8 lagunabeachindy . com JULY 26 , 2024
GUEST OPINION :
The Invasion of the Bliss Snatchers
BY BILLY FRIED
This summer Laguna has felt like one protracted frat house initiation , with a bunch of hooligans and miscreants drinking , puking and defiling our precious campus . On Tuesday night at council , a small group of residents tried to pin the blame squarely on Visit Laguna , our tourist bureau . And sought to defund them . Emotions ran high as residents are at wit ’ s end over the onslaught of heathens . It ’ s gotten so bad that some Instagrammers who post valentines to Laguna claim they are getting harassed and bullied by residents . And there are reports that some locals are acting belligerently towards visitors . It ’ s a sad spectacle , but one thing ’ s for sure : we could calm all of these frayed nerves if we just opened a cannabis dispensary . And generate significant tax revenue to help defray the costs of those visitors while we ’ re at it . But I digress .
Let ’ s go easy on the Visitors Bureau , folks . They ’ re an easy scapegoat , but only part of the problem . Plus , they ’ re not spending your money . Its money generated by the hotels from their overnight visitors . And guess what ? They just pledged to give half a million a year back to the city . That ’ s money that could be spent on needed local services like subsidized artist housing .
But clearly , some things need to change . Because while their avowed goal is to target overnight visitors ,
FRIED , PAGE 17
Sports / Schools
LAGUNA SPORTS UPDATE By Frank Aronoff | LB Indy BREAKER SPORTS UPDATE
SUMMER SPORTS Laguna Beach High School
Athletics summer programs Check out the programs for all sports at lbhs . lbusd . org / athletics Don ’ t miss out if you plan to play sports at Laguna Beach High School .
BASKETBALL
The boys squad went 15-9 for the summer while the girls team did make it to the championship of the summer El Toro tournament losing to Trabuco Hills 56-50 .
WATER POLO
Junior Olympics are underway this week and next up in the Palo alto area . Boys started on July 20 and concluded July 23 while Girls were held July 25-28 . Report next week . LAGUNA FALL SPORTS : Cross Country Coach Tommy Newton-Neal is back at the helm for his third season rebuilding the boys ’ program . Coach Steve Lalim is returning for his 17th year , making every section finals since becoming the girls ’ coach in 2008 . The first meet is Aug . 30 .
Girls Golf Coach Sean Quigley returns for his third season as the girls team
SUBMISSIONS WELCOME BY 5 PM TUESDAY
now joins the equally competitive Pacific Coast League . The first nonleague match is on Aug . 26 .
BOYS SAND VOLLEYBALL
Paul Cuevas is the coach , and the team hopes to improve on its 8-3 run last season . Kai Patchel will be a force on this team . The schedule will be posted in late August for the sport ’ s eleventh season at Laguna . Matches are held at Main Beach .
GIRLS TENNIS Coach Robert Klugman also returns for his third season . After winning the D2 SSCIF Title last season , the squad will be in the competitive Pacific Coast League . BOYS WATER POLO The 61st season opens on Aug . 22 with Crean Lutheran . The squad will compete in the Santa Barbara , South Coast and Bellarmine Memorial Cup tournaments . Camron Hauer is back for his third season at the helm , and the team is a favorite for the Pacific Coast League title after finishing second in the Sunset last season .
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Sinan Tinek is back for his fourth season and expecting a competitive run . The benefits of Leif Hansen ’ s Laguna Coast Volleyball Club are showing as Laguna will be in their 52nd season under CIF . Queens Court Tournament concludes the
Battle At The Beach Tourney a Success
Top : LBHS Head Coach Rus Soobzokov and LBHS Assistant Coach Jim Garvey with varsity coaches from Sage Hill during the Battle At the Beach tourney last weekend . Photo / James Azadian ; bottom : LBHS Boys Varsity Team play the Corona Del Mar Boys Varsity Team . Photo / James Azadian
summer training on August 3-4 . 90 Years of Laguna Football Five weeks until the start of the 2024 season : Aug . 23 at St . Margaret ’ s
Part 4 – The “ Dark ” Era 1988-2005
Last week , we looked at how Laguna kept up with the urbanization of Orange County after Disneyland opened in 1955 . The program ’ s winning ways ended abruptly when the school enrollment plunged over 30 %, making it difficult for the school to compete in 11-player football . Over the next 18 seasons , Laguna was in the Pacific Coast League for all sports at a substantial competitive disadvantage . The league affiliation was based on geography : Trabuco Hills ( 8 seasons replaced by University ; Laguna Hills was followed by Corona del Mar ; Woodbridge – replaced by Estancia , then Tesoro ; Costa Mesa ( 16 seasons ), replaced by Calvary , and Orange followed by Century ; Aliso Niguel then finally Northwood . After averaging an enrollment of over 1,000 students from 1963- 1987 – 25 seasons , the next 18 saw an enrollment average of under 800 students , with the bottom hit in 1989 with barely 300 boys in the school . Laguna struggled , only going 42-135-4 overall and 13-76-1 in league play , with many lopsided scores and a real safety concern for the players with a very thin roster of players .
The squad did have a few talented athletes honored by the league despite Laguna ’ s record . Kickers Jason Crabbe , Brad Bohn and Todd Merz ; receivers Will Blodgett and Eric Fegraus ; quarterbacks Pat Wood and Alex Wilson were among the top players . Laguna sports finally got county support for a competitive league in 2006 with the formation of the Orange Coast League and an enrollment surge back above 1,000 students .
Happy Birthday to Skipper Carrillo , who turned 86 last week . Carrillo has been part of the local youth sports scene since 1958 .
Have a note / question on Laguna sports / correction / update ? E-mail Frank at Frank @ twometer . net . Looking for the 2023-24 high school schedules and scores ? Check Laguna Beach High School on the Max Preps website .
Did you know …
In the past 10 years , the Consumer Price Index has increased 32 % while the city budget has increased 100 %?
Are you getting your money ’ s worth ?
Ref : City Budgets : 2013 / 14 – 2023 / 24 Ad paid for by Village Laguna
For additional information
VillageLaguna . org