School board members have quashed any hopes of lacrosse teams coming to Simi Valley high schools any time soon, as it was decided that time and resources were better spent on budget and staffing issues.

The Simi Valley Unified School District board members were split last week in their consideration of holding a workshop to discuss possible teams.

Board president Jeanne Davis, clerk Debbie Sandland and board member Janice DiFatta rebuffed the idea.

“I’m not interested at all at this time,” DiFatta said. “It’s the last thing we should be considering right now. It would just be spreading the pot thinner.”

At a meeting last month, five men, including representatives from the local club team Simi Valley Storm, came to speak in support of adding a lacrosse team at Simi Valley and Royal high schools, and they were applauded by several lacrosse supporters in the audience.

Forty other written cards of support were submitted to the board as well.

Several schools in the Conejo Valley have added lacrosse teams in the last year or two. Area schools with teams include Agoura, Calabasas, Newbury Park, Oak Park, Westlake and Thousand Oaks high schools.

Although the proposed Simi teams would be self-sufficient, questions have emerged about the lack of field availability and appropriate supervision.

Sandland said it was a difficult decision.

“When programs come forward that are good for kids, it’s hard to say no,” Sandland said. “But we cut our current sports programs 20 percent last year. We can’t.”

Board members Eric Lundstrom and Rob Collins said they thought the group, which has committed to completely self-funding the team, at least deserved a meeting to talk.

“I think we may be acting harsh here,” Collins said. “If they’re saying they’re going to fully fund, I don’t see why we shouldn’t do it. Athletics are often the one thing that connect youngsters to school.”

DiFatta said that with the budget concerns and teacher layoffs, it just wouldn’t be the right time to consider a new team.

“There’s an organization that’s willing to step forward and a fund their program,” Lundstrom said. “When will be the right time?”