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Santa Cruz County Sports Digest



North Highway 1 Closures On September 8 for Ironman 70.3

08/28/2024

Highway 1 between Western Drive in Santa Cruz and Pigeon Point Road in San Mateo County will be closed on parts of September 8 to make way for the biking leg of the 70.3 Santa Cruz triathlon.

Santa Cruz South of Laurel Plan Presented

06/18/2024

In a June 18 meeting of the Santa Cruz City Council with planning commissioners attending, a draft plan was presented for the South of Laurel area (SoLa) project including a permanent Warriors arena and 1600 units of housing in towers up to 12 stories tall.

Sports Complex Unveiled as Part of California Forever

06/07/2024

A rendering for a Solano Sports Complex development with facilities for baseball, basketball, football, swimming, tennis, volleyball, pickleball and other sports was released as part of the California Forever project in east Solano County.

Why Adopting Sports Gambling in California Has to Involve Tribes

02/15/2024

When and if California legalizes sports gambling, the policy should honor the laws established in partnership with tribes decades ago, says Assemblyman James Ramos.

Wetsuits Get New Life Through Rip Curl’s Recycle Program

01/29/2024

The invention of the wetsuit in the 1950s allowed surfers to brave chilly water year-round, but it came with an environmental cost: the neoprene material takes decades to decompose.

New Pickleball Equipment Takes a Swing at the Sport’s Noise Problem

01/29/2024

The “pop, pop, pop” that’s become synonymous with Pickleball may soon be a racket of the past. That’s the goal promised by a new generation of equipment developed to lessen the overall acoustic burden of the sport.

UC Delays Vote to Ban Political Statements on Its Websites Until March

01/25/2024

University of California regents delayed a vote on limits to what faculty and others can post on university channels until March. Among those speaking out against the proposal is Christine Hong, a professor of critical race and ethnic studies at UC Santa Cruz.

Newsom Blocks Proposed Ban on Youth Tackle Football

01/17/2024

Proposed California legislation that would ban tackle football for kids under 12 had gained momentum until Gov. Gavin Newsom made it clear he’d veto the bill.

Parents’ Rights Groups Mobilize as California Advances a Ban on Youth Tackle Football

01/15/2024

The Assembly has until the end of January to decide the fate of the youth tackle football bill, which would prevent kids under 12 from playing the sport to protect them from brain trauma.

FBI and San Diego County DA Investigate Stadium Labor Arrangements

12/05/2023

A recent investigation by Voice of San Diego revealed that nonprofits that provide staff at local stadiums could be raising money without doing charity work, while also paying labor below minimum wage and under the table. Now, multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating.

Oakland A’s Are Relocating to Las Vegas

11/17/2023

Three years after the NFL's Raiders abandoned Oakland for Las Vegas, MLB's Oakland A's announced they're moving there too. The owners of the teams unanimously approved the MLB team’s move.

Santa Cruz Warriors Extend Kaiser Permanente Arena Lease

09/28/2023

The Santa Cruz Warriors will remain on Laurel Street for at least a few more years after the Santa Cruz City Council agreed to amend and extend the lease agreement with the G-League team.

Want a Piece of the Warriors? 10 Percent Ownership Stake Reportedly Up for Sale

09/22/2023

The $700 million price tag sets a $7 billion mark that would make the Warriors one of the world’s most valuable sports teams.

Santa Cruz Skateboards to Celebrate 50th Anniversary on Sept. 23

09/20/2023

Santa Cruz Skateboards is marking 50 years with skate sessions at three skateparks and a concert by Dinosaur Jr.

Authorities on the Lookout for Adorable Surfboard-Hijacking Sea Otter Menacing Santa Cruz Surfers

07/13/2023

A 5-year-old sea otter born in captivity and released into the wild has been aggressively approaching surfers and wildlife authorities are looking to return the animal to captivity.

Should Student-Athletes Get a Slice of School Sports Revenue? California Bill Sparks Backlash.

07/09/2023

A proposal to set up degree completion funds for California student athletes has met with stiff opposition from universities and the NCAA. College athletes could earn a share of the revenue they generate under the bill — as much as $25,000 for each year that they played their sport. But the bill’s author has delayed it until 2024 after opponents charged the fund would draw money away from less lucrative sports like gymnastics and swimming.

Santa Cruz Surfing Pioneer Dies at 99

02/16/2023

Harry Mayo, one of the founders of the famed Santa Cruz Surfing Club in the 1930s, died Feb. 13 at Dominican Oaks.

Want to Stay in Surf Shape? There’s an App for That

12/28/2022

The newly launched app by a Costa Mesa surf gym is designed around movements of being in the water.

Could the Best Santa Cruz-Centric Surf Film Ever Be in the Works?

11/17/2022

Ten years after Hollywood gave us “Chasing Mavericks,” another Santa Cruz-based surf film is percolating. Anticipation is palpable.

Solo Kayaker Makes Record Journey

09/21/2022

Northern California’s Cyril Derreumaux has become the second person to solo kayak from the American coast to Hawaii.

Judi Oyama Raising Funds to Compete in World Skate Games

09/18/2022

Local resident Judi Oyama has qualified for the U.S. Skateboard Slalom team to compete at the World Skate Games in Argentina. Her event will be Oct. 27-30. Oyama hopes to raise the funds to attend via tax-deductible donations to La Costa Racing, a 501c nonprofit.

Why Does Surfboard Craftsman Ward Coffey Do It All by Hand?

07/04/2022

As technological progress has defined the modern surfboard-shaping experience, Ward Coffey’s business on the westside of Santa Cruz has managed to keep it old-school.

Will Warriors Basketball Remain Part of the Santa Cruz Experience?

04/18/2022

The Kaiser Permanente Arena hosted an event to show the community three different potential plans for use of the Warriors’ current site and other locations that a permanent arena could be built.

Santa Cruz Marks a Decade as a World Surfing Reserve

04/10/2022

Only a dozen spots have been designated as World Surfing Reserves. As Santa Cruz celebrates the 10-year anniversary of joining the club, it has hired a top local surfer to help strengthen its role as the program’s flagship ecosystem.

Bytheal Ratliff Left a Large Legacy for Students

12/26/2021

Bytheal Ratliff, a mentor and coach at Shoreline Middle School, passed away at age 49. Now parents are raising money to install new floors and rename the gym in his memory.

UC Santa Cruz Welcomes New Basketball Coach

11/08/2021

Matthew Malone has been hired as the new basketball coach for UC Santa Cruz. The program has faltered in recent years and hopes for a fresh start with a coach that has a background of winning.

Athlete Becomes UCSC’s First Olympian

11/08/2021

UC Santa Cruz’s Isabelle Conner became the school's first Olympian, competing on the gymnastics team at the Tokyo games. The team went on to dp better than it has in 40 years.

REI Comes to Santa Cruz

11/04/2021

Sporting goods co-op REI is opening a new location in Live Oak with 51 employees. But some in town are skeptical about a new big-box store.

Santa Cruz Warriors Release 2021-22 Game Schedule

10/18/2021

The Santa Cruz Warriors, named the NBA G League franchise of the year in 2020-21, will feature a new general manager, new coach, and Steph Curry bobble-heads this season.

Women on Waves: More Than Just a Surf Contest

10/04/2021

Women on Waves returns to Capitola on Oct. 9, following last year’s virtual event. For 2021, the focus of WOW is “Sea Kindness,” and proceeds will benefit Groundswell, a nonprofit devoted to coastal restoration.

Building Something Big in a Small Town

09/27/2021

In the tiny burg of Pajaro, a team of workers and engineers is hand-building a new line of cross-country racing bicycles. The Exie is not the first of its kind, says sales manager Josh Tonnissen, but it’s the best among a field of worthy contenders.

Take the Shot and Get a Free YMCA Membership

09/15/2021

The Central Coast YMCA is offering free membership for 12- to 18-year-olds who can show proof of vaccination. The offer runs through Oct. 31 at YMCA locations in Salinas, San Benito County and Watsonville.

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