Car Clubs Rally for Youth Football, Cheer Program

Taking his son to Jr. Wildcatz practice at the Watsonville High football field is nostalgic for Javier Vasquez.

The 1989 WHS graduate played on the same field where his 8-year-old now competes. Although a lot has changed in Watsonville in the 20-plus years since Vasquez took the field as a Wildcat, not much has changed at the stadium.

The bleachers are still rustic, the press box looks like something from a 1960s football movie and everything needs a paint job.

So Vasquez, a trained EMT who volunteers at the Jr. Wildcatz medical support, decided to team with other parents for a fundraiser to help improve the WHS stadium and get better gear for the 160 boys and girls participating in Jr. Wildcatz this fall.

"We saw a need and thought 'we can't wait,'" Vasquez said.

So the first-ever will debut Saturday at Watsonville High School.

Vasquez's car club Ranflas, Spanish slang for "old cars", and the Watsonville Impalas club are combining forces to help the Jr. Wildcatz.

"It's going to be for the families, something positive for the kids," said Adrian Garcia of Watsonville Impalas, whose two sons, ages 10 and 13, are in the tackle football program.

Watsonville Jr. Wildcatz is a football and cheerleading program for boys and girls ages 4-14. Last year there were 100 youth in the program; this fall there are 110 boys and 50 girls involved, according to Jr. Wildcatz President Ana Hernandez.

Hernandez, who admitted she was a little leary of car clubs, is thrilled that the men have arranged the car show—especially on such short notice.

"The community will look at car clubs a differently," Hernandez said, adding that the event will also give exposure to the Jr. Wildcatz. "It will bring more people who wouldn't normally come to a football game."

Ranflas has eight members and there are 18 members of Watsonville Impalas, which formed last year. Many of the car owners have ties to the Jr. Wildcatz. But the car show will also be open to car owners outside the two clubs—there's interest from San Jose, Salinas and even farther—as well as motorcycles and bikes. Teenage boys from Watsonville plan to bring their lowrider and fix-gear bicycles to the event.

"We opened it up to all kinds of vehicles—anything with wheels," Vasquez said.

Registration is $20 in advance and $25 on Saturday. All proceeds benefit the Wildcatz.

at the high school, 250 E. Beach St., Watsonville.

The event will also have BBQ and other vendors, as well as a variety of live music. National magazines Lowrider Scene and Impalas Magazine plan to cover the car show.

"Hopefully it will be an annual event," Garcia said. "Everyone wins."