With the rise of e-sports and other technologically-driven competitions like drone soccer, The562 and the Grunion Gazette are adding a “Tech Team of the Year” honor to this year’s All-City Awards, and our first selection couldn’t be easier. The Cabrillo High drone soccer team won a national championship this year, sweeping through the United States […]
Author: Mike Guardabascio
Freshmen of the Year: Wilson’s Saniah Varnado & Long Beach Poly’s Ben Harris
No sport in Long Beach has been more successful than track and field over the last several years, so it’s no surprise that both of this year’s All-City Freshmen of the Year come from the oval. Long Beach Poly and Wilson both captured state titles this year, and neither would have been atop the podium […]
All-City Coaches of the Year: Crystal Irving, Neil Nelson & Shannon Fisher
Long Beach Poly track and field head coach Crystal Irving continues to blaze a trail. She’s the head of the most prestigious high school sports program perhaps in all of California, a Trackrabbit team that’s won more boys’ and girls’ state titles than any other school in state history (in any sport). Despite the pressure […]
For the Fridge: East Long Beach PONY 6s Win Regional Championship
The ELB PONY Shetland 6U All Star team won the central regional championship tournament two weeks ago, and will begin play in the PONY West Zone 6s World Series this weekend in Simi Valley. The team went 4-0 in the regional tourney and defeated LAYB in the championship game. The coaches are Joey Diette, Dana […]
All-City Athletes of the Year: Hamilton, Ricks, Parra Bring Home Top Honors
Our All-City Athletes of the Year award has been around for more than a decade, just a fraction of the 120+ year history of amazing youth athletes in Long Beach. But over the last 11 years we’ve gotten a good look at the top flight of the city’s talent pool: previous recipients of this award […]
For the Fridge: Long Beach PONY 13s All Stars Win Super Regional Championship
The Long Beach PONY 13s all stars out of Whaley Park are off to a great start this Summer, claiming the Region and Super Regional Tournaments to advance to this weekend’s Zone Tournament in West Hills. After a second-place finish in the District Tournament, the Long Beach boys have ripped off eight straight wins to […]
Ron Palmer Hosts 20th Annual Basketball, Academic Camp This August
Legendary Long Beach Poly basketball coach Ron Palmer is hosting his 20th annual Ron Palmer Summer Basketball and Academic Camp next month at Browning High, August 5-8. Palmer’s camps run from 8am to 5pm and have been popular for the last two decades because of their mix of basketball and academic instruction. Boys and girls […]
Volleyball: USA Women Win Five-Setter Against Netherlands in USA VB Cup Opener
The United States women’s indoor volleyball team is getting its final pre-Olympics tuneup in Long Beach this week, hosting the Netherlands at Long Beach State’s Walter Pyramid for a trio of matches. In Wednesday’s USA Volleyball Cup opener, the Americans came back from down 2-1 to win a five-set thriller, 22-25, 25-20, 22-25, 25-10, 15-12. […]
USA Volleyball Hosts Netherlands in Pre-Olympic Matches This Week
The United States women’s national volleyball team will get a pre-Olympic Games tuneup in Long Beach this week, as the Americans host the Netherlands at Long Beach State’s Walter Pyramid on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday evenings–all at 7pm. It’s the last chance to see the No. 2-ranked team in the world before they head to […]
For The Fridge: Long Beach Little League 11s Win District Title
The Long Beach Little League 11U All Stars recently won the Little League District 38 championship in thrilling fashion, defeating Lakewood Village 5-3 in a winner-take-all. The Long Beach boys lost to Village in the semifinals to fall into the loser’s bracket and had to win three straight games to take the district championship and […]











