Second of three parts
Re “Jerry Chabola Talks About His Field of Dreams”
[img]1372|left|Mr. Chabola||no_popup[/img]Jerry Chabola, who retired last year as a teacher and the Athletic Director at Culver City High School, resumes talking about his thoughts on seeing that his hard work on renovation of Helms Field finally is coming to pass.
The Front Page – Give us a successful example of what you mean when you say Culver City is like Hollywood, showing the public a great front but without substance.
Mr. Chabola – When we remodeled the gymnasium, the District administration came to me and asked what was needed. I told them that if we were going to redo the gym, we needed a legitimate facility to treat our athletics. Before the gym renovation, they were being treated in a cramped 12-foot x 12-foot room. Now we now have a first-class sports medical program headed by Marcos White. Injured athletes can receive treatment, and there is a rehabilitation section that has turned into a classroom for student trainers.
The Front Page – There has been quite a bit of success with the girls’ teams in basketball, water polo, soccer. Is there a relationship between their success and the funding of these new facilities?
Mr. Chabola – I don’t know. I would hope that some of the young people would look at what is going on and realize that there is someone out there working on their behalf. I have talked to a few. Some appreciate the hard work that was put into getting us to this point and what is now being done. The conditions of the facilities are very important.
The Front Page – Do athletes come into Culver City so they can showcase their abilities or is it for the academics?
Mr. Chabola – If I were a parent, who had a child who lived in parts of Los Angeles, I would want him or her in Culver City. It’s a safe environment. They can find something they can relate to. It could be a teacher or a coach. I always have been a major proponent of having someplace, someone a student can go to besides the 55-minute classroom. Kids can find that here. Parents look for that.
Unfortunately, in today’s society, there are too many single-parent families. Since I no longer teach in the classroom, I have had a chance to tutor some of these kids. All they need is support from somebody. Parents, who come here, just as I would, look for the best school for their child in the public school system.
What I say to parents when I talk about the Culver City school system or Culver High, is that their child can get as good an education if that’s what they want. From our schools you can go to any higher learning institution and be successful. The resources are here. You only have to want it. You can just get by if you want that. Or you can move in another direction if you want to do that. We still lack a strong Industrial Arts program for kids who don’t want to be on the college track. There are grads I know who are doing very well in the trades and professions that have nothing to do with a four-year degree.
(To be continued)
