Pilot’s youth soccer tournament needs volunteers

It’s probably one of the best things we ever agreed to put our name

on as a sponsor. I’m just mad that I can’t take credit for it.

I’m talking about the Daily Pilot Cup, a now-rousing, five-day

soccer tourney for local school children that has grown to crazy

proportions in the last three years. Last year’s tourney alone

attracted 1,500 third- through sixth-graders from almost every

Newport-Mesa public and private school.

And this year -- raring to go again -- it’s scheduled to begin

Wednesday, May 28 and lasting through Sunday, June 1 at the Costa

Mesa Farm Soccer Complex and adjacent fields.

The Pilot Cup was the brainchild of three people. It was born one

day at a local gym when my former editors, Bill Lobdell and Steve

Marble, and local attorney Kirk McIntosh lamented over the loss of

the Lions Cup, a soccer tournament that for years was connected to

the Lions Club’s annual Fish Fry and Parade.

As traditions like the parade began to wane, so did the soccer

tourney. But Lobdell, Marble and McIntosh, who all had children

playing competitive soccer, knew all too well of the sport’s

popularity.

So the Pilot Cup was born and it’s now a 4-year-old toddler with

no signs of slowing down.

Still, that doesn’t mean it can’t use some help. McIntosh, who is

really the main organizer behind the whole event, is looking for just

that.

He needs volunteers who can help organize team members and

coaches. His goal, as always, is to have teams from every school in

Newport-Mesa. He got close to that goal last year but still could use

help in some of the Westside schools.

For those who’d like to help out with the Pilot Cup, contact

McIntosh at (949) 650-2827 or via e-mail at

[email protected] .

*

We had some very sad news at the paper this week as we learned of

the death of boating legend John Blaich.

I got to know John a couple years ago when he approached me with

the idea of writing a semi-regular column on historic boats that had

made their way into Newport Harbor.

It has always been my belief that we don’t do enough with the

boating community, mostly because so many of us know nothing about

it. So, I welcomed John with open arms and offered him a spot.

Thus began a too-short relationship with one of the nicest

gentlemen I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. John was always

gracious and grateful for whatever space he could get in the paper.

Every editor or reporter who came in contact with him quickly

learned of his endearing nature. An alumnus of USC, John often told

me that he lived in Newport Beach every year of his life except one.

At the age of 84, that means he was truly one of the city’s major

pioneers.

We’ll miss you John, but happy sailing.

*

Finally, I wanted to fill you in on some exciting news we had.

Many of you probably remember Sean Hiller’s dramatic photo of a man

attempting to take his own life by jumping off the Costa Mesa Freeway

overpass onto the San Diego Freeway.

The life and death struggle depicted four California Highway

Patrol officers trying to save the man by holding on to his legs.

He broke free, fell and incredibly survived, but is in critical

condition at Western Medical Center.

The photo was widely praised by Daily Pilot readers and others

outside the Newport-Mesa area. The cable news network, MSNBC,

regularly features some of the best photojournalism in the world on

its Web site, www.msnbc.com. The Web site now features Sean’s photo

as part of this week’s collection, and viewers can then vote for his

or her favorite of the week.

As of my last check late Friday evening, Sean’s photo was the No.

1 pick.

Congratulations to Sean for capturing this emotional photo.