After winning numerous Hacienda League titles for the past four years, the Diamond Bar High School Athletics program will compete alongside Bonita, Claremont, Glendora, Ayala, and South Hills in the Palomares League for at least the next four years.
Every four years, each high school league is re-evaluated based off of each school’s athletic success over the previous four years. In 2010, DB transitioned from the Sierra League to the Hacienda League. After four years of dominating in the Hacienda League, DB has now earned a spot in the more competitive Palomares League.
“They are 42 schools in our area. And we got together and decide what the best fit for all 42 schools. They decided that with our success over the last four years in the Hacienda League that we needed to be moved up into a tougher league,” DB Athletic Director Kurt Davies said.
With a change in each league, other changes are bound to follow. The first major impact of this change will be that each team’s travel expenses will increase. Since DB is on the outskirts of the Palomares League, the athletic teams will have to budget more money for their total expenses. However, on a more positive note, there will be some additions to the Brahmas’ athletic program.
“We are looking at adding water polo next year for both boys and girls. Water polo is a real strong sport in the Palomares League,” Davies said.
No sports are looking to be cut at this time, however, a couple of sports will face changes. The girl’s golf team will now compete against schools in the Palomares League as well as St. Lucy’s and Chino Hills, who will just join the league for golf. Davies also confirmed that there is talk of the Brahmas’ athletic program adding another level of girl’s basketball by starting a girl’s freshman-sophomore team.
The Branding Iron rivalry against Walnut will continue, although, the game will not count as a league game for either team.
Last March, representatives from each of the 42 high schools in the Mount San Antonio area came to a compromise on a re-evaluation of each league. The final decision was that the 42 schools were divided up among seven different leagues.
The Hacienda League will now include Diamond Ranch, Los Altos, West Covina, Charter Oak, Walnut, and Chino. The leagues were all set up based on the past overall athletic performances and school population.
“It is a higher level league that consists of more offerings for our kids. And at the end of the day that is what you want; as many opportunities for our student athletes to have success,” Davies said.
Even though the Brahmas have earned a spot to participate in a more competitive league, the expectations for traditional DB success are now set much higher.