Glendale College plans to cut cheer program, Andrew Policky leaves Hoover for Arcadia, Young Tae Seo leaves league legacy
It was a roller coaster week for area sports.
Glendale Community College announced plans to cut its award-winning cheer program this fall, a decision that is “not easy,” according to Dean of Student Affairs Paul Schlossman, but “one that has to be made.”
Cheerleading is not an official intercollegiate sport, and the move will provide $25,000 a year in savings to a cash-strapped athletic department budget.
Still, the cheer program has brought the school a measure of esteem and visibility, appearing in national competitions and commercials for major brands like ESPN and Snickers.
Coach Jessie Moorehead expressed hope that the team can still function as a club, raise the money for travel on its own and continue to amaze with high-flying stunts like these:
From a coach without a team to a team without a coach: Hoover football’s Andrew Policky has stepped down after two seasons to return to Arcadia, his alma mater.
Policky spurred the struggling Tornadoes to a 3-7 record in 2012, their best season since 2005; the Apaches, on the other hand, posted a disappointing 4-7 mark (though they defeated Hoover 49-6) and suffered an early exit from the CIF Southern Section playoffs.
Hoover won’t have much time to find Policky’s replacement, as the Tornadoes are set to begin spring practices next week.
But it wasn’t all bad news.
Crescenta Valley senior Young Tae Seo set three new league records at the Pacific League swimming finals in Burbank, leaving behind a legacy of seven league record-setting swims. After committing to swim for the University of Florida, Seo, the No. 7 recruit in the country, recently changed course for the United States Naval Academy.
Matt Golbranson tossed a no-hitter for St. Monica Academy in a 14-1 victory over Southwestern Academy, striking out 10 and walking just one. Surpirsed you haven’t heard of this hurler before? Don’t worry—he’s only a freshman.
Finally, boys’ volleyball playoffs will kick off this week, with teams from all four coverage areas represented. Glendale sends one team, Burbank three, and La Canada one, but it’s Pasadena, with five qualifiers, including No. 2 seed South Pasadena, that has the best chance to play host to CIF Southern Section glory.
--Peter Madden, Times Community News
Follow me on Twitter @pamadden.