TimeOut with Tambo: Take in a high school sports event this fall
The school calendar has seen big adjustments during the last decade or so. When I started teaching and coaching in California the school year started in mid-September and ended in mid-June. Most schools in the country started after Labor Day and ended just after Memorial Day.
Now schools are starting in August and getting out earlier. One reason is to better prepare the students for the testing in May. Funny how, with all of those educated people in charge, nobody came up with the idea to have the tests later in the year instead of starting school in the hottest month of the summer.
Since I have been involved in education for about 61 years as a student (a loose interpretation of the word), teacher, coach and sportswriter, my year always starts in the fall. At Ramona High School the fall season has started.
Try to make it out to a fall sporting event. You will be pleasantly surprised. The male and female (I hate to use the words boy and girl) athletes have spent a lot of time preparing and practicing during the off season. Actually there is no longer an off season in most sports. Most high school athletes work the year-round on one sport.
Friday Night Lights shine brightly in Ramona. The Bulldog football team draws large and enthusiastic crowds. The team has enjoyed success and, despite declining enrollment, the team has been moved up to Division I status in football.
Bulldog water polo swims in the fall. If you have never attended a water polo game you will be very surprised. First of all they don’t use horses in water polo. It is a physically demanding sport that also requires skill and strategy. Make an effort to attend a game.
The Lady Bulldog tennis team plays Riviera Oaks Resort and Racquet Club, which is a great place to play and watch a high school tennis match. One can watch the No. 1 doubles and singles matches in the shade. The No. 2 doubles and singles teams also have a great area to view the match. The No. 3 doubles and singles is a little more difficult to view. Bring a beach chair. The Lady Dawgs have a shot at a league title.
High school golf has no gallery. So watching an entire Lady Bulldog golf match is not a possibility for most fans. However, one can watch the team tee off on the first tee and watch the action on the approach and green on hole No. 9. The Lady Dawgs play their home matches at San Vicente Golf Resort.
One can get a good seat at all Lady Bulldog volleyball games. The team plays in the RHS gym, is very exciting to watch, and has enjoyed success, having placed several players in college volleyball programs. The frosh and junior varsity play at the same time and are followed by the varsity in center court.
The Bulldog and Lady Bulldog cross country teams have ran on just about every street and trail in the Valley of the Sun. They have an excellent home course at Dos Picos Park and much of the race can be seen if one doesn’t mind jogging a little bit to see the action. The Bulldogs have won several championships and the Lady Bulldogs are improving and work very hard. Coach Steve Albanese often works out with the teams.
If golf Coach John Rathbun can shoot a 100 holes of golf, maybe Albanese will run 100 miles to raise funds for his teams. He could do it. As a matter of fact Albanese probably covers over a 100 miles every fortnight.
To check on the schedules for Ramona High School sports teams, see www.ramonausd.net/domain/100.