Athlete of the Week Articles

Santa Maria’s Joseph Riloquio, 20, threw and slammed his way to earning the bronze in a judo tournament at the California State Games in San Diego.  “I had to get a medal. I knew I w≠as ready because I had been training with Edgar and Angel [Espinosa],” Riloquio said of two brothers he credited with […]

Local golfer Brandon Erickson claimed the championship trophy at the Fred Grant Memorial Junior Golf Tournament on July 13th, sponsored by the Santa Maria Elks at the Rancho Maria Golf Club. The tournament is held annually in honor of Fred Grant, who was a longtime member of the Elks, as well as an advocate and […]

When 22-year-old Pete Fabela first walked into the Hitman gym in Santa Maria, he had no idea of the path that lay before him. Two years ago, Fabela found he was following a destructive path, and he decided to make a change. That decision led him to the doors of Hitman, and the intense world […]

Imagine missing out on a $50 raise to your hourly wages because you were a half-second late to work. Now run a half-mile, and you might be able to imagine how Lompoc native Duane Solomon felt in 2008, when he fell just a half-second short of qualifying for Team USA for the Olympics in Beijing. […]

The Nipomo Heat 12U softball team is on fire this All-Star season, with pitcher Hope Goodall fueling the flames. The 13-year-old Nipomo resident helped lead her team to a first-place trophy on June 24 at a tournament in Clovis. The Heat run-ruled all of their opponents in the tournament, except for the semifinal game, when […]

When local swimmer Meghan Zimmer heard the news that she was going to compete in the Olympic trials, the first thing she thought was, “I finally made it.” Zimmer missed her chance at the trials in 2004 and 2008, but never gave up her goal of going to the Olympics. “I’ve been training for so […]

Josh Miltimore discovered his passion for BMX racing at an early age. By high school, he was competing in races across the country. But as quickly as his success began, his run ended when he was diagnosed with an intestinal disease. He went from riding bikes all day to being bedridden for nearly 10 years. […]

It’s natural for athletes to hit walls and experience setbacks while they work to improve their game—the hurdles can range from minor to massive. The setback for Lompoc High School’s Lucas Martin, 17, was a devastating car crash in 2010 that left him with more than a 1,000 stitches on his face. Less than a […]

Most sports that involve a ball typically use one designed to optimize the athlete’s performance. This isn’t true for Allan Hancock College track star and shot put thrower Kelly Jarrett’s sport. For her, the eight-pound sphere of metal is the competition. The freshman’s performance has been quite impressive in throwing, discus, and her favorite event: […]

Besides using her passion for softball to fuel the drive she needs to advance her game, Athlete of the Week Caitlin Voss has a motto to help keep her on track: Handle it. “Whatever it is in life, just handle it,” Voss said. “If something is due in class, just handle it. If you need […]