Year-to-year, sport-to-sport there are fights and arguments during games. Many of them are caused by aggressive smack-talking with one another and/or disagreements from false calls. Although healthy competition may sound better and safer, here is what Mr. Padilla, the Boys Varsity Soccer coach, and AP Statistics and IM 1 teacher at La Sierra High School had to say.

Q. Do you prefer safe and healthy games or intense competitive games?

A. “Competitive games because that’s where you can see the true nature of a person or an athlete and why they’re really out there.“

Q. Do you think having a school rival team is a good or bad thing?

A. “I say it’s both a good and bad thing. Good because you can see our team showing up and showing what they work for. It’s a bad thing because some people take it to another extreme and they eventually become less about the actual schools and what we’re there for.“

We wanted to hear from another’s perspective: Parker Passalacqua, a senior on the La Sierra Varsity Football team.

Q. Do you think having a rival team is a good or bad thing?

A. “I feel like it is a good thing because it’s when the whole school comes together and we get a lot of support from that. I feel good when everyone comes out and watches us because it just pumps up my adrenaline and to me, I feel like I do better plays.“