Hot bus tests players physically Defense stopped by a malfunctioning air

Chula Vista, it was his responsibility to find the team a new bus that would get us there.

members of the press from the Pierce College Media Arts Department.

The team was in a meeting when the owner of Cal Tours, a charter bus company, approached us and explained that the bus for the defensive team had a malfunctioning air conditioner that was only blowing hot air. He advised us to ride on the bus with a working air conditioner, but we loaded onto the defensive team’s bus because the coaches wanted to fit as many players onto the cooler bus.

The moment we stepped onto the bus we knew we were set for an interesting day. There was absolutely no air flow. The bus had been sitting in the sun for more than an hour and heat was circulating through the air vents. The windows were only to be opened for emergencies and our bus driver didn’t quite understand that this was indeed an emergency.

It only took a few minutes from when the front door of the bus closed and the bus driver began driving for the players to start taking off layers of clothing until most of them were sitting in their underwear. There were no coaches on the bus, so players began texting them to say that taking the bus to Chula Vista was becoming a health concern. The players got word to ask the bus driver to exit the freeway and wait because the company was going to replace the bus. We parked outside of an apartment building on Coldwater Canyon and waited for defensive coordinator Torry Hughes to meet us. When Hughes and other members of the coaching staff arrived, players were lounging around on apartment stoops trying to stay cool.

Coach Hughes immediately called Cal Tours and explained the situation in attempts of getting a new bus. We spent the next three hours at the Studio City Recreation Center while Hughes diligently tried to explain to the owner of the bus company that since Pierce was paying his company to get us to

“It was crap,” said redshirt Nik Fields. “We had to sit in a hot bus for hours. We had to deal with the guy that owns the company not knowing what was going on we he should. It was horrible. We need to get a new bus company. We have to make sure their is air conditioning on both buses before we leave.”

The players were getting anxious as they wanted to get to DeVore Stadium to take on the Southwestern Jaguars. As the hours passed, our options became limited. The choices were between forfeiting to the Jaguars or loading back onto the hot bus and sweat it out. Every attempt by Hughes to get new bus failed and the players willingness to win outweighed the extreme discomfort.

As we loaded back onto the bus there were some changes to be made. The team propped open an emergency escape hatch with a Gatorade bottle to try to get some form of ventilation just to find out that the second emergency escape hatch did not work. We were driving in a bus that did not have the proper means for escape in an emergency.

We rode the bus to Chula Vista while players held the emergency window exits open, to try to get some source of air flow throughout the bus. By the time we left the San

Fernando Valley we felt a slight temperature drop and the focus in the bus slowly shifted from complaining about the heat to getting pumped about the football game.

The Jaguars agreed to wait as long as it took for the remaining Brahmas to arrive for the game to begin.

“It was adversity,” said defensive back Jason Sturdivant.

“Things happen, stuff happens, you have to get through it and play football. No matter what it is, bus troubles, car troubles or traffic, you just have to get through it. I am glad the referees and officials held off and let us get here so we can play ball.”

As the driver pulled up to the stadium honking, we were swarmed by players and coaches exuding energy and excitement.

The offense cheered and yelled when we entered the parking lot and greeted us by rallying around the bus pounded on the windows.

We were finally there and the memory of a horrific bus ride was quickly wiped away. It was the moment that made the whole trek worth it. It was finally time for football.