New bell schedule: Adjustments of a long-time (old?) sportswriter

By Ed Piper

I've been struggling with the new bell schedules local high schools began with this fall--classes starting no earlier than 8:30 a.m.--but things finally came to a breaking point Fri., Oct. 14.

I know the later start time (when I first moved to San Diego in 1993, Torrey Pines, where I subbed, started period one at 7:05 a.m.) is based on science, and the literature shows adolescents not only need more sleep, but also at certain times.

The rub comes with activities after school. I'm caught in the science-vs.-media coverage quandary, when getting out of last period at 3:45 p.m. makes taking photos of and covering La Jolla's cross country league clusters at Morley Field beginning at 3 p.m. on Wednesdays an impossibility.

On said Friday, I raced from my subbing room to the office (Poway High, actually) to drop off my room key and the sub folder. Then, after the required potty stop in the administration building restroom, I was (breathlessly) on my way to my car in the staff parking lot, located all the way across campus, where a queue of cars leaving the side-by-side students and teachers lots already stretched down Titan Way to Espola Road.

Can I cry yet?

I won't even bore you with my driving efforts (I found a new route to and from Poway High through the good advice of an adult aide, who told me about the more-northern Rancho Bernardo Road but much quicker route). I parked in the corner handicapped space next to the football field entrance at La Jolla High on fumes, and walked into the Vikings' varsity boys water polo match versus Clairemont at halftime. Amazing.

In my hurry, I read "Period 3" on the Coggan Pool scoreboard as meaning I had gotten into the match at the end of the third period. I was surprised and pleased when play resumed to discover I had gotten there in time to view the entire second half.

One of water polo's positives is how quickly each quarter goes. On the converse, one of water polo's negatives on rush-rush travel days after school is, you guessed it, how quickly each quarter goes.

So I got my photos of third quarter action, primarily. Tom Atwell's Vikings were blowing the poor Carlsbad boys out so badly that an 11-3 halftime score evolved into 12, 13, 14 (I think actually Carlsbad only had two first-half goals) versus the three for the visitors.

Because of the power of the La Jolla contingent, all-CIF'er Kiefer Black, 6'6", was on the bench after halftime and didn't return to the pool at any point during the second half. Bummer. All five other starters plus goalie saw tons of action in the third and fourth quarter (not tons, but lots of minutes played).

I take Tuesdays off, so I can attend any athletic contest I choose to cover in plenty of time. On the other days, I am moving to subbing only at Torrey Pines High and Canyon Crest Academy the other weekdays, just so I have the option of covering an after-school sports event. (I only sub in San Dieguito and Poway high school districts.)

Stay tuned for my continuing adjustments to the new bell schedule.