Cerveny Remains Optimistic Despite SDSU Athletic Trim

SAN DIEGO — Jim Cerveny felt Tuesday’s emptiness once before--in 1989, when the San Diego State track and field program was cut.

But he raised $120,000 and, a year later, the program was back.

Now, who knows? Cerveny, 52, learned late Monday that his was one of eight staff positions that would not be reappointed for the 1991-1992 fiscal year. Cross-country and track and field will go on at SDSU, ostensibly without him.

The budget continues to shrink.

“We knew there would have to be a few more notches on the belt, but I don’t think anybody expected to lose their positions,” Cerveny said.

He came to the school in the spring of 1982 as an assistant track and field coach and became director of the programs in 1987. His salary was as high as $63,000 when he was the director of the track program, but it dropped to $20,000 last year when he rearranged his coaching staff. In order to save the jobs of assistants Rhan Sheffield and Gary Stathas, Cerveny made them head track coaches and made himself the head cross-country coach. He still assisted in track and volunteered to take a cut in salary so they each could remain on staff.

“I gambled by changing my job description, hoping the money thing would work out within the university,” Cerveny said. “It hasn’t worked out. It’s gotten worse before better.”

And last fall, because the men’s and women’s cross-country programs were severely underfunded, Cerveny gave $5,000 to both programs, leaving himself with a $10,000 salary.

He was married March 21, and the Western Athletic Conference track and field championships are scheduled for May 17 and 18 at SDSU. Guess who’s the meet director?

“I still have complete faith that something is going to work out,” Cerveny said. “I’m still recruiting, and I’m going to let (the recruits) know I plan to be here in the fall whether I’m paid or not.

“That’s where I am today.”