Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, September 23, 2023

17

 
SPORTSSPORTS

Mountain Views-News Saturday, September 23, 2023 

HUDDLE UP


With HARVEY HYDE

ROSE BOWL AQUATICS CENTER RECEIVES SOCALGAS 
GRANT TO ENHANCE WATER SAFETY PROGRAM


WHAT ABOUT THE “GOOD 
OLD DAYS?” 

Most of you 
have memories 
about growing 
up and activities 
in your 
past. Would 
you choose 
those things today? Go to the same high school? 
College? Play on the same teams? Play the same 
sport? Would you play in the band? Be a cheerleader? 
Want to be homecoming king or queen? 
Take the same classes? I look back at my coaching 
and playing days and wonder about what today’s 
young people will look back on. 

Things have changed. In my recall of experiences 
and memories things aren’t the way they used 
to be. In some cases, this is a good thing and in 
many ways, things are better now.

But there was some good in the good old days. 
The days in growing up and the good old days in 
sports and coaching. 

First, I did not walk five miles in the snow to 
school barefoot. But school was different. We 
did have groups at school. Each group supported 
each other. We had traditions and rituals. Pep 
rallies, assemblies, school color days. We were 
expected to attend all day. Even in college, they 
took roll and we had to be there. We had no social 
media. Some kids did get bullied and picked 
on. We had no computers and phones to threaten 
and bully others on the internet over and over 
again where ever they are. I did get “the paddle” 
when I used bad judgement at school. When I 
look back on it, I deserved every one. 

Parents were involved with homework and going 
to PTA meetings. They weren’t trying to change 
what schools and teachers were teaching. Report 
cards now come on email, no chance of changing 
a grade. Most kids looked forward to going 
to the same school as brothers and sisters and 
even moms and dads. Following from elementary 
through high school in the same district 
that we cheered for and wore our colors for. You 
played sports for the same school as siblings and 
family -- carrying on the loyalty to that school. 
Now kids can transfer wherever they (or parents) 
think the coaching and team or school is better, 
sometimes more than once. Education was free 
and public schools had traditions and events 
that families followed over the year. Many had 
tremendous academic reputations. There were 
great private schools. 

Schools were mostly safe. Kids were afraid of 
“getting in trouble” by a teacher not of school 
shootings. There were strong consequences for 
not following rules and worry about not keeping 
up with school traditions. Adults were addressed 
as Mr. or Mrs. Or Miss or ‘mam.’ Teachers and 
kids did not both wear the same styles of clothing. 
There was pride in school grounds that were 
clean and kept up to date with holidays and seasons. 
Kids actually had after school “detention” 
and assignments to do homework or to pick up 
trash. 

School faculty was there to help kids to take advantage 
of activities and sports, and drama, and 
the arts. Many of these came as regular classes. 
Now lots of those are extra after-school or out- 
of-school learning. Even the boys had to take 
“Home Ec” and girls could take auto shop or 
wood shop and drivers education was a semester. 
Parents tried to hold the line and enforce respect 
and rules. Kids had people they looked up to 
and who they wanted to be or act like. 

I used to tell my players, many of whom were not 
going to be doctors or lawyers, “you never get 
second chance at a first impression.” Learn a few 
key words, “please,” “thank you” “yes sir,” “yes 
mam.” Look at people in the eyes and act like 
you care!! You’ll pass any class. And I also have 
to say yes, some of my players are today doctors 
and lawyers. 

Things now are so casual. Often people don’t 
want to look like they are “trying too hard.” 
Some of those old clichés work then or now: 
You have to set goals and work for those goals. I 
hope we all strive to be “winners at life”. To win 
on any field of life you’ve got to “pay a price.” I 
still think “if you want it badly enough you can 
achieve it.” Don’t tell me I can’t do that until after 
I do it. Be the best at whatever you choose. 
Not everyone should be a doctor or a lawyer or 
CEO. But you can be the best at something. 

Just my opinion but I think maybe we could get 
a bit of the good old days back along with some 
of the current new ideas. That parents support 
schools and teachers. That teachers and schools 
listen to parents. I hope it’s understood that excuses 
are not the same as reasons. I hope today’s 
kids are learning this at home, and at school and 
everywhere. And that some of those good old 
traditions will return. 

Don’t forget Quarterback Club. September 
29, 11:30AM at the Elks Club in Pasadena. 
400 W Colorado Blvd. Speakers: Anthony 
Davis. Football coaches from Pasadena City 
College and St Francis High School. 

Pasadena, CA - In a generous display of community 
support, SoCalGas, the largest gas distribution 
utility in the United States, has awarded a $50,000 
grant to the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center (RBAC) 
in Pasadena. The grant, presented on September 
18, 2023, will bolster the RBAC's Water Safety 
Program, which focuses on providing swimming 
lessons and water safety education to third-grade 
students in the Pasadena Unified School District.

Since its inception, the RBAC's Water Safety Program 
has seen participation from over 25,000 
students, making it a vital resource for the local 
community. However, the challenges posed by the 
COVID-19 pandemic prevented many now fifth-
grade students from participating in the program. 
This new grant from SoCalGas aims to bridge that 
gap by enabling the RBAC to include more than 
200 fifth graders, ensuring that they too have access 
to essential water safety education.

Andy Carrasco, Vice President of Communications, 
Local Government & Community Affairs 
at SoCalGas, highlighted the company's commitment 
to supporting local communities and driving 
positive change. "Investing in programs that 
promote safety is just one way SoCalGas supports 
the well-being of communities," Carrasco stated.

The Water Safety Program at RBAC provides participants 
with comprehensive water competency 
training, including 15 swim lessons, beginner 
dive and water polo instruction, transportation to 
and from the RBAC, all necessary teaching equipment 
(swimsuits, goggles, towels), water safety 
workbooks, family swim passes, and an invitation 
to a celebratory family picnic.

Jimmy Francis, President, and Executive Director 
of Rose Bowl Aquatics Center expressed gratitude 
for SoCalGas's support, stating, "Together, we can 
work towards ensuring that everyone in our community 
has access to water safety."

The grant is part of SoCalGas' ASPIRE 2045 commitment, 
which focuses on supporting initiatives 
benefiting the communities it serves. The company 
has a longstanding history of investing in 
programs that promote environmental sustainability, 
education, and community development 
in underserved areas.

SoCalGas is headquartered in Los Angeles and 
serves over 21 million consumers across Central 
and Southern California, delivering affordable, 
reliable, and increasingly renewable gas service. 
The company is dedicated to building the cleanest, 
safest, and most innovative energy infrastructure 
in America, aiming to achieve net-zero 
greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and 
delivery of energy by 2045.


PASADENA QUARTERBACKS ANNOUNCE 

NEW SEASON

For its 77th season the Pasadena Quarterbacks (Huddling Up since 1945) is excited to announce 
a Fall lineup of three Friday meetings featuring speakers from all levels of football: 
professional, college, junior college, and high school, with the latter including a look at the 
first full season of Ladies Flag Football, a new CIF sport.

Location: Pasadena Elks Lodge

 400 W. Colorado, Pasadena, CA 91105 

 (parking entrance on Green Street)

Time: Lunch at 11:30. The program begins at noon.

Price: $40 for members, $50 for guests. 

 (Join now at www.pasadenaquarterbacks.org)

Dates and Speakers:

September 29 

Anthony “AD” Davis -- Record-setting member of five National Championship teams at 
USC, two in football under John McKay and three in baseball under Rod Deadeux. All-
American and Heisman Trophy runner-up in 1974.

Pasadena City College Head Football Coach Robert Tucker

St. Francis High School Head Football Coach Dean Harrington

October 27

David Baker – Past President of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and former Commissioner 
of Arena Football League. One of the most popular speakers in recent Quarterbacks 
history.

Pasadena City College Head Football Coach Robert Tucker

Westridge High School Head Flag Football Coach Dan Calmeyer

November 17 – USC/UCLA Rivalry Week

Coach Harvey Hyde and the beat writers for the Trojans and Bruins offer up analysis of 
the season and predictions for the Victory Bell.

Pasadena City College Head Football Coach Robert Tucker.

Local high school head football coach with team in the CIF Playoffs.

Contact: Jim Gruettner: (626) 799-7478 or jagruettner@gmail.com

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