IN THE MIX:

They’d put their all into it, even if nobody came.

But when a group of youngsters puts so much heart into something there should be an audience—and big trophies.

The security staff at Costa Mesa High School has been providing the trophies for about 10 years to the top handball players on campus. This year they’d like to add some community support and maybe even some hot dogs to go along with the tournament at the high school in October.

They’re drumming up some of the support by ramping up the competition and inviting Costa Mesa organizations and businesses to get involved.

Security staffers Richard Gomez and Albert Marron put on about four handball tournaments a year. Because a lot of the players work on the weekend, they typically hold the event during the school’s lunch period. This time the athletes wanted to invite competitors from other district schools and even some from Buena Park and Santa Ana.

Unfortunately Estancia High School doesn’t have handball courts anymore, so it makes it a little more difficult for players to get competitive. But Gomez said he has seen signs there are students there finding ways to get their handball game on.

As I mentioned in a previous column, the handball courts were torn down as a deterrent to the gang members who were hanging out there.

At Costa Mesa, Gomez and then-Principal Fred Navarro decided to turn the area into a way to reach the students. They organized handball tournaments, encouraged the kids to keep the area clean and free of violence, drugs and graffiti and told them as long as they continued to come to classes, they could participate in the competition.

It worked.

Since it began, the area has been kept typically free of graffiti and the students have taken pains to make sure their handball privileges are not revoked. It’s one less thing new Principal Ed Wong has to deal with, which is probably why he’s supportive of the endeavor.

Gomez and Marron are very proud of the change and the students. I talked to them in their security office where they display pictures of previous winners with their trophies. On another wall are plastered newspaper stories of campus shootings and violence from around the nation as constant reminders of what they are trying to prevent at their school.

In order to keep the tournament going, Gomez will be going before the Costa Mesa High School Site Council to ask for money for trophies and handballs. They are seeking water bottles through the Arrowhead deliveryman at the school, and school resource officer John Gates said he will work with his church to get people out to grill hot dogs. He also is planning on finding sponsors to come up with about $200 for T-shirts.

Gomez said when they had a Memorial Day tournament a few years ago, Newport Mesa Unified School District crisis counselor Pepe Montenegro got businesses to donate $5 gift certificates.

They’d like to continue that with certificates from local businesses that provide what the students need. Gomez asked the kids what that might be and the answer was pretty unanimous: food and clothes.

If you happen to be a local business person who has something to give, go for it.

The date will be set as soon as the funding is approved. Gomez and Marron are shooting for a Saturday at the end of October.

ALICIA LOPEZ teaches journalism at Orange Coast College and lives in Costa Mesa. She can be reached at [email protected].