SUMMER 2014
7
At this year’s Sport’s Night (p. 30),
Laguna inducted its second alumnus,
Mason Farrell ’80, into the Laguna
Blanca Athletic Hall of Fame. Mike
Biermann, director of athletics,
described Mason as a talented
soccer player, having played four years
(1977–1980) at Laguna and serving
as team captain in grades 10, 11, and
12.In his senior season, he scored
26 goals and was a member of the
All-California Select Soccer Team.
Mason went on to play at North
Carolina State from 1981–1985,
playing in the NCAA soccer tournament
1983–1985. An active Laguna parent
with his two sons—Cooper ’15 and
Henry ’17—Mason is serving his
second stint on Laguna’s Board
of Trustees. He is also the senior
vice president at the Capital Group
Companies, a privately-owned global
investment management firm.
In his acceptance remarks,
Mason referenced Robert Fulghum’s
well-known credo, “All I Really Need
to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”
He added, “If I were to write a book,
it would be titled, ‘All I Really Need
to Know I Learned Playing Sports.’”
Mason says his experience in athletics
helped him to learn many life lessons:
- How to work hard toward a goal
- How to work well with others
- How to be an effective leader
- How to be gracious in both victory
and defeat
Also recognized at the event was
alumnus Sean Copeland ’95, who won
the school’s first CIF championship in
the 100-yard butterfly in 1995, much
to the surprise of Athletic Director
Mike Biermann, who unearthed
Copeland’s medal in a box of old
trophies. Until then, Mike had believed
Laguna’s first CIF championship
had been won by the 2006 Girls’
Volleyball team. Sean’s time of 51:76
in 1995 would still be fast enough to
win the championship in 2013 and
2014. Sean, who was present with
his family, was presented with a CIF
Championship banner to be proudly
displayed in Merovick Gymnasium.
“Only in high school
do you get to play in
an environment where
you are supported
unconditionally by
friends, classmates,
teammates, and
families…win or lose,
they support you. And,
in some cases, just
because you are trying.
It doesn’t get any better
than that.”
–ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
MASON FARRELL ’80
MASON FARRELL ’80 INDUCTED TO
2014 ATHLeTIC HALL OF FAMe
Henry, Mason, Julie and Cooper Farrell
Mason Farrell, circa 1980
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