Mission Imperative: Skate, Dive, Swim, Bowl
To visitors, the name Mission Viejo may be a bit deceiving. The “Mission” referred to is the Mission San Juan Capistrano, which is nearby but actually in San Juan Capistrano.
Neither is the city very viejo, or old. True, its origins date back to the establishment of the Rancho Mission Viejo in 1769, but the construction of the modern-day suburb didn’t really begin until 1966, with cityhood not arriving until 1988.
Still, the city does have an old mission of sorts. Whether its diving, skating or bowling, youth recreation is the No. 1 priority in South Orange County’s original bedroom community.
A History of Success
For years, champion divers have been training with the Nadadores at the Mission Viejo Aquatics Complex (27474 Casta del Sol, [949] 380-2538). In its 23-year history, the diving team has won 48 national championships and is the only team to sweep all four world championships in one year. Most notable among the club’s world-class champions is diver Greg Louganis, who won four Olympic gold medals during his career.
“It’s the general dynamics of Orange County to have elite sports clubs,” said Russ Bertram, Nadadores head diving coach. “O.C. has a very rich history of success. It’s what parents want--not just extracurricular activities but success.”
Bertram, a diving champion himself, attributes the success of the program to Ron O’Brien, Louganis’ coach. “He had a legacy here in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s,” said Bertram, who was coached by O’Brien in Florida in the early ‘90s. “This was his club.”
Today it’s Bertram’s club, with both the defending 1999 Junior Western National Champion and 1999 Junior National Championship diving teams.
“We foster divers from the beginning to the Olympic level,” Bertram said. “We offer year-round beginning lessons for kids 5 and up.”
Four one-hour lessons for beginning divers are $45, with a maximum of seven divers per class. An additional $20 is required for United States Diving membership, which provides insurance for four months. Five-day dive camps are also available throughout the year and cost $400. The next camp begins Aug. 15.
Fans of the sport are also welcome at the complex when it hosts both the junior and senior national dive championships in August. Seating for the junior competition is free, but tickets are required for senior events.
Swimming is also available at the complex, but “the swimmers don’t know anything about the divers, and the divers don’t know anything about the swimmers,” Bertram said.
For information about swimming at the complex: (949) 380-2552.
Skate, Don’t Destroy
The sport of skateboarding has been popular since its Southern California inception in the 1930s, but there has always been some confusion about where to do it.
Most police departments warn kids not to skate on the street to avoid being hit by cars. Skateboarders have also been told to stay off sidewalks and out of business centers, parks, parking lots--pretty much anywhere a skater could crash into a car fender, store window or pedestrian.
To avoid trouble with business owners, pedestrians or the law, skaters should head to the Mission Viejo Skateboard Facility (at William M. Beebe Park, 24190 Olympiad Road, [949] 470-3093).
The unsupervised, 9,000-square-foot park is open daily from 7 a.m. to dusk and contains a concrete bowl, vert wall, bauer box, rails, spine, pyramid, hips, ramps, steps and a bench.
Even though the park is unsupervised, there are rules to be followed. Many are just common sense to prevent injury.
The first rule of skateboarding is to wear appropriate helmets with chin straps at all times. Death from skateboard use is rare, but experts agree that proper helmet use significantly reduces the risk. Skateboard pros use helmets, kneepads and wrist guards.
Other rules at the park: no additional obstacles, no skating when surfaces are wet, no skating while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, only skateboards and in-line skates allowed.
Bowling for Credit
Students have alternatives to traditional physical education classes: marching band, cheerleading, ROTC and traditional sports like football, softball and water polo. But at Capistrano Valley High, students may also fulfill physical education credits at Saddleback Lanes (25402 Marguerite Parkway, [949] 586-5300).
“We started this year going out to the high schools to offer them this program,” said John Balla, general manager. “I was over at Westminster Lanes for 11 years, and we had a full-day schedule of classes. That’s what we’re trying to create here.”
The bowling-for-credit program is also available through some continuation schools, and Balla said he’s talking to El Toro and Mission Viejo high schools about adopting the program as well.
But even when school is out, the lanes are packed with junior bowling leagues and the popular bowling birthday parties, which on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. cost $12 for an hour on a lane and an hour at a picnic table, or $18 after 5 p.m. and on weekends.
New leagues start in September. For the casual bowler, prices per game are $2 for adults or $1.50 for kids and seniors weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. After 5 p.m. and on weekends the price is $3.50 per game. Hourly lane rentals are also available. The alley is open 9 a.m. to midnight Sundays through Thursdays and 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
No Cookie Cutters
Looking at a map of Mission Viejo, the city resembles an inverted pyramid. Most of the shopping and fine dining is at the pyramid’s tip, bordering San Juan Capistrano, Laguna Niguel and the San Diego Freeway.
Digging deeper into the city to find a good Mexican restaurant, or any restaurant, is a bit of a challenge.
Thank goodness for Tijuana Gillies (23692-2 Alicia Parkway, [949] 458-7160), a Mexican restaurant with the flavor of an El Torrito, but without the cookie-cutter feel of the chain restaurant.
The most popular item on the menu is el pollo asado, chicken breast served with rice, beans and a nonspicy pico de gallo garnish ($9.75). But a close second is the combo plate featuring a choice of tacos, enchiladas, tamales or other traditional fare; $6.75 for one item or $7.75 for two. Kids’ specials are $4.25 and include a choice of enchilada, taco, bean and cheese burrito or quesadilla served with rice and beans or chicken fingers and French fries.
The restaurant is open Mondays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
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IF YOU GO
* Getting There: Take Interstate 5 and exit at Alicia Parkway, La Paz Road or Oso Parkway, then head north.
* One-Stop Everything:
Farther south and just off the freeway is the Kaleidoscope
center (27741 Crown Valley Parkway, [949] 582-1948). From the $512.50 stress therapy day package at the Burke Williams Day Spa and Massage Center to the $7.50 Chinese chicken salad at Chin Chin, this place has everything, and you won’t walk a million miles to get from one end of the mall to the other.
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Mission Viejo
1. Mission Viejo Aquatics Complex
27474 Casta del Sol (corner of Marguerite Parkway & Casta del Sol)
(949) 380-2552
2. Mission Viejo Skateboard Facility at William M. Beebe Park
24190 Olympiad Road
(949) 470-3093
3. Saddleback Lanes
25402 Marguerite Parkway
(949) 586-5300
4. Tijuana Gillies
23692-2 Alicia Parkway
(949) 458-7160