‘Success Goes Sour’ for Coach

Imagine--Tokofsky, Marshall High coach of the national champion Academic Decathlon team, has passed up the opportunity to coach this year’s team; he claims he’s exhausted and complains that the $1,500 offered Academic Decathlon coaches is inadequate compensation for such a demanding position.

C’mon, Tokofsky. Coaches are supposed to love their jobs, regardless of how much they’re paid. I mean, I’m sure the coaches--or players--of our L.A. professional sports teams would gladly do their jobs for free--and they’re with real teams, not academic ones.

Well, I guess this is just another case in which a member of the money-obsessed teaching profession could learn a lot by following the altruistic examples set regularly by those associated with American professional sports. Really, it’s no wonder that real--that is, athletic--coaches and their teams are frequently received by President Reagan, while Tokofsky and his team were not.

Thank goodness we Americans have our priorities straight.

KAREN AMSTERDAM

Los Angeles