SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Roller Hockey

High school roller hockey gets its field of dreams

By Phillip Brents

CHULA VISTA, March 8, 2002 -- It might be a bit trite to say: build it and they will come. But that’s just the philosophical stance the Sweetwater Union High School District in suburban South San Diego County has taken in erecting what is believed to be the first regulation size roller hockey rink on a California high school campus.

According to district superintendent Dr. Ed Brand, the lighted, outdoor rink cost $500,000 to put into place on what was once the lower student parking lot on the campus of Castle Park High School in Chula Vista. But Dr. Brand said the money will be well spent in terms reaching out to "hundreds" of the district’s "extreme sport athletes" to give them another reason to stay in school.

The rink will also serve to buttress the district’s commitment to the ongoing development and nurturing of the state’s first and only current CIF-sanctioned high school roller hockey league. The Castle Park High School rink could very well be the forerunner of things to come when roller hockey rinks are installed on campuses across the state in place of costlier swimming pools to meet student demand.

In either regard, everyone who was assembled for the March 6 unveiling of the Sweetwater district’s newest athletic facility called it a historic milestone. But trend-setting has always been high on the district’s agenda, according to Dr. Brand.

The Sweetwater district is one of the state’s largest with 80,000 students — 48 percent of whom are involved in fine arts programs and 40 percent in other co-curricular activities. Dr. Brand specifically pointed to the growing segment of the district’s "extreme sport" student-athletes who may not be served by the current system of traditional sports such as football, basketball and baseball.

"Extreme athletes may not be involved in other activities. But with this rink they will be able to better develop those skills needed to play roller hockey at a higher level," Dr. Brand said.

The completion of the rink also served to further realize the dreams of many of the sport’s founding parents. Besides district administrators, school board members, the Castle Park High School marching band and other campus dignitaries, two gentlemen very special to the sport of high school roller hockey — Dan Vaccaro and Don Cerone — were also given VIP seating at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Both men were instrumental in laying the foundation for the club team-based San Diego County High School Roller Hockey Conference, which at one time boasted more than 30 member teams, while also the pioneering effort to establish roller hockey as an official CIF "letter" sport within the San Diego Section’s Sweetwater district-funded Metro Conference.

The presence of the rink in Chula Vista and the significance of the Metro Conference’s pioneering CIF league are no coincidence. As much as the sport in San Diego County owes to the diligence and perseverance of individuals like Vaccaro and Cerone, it specifically needed a champion like Dr. Brand, who admitted he had a personal link to the project. He was turned on to the game of hockey 10 years ago after taking one of his three sons to watch a "Mighty Ducks" movie. "My kid certainly became a fan," the district superintendent said.

The rink was unveiled one week after the conclusion of the Metro Conference’s second season that saw 11 teams participate. Attending games this season were not only school friends, parents and relatives but cheerleaders in school colors.

"Roller hockey is one of the fastest growing sports. When you look at it, it is fast-moving, non-stop action. Our CIF championship playoff was a 3-2 overtime win. A lot of people were there watching. The stands were packed. It was a quality event. We believe very strongly in partnering. This is another extension of that partnering," Dr. Brand said.

"We truly believe this partnership will make a difference in the community," echoed school board member Jim Cartmill, a former high school tennis coach.

Players said the presence of an on-campus rink will be the best recruiting tool possible.

"Hopefully, there will be more students next year on the team. The playoffs didn’t turn out so well for us because we had a small bench. Next year, we’ll have a full bench," said senior goaltender James Haug, who also serves as Castle Park High’s Associated Student Body president.

Though ready for play, the complex is still in need of scoreboards and bleacher seating — both of which are expected to be installed soon with the aid of sponsorships.

The rink’s playing surface is cement with a very light top finish. Following the rink’s official opening, members of the Castle Park High team put on a scrimmage. Players said the surface was somewhat slippery when compared to the SportCourt at a local indoor rink used for regulation games but was still manageable.

"This is excellent. I’m going to stay after school every day," said Castle Park sophomore defenseman Richard Garcia, whose father, Julian, coaches the team and whose older brother, Arturo, plays alongside him. "We will work on strategy and plays instead of just running around (like this year)."

"It’s slippery but we’ll get used to it the more we practice," Castle Park freshman Houston Fry added. "We didn’t have a lot of success in the playoffs this year since we didn’t have a lot of players. Next year we’ll be a lot better since more people will come out (because of the rink)."

The availability of extensive practice time at the new rink during the CIF season will also greatly enhance the quality of play and should increase participation numbers through full-blown junior varsity leagues. "You can’t believe how important this is," underscored Cerone. "The next step is to get another conference to sponsor the sport in the San Diego Section and the next step after that is to get the sport sponsored in other sections throughout the state."

The facility will be staffed and maintained by the South Bay Family YMCA which is partnering in the venture with the Sweetwater district. Though first priority will be given to high school teams from the Metro Conference’s CIF-sanctioned league for practice time, South Bay YMCA executive director Tina Williams said the service organization plans to operate youth developmental and adult leagues to better serve the community. Those leagues are expected to start in May following a clinic in April. For more information on scheduling and programs offered by the South Bay Family YMCA, call (619) 421-8805.

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