65 Teams From Valley Open in L.A. Games

Watts is no longer in the name, but the games are shining more brightly this year than ever before.

The 19th L.A. Games, formerly called the Watts-Summer Games, will bring about 9,000 high school athletes together for competition in 12 events this and next weekend. The primary site is El Camino College in Torrance, although events will be held at 15 other schools, including Valley College.

“More athletes from more schools are competing this year,” said Willie Hooker, chairman of the games. “After a period a few years ago when the games almost folded, they’ve grown tremendously.”

Basketball will be the largest attraction, with 112 boys teams and 64 girls teams, followed by 7-on-7 football (64 teams), boys soccer (40), girls volleyball (40), baseball (32), water polo (32), boys volleyball (20), softball (16) and girls soccer (8). Individual competition will be held in track and field, tennis, swimming, wrestling and gymnastics.

Included will be 65 teams from the Valley area, representing 32 schools. Alemany, with teams in boys and girls basketball, football, baseball, boys and girls soccer and girls volleyball, is sending the most participants among Valley schools.

Valley-area boys basketball teams competing include Cleveland, last season’s City 4-A runner-up, and Simi Valley, last season’s Southern Section 4-A runner-up.

Sponsored by the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce, the games began in 1968 after the Watts Riots as an attempt to bring youth of ethnic diversity together through athletic competition.

Bill Madlock of the Dodgers and Kurt Rambis of the Lakers will serve as honorary chairmen.