By Diana Martinez and Gabriel Arizon
San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol
Sylmar and San Fernando high schools are playing football in what is titled “The San Fernando Valley Classic” on Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Los Angeles Coliseum. It’s every athlete’s wish to play at the iconic stadium, and friends and relatives from the Northeast Valley will be in the stands to watch as dreams come true.
There will be three games: the junior varsity teams will play first at 2:30 p.m., followed by girls’ varsity flag football at 5 p.m. The boys’ varsity game is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. The winning teams will receive “a cup” and bragging rights for the year.
Kevin Marie McKeown Frost, the assistant principal in charge of athletics at Sylmar High, said that students have been so excited – putting together a break away banner, balloons, posters and even shirts in preparation for the big game.
“We’re also doing a lot of behind the scenes logistical [work],” Frost said. “Our ASB, cheer, band, JV and varsity kids … have all been involved. … We’re setting up food for them in the entering tunnel so that as they go, they can eat and just sustain themselves and their enthusiasm.”
Wilquin Garcia, athletic director for Sylmar Charter High School, expressed his own excitement about the upcoming games and how he and other school staff have been doing their best to get as many people out to watch, which has become an annual tradition that draws record numbers.
“As much as it’s our rival week, this is a community event, so we can show that we can come together and support our schools,” Garcia said. “Why? Because we are going to be able to fundraise money for our athletics.”
The games, in addition to being a Valley Mission League contest in the LA City Section, serve as fundraisers for the schools’ athletic departments. Tickets are $15 each and can be purchased now at both schools’ business offices (cash only) or through Ticketmaster, which will charge a processing fee but is also donating a portion of the sales to each school. There will also be tables outside the stadium grounds for each school.
However, Garcia recommends that people go to the main office of either school directly to purchase a ticket, since that school will receive much more money from the direct sale and guests can avoid the processing fee from Ticketmaster. Sales from the game has the potential to be the schools largest fundraisers.
Garcia is confident in his school’s chances at beating their rivals at San Fernando High, citing the fact they performed better against Van Nuys (46-49) than the Tigers did (6-32), but he’s mostly thrilled for both schools to have the experience to play at such a large and prestigious venue.
“When I was in high school, I played in a game where there were about 8,000 people, and it was just amazing,” Garcia said. “And I [would] love for both schools, athletes from both programs, just to see how it feels to play at the Coliseum in front of so many people.”
The San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol reached out to San Fernando High for comment, but they could not respond officially by press time.
Sylmar and San Fernando High schools are playing together at the Coliseum. Why wasn’t the coach or principal from San Fernando interviewed, as well?
If you read the article it stated that the Syn reached out to SFHS and they did not want to comment.