UC IRVINE NOTEBOOK / JOHN WEYLER : Guerrero’s Best-Laid Plans Fuel Controversy

No one will argue with Dan Guerrero’s conclusion that Orange County is a gold mine of women’s soccer talent or his belief that UC Irvine ought to be making every attempt to keep these young women close to home. But the Irvine athletic director is getting plenty of argument about his plans for accomplishing this goal.

Last month, Guerrero announced that the school will conduct a nationwide search for a director of soccer/head women’s coach.

“We feel we’ve had two fragmented programs here,” he said, “and this is a model that has worked well in other places. We want someone who will be an ambassador for UCI soccer, who will provide a positive public relations umbrella with the responsibility of networking and outreaching to the community and consolidating our marketing and sponsorship efforts.”

Guerrero did mention “and coach a sport,” but it’s clear--even through all that athletic director-speak--that fund-raising potential will be considered as heavily as coaching ability. The move is a sign of tough financial times, but it’s also an unfortunate turn of events for the current women’s coach, Ray Smith.

Smith is not the type of glad-hander who will end up with this job--although Guerrero said he’s welcome to apply--but Smith is a proven winner on the field. In its first six years, Irvine’s women’s soccer team was 35-65-18. In the last four under Smith, the Anteaters are 39-35-5, including a 12-8 mark this year.

“Instead of naming a new person they should name the person they have now,” said Dawn Evans, a former Irvine player who was captain of the 1991 team and still works out with Anteaters. “Ray is a really, really good coach. I’ve seen the program grow so much under him.

“Supporting women’s soccer with a full-time coach is great, but I don’t think they really understand that what he’s done at UCI is phenomenal. And I’m sure whoever they name won’t be as effective.”

That remains to be seen, but whoever gets the job will also reap the benefits of Smith’s considerable recruiting and coaching efforts.

Smith chooses his words carefully, trying not to squash whatever slim chance he has of getting the job. But he is clearly upset.

“You’d like to think that hard work and results are worth something,” he said. “It’s disappointing because I’ve been putting in full-time effort, and more, for part-time pay and I’ve put together three winning seasons without a recruiting budget, except for what came out of my own pocket, and very little scholarship help.

“We’ve got a good young team that will only be better with a year’s experience next season. It’s pretty tough to accept.”

Smith thinks he could be Irvine’s soccer ambassador, but he also would have been happy to see men’s Coach Derek Lawther be named director of soccer/men’s coach. The positive gender-equity ramifications of hiring a full-time women’s coach, however, render that notion moot.

“Why go outside to get somebody else when you have two qualified people here?” Smith asked. “Derek is a former professional player and coach and a former national team coach who is a great name in soccer. And there’s myself, who has taken nothing and turned it into a winning program.”

Lawther, who told Guerrero he would be glad to coach the women’s team if it meant a full-time job, was told not to apply. This way, Guerrero can have his cake and eat it too. Lawther, who has pretty much supported the men’s program with his fund-raising efforts, will still be beating the bushes for the Anteaters.

“Going to a full-time women’s coach is a great commitment on the school’s part,” Smith said. “I can’t help but be positive about what the school is doing. It’s good for Orange County soccer and it’s great for UCI soccer.”

And it’s bad news for Smith.

*

Rush to judgment? The lead editorial in last week’s school paper, New University, puts forth the opinion that school’s failure to renew Smith’s contract is merely a ploy to distance itself from any scandal involving the wrongful death suit brought by the parents of Terrie Cate, the Irvine soccer player who died in August, 1992, after collapsing during a preseason training run.

Let us provide our opinion on that editorial: hogwash.

The suit names the Regents of the University of California, UC Irvine and Smith as primary defendants. If they win a large settlement, who’s going to have to pay?

After his contract runs out this month, Smith won’t even have any wages to attach.

Anteater Notes

Sophomore outside hitter Popi Edwards was named a first-team All-Big West selection, the first Irvine volleyball player to be so honored since Chris Roberts in 1988. Middle blocker Brandy Smerko was named to the all-freshman team. . . . The women’s basketball team (0-1) meets Michigan at 8 p.m. Friday in the opening round of the UCI/Newport Marriott Classic in the Bren Center. Sacramento State and North Texas meet at 6. The tournament continues Saturday with the losers playing at 6 and winners at 8.

Two-time NCAA defending men’s champion Stanford will be among more than 20 schools competing in the Speedo Cup, hosted by Irvine men’s and women’s swimming teams Thursday through Saturday at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach. Distance freestyle specialist Elljah Fan of Capistrano Valley High and diver Geremy Spehar, who competed at Huntington Beach High and OCC, are two-time winners for the Irvine men’s team, which is 0-4 in dual meets. Sophomore Danielle Bries has two victories in the 200-meter freestyle this season for the women’s team (2-4).