Football awaits board's decision
Football at Clackamas Community Col
lege is an issue waiting for the school board's
final judgment.
The controversy over organized athletics
-- especially football -- began last year with a
proposal to build "permanent spectator seat
ing" on campus.
This proposal was made prior to the bud
get elections and was questioned because of
the lack of large attendance at athletic events
taking place on campus.
"It (the controversy) evolved throughout
the year," said Howard Fryett, assistant to
the president of CCC. "Internally, externally
and in the press it was a concern with some
people and so the board felt that it might
be a good thing to study and analyze."
By Happie Thacker
Of The Print
The controversy came to a head at the
June 8 board meeting when Dr. John Hakan-
son, president of CCC, recommended that the
board drop the football program at the end
of the 1977-78 season.
Chuck Hudson, director of athletics,point
ed out that the college already had made
commitments to students and staff who were
expecting to play football at CCC. Hudson
felt that abrupt termination of the program
would have a negative impact on the college.
Roger Rook, a CCC board member, was
against continuing football because he had
the impression that neither the community
nor the college was ready for or interested in
football. He said that he knew that the com
munity felt very strongly against the program,
and he had the impression that the student
body was not supportive.
Ralph Groener, another CCC board memb-
ber, said that if the football program was
a rallying point of negative voters as far as
the Aug. 9 budget election was concerned,
that he would have no choice but to vote to
terminate it. He was also concerned about
out-of-state recruiting and tuition scholar
ships in football.
At the July 13 board meeting the subject
was again broached with Len Monroe, dean
Df student services, speaking in favor of the
program and asking that if the board voted
to doscontinue football they do it immediate-
y instead of waiting until the end of the
977-78 season, as had been originally pro-
aosed.
Monroe spoke in defense of the football
orogram stating that he disagreed with Hak-
anson's philosophy about the desirability of
of having a competitive football program at
CCC. He also felt that football was not much
of a factor in the coming budget election but
that the public is misinformed and unin
formed on the subject.
Monroe also referred to the potential loss
of reimbursible funds should the board dis
continue football. He said that each football
player represents about $1,100 of budgetary
supportfromstate reimbursement and tuition.
According to Monroe the college would
lose all out-of-district football players, most
in-district players and the friends of these
players if the program is dropped.
Monroe said that he felt that college staff
had not supported football, and that this
negative attitude had done much to "create
a monster" from the public's point of view,
where none exists.
Hudson agreed that the football program
should be dropped immediately if it were
going to be dropped at all because of low team
morale resulting from the knowledge that
this would be the last season.
CCC board member Anne Nickel remarked
that the comments she had heard in the com
munity led her to believe that the objections
were against the total athletic program, not
merely football. She also said that for those
students planning to transfer to four-year
institutions and planning to become football
coaches, CCC's football program is a curri
culum offering, not merely a sport.
Larry Wright, CCC board member, said
that he felt football was not meeting local
needs in that there are few local athletes tak
ing part. The only way any athletics should
be "sold" to the district is as a legitimate cu
rriculum primarily for Clackamas County
students, he said.
Groener agreed, suggesting that football
be retained, with emphasis made on local
recruiting and being sure that everyone gets
a chance to participate, no matter how many
games are won or lost.
Groener then proposed the formation of
a Blue Ribbon Citizens' Committee to study
the entire athletic program at the college and
report back to the board with recommenda
tions.
Rook ended the discussion by saying that
he would continue to be consistent in voting
against retention of football at Clackamas
because he thinks it is a recurring irritant to
the voters. As a competitor, and a sports fan,
he enjoys football, but thinks it will continue
to be a problem with local voters in the dis
trict he was elected to represent.
The board then agreed to elect Groener's
citizens' committee to study the prolfl
The committee would be a balail
presentation of attitudes towa^H
athletics and a balanced represent®
of age, sex and occupations. Board me®
faculty and staff would not be allofl
serve on the committee in othlthfl
visory positions.
The purpose of the committee will®
study "all aspects of the existingcollefl
letic program, its benefits to the ci®
the college district, students and neffl
to compare the program with that ofl
community colleges and to makeffl
mendations to the board about thef®
CCC athletic programs," accordingj®
board agenda.
Fryett has been appointed liaisonbe®
the college and the committee, I
"My position," he said, "is to ma®
that the committee meets and function®
that it addresses the problem. I also®
that the results are placed on paper™
board."
However, Fryett declined to comme®
the future of the football program®
"It's really my opinion that myo®
about athletics should not be reflect®
said.
As far as the recommendationsofthefl
that the emphasis be on recrui^H
players, there are only seven out of (II■
ers on the 1977-78 roster from the CM
trict.
Hakanson said that the mostIB
players are recruited by the places®
most to offer, with CCC among thosfl
bottom of the desirability list.
I
"This is not to say that ClackaiH®
second-rate football team," he said, "■
I'm saying is that if you're going toll
football, you have to expect a sizableoutl
district contingent on the team." I
"It's virtually impossible to recruitfl
70 football players in our district. The®
just not that many football players in|
district," Hakanson said.
"I feel certain that our coaches recfl
the best they can of what's left (afterll
major schools take their pick),'' he said, 1
if they have to go out-of-district." I
The first meeting of the Citizens'Athl
Study Committee was held Sept. 28, U
meetings will be held on a weekly basis«
those who are interested in attending. I
The committee hopes to have final reco
mendations before the board at the Jam»
board meeting.
Football team experiences new outlook
The Clackamas Community College foot
ball team begins the 1977 season with fresh
optimism. For the first time in its brief his
tory there is a new outlook surrounding the
football program.
Miller and Lucky Richardson; quarterback
Rex Schade; defensive tackle Dan Clark;
wide receiver Steve Humphrey, and defen
sive backs Tom Connell, Steve Maynard, and
all-American candidate, Mark Leroy.
The first new look is the Cougars' new
head coach, Gery Gehrmann.
Among the freshman who should stand
out for the Cougars are AAA Shrine game
stars Don Fox and Marty Pinz at linebacker,
running back Dan Hatcher, who Gehrmann
figures to break the school rushing record,
and wide receiver Kevin Scheehean.
Gehrmann, whose 20 years in football
include experience from high school to the
Portland Storm, brings to the Cougars a new
type of offensive strategy based on the
quickness of this year's squad.
Another new look will be the fact that
for the first time, the squad will be play
ing its home games at the college.
Clackamas returns 14 lettermen; includ
ing four starters on offense and five on
defense, from last year's 5-5 squad.
Leading returnees are running backs Don
Page 10
Scheehean "is a credit to the game he
plays because not only is he a great athlete
but he is also a great person," said Gher-
mann.
Scheehean, while
High School, was a
He was co-captain in
to being voted to the
ball team.
he was at Gladstone
three-sport lettermen.
basketball in addition
state AA all-star foot
Yet, despite the apparent optimism,th
remains several questions still to be answ
ed.
A lack of depth in the offensive and!
fensive lines and a large group of freshna
combined with a new head coach, prea]
problems which may make Gehrmann's I
itial campaign a difficult one.
"The school's problems hurt us in thaj
we were n’t able to recruit as would I'M
like to, and as a result we lost 10 good»
players who might have otherwise comet
Clackamas, most of which were linemen
Gehrmann said.
"Yet despite all this, we're still going
have a highly competitive team that could
win a good share of its games. Itall depena
on how consistent a brand of football w
play during each game. I guess we'll justhaw
to wait and see," he.said.
Clackamas Community Colle#