Two months after four Marine League coaches united to have their schools forfeit football games to Narbonne in protest of alleged rule violations, the City Section is proposing penalties to schools for forfeiting league games.
The first reading of the proposal will be held this month by the City Section Executive Committee and Board of Managers. It includes possible exclusion from the postseason for schools forfeiting as a first offense. The City Section recognizes reasons for forfeiting, such as lack of players or overscheduling. But what the coaches did left the City Section with no options on how to respond.
The coaches decided to forfeit after alleging failure of officials to investigate rule violations. The Los Angeles Unified School District later found evidence that seven players should be declared ineligible. Coaches at Banning, Carson and Narbonne have since resigned.
Also on the agenda is a proposal to add a Division IV for the City Section football playoffs. There are already divisions for Open, Division I, II and III.
There’s also a proposal from the Athletic Training Advisory Committee to require football teams to have medical professionals on each sideline during games as a safety measure. Currently only one medical professional is required at games.
Another proposal would change the mercy rule in football, which presently means a running clock in the fourth quarter when a team has a 35-point lead. It would require a running clock whenever a team opens a 42-point margin beginning in the third quarter.
All the proposals could become rules for next season if approved before the end of the school year.
