One of my duties at The Californian is to schedule our staff's workweek. I try to plan two weeks in advance and make decisions on our coverage with input from our staff writers. Usually this takes 5 minutes. It's taken a month to prepare for the week of March 2-8. And we're still trying to tie down the loose ends.

If this was a fraternity, March 2-8 would be HELL WEEK. With March Meet, the CIF wrestling championships, Bakersfield Speedway opening, and the Central Section championship games for boys and girls basketball, all falling on the same weekend, there aren't enough writers or Advil to help me cope with this monstrosity.

Usually we have a weeklong buffer between March Meet and the CIF wrestling championships. March Meet, the drag racing festival at Auto Club Famoso Raceway, is usually run on the second weekend in March. The CIF wrestling championship at Rabobank Arena is usually the first weekend of March. But because of the calendar, March 1 falling on a Sunday, we're left with Bakersfield becoming a pit stop for grease monkeys and grapplers March 6-8.

But our sports schedule follows the weather proverb about the month of March: In like a lion, out like a lamb. We'll be twiddling our thumbs begging for stories at the end of the month.
 

I knew from the moment, I researched the subject of "pay-to-play" I was in for fight. Two years ago, I had this conversation with my dad on eliminating sports from high schools entirely, and I fought against his argument. Now, I agree with his stance. Maybe it's time to make students and parents "pay-to-play" sports or just eliminate them.

Times are tough, and taxpayers can't even support students' rights to a basic education. Now, taxpayers are suppose to pay for an education that's been maimed (cutting industrial arts, shop class, home economics, band, drama is ridiculous) but also pay for high school football teams traveling to Sacramento, baseball teams trips to Santa Barbara and volleyball teams trips to Las Vegas.

Seems my recent column, "It's time for KHSD students to 'pay-to-play'" struck a nerve with folks in Bakersfield. Good. That's what I wanted.

We'll have a story on how school districts in other states are utilizing the system in coming weeks. Don't worry, we'll get it done before the state passes a budget.