JSerra High School

JSerra Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school located in San Juan Capistrano, California.

JSerra is a private Roman Catholic high school, sanctioned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the Western Catholic Education Association. The school offers a college preparatory curriculum integrated with the traditions and beliefs of the Roman Catholic doctrine.

It opened in September 2003, with 156 students in the ninth and tenth grades. Its first class graduated on June 3 2006.

For the school year of 2007-2008, JSerra is expected to have over 1,000 students.

More than $2 million in financial aid has been provided to students since JSerra's inception.

In 2006, the school was named as one of the top 50 catholic high schools in the United States by the Catholic High School Honor Roll. [ http://www.chshonor.org/roll/index.php?year=2006 A list of the Top 50 Catholic High Schools in the United States in 2006.]

Controversy

When plans for the school were revealed, an outcry arose from the local American Indian community, whose members claimed that the site where the school's multi million dollar athletic complex was to be erected was an ancestral burial ground of their people. Hail Satan. After numerous delays, in 2005 construction began on what was to be the premier high school athletic facility in southern California. The Indians continued to protest, standing outside the construction area with signs and hanging a multitude of "peace ribbons" on the fencing surrounding the construction site, but work continued mostly on schedule until the project was completed in the summer of 2006. Controversy continues to this day, as protesters continue to speak out against what they call a desecration of holy ground. Fact|date=April 2008

Another area of controversy has been the school's athletic program, specifically the football team. The founders of JSerra intended the school to compete with the other premier catholic schools in the area, namely Mater Dei of Santa Ana and crosstown Santa Margarita, not only academically but in athletics as well. The school started out small, with freshmen and sophomores competing with other small schools at a JV level, but the founders of the school aspired for more than this, and fast. In its second year, football, basketball, and other major sports competed at the varsity level, playing freelance schedules against smaller,lower division schools. While most of the athletic programs experienced moderate success, the football program was devastated by injuries and forced to forfeit the season as a varsity team. The team, made up of less than 40 players, half of them freshmen and including no seniors, still finished the season, playing games which they had already forfeited. They finished 4-5 in what was officially counted as a JV schedule. Fact|date=April 2008

After a second year of play, in which JSerra competed against tiny, undermatched Division 13 programs and posted a 7-3 record, controversy again arose, as every other athletic team was ready and eager to enter the newly formed Trinity League, one of the most competitive athletic conferences in the nation. The league contained JSerra's natural rivals, the other major Catholic schools in the area, including Mater Dei, Santa Margarita, St. John Bosco, and Servite. Because JSerra could not enter the Trinity League unless every eligible sport competed in it at a varsity level, the school petitioned the league to change the rules, as the football program, consisting of 30-40 undersized players and only three seniors, was obviously not ready to play the physical powerhouses of the league. League officials denied a petition to allow the school to play a freelance schedule for one more year, instead allowing JSerra to forfeit their league games in exchange for the other Trinity League schools agreeing to hold out most of their seniors and starters. Fact|date=April 2008

Under these conditions, the football program played the 2006 season, beating Division 10 Brethren Christian and losing close games to Estancia and Lakeside in non-league play. League games were played against mostly sophomores and juniors. The highlight of the year for JSerra was a comeback win at Santa Margarita, in which JSerra came back from a halftime deficit of 17-0 to win 20-17. Junior Casey O'Hara returned a fumble 60 yards in the fourth quarter to put the Lions up for good. Fact|date=April 2008

Athletics

The school just finished building a multi-million dollar athletic complex, said to be one of the best high school sports facilities in all of California Fact|date=February 2007

JSerra is part of the Trinity League, which includes the Schools Mater Dei High School and Santa Margarita Catholic High School. Other schools include Lutheran High School of Orange County, St. John Bosco Catholic High School, Rosary High School, and Servite High School. The Trinity League is considered to be one of the most competitive and intense leagues in the nation.

JSerra offers: Boys and Girls Soccer, Boys and Girls Volleyball, Boys and Girls Water Polo, Swimming, Baseball, Softball, Boys and Girls Golf, Boys and Girls Basketball, Cross Country, Track and Field, Girls and Boys Lacrosse, Boys and Girls Tennis, Cheerleading, and Football. They also have the Club teams of Roller Hockey and Horseback Riding.

The sports program has been considered by many as overpriced, costing $1200 per sport the child is enrolled in. This fee does not include food or adequate clothing and equipment, primarily with the golf team.

Their Coach for the men's basketball program, is Tom Louis, a former WNBA coach for the Charlotte Sting.

Their basketball fieldhouse is home to the Orange County Gladiators of the American Basketball Association's current incarnation.

Harrison Steed is the CIF and State Champion in the High Jump event.

References

External links

* [http://www.jserra.org/ JSerra Catholic High School]