San Diego’s high schools have memorable, sometimes controversial mascots

Signed last year, California’s Assembly Bill 3074 bans derogatory names for school mascots.

By next July 1, more than 100 schools throughout the state that go by Redskins, Chiefs, Chieftains, Braves, Big Reds, Savages, Squaws, Tribe, Apaches, Chippewas and Comanches must find new nicknames.

Clairemont High School is one of them. The San Diego Unified School District has formed a committee to change the name.

It’s a big change for Clairemont, which has leaned into its nickname since its 1958 opening. The school is located on Ute Drive. The mascot, a chief wearing a headdress, is a far cry from an offensive caricature.

Clairemont’s new nickname is likely to be approved by January. It’ll be interesting to see which way school officials go.

San Diego-area schools have generally named their teams after something with bravado. There are Lions, Tigers and Bears (oh my!) as well as Titans, Warriors, Marauders, Centurions, Vaqueros and even Aztecs.

Here’s a look at some mascot stories from throughout San Diego:

A good fit

Some local nicknames just fit.

Oceanside High School is the Pirates, which makes sense. You can walk to the beach, where the afternoon winds roar through, from the school. And as the NFL’s John Facenda — “The Voice of God ” — said, “The autumn wind is a Pirate.”

Mission Bay High School is home of the Buccaneers, which fits. Like at Oceanside, you can walk to the beach from campus.

Coronado isn’t an island, even though many people think it is. Still, the high school’s nickname of Islanders makes sense.

At St. Augustine High School, the nickname — Saints — is often used in place of the school name.

Point Loma High School sits on a point, and its mascot is a Pointer dog. Local geography also inspired nicknames at both Grossmont (Foothillers) and Helix (Highlanders).

And the Army-Navy Academy’s nickname — Warriors — is fitting for a military school.

Local and unique

San Diego High was nicknamed the Cavemen in 1919, when a reporter compared football players running out of the tunnel at Balboa Stadium to cavemen emerging from a cave. It has since been shortened to Cavers.

Kearny High School opened in 1941 and spelled its nickname Komets with a “K” to match the school name. The Fort Wayne professional hockey team also goes by the Komets. Why? Their original general manager’s wife’s name was Kay — with a K.

Classical Academy picked the nickname Caimans to evoke power. The alligator-like animal has a powerful bite and is also known for being social.

More than 1,500 schools nationally go by Eagles, including seven in San Diego County: Granite Hills, San Pasqual, Olympian, Santa Fe Christian, Maranatha Christian, Tri-City Christian and Gompers Prep.

Go to Granite Hills or San Pasqual, and there is a good chance you’ll see an Eagle circling in the sky. The Christian schools take their inspiration from a psalm that refers to being “raised up on Eagles’ wings.”

Under the spotlight

Clairemont isn’t the only San Diego school with a Native American mascot.

El Cajon Valley High School is the Braves, Montgomery High School is the Aztecs and Fallbrook High School is the Warriors.

Years ago, there was a move to change Fallbrook’s nickname. The community fought it and won.

Other names have been changed completely. Several years ago, Serra High School in Tierrasanta underwent a complete renovation. The name of the school changed to Canyon Hills after students petitioned, saying Father Junipero Serra’s missions were offensive to indigenous peoples whose ancestors suffered centuries ago.

The Conquistadors became the Rattlers and the school colors changed from brown and gold to red and black. The cost of the change was expensive. Nearly every uniform in every sport at every level had to be replaced.

Vista High School’s nickname is the Panthers, but for years, the football team was known as the Big Red. The nickname had nothing to do with Native Americans, however. It was the color of the uniforms on coach Dick Haines’ powerhouse teams.

Box: What’s in a name?

There are some unique nicknames around the country. Here is a sample:

Yuma (Ariz.) Criminals: The territorial prison was once located in Yuma.

Sleepy Hollow (N.Y.) Horsemen: Remember “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”?

Speedway (Ind.) Sparkplugs: The school is located near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Webb (Tenn.) Feet: Get it?

Others: The Venice (Calif.) Gondoliers, South Philadelphia Speedboys, Goodrich (Mich.) Martians, Bad Axe (Mich.) Hatchets, Boiling Springs (Pa.) Bubblers, Belfry (Mont.) Bats, Cairo (Ga.) Syrupmakers, Frankfort (Ind.) Hot Dogs, Kailua (Hawaii) Surfriders, Tikigaq (Alaska) Harpooners, Dunn (Calif.) Earwigs