by Will DeBoard
After
21 years, CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Commissioner Pete Saco is riding off into the
sunset.
Saco
announced at the January 15 Board of Managers meeting that this will be his
last year as commissioner of the second-largest Section in the state. His last
month will be August, where his final act as commissioner will be overseeing
the induction of the Section’s third Hall of Fame class.
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| SJS Commissioner Pete Saco |
“I
have been truly blessed to work for one of the finest athletic organizations in
the country,” Saco said. “Our Board of Managers has been very supportive of the
initiatives that I felt were important for the students within the Sac-Joaquin
Section and the entire state. I have been very fortunate to have a great staff
that was willing to carry out the vision that was adopted and supported by our Board
of Managers and Executive Committee for high school athletics within our
section.”
Saco
is the third commissioner in the Sac-Joaquin Section’s 72-year history. He came
aboard from the Lodi Unified School District in 1993. He was preceded by Clarke
Coover (1968-1993) and James Cave (1942-1968).
During
his time here, the Section underwent explosive growth. It grew from 115 schools
to 195 schools. It went from three divisions to the current seven-division
format. More schools than ever are earning Section championship banners, and
they are contesting those finals in some of the best venues in the Central
Valley.
He
has instituted several programs that are now entrenched within the Section culture.
They include:
• The Dale Lacky Memorial Scholarship Program, which has given more than $400,000 in scholarships to deserving student-athletes over the years.
• The Foundation Games in basketball and volleyball, which help fund the Lacky scholarships.
• The Dick Nelson Community Service Award, which recognizes teams for contributing beyond athletics to their towns.
• The Hall of Fame, which has honored many of the great athletes, coaches, administrators, officials and members of the media which have graced the Section boundaries.
• The Women in Sports Conference, an every-other-year event that brings female athletes from across the Section together in Lodi for a time of education and fellowship.
• Expansion of the Model Coach program at the same time the CIF State launched it.
• The Dale Lacky Memorial Scholarship Program, which has given more than $400,000 in scholarships to deserving student-athletes over the years.
• The Foundation Games in basketball and volleyball, which help fund the Lacky scholarships.
• The Dick Nelson Community Service Award, which recognizes teams for contributing beyond athletics to their towns.
• The Hall of Fame, which has honored many of the great athletes, coaches, administrators, officials and members of the media which have graced the Section boundaries.
• The Women in Sports Conference, an every-other-year event that brings female athletes from across the Section together in Lodi for a time of education and fellowship.
• Expansion of the Model Coach program at the same time the CIF State launched it.
“The direction Pete Saco
has offered the Sac-Joaquin Section is unparalleled,” Section President and
Lincoln-Stockton Principal Debbi Holmerud said. “He has been a voice for equity
for all students and schools and been willing to make difficult decisions when
that equity has been challenged. He has led by example, held high
expectations of himself and those around him and made things happen. He
will be missed!”
Saco
has overseen the virtual rewriting of the Section constitution, which includes
a stronger undue influence rule, a start/end date for practices and games in
every sport, the dead and limited periods and the implementation of a fine
system, which allows deserving students to play ball despite an administrator’s
paperwork error.
The
Section was in the national news in 2007, when Saco spearheaded an
investigation into Franklin High School of Stockton and the illegal recruitment
of football players from American Samoa. It remains one of the most noteworthy
high school athletics scandals in state history.
Some
of his proposals have gone on to become part of the state playoff system as
well. He introduced the state football playoff system proposal, the state
basketball open division concept and this Section was the first to introduce
the “Sit-Out Period” for transfers, now a statewide rule.
The
Section has returned over $1.4 million in profits to its member schools, and
has also returned more than $1 million to schools in mileage costs. And in
2007, the Section built its new permanent home at 1368 E. Turner Road in Lodi –
the geographic middle of the Section.
What’s
next for Saco? A well-deserved rest at his Lincoln Hills home with his wife and
best friend of 34 years, Barbara.
“Barbara
and I will get to do some traveling, play some golf, spend some extra time with
family and friends and take in a few more Giants games,” said Saco, a San
Francisco native and big fan of his hometown teams. “It has been a great ride.”
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