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SoCal College News

Ventura College: Hefferman Quits (Probably).--(November 2, 1997)

Well, it was bound to happen. As we reported earlier, things have gone from bad to worse, and it now appears that there might not even be a team this year.

In two short years, Ventura has gone from finishing as the State Champions in 1995 and 1996, to semi-finalists in 1997, to possibly nowhere at all this year. On November 1, we reported on a story which appeared in the Times, relating how Ventura's new 31 year old coach Glen Hefferman, and a number of his players had appealed last week for mercy from the Wester State Conference commissioners, asking them at a meeting last Wednesday, to lift the probation imposed on the team, and to ease other sanctions imposed as a result of a number of recruiting violations committed by their former coach.

Rather than lessen the sanctions, the WSC further hit Ventura by declaring six of its players ineligible for their roles in the violations. The WSC also voted unanimously to uphold the sanctions imposed, including the two-year probation that prohibits VC, state champions in 1995 and 1995, from participating in post-season play, and which strips VC of its 1996 and 97 conference titles.

It had been rumored and reported in several newspapers that if the school's appeal was rejected, Hefferman would quit. Well, in this morning's LA Times, staff writer Vince Kowalick reports that Hefferman has in fact quit. Hefferman had already moved his family back to Chicago three weeks ago, and apparently he didn't show up at work on Thursday after the WSC meeting, and called in "sick" on Friday.

Dick James, Ventura' Athletic Director told the Times, "Glen's gone. I went to his apartment and it was cleaned out. I talked to him for 20 minutes Thursday, and I got a message Friday morning saying that he called in sick. He just ran out on everybody."

Apparently the WSC's decision to impose even harsher penalties in response to Ventura' appeal for leniency, which was released to the school by fax on Friday, was the straw that broke the camel's back.

No one has been able to reach Hefferman or his family in Chicago. Dick James said that at this point, VC will have to use "emergency" measures to hire another coach, but that they are prohibited from taking steps to replace him for at least 10 working days. Even with his unexplained absence, James also added "we have nothing to substantiate resignation."

VC's season opens on November 15 against Kings River (located in the Sierra foothills in Kern County, east of Bakersfield).

The Times got a few comments from players, including sophomore guard Ben Tryk who said, when asked about other players who've threatened to quit the team, "There's not much of a team to quit. I'd be surprised if Ventura Even has a team this year. Everyone is supposed to give their answer to Dick James on Monday. Another player, forward Danny Herrera, was asked if he would play and told the Times, "Probably not.".

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