Parochial Passion Bane of Public Schools

What this parochial-public school sports issue needs now is a wicked little rumor. Something to add spice to what’s become a dreary, tug-of-war between Catholic and public schools.

So here you go:

Certain public school officials say that if Catholic schools are allowed to compete in public leagues, public schools will simply boycott all the games against Catholic schools.

Now isn’t that wonderful? Another fine example of citizenship for our youth.

Marijon Ancich reports the rumor with a roll of his eyes.

As football coach at Tustin High School, Ancich knows he might be playing Sea View League games against a Catholic school (Santa Margarita) as soon as 1992, but he’s not going to wail about it.

“I don’t fear them,” he says.

Of course, that’s because Ancich once worked at a Catholic school. For 18 years, Ancich coached at St. Paul in Santa Fe Springs. That experience gives more perspective on the issue than most.

Still, it’s not as if he’s 100% for the Catholic-public merger. When discussing the issue, it’s obvious Ancich has more reservations than Spago on a Friday night.

His main concern is not the difference in attendance boundaries.

“What? You say Mater Dei can draw from Texas, too?”

Nor is he giving in to that increasingly popular--albeit some say paranoid--theory that Catholic schools exert undue influence to recruit athletes from public schools.

“Did you hear? They promised him brownie points in heaven and he transferred on the spot!”

No, what concerns Ancich is what he calls the “Notre Dame effect,” a parochial school’s ability to develop intense levels of enthusiasm among its athletes, student body, booster club and fans.

It’s that parochial passion--sewn right into the seams of those school uniforms.

“Catholic schools have the ability to get everyone together,” Ancich said. “There’s community involvement like you wouldn’t believe.”

At St. Paul, Ancich says, students came to school on Monday mornings already excited about the upcoming football game. On Tuesday nights, 300 to 400 people would show up to watch game films. At home games, some longtime fans sat in the same reserved seats for nearly 20 years.

“This is what I’m talking about, this intensity level. It’s extremely high,” Ancich says. “Not just among the players but the student body and the parents and all the parishes that supported them. You don’t see that at public schools.”

Not even Tustin? A school whose State champion boys’ basketball team was honored with a full-fledged parade? Tustin, whose stands are filled with bandanna-capped crazies who lead the cheers that burn tender ears?

OK, Ancich admits, this year was unique. The football team made it to a Southern Section final, and success fills stadiums.

But seven years ago, when Ancich arrived, the biggest cheer from the Tustin student body was, “School spirit? We don’t wanna hear it!”

Obviously that has changed.

“We had some incredible senior leadership this year,” he says. “But the Catholic schools have that year in and year out. I can’t tell you how much that helps a program.”

Capistrano Valley football Coach Eric Patton agrees.

A two-time all-CIF football selection while at Mater Dei in the mid-1960s, Patton says Capistrano Valley has good community support, but it doesn’t compare to that of Catholic schools.

“We have people walking around here with purple hair who couldn’t care less about the football games,” Patton said. “I don’t think you’d find that at Mater Dei.”

Of course not. Those scarlet-and-gray Monarchs wouldn’t be caught dead in purple.

Another qualm Ancich has is that, through a rigid entrance exam, Catholic schools are able to weed out all but the best and the brightest students.

But does a 4.0 grade-point average translate to 4.4 speed in the 40?

Not necessarily, though Ancich and Patton say intelligent players learn plays quicker and make fewer mental mistakes--a big asset to any team.

On this note, though, Santa Margarita Coach Jim Hartigan takes exception.

“We’ve had some very smart football players here,” Hartigan says. “But on the other hand, those are the kids who say, ‘Hey Coach, I need to be half an hour late because I have tutoring for my history class,’ or, ‘Hey Coach, I have to take time off from practice so I can go to Princeton Review (an SAT prep course). . . .’

“I have no choice but to be flexible. Academics come first here at Santa Margarita High School.”

That’s good, because if a certain rumor turns out to be true, academics might be the only game Catholic schools will be playing.