With the current year ending, we all need to have some New Year’s resolutions as well as some hopes for great things to come in 2025.
Not to be selfish, but we are going to offer a hope that in 2025 communication will improve with local coaches. This isn’t to say that it has been bad. But in some instances, getting a roster with players names, grades, position they play and jersey number has been like pulling teeth.
For season previews, which in some cases is the only time local student-athletes will ever see their name in print, we have had to send multiple e-mails and text messages.
Being an online community newspaper, we are here to serve our local students.
At the end of the school year, we always publish a list of graduating seniors who are moving on to college to continue their careers in sports at the next level.
All we ask for is the name of the student, the high school they attend, the sport and position they play (if applicable) and the name of the college they will be attending. This is open to anyone who either lives or attends school in Burbank. Out-of-town private school submissions are welcomed. Sports@myburbank.com is the address to send things to.
We have some personal wishes for several individuals and or teams in the community for 2025.
- For Burbank High baseball coach Bob Hart — some more pitchers. Hart always does well with the team he has. But the number of number of capable pitchers last season was very low.
- For Burroughs football, a coach who is familiar with the Bears (or Indians as some still like to refer to them) tradition. Longtime former coach and current athletic director Keith Knoop set the standard in developing a number of fine young men who have worked hard on and off the field to represent their school and community with dignity and pride.
- A CIF and state title for Burbank High senior Ogden Lucsik, who is the one of the best returning pole vaulters in the nation having cleared 16 feet as a junior. He is also an outstanding student, who should be able to have his choice of elite colleges.
- For the Burbank High boys basketball team — some more wins over teams people have heard of. The Bulldogs are moving in that direction with recent wins over Monrovia and Mark Keppel. Burbank started the season with wins over the likes of New Designs Watts, Northridge Academy, Waverly, Southwestern Academy, Avalon, Amino Robinson, de Toledo and Lancaster Baptist.
- For the Burroughs tennis program — hope that new coach Tom Hardy can stay with the program as long as his predecessor, Roy Bernhardt, who has been with the program since 1991 and still coached the junior varsity team this past season.
- For the Burbank High aquatics program — an on-campus swimming pool. Burbank hasn’t had a pool for roughly five years now due to some mechanical issues. For those are old enough to remember, Burbank never swam again in its old swimming pool following the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
- A trip to the state meet in track for Burroughs senior Quiana Laughlin, who decided not to play soccer this season, in hopes of focusing on her field events career. She is the school record holder in the long jump at 17 feet, 9 inches. She has also gone 5-2 in the high jump and under 13 seconds in the 100.
- For the Burroughs aquatics program — a swimming pool all to itself. Burroughs has had to share its pool with Burbank in recent years as the Bulldog pool has been out of commission.
Best wishes to everyone in 2025.
