Coaches’ actions praised

In response to Barry Faulkner’s football article entitled, “Victory

Without Honor,” published in the Pilot on Tuesday, Oct. 21, I would

like to reiterate my agreement with his message, that sometimes it is

the coaches who, “drop the ball when it matters most.”

Our family has had two sons play in football at our local high

school, Newport Harbor. The lessons they have learned about

sportsmanship, honor and teamwork are the most important elements of

a high school athletic program.

It is important and appropriate to bring to your attention the

actions of coaches who were honorable, and as witnessed by the entire

team, will have a lasting impact on our boys.

Coach Joe Urban and his freshmen football coaching staff -- Joe

Urban Jr., Bryan Breland, Donnie Cullen, Garrett Govaars and Matt

Riggle -- showed remarkable restraint and grace under pressure

Thursday when anger erupted at the close of the freshman football

game at Aliso Niguel. It is a bit uncomfortable to celebrate a

victory in front of an Aliso coach, yelling and striding purposefully

toward Coach Urban and the entire team.

The enraged Aliso coach was restrained by his fellow coaches but

he made no less than four attempts to engage Coach Urban in a fight,

including cursing and challenging him to, “bring it on.” This last

foray was made as the boys were gathering to get on the buses and

attempting to store their gear in the back of the bus.

Many of the parents attending the game were concerned for the

team’s safety. I would like to commend the actions of the Newport

coaches who refused to engage in this kind of irrational behavior. In

addition, I would like to praise the other Aliso coaches who

physically and verbally restrained their coach and kept the Aliso

team on the field so that the Newport team could depart in safety.

I watched the coaches contain themselves Thursday in the face of

enormous pressure. Lesser men might have lost perspective and fought

back. I was reminded of the irony of the situation. It is important

for our boys to stay tough and fight on the field. It is just as

vital that they learn to confine their aggression to that venue. The

coaches taught a lesson by their behavior Thursday that none of us

who witnessed it will ever forget. We are proud to have our sons

being trained by men of this caliber. Thank you coaches for not,

“dropping the ball when it matters most.”

Sandra W. Skahen

Newport Beach