The Record Breaker : For Whittier Christian’s Vyskocil There Is a Lack of Recognition, Not Points

After Cindy Vyskocil set an Orange County single-game scoring record last week, nothing was mentioned over the public address system the next day at Whittier Christian High School.

Though Vyskocil scored 59 points, breaking the mark of 56 set by Brea-Olinda’s Carrie Egan three weeks earlier, no one at Whittier Christian--except her teammates--seemed to know it.

“It was never announced,” Vyskocil said. “But it was during finals, so the schedules were all weird and they probably weren’t making announcements.”

Vyskocil, who has committed to Arizona State, said the lack of recognition does not bother her. She has grown accustomed to such treatment at Whittier Christian. She also has become accustomed to not knowing who the next varsity coach will be. Or where the team will next call its home gymnasium. Or whether the girls’ sports programs will ever show signs of progress.

In her four years at the school, Vyskocil has witnessed many changes. And though many had detrimental effects on the girls’ program as a whole, Vyskocil has managed to keep her statistics--and spirits--high.

Vyskocil, a 6-foot 1-inch center, is averaging 35.3 points a game, placing her second in California, according to Cal-Hi Sports magazine. She is shooting 52% from the field and also averages 12 rebounds per game.

Though her statistics are outstanding, Vyskocil said she understands the reasons she doesn’t get the kind of recognition other leading Orange County players receive.

“As far as recognition, well, compared to Carrie Egan, there’s not a lot because I didn’t have a coach to build me up,” she said. “I knew of Carrie when I was a freshman. She had a coach with her for four years who (boosted her image) in the paper.”

When Craig Fox started as varsity coach this season, Vyskocil sent him a note. She told him that because of all the coaching changes she has gone through, she wouldn’t be able to welcome him with open arms. At least not right away.

Of the four coaches hired since Vyskocil was a freshman, Fox is the only one of whom she has approved. Vyskocil said the previous coaches didn’t know much about the game.

Fox had little coaching experience, but he was a basketball star at Whittier Christian nine years earlier. And that pleased Vyskocil.

“I didn’t even know if the ladies (former girls’ coaches) had played basketball before,” Vyskocil said. “But he (Fox) is a terrific basketball player--the man doesn’t miss. Even though his credentials don’t show it, he has a lot more knowledge. I had no confidence in my other coaches. We have full confidence in everything (Fox) says and does.”

The lack of a gym at Whittier Christian caused further problems. As a freshman, Vyskocil played home games at Lowell High School. But when Los Angeles College of Chiropractic bought the Lowell campus after the high school was closed, the team began a continual search for a home court.

The Heralds practiced in the Hacienda Recreation Center at La Habra Heights. They played games at Whittier’s First Family Baptist Church, and a few times at Biola College. They have returned to College of Chiropractic for games but must practice at the Hacienda Recreation Center.

Through all the changes, however, Vyskocil’s outlook has remained constant. Though she said her family once considered moving to Riverside so she could attend Riverside Poly, a girls’ basketball power, Vyskocil realizes she was better off staying at Whittier Christian.

“They’ve been saying they’re going to build us one for a long time, and they’ll probably keep saying it,” she said. “But this school has given me other things, like direction. I used to regret being here, but now I see it’s turned out for the best.”