When Leaving Means More Than Goodbye

For teenage athletes in the 1990s, nothing has become more important than deciding whether to stay or leave a high school.

The loosening of transfer rules, the growing emphasis on college scholarships and the increasing attention given to high-profile programs is encouraging athletes to shop for a school even if they are attending a good one.

Here’s the tale of two seniors who made gut-wrenching decisions last September. One stayed, surrendering his starting position on the football team to remain loyal to friends and classmates. The other left, abandoning his life-long friends for the dream of playing varsity basketball.

Who was right? Who was wrong?

*

Tears of joy streamed down the face of Steve Alvarado at the Coliseum two weeks ago as he celebrated Taft High’s City Championship in football.

He raised his arms in triumph, thanked his teammates, hugged his friends.

“Everything I had seen and gone through culminated with that moment,” he said. “When there was about a minute left, that’s when it started to hit me and I started to break down, thinking how much the last three years meant, all the energy I put in, being around all my friends, the relationships I built.”

A year ago, Alvarado was Taft’s starting quarterback. He passed for 2,190 yards and earned All-City honors. But the Toreadors lost in the City final to San Pedro.

This season, Alvarado was forced to watch from the sideline as Brandon Hance, a transfer from Notre Dame, guided Taft to the City title.

Never before had a quarterback gone so quickly from All-City to bench-warmer.

Why didn’t Alvarado quit? Why didn’t he transfer?

“I don’t think it was fair, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned from this program, it’s that it’s the best,” Alvarado said.

Alvarado reluctantly accepted the judgment of Coach Troy Starr. From the moment Hance arrived at Taft last spring, everyone suspected Alvarado’s days as the starter were over. But Alvarado refused to step aside quietly. Through hard work and perseverance, he battled the talented Hance to a draw, forcing Starr to wait until shortly before the season opener to select Hance the starter.

Alvarado fought disillusionment on the bench. Twice he came close to quitting. After the second game against Crenshaw, when it finally became clear he wouldn’t be playing much, he got into his car and drove around the Valley for hours, not arriving home until after 3 a.m.

“I couldn’t really take it,” he said. “Right after the game, I was gone. I tried to hold in all these repressed feelings. I needed some time to get this off my chest. I stopped in a park and started thinking and putting things in perspective. I needed to be alone.”

He accepted his situation, but after Taft lost its regular-season finale to Granada Hills, the bitter feelings returned. He didn’t care what happened to the team, and that bothered him.

“As the playoffs began, I said, ‘I’ve got to stop this.’ I had to put things aside for the sake of my team,” Alvarado said.

Through the playoffs, Alvarado cheered for his teammates, for Hance, for all his football friends. They helped him earn a ring, something he’s grateful for.

“Even though I wasn’t playing, I couldn’t sacrifice my attitude around the team because all my friends were still playing and I didn’t want to screw that up for them,” he said. “They mean so much to me. I was so happy for them after the game. I went up to each and every one of them and thanked them for finally doing it.”

Alvarado finished his senior year with only 33 pass attempts. He’ll be just another player in the Taft team photo. But his profile in courage will never be forgotten.

He has a 3.9 grade-point average and 1120 SAT score. He has applied to UCLA, California, San Diego, UC Irvine and Pomona College. Teachers praise him. There will be no football scholarship and his playing days are probably over. But what a future he has.

“I’m sure I’m going to be successful,” he said.

Was it right for him to stay at Taft?

“I’m not resenting anything,” he said. “It was a perfect ending. Everything is a learning experience. It made me grow up.”

*

Josh Levy, a 6-foot-4 guard, received a ring last season playing on Chaminade’s Southern Section Division III-A championship basketball team.

Except he hardly played.

“I played maybe two minutes a game,” he said. “When everyone else does the work and you don’t do anything but [still] get a ring, it feels weird.”

The Eagles were so talented that their second-stringers probably could have started for many teams. Levy was the 12th man. He could make three-point shots with his eyes closed. But playing time was scarce, with Scott Long, Justin Stewart, Scott Borchart, J.J. Todd, Justin Beach, Cayce Cook, Chris Canoles and others ahead of him.

Sensing he would have a difficult time breaking into the lineup for his senior year, Levy decided to leave. It was a tough decision. He had attended Chaminade since seventh grade.

“I had a great time,” he said. “I loved it. I loved all the players, and the coaches were always nice to me.”

But Levy loved basketball. He didn’t want to finish high school without taking a crack at proving he could play.

He transferred to Campbell Hall in North Hollywood. This season, his first as a varsity starter, he is averaging 18.8 points per game to help the Vikings to an 8-2 start.

He scored 25 points last week against Mary Star, making six three-pointers. He scored 20 points against Calabasas, making four three-pointers. He has made 26 three-pointers in nine games.

“It was a tough decision, but I had to do what was right to be seen and known,” he said. “I just had to leave all my years behind, drop everything, go to a new school. Everyone’s welcomed me, but I still miss my old friends.”

He’ll return to West Hills on Saturday when Campbell Hall begins play in the Chaminade tournament.

“I think we can do pretty well and show people we can compete with them,” he said.

Levy is also a 6-6 high jumper. He’s hoping to earn a college scholarship in basketball or track.

“I feel it is realistic,” he said. “If I work hard enough, anything can happen.”

To leave or to stay? So many issues must be weighed.

Alvarado staying and Levy leaving were the right decisions for them. There is no looking back. Their futures have been changed, hopefully for the better. But there are no guarantees, no matter what anyone says.

Eric Sondheimer’s local column appears Wednesday and Sunday. He can be reached at (818) 772-3422.