I am Thankful
Now that the Thanksgiving weekend has passed, I would like to reflect on what I am thankful for. Like you, it begins with family and friends who enrich our lives and remind us of what is most important to us.
On a personal note, I am thankful for the opportunity and platform I have as the Commissioner of Athletics for the CIF Southern Section, the important work I have the privilege to do in service to the young people we are so fortunate to serve and the incredibly dedicated staff who I have the honor to work with each and every day who partner with me on this journey toward perfection. I continue to believe that we are always looking forward, always seeking new and better ways to do what we do, and I pledge to you that we will continue on that mission for as long as I am here. With that said, I am also thankful for…
Fall Sports Championships – With the completion of our Football Championships last weekend, all our team sports championships have concluded. Girls Individual Tennis continues this week and then we will be finished with our Fall Sports Championships for 2021. I am thankful that we were able to conduct these championships, especially for our student-athletes in the sports of Girls Volleyball, Boys Water Polo, Football and Boys/Girls Cross-Country who did not have full regular seasons or the opportunity to compete for Section, Regional and State Championships in 2020. What a credit to them, their coaches, Athletic Directors and Principals who continued to work through all the obstacles that were in front of them in the effort to come roaring back from the disappointments of a year ago. I was able to attend championship events in each of these sports, as well as Girls Golf and Girls Team Tennis, and see first-hand the smiles, the sheer joy of competition, the exhilaration of victory, and yes, the sadness in defeat that were all on display. I took away from those experiences the high level of commitment and perseverance exhibited by our student-athletes which should serve as an inspiration on to us all and motivate us to do all we can to support them.
Appreciation – As I had hoped during the time when education-based athletics were shut down; once we were able to facilitate the return of high school athletics, we would see a heightened appreciation on for how special our programs are from those in attendance at our contests. I felt at the time of the shut-down there might be people who took for granted how special education-based athletics is because it had always been there. With it gone for a while, there is no doubt that we were missed, and I am thankful that our student-athletes are getting the chance to compete in front of people who truly have an increased appreciation on for the hard work and extra effort they put into each contest. I am thankful that what we had hoped for during darker times has become a reality when the lights came back on.
Winter Sports – I am thankful that our Winter Sports have begun on schedule and are progressing nicely through the beginning of their seasons. As with the Fall Sports listed above, there are student-athletes in Girls Water Polo and Boys/Girls Individual Westling who did not get full regular seasons or championship opportunities at the Sectional/Regional/State levels. We must do everything in our power to do the same for our Winter Sports student-athletes, as we did in the Fall, because we owe that to them. I know you join me in your resolve to see that happen as well.
As November leaves, and the end of 2021 nears, I am thankful we will finish this year much better than we started it back in January. Let that momentum keep building into 2022! As always, I am thankful to you for your help and support, it is truly appreciated.
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Ethan Igbanugo's basket with 34 seconds remaining would prove to be the game winner as CSUN Men's Basketball knocked off first-place UC Santa Barbara 72-67 on Saturday at Premier America Credit Union Arena.
The College of the Canyons football program is hosting its first Super Bowl Saturday Football Camp for youth players on Saturday, Feb. 11, at Cougar Stadium.
College of the Canyons student-athletes Allyson Melgar (softball) and Ryan Camacho (baseball) have been named the COC Athletic Department's Women's & Men's Student-Athletes of the Week for the period running Jan. 30 to Feb. 4.
The Master's men's and women's track & field teams traveled to Claremont, Calif. Saturday for the CMS Outdoor Indoor Distances Meet and came away with school records, personal bests and national championship qualifications.
After a three-year hiatus, the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society will commemorate the 95th anniversary of the second-worst disaster in California history by bringing back its renowned St. Francis Dam lecture and bus tour/hike at the dam site in San Francisquito Canyon on Saturday, March 11, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ethan Igbanugo's basket with 34 seconds remaining would prove to be the game winner as CSUN Men's Basketball knocked off first-place UC Santa Barbara 72-67 on Saturday at Premier America Credit Union Arena.
The College of the Canyons football program is hosting its first Super Bowl Saturday Football Camp for youth players on Saturday, Feb. 11, at Cougar Stadium.
College of the Canyons student-athletes Allyson Melgar (softball) and Ryan Camacho (baseball) have been named the COC Athletic Department's Women's & Men's Student-Athletes of the Week for the period running Jan. 30 to Feb. 4.
Blue Star Ranch, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting post-combat veterans with post traumatic stress disorder, is looking for another therapy team to join its ranks.
California Credit Union invites all Santa Clarita Valley teachers who have a dream class project idea to apply for a credit union grant through its bi-annual Teacher Grant program.
The city of Santa Clarita’s Film Office released the 12 productions currently filming in the Santa Clarita Valley for the week of Monday, Feb. 6 – Sunday, Feb. 12.
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees will hold a business meeting Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 5 p.m., in the University Center, Room 301 on the Valencia campus of College of the Canyons.
The Los Angeles County health officer issued a Cold Weather Alert in the Santa Clarita Valley Monday through Tuesday due to the National Weather Service’s forecast for low temperatures.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed Monday no additional deaths and 62 new cases in the Santa Clarita Valley over the weekend, with 30 additional deaths and 2,201 new cases countywide.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed 19 new deaths throughout L.A. County, 1,417 new cases countywide and 25 new cases in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Carousel Ranch, a place where children with special needs discover and experience some of their greatest achievements through equestrian therapy and vocational training programs will celebrate its 26th anniversary this year.
The city of Santa Clarita has announced that as part of the median modification work taking place at Orchard Village Road and Wiley Canyon Road, additional lane closures are required on Saturday, Feb. 4 for street grinding and paving.
The California Public Utilities Commission has voted to accelerate the timeframe in which residential energy customers will receive a Climate Credit on their bills in order to provide much needed support to customers experiencing unusually high natural gas bills this winter.
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