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On every team and every neighborhood, there is a young child who seems destined to be a sports star. It is more than coordination and much more than genes. It is some extra sense – an athletic balance – that makes them stand out at an early age from the rest of the players. OC Family Magazine has chosen five among hundreds of local standouts who reflect the future in a number of sports. Remember these names. 1. SURFING Tara Franz Hometown: San Juan Capistrano Age:13 Tara Franz wasn’t one to sit on the shoreline and watch her family surf, wishing she were bigger so she could be among them. At age 4, she began riding the waves with her parents and older sister and brother at Doheny State Beach. But rather than being more of a soul surfer like her siblings, says her mother Mary, Tara had a strong desire to compete. Her competitive nature, combined with her skill, has taken her far. The 13-year-old is ranked No. 1 in the National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) Explorer Girls Southwest division. “I like having a sport that pushes me, that makes me want to do like gnarlier stuff,” she says. The South County resident participated in her first competition when she was 5 years old. Four years later, she moved spectators to their feet during a Wild Woman surf contest in Malibu. Her lengthy ride on the nose of her longboard earned her a first-place win in her category. She also won Best Wave for the entire contest. Seeking more of a challenge, she made the switch from longboarding to shortboarding two years ago and has met similar success. Tara, a seventh-grader at Shorecliffs Middle School, also competes on the school’s surfing team. Last year, she won first place in the state finals for junior high schools; this year she placed second. Her talents have not gone unnoticed. Besides the NSSA, she landed a spot on Billabong’s surf team earlier this year. In addition to Billabong, Tara is also sponsored by Zinka, Infinity and Carve Board. Don’t be surprised if you hear about her again in coming weeks. Next month, Tara will compete in NSSA’s national competition in Dana Point, beginning June 22. – By Sandy Bennett 2. Tennis Jonathan Huang Hometown: Tustin Age:12 Jonathan Huang can be found playing tennis just about every day of the week. The 12-year-old practices after school four days a week at Woodbridge Tennis Club and on weekends he competes in tournaments. His strategy for staying focus: “I set a goal for myself and work to achieve it.” The tactic has worked well for the middle school student. Jonathan was 10 1/2 years old, for example, when he aimed to be the No. 1 tennis player in Southern California in the 10-and-under division. He met that target within a few months. His current goal is to reach the Top 5 in the nation in his age category by the end of the year. Currently, he is ranked No. 3 in Southern California in the boys 12-and-under division. Nationally, he is among the top 20. Jonathan, who was fascinated by any type of small balls when he was a toddler, started playing on the family’s backyard court when he was about 4 years old. At age 7, he began playing competitively in tournaments and has for the most part played in one every weekend since. His greatest strength is his adeptness to think on the court. A standout in his ability to outmaneuver his opponents, Jonathan quickly determines a player’s strengths and weaknesses and adapts accordingly throughout the match. His ultimate goal, he says, is “to be the best player I can be.” – By Sandy Bennett 3. Skateboarding Alize Montes Hometown: Los Alamitos Age: 6 Six-year-old Alize Montes may be the youngest member on Vans Skatepark Pee-Wee Junior Team in Orange. But that hasn’t prevented her from holding her own against teammates twice her age, most of whom are boys. A first-grader at Hopkinson Elementary School in Los Alamitos, Alize already has a handle on numerous skateboarding maneuvers, including launches, tail grabs, 50-50 grinds and tail drops into pools as deep as 10 feet. Her favorite move is a frontside air because of the height she can achieve. And if she falls: “I just get back up and do it again,” she says. “She’s phenomenal,” says Vans’ team manager Gale Webb, who has been in the industry for 30 years and has worked with the likes of Tony Hawk. “I’ve never seen a boy, never mind a little girl, do what she’s doing at 6 years old.” Alize was 4 years old when her mother Liesl first put her on a skateboard as a way for her to keep up on newly learned snowboarding skills. Immediately, she began flipping around and doing tricks. It didn’t take long for her talents to draw attention. Her biggest publicity came last September when she competed in the Wicked Wahine Bowl & Street Contest at a skatepark in Lake Forest against girls and women up to age 24 and took first place. Besides Vans, Alize is sponsored by Cool Girls Skateboards and Play It Again Sports in Los Alamitos. And while she may be fearless and tough, there’s no mistaking her feminine side. Pink pants with white flowers and a skirt with shorts underneath are among her skateboarding attire. And there’s certainly no shortage of little boys willing to retrieve her board if she flips it. – By Sandy Bennett 4. Lacross Elliott Domanic Hometown: Tustin Age:16 Orange County high schools are experiencing a new sports phenomenon: lacrosse. Generally considered an East Coast game, OC kids who grew up playing everything else – soccer, volleyball, baseball, football, water polo – are getting hooked on lacrosse. According to Jon Fox, Foothill High School’s coach, young athletes, particularly starting in middle school, are falling in love with the game “because it’s diverse, fast-paced, and a fun team sport.” Recently taking home first place in a recent tournament, Foothill’s team has already made a reputable name for itself; this is the first year that some California high schools have moved the sport from club competition into CIF play. The team’s success is due in large part to junior Elliott Domanic. Fox points to Elliott’s athletic ability, coordination and dedication, in addition to elevating the players around him. Not only is Elliott constantly working on his game individually, he’s a smart player who “knows where to be and when to be there,” says Fox. Elliott likes lacrosse because “it pushes you to your limits” while combining elements from several sports such as hockey, football and soccer. Having grown up playing baseball, Elliott saw a flyer one day in sixth grade for lacrosse, decided to give it a shot, and has been excelling at the game ever since. He loves the intensity and the way “it grabs you.” Elliott plays on the front line, or attackman, scoring and assisting goals. In the future, Elliott hopes to play lacrosse for a Division I school such as Duke, the University of Virginia, or Cornell. Fox believes Elliott has a good opportunity to be recruited to play at the college level due to his proficiency in the sport, a strong GPA and great work ethic. In the meantime, Elliott is representative of a sport that is growing faster than any in recent memory. - By Carlin Schneider 5. Soccer Ariel Dominguez Hometown: Santa Ana Age:13 The center-forward dribbles the ball down the soccer field with the goal in sight. He’s blown past all the defenders; it’s just him and the goalie. He shoots, he scores? Not exactly – the ball is captured by 13-year-old Ariel Dominguez, one of the most promising young goalies in Orange County. Starting out in AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) at age 9, Ariel’s coach played him in the field. When he was given a shot at goalie, it was clear that this was where Ariel excelled. Although he says he simply has more fun in the goal than on the field, it’s obvious to any spectator that Ariel has an extraordinary talent for stopping soccer balls. Almost nothing gets by this kid. According to Ariel, playing goalie is “exciting because when you make a save, the crowd cheers for you.” With the amount of saves Ariel accomplishes in a given game, it is clear that he is a motivated and driven player. But for Ariel, soccer “is fun.” One of the things he loves most is the opportunity to be a part of a team. His teammates are his best friends. Ariel plays for the Orange Junior Soccer Club, which practices two to three times per week, in addition to playing for the team at his middle school. During summer, he competes from time to time in Los Angeles, against much older players. He plans on sticking with soccer for a long time to come. This includes college competition and maybe even the men’s national team. But in the meantime, high school competition will probably make him a household name locally. His work ethic and physical abilities practically ensure a strong next several years. - By Carlin Schneider |
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