I am one of the many Malibu parents feeling disappointed in the Coastal Commission’s decision not to allow the lights for the football field. My son is a freshman who has played football since he was 7 years old. He has been attending the Malibu High Friday night games for equally as long. There is so little for teenagers to do at night in Malibu and so many of them are getting into trouble.
Because of the football program, my son has found a whole group of wonderful friends that all share the commitment required to play on a football team and the camaraderie that is also part of all teams. This is especially nurtured by the football coaching staff at Malibu High. Both the JV and Varsity teams get together every week after practice on the night before the varsity game to have a team dinner provided by parent volunteers. Boys sing to the crowd of coaches, players, and parents. They are heckled, teased and cheered but I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to see the closeness of this group.
In a world where students bully each other, suffer from apathy and struggle with personal problems, this is one opportunity for these kids to truly shine as friends, role models and athletes. The level of commitment they must show, in order to be a part of this program, is huge. They must also make time to maintain their grades and it often includes sacrifice of social events. These kids deserve to be rewarded for their hard work and good choice making.
It is not only football that suffers from this loss. Soccer is also a very important sport at Malibu High and, in recent years, has become quite the soccer powerhouse for both boys and girls teams. The school has been working very hard at building community in Malibu and sporting events are a very big part of that. Having somewhere to hang out with their friends is a very big deal to local kids.
How can anyone seriously say that a clear view of the night sky on a few nights a year is more important than the kids of this community!
Carol Levy