|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
One thing I have learned over the years as a writer is if you are going to criticize or call out organizations in the paper, then when there is credit due, you must point that out as well.
A couple of weeks back I wrote about how the Foothill High football teams were going to have a problem finding a place to practice as their field is being replaced. The team doesn’t have much space at the school, and when they asked to use the beautiful fields at the Patelco complex off Bernal, they were denied by the city.
Since then the city met with the Pleasanton Unified School District and an agreement was reached for Foothill to use the Patelco fields for a few weeks, thus giving the three Foothill teams a chance to use high-quality fields while their field is finally getting redone.
A big “well done” to both the city and PUSD for agreeing on something beneficial to a large group of Pleasanton student-athletes!
But all is not shiny on the field replacement.
Originally scheduled to start June 1, the project finally was begun on July 29 (we hope).
The schedule I was provided on July 28 lists the completion date as Aug. 29. That is one week after the first scheduled home game for the Falcons and the day before their second scheduled home game.
Best case scenario has Foothill losing one home game — and the revenue that comes with it, something sorely needed in this day of zero district support.
Worst case? Possibly the second home game as well, if there is even a one-day delay. Given that the project is just about two months behind, the smart money would go with another lost home game.
This isn’t just the football team that suffers from the lack of revenue, as other sports programs at the school staff the snack bar during the games to help raise money for their financially strapped programs.
Now we are looking at least two revenue-generating games going out the window.
Foothill coach Greg Haubner has already checked with San Leandro (opening night) and Heritage (game two) about changing the locations of the first two games. Justifiably at this point, Haubner is not optimistic about getting the home game with Heritage.
It’s been a tough summer for the Foothill program as due to the original construction start date of June 1, Haubner was forced to schedule summer passing league games on the road (could have been played at Foothill with all the delays). He was also forced to cancel the Foothill summer youth football clinics as well — also something that could have been held if they knew the replacing of the field was going to start two months late.
Here’s hoping things go smoother quickly for all the young men in the program.
Triton Water Polo
The new Triton Water Polo Club under-18 boys team ended its inaugural season by winning the Bronze Division championship on July 23 at the Junior Olympics in Orange County.
With players from both Amador Valley and Foothill, the Tri-Valley Tritons beat Carlsbad 9-7 in the championship game and finished the tournament with an overall 8-2 record.
The Tritons’ weekend started off with two tough losses on the Saturday, one of which ended in a shootout. Then the team went on to win eight consecutive games on their way to the championship, playing against opponents from Nevada, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Texas and California.
The Junior Olympics celebrated its 50th year of existence and is the largest youth water polo event in the country, with 500 teams earning their spots through a highly competitive qualifying tournament in June.
Registration for the Triton Water Polo Club winter season will open on Sept. 14 for boys U12, U14, U16 and U18 age groups. Information about the Triton Water Polo Club can be found at www.tritonwaterpolo.com.
Editor’s note: Dennis Miller is a contributing sports writer for the Pleasanton Weekly. To contact Miller or submit local high school sports scores, game highlights and photographs for his weekly Pleasanton Preps column, email him at acesmag@aol.com.
Editor’s note: Dennis Miller is a contributing sports writer for the Pleasanton Weekly. To contact Miller or submit local high school sports scores, game highlights and photographs for his weekly Pleasanton Preps column, email him at acesmag@aol.com.