Los Amigos celebrates athletic facility upgrades

On the southern wall inside the Los Amigos High gymnasium, words meant to inspire and bond the campus community together are prominently displayed.

Not unlike other high schools, that includes the school’s alma mater. Perhaps more fitting for the occasion on Monday would be the school motto: “siempre con dignidad,� which translates to “always with dignity.�

That phrase rang true for the Lobos to kick off the week, as the school celebrated the addition of a nine-lane, all-weather track and turf field on campus.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony possessed many of the elements of a pep rally. Cheerleaders welcomed attendees to the track and bleachers, accompanied by a drumline performance and an appearance from the Lobos’ mascot.

Gabriela Mafi, the superintendent of the Garden Grove Unified School District, noted that such facilities upgrades were made possible with the help of Measure P, a $311-million bond measure that voters passed in 2016.

The new nine-lane, all-weather track and turf field at Los Amigos High on Monday.

(Tyler Casalini / Los Amigos Yearbook)

The measure also led to the construction of new stadiums at Bolsa Grande and Garden Grove high schools.

At Los Amigos, facilities improvements include a new floor and bleachers in the gymnasium, resurfaced tennis courts, and LED lighting added to the baseball and softball fields in addition to the new track. There are also new pits for the long jump and triple jump.

“The athletic programs at Los Amigos generate school pride and enhance the high school experience for hundreds of students each year,� Bob Harden, a trustee for the school district, said. “We know that having modern facilities for our athletes makes a difference. The new track and field provides a remarkable setting for our athletes to compete and to win, and we know that you will give your all to both of those things.�

Following the ceremony, the football program took to the field for practice. The transformation from a dirt track to the brand-new facility started at the end of the last football season.

Los Amigos students arrive at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the school’s new track and turf field on Monday.

(Tyler Casalini / Los Amigos Yearbook)

The new field will also become the home for the school’s soccer programs, which saw measurable success in the form of a CIF Southern Section Division 5 championship for the girls in 2019, while the boys won back-to-back Garden Grove League titles.

The route to those recent accomplishments often went through the uneven grass fields in the back of the campus. Chris Sandro, the school’s athletic director and the former head coach of the boys’ soccer program, remains very excited about the upgrades, despite the departure from that home-field advantage.

“We did know how to play downhill and with the wind over there at the old field, but we’ll make this place our home,� Sandro said. “You feel the wind … it’s always coming from the west. It’s always windy this way. … We’ll get used to it.�

Sandro added that the track and turf field had been installed a couple of weeks ago. He said kids were out on the field playing catch from day one.

The track and field programs will also compete at the facility, and it will serve as a resource for conditioning workouts for others.

“We want all [Garden Grove Unified School District] students to have the best high school education, the best experience both in and outside the classroom,� Harden said. “I wish we could have done this sooner. I’m glad that we’re able to do it and make this available for you now.�