one-year notice. They preferred the CSU's suggestion of 30 days because there would be a tremendous loss of morale for a team to play a season knowing it will be its last.

``It's never easy to close a program,'' said Scott, who served as Pasadena City College's president from 1987-95. ``It appears this is too drastic a conclusion. I understand the need to give notice. I think (30 days) was a reasonable compromise. It would be better to terminate at the end of the season rather than at the beginning.''

Russell says that is no compromise because that's what happened at Cal State Northridge in 1997. Then-President Blenda Wilson cut four men's sports in June when everyone was on summer break.

``I'm very unhappy about it,'' said Russell, who has fought to save sports at various junior colleges and CSUN. ``I was hoping there would be a vote, since what we're asking for is so simple and fair.''

Wright's administrative assistant, Lee Angela Reid, promised Wright wasn't giving up and will continue to work on educating the Assembly members about the bill.

Russell plans a massive letter-writing campaign from coaches throughout the state. . . .

Four area baseball players were selected to the California Baseball Coaches Association's South All-State team: outfielder Mike Falco of Agoura, Westlake shortstop Kevin Howard, Granada Hills pitcher Kameron Loe and Reseda shortstop Leo Rosales. . . .

One baseball player who missed the Area Code Games was Matt Parris, who is transferring to Highland from Paraclete. Parris would have played if not for an arm injury. Parris did not undergo surgery, as incorrectly reported last week.

The good news is Parris will start throwing off a mound this week. . . .

When two-a-day football practice begins Monday, St. Francis coach Bill Redell says he will be ready inspite of undergoing knee surgery last week. Doctors removed cartilage on both sides of his left knee, shaved bone spurs and treated his knee for arthritis. . . .

In his 18 seasons at UCLA, throwing-events coach Art Venegas, a CSUN graduate, has guided the Bruins throwers to 26 NCAA individual indoor and outdoor titles. Remember John Godina and Seilala Sua? Venegas coaches them. Godina won the 1995 and '97 shot put in the World Championships and finished second in the '96 Olympics. Sua, a UCLA senior, has won the NCAA discus title in each of her previous years. She also won the NCAA outdoor shotput title last season.

Now, UCLA hopes Vanegas can work his magic on the entire track team. Venegas replaces Bob Larsen, who retired Aug. 1 after 15 years. . . .

UCLA gymnast Heidi Moneymaker will compete in the USA Championships on Thursday. She will attempt to become the second collegiate gymnast this decade to make the national team. . . .

Another example of why the area isn't known as a basketball hotbed: An all-girls ARC under-13 basketball team based in Pasadena won the Big East Summer League Boys Division title. The team finished 9-1 and beat teams from Agoura Hills, Valencia, La Canada/La Crescenta, North Hollywood and Woodland Hills. . . .

UCLA's women's soccer team has been predicted by the Pac-10 coaches to share the conference title this season. The Bruins received four first-place votes and tied with Stanford as the top pick. USC received two first-place votes and is picked to finish fourth. Also, UCLA is ranked 16th in the National Soccer Coaches Association's preseason poll. USC is 24th.

The UCLA men are picked third in the Soccer America preseason poll. . . .

The Thousand Oaks Red Army junior roller hockey team finished fourth in the Koho Pacific Cup Gold Division and won the Junior National Gold Division championship. Scott Brahma earned MVP honors by leading the tournament in goals and assists. Defensively, goalies David Murray and Scott Berry limited the opposition to no more than three goals a game. . . .

Late entries are being accepted for AYSO Region 678's third annual MLS camp for all players ages 4-1/2-18. The camp is Monday through Friday at Placerita Junior High in Newhall. Information: [phone], ext. 8. . . .

The Stealth under-12 girls travel softball team will hold tryouts. Information: Jon Byrd, [phone]. . . .

The Southern California KAOS 18-and-under travel softball team is holding tryouts in September. Information: [phone].

Also, the Valley Breeze under-14 softball club's tryouts are Sunday at 10 a.m. at San Fernando High. Information: [phone]. The Breeze under-16 tryouts are Sept. 5 at noon at Pierce College. Information: [phone].