For Mike Hastings, this marks his 20th year on the Pointer staff and his 16th season as head coach while he prepares his team for its season-opener against South Bay’s Olympian High on Saturday, Aug. 31 at 3 p.m. on Bennie Edens Field in newly spruced-up Pete Ross Stadium.
The game follows the debut of both the Dogs’ freshman (10 a.m.) and junior varsity teams (12:30 p.m.) in the first of three Saturday afternoon home games that will allow greater community attendance.
Each of the five home games this season will feature a theme, with the season-opener a “Salute to Military/Police/Fire/Lifeguards” game.
Other Saturday games are Sept. 14 with the same schedule against Lincoln (“Pointer Association Kickoff Game”) and Sept. 28 when the junior varsity (10:30 a.m.) and varsity (1 p.m.) take on Scripps Ranch (“Staff Appreciation Game”).
Friday games are set for Nov. 1 (“Youth Football/Cheer Game”) and the annual Homecoming game under the lights on Nov. 8.
Visitors to Pointer games this season will likely note the disappearance of the infamous bank of blue portable restrooms that have lined the stadium’s plaza on Voltaire Street and in the west end zone near the scoreboard for several seasons.
In their place, fans will find a new multi-purpose building, gates, plaza and landscaping greeting following the completion of a stadium entrance remodel funded with San Diego Unified School District Prop. S funds.
Working with limited space, district architects designed a structure that will serve as ticket booth, concession stand and long-awaited new restroom facility.
The 1,100-square-foot steel structure is in the final construction phase as the school year approaches. It replaces a wooden structure condemned because of structural decay.
The unsightly and uneven asphalt plaza has been replaced with a smooth deck of fresh concrete, while several palm trees dominate new landscaping at the entrance that greets visitors with beauty and color where a small patch of lawn previously existed for decades. EXTRA POINTS
• The stadium entrance upgrade has been under construction since June 2012 at a cost of about $1 million.
• Seniors over 63 years of age are always admitted free to regular-season Pointer home athletic events. (Does not apply to playoff games).
• Regular admission prices for the 2013 football season are $6 for adults, $2 for ages 5-12, while children under 5 are admitted free. Admission will be charged for all games on Saturdays and Friday varsity games.
Members of the military, police officers, firefighters and lifeguards with IDs will be admitted to the season opener as guests of PLHS. They will be saluted in a halftime program. Police and fire vehicles are expected to be on hand.