Cornucopia of fun Cornucopia of fun - Almaden Times
Cornucopia of fun Cornucopia of fun - Almaden Times
Cornucopia of fun Cornucopia of fun - Almaden Times
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Page 10 � Nov. 2–Nov. 8, 2007 � <strong>Almaden</strong> <strong>Times</strong> Weekly<br />
ValleyViews<br />
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Copyright © 2007 <strong>Times</strong> Media, Inc. All<br />
rights reserved. The <strong>Almaden</strong> <strong>Times</strong><br />
Weekly prefers letters to the editor and<br />
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Williams’ students<br />
carve up some<br />
Great Pumpkin(s)<br />
By Chrissy Derksen<br />
Special to the <strong>Times</strong><br />
illiams Elementary School showed its spirit<br />
Friday as the PTA hosted its first Jack-O-<br />
WLantern<br />
Jam. The event was so over the top<br />
that you would never know it was the school’s first!<br />
Event chairs Lisa Schirle and Diane Stevens created<br />
a wonderful atmosphere, which following Movie<br />
Night and Heritage Day, once again brought the<br />
Williams Elementary community and families together<br />
to share and celebrate.<br />
“The Jack-O-Lantern Jam was even more successful<br />
than anticipated. The Williams PTA successfully<br />
handed free pumpkins to anxious students who<br />
promptly carved them with some <strong>of</strong> the most creative<br />
designs I have ever seen,” said Stevens.<br />
When participants arrived, they first noticed the<br />
lawn had been transformed into a great pumpkin<br />
patch, with almost 300 pumpkins ornamenting the<br />
green. Some families enjoyed pre-ordered dinners,<br />
Response to Leland debate<br />
letter: Yamamoto letter<br />
contains inaccuracies<br />
Editor,<br />
My name is Mike Carrozzo and I am the head football<br />
coach at Leland High School. I am writing in response<br />
to the letter from Yutaka Yamamoto.<br />
I was terribly <strong>of</strong>fended by this letter as it contained<br />
very few facts. It was loaded with inaccuracies. It seems<br />
that Mr. Yamamoto believes that all the money <strong>fun</strong>neled<br />
into Leland High School is used for a very selfish<br />
football program and that we will absolutely not allow<br />
any other sports to use the athletic field in season or out<br />
because football needs it for practice 12 hours a day.<br />
This is insane. If he had talked to me for five minutes<br />
I would have been glad to let him know how wrong he<br />
is. He did no research. This surprises me primarily<br />
because Mrs. Brasher’s led teams are usually very<br />
detail-oriented and research-driven. The speech and<br />
debate program is a powerhouse in their field, and we<br />
should all be extremely proud <strong>of</strong> what they have<br />
accomplished and continue to support them in any way<br />
we can. This is all the more reason I was very upset by<br />
the letter.<br />
FACT: Football uses the field weekdays during the<br />
season from 2 to 4:30 p.m. for varsity and 3 to 5 p.m. for<br />
frosh/soph. At 4:30, field hockey uses half the field, and<br />
at 5 p.m. they take over the rest <strong>of</strong> the field. Field hockey<br />
uses the field from 4:30 to 7 p.m. When field hockey<br />
has a home game, football moves their practices to the<br />
Bret Harte field.<br />
FACT: During the <strong>of</strong>f-season, Leland's football program<br />
does use the stadium field. We use it two to three<br />
days a week at 6 a.m. and are <strong>of</strong>f the field by 7:30 a.m.<br />
We do this so that all other programs that need to use<br />
the field may do so. We are usually finished before most<br />
teams are even awake. I urge you to find another athletic<br />
or academic program that makes that kind <strong>of</strong> sacrifice.<br />
While Mr. Yamamoto was still asleep soundly in<br />
his bed, the football program was working their tails <strong>of</strong>f<br />
to improve and prepare for the upcoming season. You<br />
<strong>Times</strong> Media, Inc. Mission Statement<br />
while others immediately got down to business and<br />
started carving their pumpkins.<br />
It was standing-room only for the young artists, and<br />
some used the blacktop, because table space was a hot<br />
commodity. Many families were clad in their black<br />
and orange Williams Elementary School Jack-O-<br />
Lantern Jam event shirts.<br />
The <strong>fun</strong> didn’t stop with the pumpkin carving.<br />
Williams’ students were entertained by magician<br />
Patrick Reed and had the opportunity to watch “It's<br />
the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!” To enhance the<br />
now should start to see the reason for my disappointment.<br />
These young men shouldn't be degraded as athletes;<br />
they should be admired for their commitment.<br />
FACT: The stadium lights were not purchased by<br />
Leland High School, nor were they purchased by San<br />
Jose Unified School District. To the best <strong>of</strong> my knowledge<br />
the lights are <strong>fun</strong>ded by State Bond Fund 211.<br />
FACT: The football program has 84 dedicated young<br />
men, not 30. Next year, once we take the necessary<br />
strides to build a program that we can all be proud <strong>of</strong>,<br />
we are expecting 140-150 young men.<br />
FACT: Football players pay roughly $400-$525 each<br />
(including fees for football camps). We too have a portion<br />
<strong>of</strong> that money that is directed to the Booster Club<br />
and ASB. It is a necessary component <strong>of</strong> supporting all<br />
sports at Leland. That's why Athletic Boosters exist.<br />
They are a very hard working group <strong>of</strong> parents who<br />
have done amazing things for all athletics at Leland.<br />
They too should be honored not admonished.<br />
FACT: Leland does not <strong>fun</strong>d the athletic renovations.<br />
Most <strong>of</strong> the money for the new fields, concession building,<br />
restrooms, etc., are being <strong>fun</strong>ded by a combination<br />
<strong>of</strong> the city <strong>of</strong> San Jose and Measure F Bond Fund in an<br />
effort to develop more places for our youth soccer and<br />
adult soccer programs to play. This is an unbelievable<br />
collaborative effort that is resulting in Leland High<br />
School being the crown gem <strong>of</strong> public high schools<br />
from a facilities standpoint, and we didn't have to pay<br />
for it. If that doesn't get you excited for your school, I<br />
don't know what does.<br />
FACT: The community did not reject the plan for<br />
lights. There were three community meetings at Leland<br />
to hear all <strong>of</strong> the concerns from local neighbors and to<br />
address them so that everyone would be as happy as<br />
possible. I attended each <strong>of</strong> the three meetings and<br />
there was far more support for the lights then there was<br />
complaints. The issues were heard, a full report was<br />
generated to address each issue and the San Jose<br />
Unified School District board voted unanimously to<br />
approve the lights. It was not a decision made by<br />
Principal Setterlund. I very much doubt that Mr.<br />
Yamamoto was at any <strong>of</strong> the meetings.<br />
FACT: According to the San Jose Unified Board min-<br />
festivities, if that was possible, there was face painting,<br />
tattoos and glow sticks available, to secure the<br />
Halloween mood.<br />
“The kids were amused and amazed by Patrick<br />
Reed the Magician and fully entertained by the showing<br />
<strong>of</strong> Charlie Brown's "The Great Pumpkin" on the<br />
wall <strong>of</strong> one <strong>of</strong> the portables. The whole evening<br />
served as a great way to bring the Williams community<br />
together. It was so much <strong>fun</strong> for everyone, I can't<br />
imagine it won't become an annual event,” said<br />
Stevens.<br />
utes from the meetings dated Aug. 2, Aug. 16, Sept. 4,<br />
Sept. 26, and Oct. 4 there were financial outlays totaling<br />
$103,000 to coaches for Speech and Debate<br />
approved. So if Mr. Yamamoto's figures <strong>of</strong> 300 participants<br />
each paying $500 totaling $150,000 are correct<br />
and Mr. Yamamoto says "the school district takes all the<br />
money and distributes it throughout the school," I<br />
would encourage him to spend even five minutes on<br />
research and he would find that most <strong>of</strong> the money goes<br />
right back into Speech and Debate by way <strong>of</strong> Leland's<br />
ASB <strong>fun</strong>d. These numbers reflect only the last two<br />
months.<br />
FACT: Track and field and cross country use the<br />
sports track now. There is no need for them to use the<br />
field. Soccer teams practice on the Bret Harte fields<br />
now as football and field hockey are in season. As soon<br />
as our seasons are over, the priority is soccer first,<br />
everything else second.<br />
There are many more <strong>of</strong>fensive items that I can elaborate<br />
on to defend our hard-working cheer squad and<br />
football program but if Mr. Yamamoto wants to do a little<br />
homework I think he will find that most <strong>of</strong> his allegations<br />
are unfounded and false.<br />
I would very much like to reiterate that I am a big fan<br />
<strong>of</strong> our Speech and Debate Team and wish them all the<br />
success in the world. I am sure all <strong>of</strong> their hard work<br />
and sacrifice will result in tremendous success. I would<br />
also like to thank Mrs. Brasher for all she does for that<br />
program. She sets an incredible example for all <strong>of</strong> us<br />
coaches to follow.<br />
Mike Carrozzo<br />
Head football coach, Leland High School<br />
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