The Long Beach sports scene is filled with big personalities and big egos–superstar athletes, boisterous coaches, and attention seekers of all types. It’s also filled with a very different personality, that of the quiet helper who isn’t looking for big showy recognition. These are the people who keep things running, who make sure gyms get unlocked when they’re supposed to and that a football team’s bags are all checked properly before a flight.
The Long Beach sports world lost two such people over the last few months, losses that will be felt for many years to come.
Sue Breuklander, wife of past Century Club president Sam Breuklander, passed away in December. Sue was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, but she was also the glue that held the Century Club’s Middle School Sports Banquet together, in addition to countless other tasks.
Sam founded the Middle School Sports Banquet almost 40 years ago, and for decades, every single invitation that went out to the city’s middle school sports champions was put together and addressed by Sue. She was at every banquet as well as all of the club’s Hall of Fame Sports Night Banquets, a smiling face helping to make sure that everyone was checked in and ready for the evening.
Those banquets have honored thousands of athletes over the years, creating lifelong memories of one of the most unique aspects of Long Beach–the way we honor and celebrate our young athletes. None of that would have been possible without the years of work Sue put in, never wanting to take the microphone or to take credit. Thankfully the club gave her its Marie C. Gooch Past Presidents’ Award in 2018, recognizing her for lifelong service to the club and to the kids of Long Beach.
A few weeks ago, the Long Beach sports community also lost Mark Halloran. The Century Club’s 54th president, Mark was another understated hero who dedicated so much of his retirement to giving back to kids in Long Beach. In addition to serving as the club’s president, Mark was also the high school sports award coordinator for the last several years, after the passing of Jim Herrick.
Mark had the thankless task of contacting all of the high school award winners, inviting them to the club’s Sports Night Banquet, coordinating their RSVPs, and shepherding them through a fun but busy evening. Mark faced health challenges over the years and never let it slow him down–at one point he was communicating with me at Board meetings via text because it was difficult for him to talk, but he wanted to make sure he was still showing up for kids.
We can never have enough people like Sue and Mark–they are the ones who allow our city to be special, and to do special things. They also showed me great kindness early on in my career, when I was a young sportswriter getting involved with the Century Club and trying to find ways to give back. I will never forget their friendship, or the way they selflessly helped others, refusing credit or attention.
