Telling stories others don't

Year 49 on the high school beat is a fine time to reflect

- BY ERIC SONDHEIMER

NICK KOZA For the Times

ERIC SONDHEIMER interviews Corona Centennial's Eric Freeny, now a freshman at UCLA, at the state championship in Sacramento in March 2022.

It's year No. 49 covering high school sports in Southern California. Let me tell you how it started.

NICK KOZA For The Times

TIMES columnist Eric Sondheimer, second from left, interviews Garfield High baseball coach Ruben Torres at Dodger Stadium in 2022.

Cut from the Madison Junior High basketball team, I discovered writing for the school newspaper offered more power and influence than sitting on a bench.

Everyone likes to see their name mentioned, so now I knew I had a big responsibility going forward.

It was the time of Watergate and new heroes such as journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncovering corruption at the highest level, inspiring future journalists. While attending Poly High in Sun Valley, Pete Kokon, the sports editor of the San Fernando Sun, offered to pay me $15 a week to write a story about high school sports. It was the first lesson of a sportswriterdon't worry about the money, bask in the spotlight of having your name appear in a byline.

Kokon was the most entertaining character I've ever met. He owned an apartment building in Sherman Oaks and lived in his "penthouse," which consisted of entering a screen door that was never locked and seeing a small room on the top floor. He'd leave his keys in his unlocked car under a mat. He used to cuss out Ronald Reagan whenever his name was mentioned. He taught me how to bet at the race track, saying, "Give me a dollar," before going to the window to place a $2 bet.

ERIC SONDHEIMER Los Angeles Times