Wanted: A real soccer field

Sports Editor:

Shame on the Newport Harbor High athletic department. They spent all

of that money (our money) “renovating” the playing field at the

“football” stadium, but didn’t have the foresight to move the long jump

and pole valult pits behind the end zones.

So, instead of the soccer teams being able to play on a field that

could have been 65 yards wide, they must instead play on a ridiculously

narrow 54 yards.

I played a soccer playoff against Newport Harbor in 1976. Newport

Harbor had a rich soccer tradition, but the football mentality has always

held soccer down.

So, as your Feb. 19 article points out, the field size is the most

formidable opponent to quality soccer at Harbor. It didn’t have to be

that way. Twenty-six years of tradition deserves better!

Mark Arbaaster

Newport Beach