Columnist Dean Juipe: CCSN, UNLV try working together

Dean Juipe

Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2000 | 10:04 a.m.

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at juipe@vegas.com or 259-4084.

They could be rivals, fighting each other for players, money and attention.

Yet when the Community College of Southern Nevada plays its first baseball game today at its new on-campus field in Henderson, UNLV head coach Rod Soesbe will be among those in attendance.

Likewise, CCSN head coach Tim Chambers was in the stands Monday as Soesbe's Rebels played St. Mary's in the third game of their young season.

Apparently these men and their programs are compatible -- although they certainly didn't have to be.

"I'm excited for them and I'm sure we'll continue to get along," Soesbe said. "I don't see them as a rival, although there's always a chance we could lose a player or two to them in recruiting."

While they will be after the same local players, Soesbe is envisioning -- or is it hoping? -- that his program's relationship with CCSN will mirror that of Arizona State University and Mesa (Ariz.) College. In the latter case, Mesa routinely sends its finest players from its two-year program to ASU to complete their collegiate eligibility.

"I'd love for that to happen," Soesbe said of copying the Mesa-to-ASU formula that has been helpful to both sides, but especially the Sun Devils. "Tim and I have even talked about that."

The notion of the Coyotes serving as a farm team to the Rebels is bolstered by the fact UNLV has already shuttled one player, freshman pitcher Nate Fouts of Bishop Gorman High, to CCSN for a little seasoning. (Ex-Rebel assistant M.J. Mariani has also "transferred" to CCSN and is now assisting Chambers.)

If all goes according to plan, Fouts -- and any number of his new teammates -- will someday advance to UNLV.

"I see their program as being a real plus for us," Soesbe said. "If nothing else it keeps kids in town that in previous times maybe had to leave the state."

CCSN has 28 players on its roster and 22 of them are from Nevada.

UNLV has 30 players on its roster and 13 of them are from Nevada.

That leads to this question: Are there really enough good, quality players in the Las Vegas valley to stock two collegiate baseball programs?

Soesbe thinks so.

"Especially over the last five years or so, it's gotten progressively better," he said. "The high schools here are very strong in baseball and there's also the Las Vegas Baseball Academy and the Las Vegas Bulldogs (traveling summer team) that do a lot for us."

But there is one area where the two local programs might unintentionally butt heads now and then, and that's when it comes to fund-raising.

This year Soesbe is distributing 11.4 scholarships among his players and has an operating budget in the neighborhood of $300,000. Of that money, he has to raise 61 percent of it himself.

CCSN offers no scholarships and Chambers is almost totally reliant on private funding to cover all of his program's expenses.

"That's where the competition lies," Soesbe said. "There are only so many 'soft' dollars out there."

So if you're a donor to one program, consider the benefits of digging deeper and giving equally to each. This city needs to keep Soesbe and Chambers compatible.