The Sweetwater Union High School District came under fire a few years ago concerning the imbalance in female and male sports. In the wake of Title IX legislation, the district reinvested in girls sports by hiring coaches, creating novice teams and refurbishing playing fields.
Based on the outcome of the San Diego Section’s fall and winter sports championships so far in 2015-16, I would say that it’s working.
The Metro Conference advanced six girls sports teams to this winter’s divisional championships. Four of the teams won CIF titles.
Mar Vista (Division II) and Hilltop (Division III) each won history-making championships in girls water polo. Three Metro teams advanced to the girls basketball finals. Eastlake won the Division I title while Bonita Vista (Division II) and Hilltop (Division III) each recorded runner-up finishes.
It was an special moment for Hilltop, in particular, which last appeared in a division championship game in 1975.
The Southwest High School girls soccer team topped off the exciting run by South County teams by winning the Division IV championship – the first in school history.
There were also a number of teams that advanced to the semifinal rounds. Bonita Vista eliminated Montgomery in an exciting Division II girls basketball clash while Olympian (Division III), Chula Vista (Division III) and Montgomery (Division IV) all advanced to the girls soccer semifinal playoffs.
Olympian also advanced as far as the Division III girls water polo semifinals.
During the fall sports season, Bonita Vista won the Division III girls tennis championship while Olympian repeated as a CIF champion in girls volleyball (Division II). The Lady Eagles advanced to the state championship game to make their season even more memorable.
Eastlake (Division I) and Mar Vista (Division V) also made it as far as the girls volleyball semifinals as a bonus treat.
What will be next? I hope a resurgence in boys sports as well, with a matching emphasis on developmental programs at the junior varsity level. It would nice to have a true level playing field all around.
