CHEERLEADER COACH RESIGNS AT CANOGA.Byline: Anne Burke The name Burke (from Irish Gaelic de Burca, of Norman origin). In English the meaning of the name Burke is "fortified hill." See also Berkley. Places Australia
Canoga Park High's highly regarded cheerleading The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. coach who led her squads to three national championships and two world titles - said Sunday Sunday: see Sabbath; week. she is quitting because of lack of support from administrators. Carolyn Purkey, 39, the school's coach for 13 years, said she handed in her resignation Friday to Principal Larry Higgins. She said she will leave the school effective Tuesday. ``The administrators at Canoga Park High School Canoga Park High School is a public school located in Canoga Park in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California, USA, within the Los Angeles Unified School District. It is located right across the street from the Topanga Plaza shopping center. have been nonsupportive,'' Purkey said Sunday. ``I don't believe I can give (students) the opportunities they deserve and continue what we've been doing for the last 13 years.'' She said she couldn't go into details until talking to Noun 1. talking to - a lengthy rebuke; "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to" lecture, speech rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to her attorney. The popular coach broke the news to about 30 squad members Friday afternoon during a regularly scheduled practice. Cheerleaders Notable cheerleaders
``I was devastated dev·as·tate tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates 1. To lay waste; destroy. 2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark. . The way she cares for us - it's like we're her own children,'' said cheerleader Daniel ``D.J.'' Hayes, 17. Parents also were pained by the coach's departure. ``She's the greatest. The kids were always so focused on what they were trying to achieve,'' said Hayes' mother, Lupe. Purkey graduated from Canoga Park High in 1975 and returned to the school as a teacher because of its strong tradition in school spirit, she said. But lately, ``I've seen that tradition just drop. It's not there anymore,'' Purkey said. Daniel Hayes said Purkey cited ``problems from the administration - she's not respected'' - during Friday's announcement to students. Higgins was not available for comment Sunday. In the past, he had spoken highly of Purkey, stating that she set such high standards ``we've almost come to expect to be the national champs.'' Purkey said she's been offered coaching posts at other schools for the fall, but would not disclose where she plans to go. However, she mentioned the Las Virgenes Unified School District Las Virgenes Unified School District (LVUSD) is a K-12 school district in north-west Los Angeles County, USA consisting of 14 public schools in the cities of Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Westlake Village, and several small portions of the West Hills section of Los Angeles. as a possible choice in the future. It wasn't clear Sunday who would take over Purkey's duties at Canoga Park High. Canoga Park won the world championships in Japan in 1990 and 1992, and captured national titles in 1990, '92 and '95. The squad has claimed the city and state championships each year since 1989. In 1995, Canoga Park cheerleaders accomplished the unimaginable - winning two separate national championships in one day. The competitions were in Anaheim and Long Beach. ``I'm extremely proud of what we've been able to accomplish,'' Purkey said. ``It was a very, very positive experience for me. I don't want to portray por·tray tr.v. por·trayed, por·tray·ing, por·trays 1. To depict or represent pictorially; make a picture of. 2. To depict or describe in words. 3. To represent dramatically, as on the stage. it in a negative way.'' Purkey, who lives in Agoura, is a former cheerleader herself. She has won numerous awards for coaching and choreography choreography Art of creating and arranging dances. The word is derived from the Greek for “dance” and “write,” reflecting its early meaning as a written record of dances. . Sunday evening present and former members of Purkey's cheerleading squads gathered at a Canoga Park home, many of them in tears. One of them was George Shabazz, 17, who graduated from Canoga this year. ``I broke down when I heard this, because she has helped me so much throughout the years. She's been more than a mother to me, to all of these people.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO The Carolyn Purkey-coached Canoga Park High School cheerleading squad has been state champion each year since 1989. Tina Gerson/Daily News |
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