Kaplanyan headed to rival Glendale

GLENDALE — Hakop Kaplanyan, the all-time leading scorer in Hoover High boys' water polo history and one of the most high-profile athletes to ever compete under the school's banner, has begun the process of making un unprecedented switch to play for the Tornadoes' chief rival.

Kaplanyan, a junior who is actually a student at Clark Magnet High in La Crescenta, told the News-Press on Wednesday that his family moved in early December from a residence within Hoover's athletic jurisdiction to one within Glendale High's and that he intends to play water polo for the Nitros in the fall.

"It's going to be kind of weird, it's going to be something to get used to, but I think I can handle it," Kaplanyan, the two-time reigning All-Area Player of the Year, said of switching caps from the program he became the face of to its nearest competitor. "[Glendale] already had a very good program running those years before I came. I wouldn't mind playing under their system at all."

According to representatives from both Glendale and Hoover, the process of establishing Kaplanyan's eligibility to play for the Nitros his senior year is far from complete. But Glendale High Asst. Principal Rene Valdes said on Thursday that his department is in the process of preparing the necessary paperwork for submission to its Hoover counterpart and ultimately to the CIF Southern Section offices.

"[Kaplanyan's family] informed Clark [of the change of residence] and, because he is now in our boundaries, then he technically is our student," Valdes said. "In terms of him being able to compete in water polo, we are proceeding with the CIF protocol and filling out the transfer paperwork.

"I know with him being a high-profile athlete, there's going to be a lot of questions and speculation about why he's coming. My position is, I'm going to follow the steps that we're required to follow through CIF, verifying that he actually lives at the address that he lives and the parents provide what they need to provide. I'll submit it to CIF and CIF makes the final decision, basically."

Valdes said the goal is to complete the process in a timely manner and certainly before the conclusion of the current school year.