Letter to the Editor: Hometown rivalry game

Dear Editor:

I wanted to compliment the Downey Unified School District on last Friday night's event. 

The yearly Downey vs Warren football game is without doubt a great experience. I know of no other city that has an event of this kind. This game, with all of the rivalries and excitement, has gone on for years. I was fortunate to work for the school district for 38 very fulfilling years. Ten of those years were spent at the high school level. 

I asked myself this past Saturday morning, "I wonder if the community fully realizes how much logistical work goes into an event of this size (nearly 10,000 spectators)?” Once we arrived (one and a half hours early), we noticed immediately how easy it was to enter the game, move around, and generally enjoy ourselves. Given the huge amount of people attending the game, it amazed me that it went off like clockwork. I'm sure it had its challenges but to those of us that were observers it appeared to go off without a hitch.

The Downey vs. Warren game is an awesome event! Great for the schools and great for the city. It makes me proud to have been a part of this organization. Our hats go off to both high schools for being so diligent and so well organized. And they do it while smiling! In a time when so much negativity is being broadcast on numerous platforms, I felt it was time to share something positive.

Please pass on our thanks to all involved. Winning and losing aside, this event is a perfect example of what makes our city great! Apparently the announcer on the Fox Sports Channel kept saying, "the tiny city of Downey." I would add, "the tiny city with a huge heart."

Phil Davis
Retired, Director CTE and STEM
Downey Unified School District