Lara Carlsen-Ramey

Richard Dunn

Her parents insisted that she try every sport growing up for the

sake of balance. But when a tall, gangly seventh grader arrived on

the local club volleyball scene, it was a rather shaky beginning for

former Corona del Mar High standout Lara Carlsen-Ramey.

“I was horrible my first year,” she said. “I was so bad. I was the

biggest baby ... I cried every time I got hurt. But Charlie (Brande)

toughens you up real fast.”

Through Brande’s Orange County Volleyball Club, Carlsen-Ramey

endured some tough moments, but, eventually, she turned into a

5-foot-11 standout middle blocker and helped lead Corona del Mar to

CIF Southern Section 5-A and CIF State Division I titles in the fall

of 1990.

“We were tight,” Carlsen-Ramey said of a team that included

Prentice Perkins, Tracy Schriber, Lynn Randall and Stacy Peterson,

while playing under first-year coach Dale Flickinger, who replaced

Brande after the latter’s controversial firing at CdM.

A two-time first-team All-CIF 5-A selection, Carlsen-Ramey earned

a volleyball scholarship to USC, but her collegiate career was cut

short. Her career at Corona del Mar, however, is worthy of Daily

Pilot Sports Hall of Fame accolades.

“I think playing for Charlie was really valuable for me,” she

said. “He was very tough and expected a lot. But he taught me how to

be on time, he taught me never to give up, he taught me to respect my

teammates and never put yourself first. I’m an only child and I

learned how to get along with a group of people, and so I kept

playing. All my friends were playing.”

Carlsen-Ramey (Class of ‘91) blossomed her sophomore year and

became a star her junior and senior years.

CdM swept Mira Costa for the CIF 5-A championship in 1990, then

defeated St. Francis for the state title.

“They were always our little rival team,” she said of Mira Costa’s

Mustangs. “We knew all their names and it was a fun (CIF Final). We

knew we could beat them. We had played them a lot in the past and

lost, and we really wanted to beat them.

“Then we played St. Francis in the state final and we didn’t know

them at all, but we just played our hearts out and won. I think the

CIF Finals were more memorable, because it was against a team we had

been competitive with for so long. It was such a great match. I

remember showing my husband (Jay) the video. Oh, my gosh ... it was

so much fun. I cried. It was definitely the highlight of my

volleyball career.”

When USC called, Carlsen-Ramey was ecstatic. Her father, Gary, a

former Trojan discus thrower, and mother, Anne, met at USC. She gave

a verbal commitment to play for the Trojans before her senior year.

Once at USC, though, Carlsen-Ramey found herself in a logjam at

middle blocker. There were six freshmen in her class, three were

middle blockers, but what really changed things -- besides an injured

left shoulder that forced her to redshirt her freshman year -- was

meeting her future husband. The Los Angeles riots also occurred

during her freshman year.

By her sophomore year, she changed positions (to outside hitter)

and didn’t mind playing a backup role. But halfway through the season

she told the coaches she was done, despite being on a full-ride

scholarship.

She transferred to Point Loma to continue her education and

majored in liberal studies. She had considered playing volleyball

again at Point Loma, but she cracked the dean’s list as soon as she

quit playing.

Carlsen-Ramey also earned a teaching credential at Point Loma and

got married in the summer of ’96. She taught kindergarten for three

years, then retired when her first child came along.

Carlsen-Ramey and her husband live in Carmel Valley with their two

children, son Austin, 3, and daughter Anne, 7 months.

“I would not have kept playing volleyball or been the player I was

without my parents’ support,” the latest honoree in the Hall of Fame

said. “They came to every single match, even when we traveled. They

were my hugest fans. Being a parent now, I realize how important it

is. My parents did it right. I hope I can do that for our kids. I

told my husband that I want my kids to try every sport -- and maybe

read a book or two.”