COLLEGE HAS URGENT MISSION: BRING BACK SPORTS.

Byline: Duke Russell Local View

THE headline read ``Mission sports delayed again,'' on July 17 in the Daily News.

``The system'' doesn't work. That's why so many, all of them paying taxes for sports, have had no sports at Mission College for girls or boys for the past four years.

The fifth year just began.

In July 1997, the entire sports program (soccer, golf, cross country, softball and baseball) was quickly axed in only two meetings.

Then college President Bill Norland said he couldn't afford the $180,000 budget, but about 100 athletes were bringing about $400,000 a year into Mission College. (The proof of the $4,000 per athlete comes from a former member of the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees who proved that the way to get state funding is to enroll athletes.)

Norland promised to return the sports as soon as he received more money. In 1998, he and Mission College canceled its exclusive contract to use beautiful El Cariso Park (next to the campus) for softball and baseball.

In 1999, interim President Tom Oliver promised to restart sports in 2001. In 2000, he promised again to restart sports in 2001, this time in front of the district chancellor and board.

In four years, about 400 student-athletes living near Mission have had to travel many miles to other public colleges if they wished to pursue their athletic hopes and dreams. Some, without transportation and money, lost a chance to go to college.

Since each properly enrolled athlete brings $4,000 to Mission, or any other community college, about $400,000 a year has been lost every year at Mission for four years.

By canceling sports, Mission - the only one of nine Los Angeles community colleges that has no sports - went against the expressed desires of the chancellor and board of trustees who wanted more students who bring in more money.

Mission College will have lost $2 million at the end of its fifth year without sports.

``The system'' isn't working when it comes to providing justice to Latinos, African-Americans and others who plead before the chancellor and the board to return sports.

``The system'' is in Downtown Los Angeles at 770 Wilshire Boulevard where Chancellor Mark Drummond, Kelly Candaele and six other publicly elected members of the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees meet twice a month to resolve complaints from people paying taxes for public education.

The chancellor, a former athlete, and the board members are good and honest people, but when citizens during the past four years have asked that the five sports quickly axed at Mission for a ``lack of money'' be just as quickly restarted, the chancellor and board have said they won't ``micromanage'' the college president. In other words, they would not make the president live up to the promises to restart sports that inspired kids to stay in high school and graduate.

It's not OK to say ``we won't micromanage.'' The chancellor and the board members are being paid to get involved to help students.

Coaches were quickly fired at Mission in 1997 and students were told to try to find other public colleges where they might play the sports they loved. The ``process'' to ax the sports was two days and two meetings. The ``process'' to restart sports is now in its fifth year.

``The system'' used to work and can work again.

In 1986 and 1995, when baseball was axed at Los Angeles City College, it was quickly saved when the chancellor and board, after listening to complaints, told the college presidents to keep baseball. The same thing happened in 1996 at Pasadena City College, where Jackie Robinson played before getting a scholarship to the University of California, Los Angeles.

The chancellor and the board wanted soccer, softball and baseball to restart in 2001 at Mission (board meeting, April 12, 2000). In May 2000, a petition was signed by 800 students, teachers and parents at three high schools near Mission (San Fernando, Sylmar and Kennedy high schools). They asked that softball and baseball be restarted at Mission in 2001 as promised. Copies were given to the chancellor and each board member. Nothing happened.

Now, the new president of Mission College (the third in four years) has promised softball and baseball for 2003. Students deserved both in 2002. Two of the five sports axed are not restarting - soccer and golf.

Valley students, parents and other California taxpayers who want sports quickly restarted at Mission College should tell the president of Mission, the district chancellor, the board members and their elected politicians.