Last turn on spring joy ride before shifting gears
Inspiring season wraps as off-field issues lurk with change coming in new commissioner.
There are three weeks left before the 2022-23 high school sports spring season comes to a close. Time to reflect and look ahead while finishing my jury duty.
Change is coming. A new Southern Section commissioner, Mike West, takes over. A better understanding of how the college transfer portal will affect high school recruiting should emerge with most of the COVID-19 redshirt years exhausted, thinning out rosters.
Coaching stipend raises in the City Section are providing stability, giving schools a chance to rebuild. New fields at Woodland Hills Taft, Carson and Woodland Hills El Camino Real and new gyms at North Hollywood and Sun Valley Poly offer new motivation. Shortages in football helmets are no longer a concern.
The start of girls’ sevenon-seven flag football this fall offers both excitement and additional challenges to figuring out use of facilities.
The graduation of Bronny James at Chatsworth Sierra Canyon will cause the paparazzi basketball crowd to look for new targets. The expected transfer of his brother, Bryce, to Campbell Hall is going to bring new scrutiny and new issues for a Studio City school that has no idea what it’s about to experience.
There is no sign that holding back athletes to repeat grades is ending, so 16year-old freshmen going against 14-year-old freshmen will continue. The parents of the 16-year-old think there’s nothing wrong. The parents of the 14-year-old
think something is wrong. As long as it’s legal, nothing is changing.
You have only two more chances to catch Rodrick Pleasant of Gardena Serra turning on the speed as a high school athlete before he heads off to become an Oregon Duck. He’ll be running in the Masters Meet on Saturday at Moorpark High, then the state championships at Buchanan High in Clovis. Athletes like him come around once every 10 years. Don’t miss out. He’ll be off to the NFL or Olympic Games one day.
Rankings are beloved
and cursed. Everyone wants to see an opinion, then gets annoyed when they feel overlooked or ignored. It’s why rankings will continue to proliferate, and it’s up to readers to make decisions about credibility and accuracy.
The resiliency, perseverance and magical power possessed by teenage athletes are inspiring to watch. You think a team has no chance to make a comeback, then it happens and you begin to understand anything is possible when you’re united and believe in one another. And to see the
joy on the faces of the players who made that comeback is incredible. It’s a moment that will never go away for the athletes and those who witnessed it.
Illegal recruiting will continue with little or no consequences. Schools and parents are afraid to squeal on each other. It’s comedy to hear the allegations that are openly discussed but rarely proved for fear of repercussions. What happened to showing courage and standing up for rules and ethics? The judge told the jurors “you must tell the truth.” Why can’t that happen outside
of a courtroom?
Animosity among private and public schools will continue to grow. There’s too much suspicion because of a lack of transparency and communication. One way to reduce tension is for individuals to step forward as peacemakers and leaders, such as San Juan Capistrano JSerra baseball coach Brett Kay offering his field for use by public schools when rain disrupted schedules this spring. He earned respect, praise and gratitude as he put kids first.
The summer is near,
when coaches and athletes will be busier than ever participating in camps, workouts, recruiting trips and summer school. Fortunately, the Southern Section requires a two-week dead period. Take the time off to refresh, relax, reinvigorate. It really does help to heal the mind and body. Burnout is worse than any ankle injury.
My jury service lasted three days. Following opening arguments, the two sides settled. It was immediate euphoria for the jurors. Let’s hope the upcoming 2023-24 sports season produces a similar feeling.