SSTV Category: Section Spotlight

School is back in session across the Southern Section. When it comes to athletes, summer break consists of preparing to dominate the field, course, court or pool for the upcoming year.

For Oak Park High School senior Micah DeCloedt, summer was spent practicing the game he loves, but in a whole other country. The 16-year-old has grown up playing a variety of sports, but a few years ago one sport in specific really won him over. That sport was lacrosse.

Micah cut his junior year one day short to move to Canada for two months to play lacrosse for the Delta Islanders.

The opportunity came about after Micah met Vancouver Warriors player Tyrell Hamer Jackson last year at a lacrosse event in San Diego.

“Him (Tyrell) and Micah started talking and next thing you know we are on a plane going to Vancouver for tryouts and training camp.” explained Micah’s father, Shawn Decloedt.

“When I went out there for their tryouts, I met with the guy I was living with, who is the president of the team, and he introduced himself to me, and I talked to him about it. They’ve been hosting billet families there for a while,” said Micah, “so they took me in, and they treated me as their own, basically, so it was pretty fun.”

The host family Micah stayed with had a son around the same age as Micah and on the same team, but he was still in school when Micah made the move. So to pass time until school got out, Micah’s day would consist of practice, practice and more practice.

CIF Southern Section teams play field lacrosse, but in Canada, Micah was playing box lacrosse. According to laxcamps.com, “The most general difference between the two games is the rougher and more physical play of box lacrosse.” This was something Micah said he really felt the difference with and had to adjust and meet the physicality of the box players.

In addition to a cultural change and different playing rules, the 16-year-old had to adjust to being away from home. This was something that was hard for both Micah and his family.

“It was hard for me because I wasn’t around my family,” explained Micah.

“At the beginning. It wasn’t so bad, because I flew up, I dropped him off, got to watch a game,” said his father Shawn, “I was okay until the games weren’t televised. That was a rough night, you know, walking around waiting for the text messages, the updates, the scores, it was tough.”

Upon returning home from Canada, Micah got right on another plane and to head to his next lacrosse adventure – the 16U Combine in Maryland

After an impactful summer, Micah is looking forward to his last season with his high school team

“Last year, we only graduated one senior, so we’ve been playing with the same team for two years now. So I think we have a very tight bond,” said Micah.

“The coaching staff here at Oak Park has really taken to Micah,” said Shawn, “The school has been amazing and seeing the growth in him from one year to the next.”

The CIF Southern Section is excited about the growth of girls’ flag football! Participation has increased from 120 teams in 2023 to 270 in 2024, offering championships in five divisions. The sport is gaining a huge amount of community and corporate support.  Schools are looking to fill additional coaching positions so they can offer more levels. The athletes are joining teams as a second or third high school sport on their resume with involvement coming from sports such as soccer, track and field and softball.  The students are enthusiastic about the new competitive sport. Coaches are effective in teaching the game by breaking down the basics and really building the love for the sport.

Between classes, practices, bus rides, games, and home hangouts, the Rio Hondo Preparatory Boys Basketball team has developed a brotherhood like no other.

“These are my boys I’d do anything for them,” said junior Nate Curtis

Nowadays it’s not unusual to see dual sport athletes in high school, but what about an entire varsity basketball team who also played on the championship football team?

“It was crazy. We had our state football game on Saturday and our first basketball game on Monday,” explained Curtis.

The Rio Hondo Kares had a remarkable season out on the football field, winning their first CIF Southern Section championship title in 11 years and within hours of their football season coming to an end, it was time to throw on the basketball jerseys.

The athletes weren’t the only ones with a quick transition from the field to the court, their coaches were right there with them. Head football coach and Athletic Director Mark Carson also fills the role as assistant basketball coach. His football defensive coach, Ed Drain, serves as the Kares head basketball coach.

“It makes us a whole lot closer to coaches. They know us a whole lot better. They know our strengths and weaknesses really good, so I think that helps with a team dynamic and they’re amazing,” said Senior Josh Taflinger.

“It’s amazing that they’re so knowledgeable, not only in football, but also basketball and baseball,” added Curtis.

“We know these young men really well and we aren’t going to just help them on the court and field, we’re helping them in the classroom making sure they’re getting their grades done,” said Mark Carson, “We’re helping them prepare for college and whatever that looks like, we’re helping them mentally and we’re a christian school, so from the spiritual side as well and helping them get through normal teenage stuff that all young kids go through”

The players joked about how sometimes the coaches will make references on the basketball court that would typically be used on the football field, but to them it’s an easy understanding.

Another aspect that keeps these athletes so bonded is the culture throughout the school.

“It’s a great group and I think it starts with a great group of families,” said Carson, “Parents who are on board with our school mission, and we’re all rowing in the same direction, so to speak.”

A lot of these athletes will even transition right back outside to the baseball field once their basketball season wraps up.

Daniela is a junior (Class of 2025) student at Sunny Hills High School.

She plays varsity tennis and has verbally committed to playing at USC.

When Daniela has free time, she creates pieces of art to sell and she used that money to pay for things like tournaments and travel expenses.

You can find her on Instagram @danielaborruel__16yearsold

Erika Wein is a 2024 graduate at Corona Del Mar High School in Newport Beach. She has a huge passion for Flag Football and has been playing since the 2nd grade. She took her experience and wrote a children’s book influencing the next generation to get out there and try something new. Proceeds from her book go to the Women’s Sports Foundation. You can find her book, “The Underdog” on Amazon.