HOMETOWN HONORS

By Brandon Petersen

Fresh off leading Westcliff University Surf to a national championship, Head Coach Lucas Taub returned home Tuesday evening to another meaningful milestone.

The Dana Point City Council honored Taub for his actions earlier this year when he helped save a father and his young daughter from a dangerous rip current off the coast of Oceanside.

For Taub, however, the recognition was less about the rescue itself and more about the community that helped shape him.

"I'm honestly just really honored," Taub said. "Just being born and raised in Dana Point, I love this town with all my heart. I love everyone in this town. I love what it stands for."

Known as one of Southern California's most influential surf communities, Dana Point has long played a significant role in the culture and history of surfing. For Taub, the city has also played a defining role in his own journey.

"My aunts, my uncles and everyone in the community, all the elders that have really paved the way for me and the next generation, I just want to give thanks to them," Taub said. "My parents, everyone that's just paved the way before me and taught me how to become a good human and stand up for what's right."

Taub said the recognition carries special meaning because it comes from the place that helped shape the person he has become.

"Everyone in this community has played a major role into the person I'm becoming, and I'm very appreciative of that," he said. "So, to be honored by my city today definitely gives me goosebumps just saying this."

Beyond his success in the water, Taub has become a mentor to young surfers throughout the area while building one of the top collegiate surf programs in the country at Westcliff.

"I work with a lot of the young kids in this town, and I play a big part in these kids' lives and mentoring them and growing up in the future of Dana Point," Taub said.

The recognition caps a remarkable year for Taub and the Warriors. In addition to the lifesaving rescue, Westcliff captured a National Scholastic Surfing Association National Championship this spring following years of work building the program.

"It was a big year, big season," Taub said. "I got thrown a couple things, and I stepped up to the plate, I felt like, and my team stepped up to the plate. Everything's going in the right direction right now. Life's good. We're national champs. We put in a lot of work this year, last year, and the years prior to this to even get to this point."

Taub also credited Westcliff President Dr. Anthony Lee, Director of Athletics Cesar Rivas and the university for giving him the opportunity to impact student-athletes from around the world.

"I'm the only coach in the world that gets to offer collegiate scholarships and change kids' lives and bring kids over from different countries and have them mold into becoming good human beings," Taub said. "That's the main thing."

While national championships remain a source of pride, Taub said the greatest victories come away from competition.

"Now we get to see Blaze (Roche) and Taylor (Stacy) graduate in the next two weeks," Taub said. "That's another big milestone that I'm just super proud of."

"I love to win. We just won nationals. But the biggest heat win for me is watching my kids walk across that aisle with a degree in their hand."