Behind these student champions are proud parents who cheer, wipe tears and wear out tires on the minivan. With a multitude of sports and athletic programs made readily available to youngsters and families throughout Orange County, it’s no wonder that the OC has bred some of America’s greatest professional athletes and Olympians throughout the decades. […]

Girls Gymnastics Age: 11 Sport & affiliation(s): Gymnastics at SCATS in Huntington Beach. Accolades & achievements: First place, All Around at State in Level 4; fourth place, All Around in Level 5 at State; seventh place, All Around in Level 6 at State; third place, All Around at State in Level 7; and first place, […]

Boys Baseball Age: 11 Sport & affiliation(s): Baseball; Seaview Little League; Seaview Little League All Stars; and HB39 Travel Ball Club. Accolades & achievements: Member of Seaview Little League All Stars Team 2013 and 2014. Why did you start playing baseball? Position? “My dad taught me how to play when I was little. I am […]

Boys Water Polo Age: 13 Sport & affiliation(s): Water polo goalie; Costa Mesa Aquatics Club (CMAC) 14 and under boy’s team; Olympic Development eighth grade and under team. Accolades & achievements: Gold at Junior Olympics; played in Olympic Development Program (ODP); and attended the holiday camp at the Olympic Training Center. Why did you start […]

Girls Tennis Age: 17 Sport & affiliation(s): Tennis; Woodbridge Tennis Academy; United States Tennis Association (USTA) regional and national tournaments; varsity at Capistrano Valley High School. Accolades & achievements: 2014 OC Varsity Player of the Year for Tennis; 2013 SoCal Sportsmanship Award for Girl’s 16 and under; Top 20 in SoCal in both the G16s […]

Girls Softball Age: 17 Sport & affiliation(s): Varsity softball for Mission Viejo High School. Travel ball for OC Batbusters. Accolades & achievements: Freshman: First team All-League; OC Freshman of the Year. Sophomore: First team All-League; League Co-MVP; First team All-County; OC Player of the Year; Sophomore State Player of the Year; broke the OC homerun […]

Boys Basketball Age: 5 Sport & affiliation(s): Basketball leagues at SoCal Elite and YMCA Laguna Niguel. Basketball camps at SoCal Elite, YMCA Los Angeles and Concordia Eagle Basketball camp. Accolades & achievements: MVP of SoCal Elite camp; starting point guard of All Star game in first season; won team MVP eight out of 10 times […]

OC youth sports programs with Olympian and professional ties. Gym-Max Academy of Gymnastics 2969 Century Place, Costa Mesa 714-754-5491 www.gym-max.org Sport: Gymnastics Olympians: McKayla Maroney and Kyla Ross (pictured) Mission Viejo Nadadores 27474 Casta Del Sol, Mission Viejo 949-380-2550 www.mvnswim.org Sport: Swimming Olympian: Chloe Sutton Irvine Novaquatics, Inc. 714-731-8065 www.novaquatics.com Sport: Swimming Olympians: Amanda Beard, […]