San Diego Unified recognizes five CIF sports, but there won’t be an immediate impact in La Jolla
The board committed $500,000 toward growing girls beach volleyball, competitive and stunt cheerleading, girls cross country, girls flag football and girls wrestling.
The San Diego Unified School District has decided to officially recognize five CIF sports: girls beach volleyball, competitive and stunt cheerleading, girls cross country, girls flag football and girls wrestling.
The unanimous board vote April 25 will allow the district, which operates five public schools in La Jolla, to elevate the sports to an increased level of competition, according to an April 29 email SDUSD sent to parents.
“The board committed $500,000 toward growing the programs, which includes hiring and paying coaches, buying uniforms and equipment and other related expenses,” the district wrote.
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La Jolla High School, which is part of SDUSD, currently offers all the sports except flag football, Athletic Director Aaron Quesnell said.
The school’s girls beach volleyball team, coached by Kelly Drobeck, won its second consecutive CIF San Diego Section Division II championship May 6.
In Division II girls swimming, La Jolla junior Arielle Brotman wins twin individual titles for the third straight year.
LJHS will not offer girls flag football next school year, said Quesnell, who added that the district’s decision “will not have a huge impact for us right now.”
Elsewhere in La Jolla, The Preuss School, a charter school on the UC San Diego campus that serves students from low-income households across San Diego County, already offers girls beach volleyball, cheerleading and cross country.
There currently are no plans to add wrestling or flag football, according to Erika Johnson, Preuss assistant director of communications.
La Jolla Country Day School has teams for girls beach volleyball and cross country, with a sideline cheer team as well.
Girls flag football and wrestling teams will not be added, said Jeff Hutzler, the school’s director of athletics and physical education.
At The Bishop’s School, there is a girls cross country team, but the other sports will not be offered for the 2023-24 school year. ◆
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