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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9/10/14   4:02 PM