Athletics’ Best Qualities Will Continue to Be Displayed

As we contemplate a century without Charlie Brown and steel ourselves for whirlwind change and uncertainty in the new millennium, a measure of reassurance is as near as local athletic fields.

High school sports: Same as it ever was.

For everyone involved--the athlete, coach, cheerleader, band member and spectator--the experience is fundamentally the same as it was when schools began fielding teams early in the 20th century.

And this slice of Americana very likely will endure 50 or 100 years from now when the lives of our grandchildren bear little resemblance to ours.

Thriving 21st century communities will be defined in part by the presence of healthy high school sports programs, just as they are today. Failing programs will continue to be a symptom of a deeper malaise in the community.

Americans connect through the activities of their children. A high school sporting event is one of the few times neighbors venture from their homes to gather and converse.

And it is one of the few times an adolescent doesn’t feel uncomfortable or unwelcome. Playing high school sports is a way for a typical tongue-tied teenager to make a statement:

I exist. I enjoy. I excel.

It is a continuous proving ground, a tradition-bound rite of passage. Teens discover an identity and display qualities on the athletic field that no one, including themselves, knew they possessed.

Where else can they make such profound expressions of determination, leadership, finesse, strength, toughness, poise and a thousand other attributes?

And their families and friends are there to cheer them.

The experience packs the power of a rocket launch in boosting self-esteem. No wonder high school sports are as endearing as they are enduring.

“The enthusiasm for the game won’t change,” said Jeff Engilman of Sylmar High, a teacher and football coach in the City Section for 26 years. “It was the same when I played and when my dad played.

“It’s a showplace. A lot of times kids mentally feel like they are in a closet. Yet when they get in front of that crowd, they are able to express themselves.

“The years go by, but a 16-year-old is still going to be a 16-year-old. There are always cosmetic changes, but the basics will be the same.”

The names change but the story never does: Boy or girl develops skills, self-worth and camaraderie through old-fashioned sweat and discipline.

Pushing oneself physically and mentally is an increasingly antiquated concept. Technology makes our lives easier every day. But an athlete’s sense of accomplishment can’t be bought by pointing and clicking or by slipping quarters into a machine.

Achievement isn’t reserved only for stars, the players who gain all-league honors and college scholarships. Simply making the team or working into the regular playing rotation is unforgettable for countless athletes every year.

Being part of something meaningful is motivation enough for most high school athletes. They are the ones below the radar screen of media attention and insulated from most problems associated with sports.

Ten years ago the death knell of high school sports was sounded by the media and so-called experts. The Southern Section faced a rash of lawsuits and at one point went to court five consecutive days to litigate cases brought by angry boosters and parents upset by rulings against their teams.

Sportsmanship was on the decline. Illegal recruiting, an increase in steroid use and other problems inherent in pro and college sports had penetrated the high schools.

Prominent sports psychologist Thomas Tutko did not believe prep sports could survive into the 21st century.

“Unless school systems are able to show that it is a great and productive experience for kids,” Tutko said in 1990, “I would abolish high school sports.”

The National Federation of State High School Assns., the governing body of prep sports, instituted an awareness campaign at that time, urging schools to refocus on sportsmanship and put winning in perspective.

Not only did high school sports survive the crisis, their stronghold in American culture shows no signs of slipping.

Problems remain, and burgeoning media coverage amplifies them. But for every player who transfers before his or her senior year to enhance the chances of a scholarship, hundreds are content to participate with their friends.

For every player who curses a coach or official, thousands exhibit exemplary sportsmanship, win or lose.

For every athlete who tragically dies while participating, tens of thousands improve their physical fitness.

Participation numbers, which dipped after an all-time high in the late 1970s, have rebounded. In areas where the popularity of one sport is declining, another is rising to take its place.

The biggest change in high school sports also came in the ‘70s and dramatically spiked up participation numbers: Title IX, which gave girls the same opportunities as boys.

The rapid proliferation of girls’ teams is another indication that high school sports are of value. Every aspect that appeals to boys does the same for girls.

“A lot of young ladies have learned to perform under pressure,” said Joe Vaughn, longtime coach of the powerhouse Buena High girls’ basketball team. “They become self-assured leaders with strong communication skills. Eventually those skills allow them to move up in their careers.

“Athletics make a young person more well-rounded. The opportunities that once were available only to boys now benefit girls too. Those opportunities will continue to grow.”

Many of society’s barriers dissolve through high school sports. Players of all ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds pull together, focusing on their similarities rather than differences.

“It brings together a wide spectrum,” said George Contreras of Rio Mesa, a teacher and football coach for 30 years. “It’s a coming together of all races and economics.

“Families of our players host dinners for our team every week, and we’ve gone into unbelievable homes and some very modest homes. But in all cases, the warmth and respect is tremendous because we are all part of the Rio Mesa family.

“Being an athlete forces you to interact with other people. It’s the common bond people have. It draws the community together.”

In many towns, media coverage of the high schools rivals that of the college and professional ranks. Besides curiosity over who might become the next John Elway or Marion Jones, people want to read about their co-worker’s son or daughter, or about the kid who bags their groceries.

But to see them play, folks must attend a game.

Sports Illustrated predicts dramatic changes in the way pro sporting events will be viewed. Technology soon will make every living room a luxury suite. No one will go to games any more.

Not so with the high schools. Except for a handful of locally televised games, the only way to watch a game is to be there. That won’t change soon.

So welcome to the new millennium. Computers might be frozen. Banks might be closed. Food might be scarce. But never fear, high school basketball games will be played next week as scheduled.

Y2K problems might cause electrical blackouts well into the new year. But come Friday nights in the fall, football stadium lights will shine brightly all over America.

High school sports: Same as it ever was.