Alex Carr's The Jaguars' Spot column for Wed., Apr. 14, 2010

You are invited to the Invite!

          Every Thursday the VCHS track and field team has a meet, either home or away, between the it and another school. Then, every Saturday, the top T&F athletes from those weekly meets go to what are called Invites, which are basically really big track meets with lots of school teams in attendance, hosted by a different school each week. This Saturday (Apr. 17) will the VC Jaguars will host the Invite.

          The Jag Invite is one of T&F’s most important fund-raisers of the year and it needs lots of helping hands as well as running feet and, uh, jumping ... er ... legs to make it a success. So consider yourself invited by head T&F coach, Mike Cummings, to help out with the Apr. 17 Invite in any way you can.

          “We’re expecting to have 40 track and field teams coming to VCHS that day, so it’s going to be crazy,” said Cummings. “We need a lot of volunteers to pull this off. And there are tons of things to do and we can definitely use anyone who offers to help.”

          Like? ... Well, for starters, the snack bar could always use help feeding the never-ending line of nearly 1,000 kids expected to be hungry at one time or another that day (okay, let’s face it: every minute of the ENTIRE day). Also, the track is constantly being setup and torn down in preparation for races (things like moving hurdles, or setting up blocks (those things the sprinters jump off at the beginning of a race). They also need help raking the sand pits, keeping track of kids, and lots of other little things that must combine to make the Jag Invite a success.

          And for all of you CSF or NHS members out there, this is a great way to get all FIVE of your required service hours done! Go with a buddy and those five hours will fly by while you have a great time. This invitation goes for anyone else -- including adults -- as well.

Change of venue:

          A quick update that the Mr. Jaguar competition (sort of like Miss Valley Center, but for guys) is no longer taking place at the Maxine. I got an e-mail from Andreina Gervasio, the coordinator of the contest, saying it will now take place Tuesday, April 27 in the quad during lunch. The day after, the boys will again appear in the quad in their tuxedos and do a Q&A. Then, the day after that, the guys, again in the quad, will perform a group dance and the winner will be announced.

Tell me about it!:

          I was talking with Principal McCowan the other day and he told me about a pretty cool thing that happened on the canoeing trip down the Colorado River a bunch of us took over spring break.

          I was around the bend so I didn’t see it happen, but McCowan’s son, Randy, had his hat blown off by the wind. McCowan leaned over to grab it but couldn’t quite reach it. Then he realized he’d leaned too far -- so far that the canoe rapidly began to take-on water. He turned around and there was a bear in the canoe where Randy had been sitting. McCowan slew the bear and was able to reach the hat with his ‘bear’ hands!

          Okay, it might not have happened exactly that way, but that’s the way I like the story best! Anyway, great save of Randy’s hat, Principal Mac!

          Got a great item for this column? Tell me about it! Catch me on campus or go to my web page and shoot me an e-mail (www.carrfamily.com/alex).

          Read all of San Diego Press Club award-winner Alex Carr's columns at www.carrfamily.com.