|
sports
Beach surf team
looks to a repeat of last year
By Matt Davis
Special to the Forty-Niner
The Long Beach
State club surf team, competing for the first time in more
than 10 years, achieved high marks in becoming the NSSA 2001
Interscholastic National Champions.
Mike Reilly, cofounder and president of the team, acknowledges
hard work paid off for the team.
"It was pretty exciting," Reilly said. "It
feels great because it was our first year."
Reilly and the rest of the new and returning members won the
national championship the first year out competing against
top-notch surfing schools in California.
The team defeated the defending national champion Mira Costa
and defending Southwest Conference champion UC Santa Barbara,
among others, June 23-24 at Salt Creek in Dana Point.
Long Beach State had several contributors to the championship
run, including Reilly and cofounder and LBSU alumni Ben Will,
who placed third and fourth, respectively, in the college
men's open division; John Husak, who brought home the National
Longboard title; and alumni Jodie Nelson, who placed second
in women's shortboard competition.
Now the team starts its second season as the hunted rather
than the hunter, and this Saturday all returning and new members
will tryout for a position on the team.
"It's not a sure thing," Reilly said of the tryout.
"The Long Beach surf team decides on who receives the
spot through a means of democratic decision making."
The tryout will be Saturday at 8 a.m. and held at Golden West
Street and Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach -- the
spot the team regularly practices.
The returning members have gained the confidence and experience
needed to come back and compete stronger than ever.
A-Team member Ryan Johnson said he contributed to the national
title by motivating fellow team members.
"Supporting fellow team members during heats and practices
throughout the season is what it's all about," Johnson
said.
The objectives for team members this year, according to Reilly
include the following: Place in the top three for the regular
season and work hard to reach a consistent competitive level
in preparation for state and nationals.
When asked about bringing home another national title to Long
Beach, Reilly simply stated: "I want to take home both
state and national championship title this time around."
The surf team celebrated last year's national championship
to the fullest.
"It was definitely the best day of the year for all the
team members," Reilly said. "It was nice that everybody
worked hard to make it happen."
The team opens its Southwestern Conference schedule Oct. 28
in Ventura.
|
|
Mike
Moir/Special to the Forty-Niner
Long Beach State club surf team President Mike
Reilly, shown surfing at Puerto Escondido, Mexico, helped
lead LBSU to the 2001 NSSA Interscholastic National Championship.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Search our site
DEPARTMENT
OF
JOURNALISM
ONLINE 49ER
DEPARTMENTS
ADVERTISING
ADMINISTRATION
DAILY
49ER ALUMNI
SUBSCRIPTION
SERVICE
GIVE
FEEDBACK
|
