Pacific Beach Middle School’s co-ed surf team, the Pacific Beach Locals, won first place at the 2020-21 Scholastic Surf Series Division II recently following a year-long competition.
It was a triumph for the team that fell short in recent years. The surf division area covers San Diego County from Oceanside to Imperial Beach.
“Five of our kids also went to the state championship,” said PB Middle surf team’s co-coach Mike Retzer, who along with colleague Brian Arko, has been managing the middle school’s surf team the past few years. “Three years ago we were a non-factor ranking sixth. Two years ago we moved to second place, and this year we won our division. What a great story.”
“It was a wonderful season because we had so many kids who were just stoked to surf,” said Arko. “There was amazing camaraderie and the kids were very supportive and encouraging of one another. Surfing is a sport where everyone is trying to progress as an individual, but the way these kids all supported, helped, and cheered each really made it a team vibe. Their stoke and excitement for each other and the waves is really what surfing is all about.”
PB Middle students that qualified for the state competition include Boys shortboard: Dax Eaton, Graham Allen, Julian Scavone, Bobby Meza, Mason Morgan. Girls shortboard: Mazie Weber. Boys Longboard: Duke Retzer. Girls longboard: Elizabeth Gangolea. Co-Ed Bodyboard: Bobby Meza and Duke Retzer.
Surf coach Arko noted Division II had a dozen teams this season and that the locals participated in three contests, which are usually held in La Jolla and PB, but were all held up in Oceanside this year due to COVID.
Retzer, whose son Duke is on the Locals, said he and Arko got co-opted as co-coaches. “They (PB Middle) lost their coach and they asked us if we could come and help,” he said. “They said, ‘Your son’s on the team, you ought to do it.’”
“What happened was funny,” noted Arko, who has a 1-year-old and thus no direct involvement with the middle school.
Arko and Retzer both enjoyed taking the students out and “going over a couple of little pointers” to help them improve. “We gave them some time to have some fun, and then when they came back in we talked with them about how to improve their form,” Retzer said. “But we made sure they were having fun.”
The coaching duo said they had a limited turnout for the team their first year adding, “kids involved were mostly eighth graders so they all moved on at the end of the year. Then there was an influx of sixth graders who all came in ready to go.”
And what about next year when the Locals have to defend their surf title?
“We’re going to dominate again,” quipped both surf coaches. “It should be another solid season.”
One of many challenges coaching teens on the surf team was trying to get them to appreciate that they needed to raise the bar when competing with other schools.
“We have internal contests every other week,” Arko said. “The problem with contests is, you’ve got 15 minutes to paddle out and get two waves: It’s very demanding. That’s the hard part with these kids, getting them to recognize the challenge of contest surfing. And as coaches, we want our kids ready to compete, just like any other sport.”
Of coaching, the pair said: “We have a great time being with those kids. We’re sure lucky to be coaches.”
Of their student’s performance, both coaches noted, “They just did such a great job. Everyone worked together for the team to win. Not everyone was in the starting lineup, but everyone was on the team.”
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August 19, 2021 at 11:24PM
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Pacific Beach Middle School surf team stoked to win Scholastic Surf Series title - It wasn't exactly worst to first. But it was close. Pacific Beach Middle School's co-ed surf team the Pacific Beach Locals won first place at the 2020-21 Scholast... - San Diego Community News
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