I picked up my 2019 CIF championship ring from La Jolla High football coach Tyler Roach the other day.
Boy, I am blessed.
It's enormous, it's gaudy, it's unusable as regular hands-on jewelry because it's so big. As my wife said, it's not for wearing. It's for show.
"It's like a Super Bowl ring," said Roach as we had a quick curbside, socially-distanced exchange.
The ring comes in a case lit by a bulb that lights up when the case is opened. Pretty unusual.
But the fourth-year head coach, now with a CIF Division 3 title, and a Southern California title to boot, was even more excited about something else.
After all, he's a coach.
"You ought to see our team this year," he enthused, as he held his tiny son, with Marshall, a little bit older, roaming back toward the front door. They both look so much like Dad (and Grandma, who was my granddaughter's dance teacher).
"We're even better," he insisted. I mentioned linebacker Dirk Germon, searching my mind for other names. My excuse is I'm on antibiotics to prevent an infection in blisters healing on my right foot. That's why I didn't get up out of the car, my wife driving, when we visited Coach Roach at his place in Scripps Ranch. Not too mobile last week or this.
"Yeah, and Max (Smith)," he said. He didn't go on to name other players just due to the circumstances and the short chat we were going to have, in view of the COVID situation. It doesn't always allow for long chats and building relationships, does it?
"I just hope we get a chance to defend our title," the former University City High standout said. (His wife went to Scripps Ranch High.) (He also played at Azusa Pacific.)
We chatted about the tentative schedule that CIF put out a month ago: football practice to begin in December, with a shortened game slate from January to March 2021. Playoffs would be curtailed, with the emphasis on getting a regular season in, with a short playoff to decide a CIF champion in each division.
La Jolla's Division 3 title was the first one in school history since 1993, the first of three straight years the Vikings won league titles. La Jolla was dominant back then. Now Roach, with the aid of re-leaguing and a lot of enthusiasm and hard work, has brought back a CIF title--plus an appearance in the state title game--to the campus by the sea.
The ring itself is pretty gaudy. Pretty incredible. First off, it comes in a case with a bulb that lights up when you open the case.
On the face of the ring, "LJ" in prominent interlocking letters shines in Viking red, bordered by gold. Above the school initials, "CIF SD/SOCAL" and, below, "CHAMPIONS", demark the Vikings' 2019 CIF Division 3 title, as well as their win in the Southern California Regional in Westminster last fall. I didn't go to the latter--but I watched the grainy broadcast on computer. I wrote my game story from that. A first in my career.
All around the school initials are cubic zirconium jewels. The size and the bulk of the ring are really quite impressive. This is the only championship ring I have ever gotten. Thanks to the program.
On the right side, it reads "LA JOLLA HIGH SCHOOL". Underneath, "EASTERN LEAGUE CHAMPS", above a red stylized "V" for Vikings, with gold bordering. "2019, 10-5" below that, for the Vikings' won-lost record. Pretty impressive for a program that never won during my previous 15 years covering the program, which I began following as a result of my granddaughter Alexis entering high school and making the varsity cheer squad her freshman year. That was in fall 2002.
On the opposite side, "PIPER" stands above a cubic zirconium-jeweled "S" (for "Staff"), then below that a smaller "M"--for media. I love that.
On the bottom reads "SAIL THE SHIP", the squad's motto. Ask Roach the significance of each part of that. That's a whole other motivational, team-building device.
This was my 16th year covering the team. It began, as I said, with my granddaughter entering La Jolla High. I received a patch for a letterman's jacket from the girls basketball team several years ago. This is the only CIF championship item I have ever owned. I really appreciate Coach Roach for embracing me and my sports coverage, and thank him and the program. (When I was a high school basketball player in CIF Southern Section, our team finished fifth of six teams in the Channel League, a 4A league--the top level at that time.)
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