Anyone who’s driven through Mission Valley recently could not have missed it: A structure resembling an open jaw, with light towers jutting into the sky like electric guitar heads.
No, this isn’t a recreation of Mad Max: Fury Road. It’s Snapdragon Stadium, the brand-new home to San Diego State University football, San Diego Wave FC soccer, concerts, and other events.
I talked to prominent supporters of the teams before and during a stadium unveiling. They are fired up to move into their new home field.
“I am so excited that Division I women’s soccer will be part of the new stadium from day one. It’s so cool,” says Googie Daniels, president of Sirens SG, the supporters’ group of San Diego Wave Fútbol Club.
Tanner Askey, a San Diego State student and leader of The Show student section, is equally excited. He thinks it’s “absolutely sick. It blew my expectations out of the water.”
Wave FC
Courtesy Wave FC
That “sick” new stadium marks a revival of the long-neglected location. The previous tenant, the former San Diego/Jack Murphy/Qualcomm/SDCCU Stadium, hosted three Super Bowls, two World Series, two MLB All-Star Games, the annual Holiday Bowl, a monster truck extravaganza or two—along with some notable triumphs and countless heartbreaks for the Padres and Chargers.
The DNA of the old stadium is embedded in the new one, physically and spiritually. Ninety percent of the former building was reused and recycled—including 210,000 tons of Jack Murphy Stadium concrete that were crushed for the foundation. A statue of Jack Murphy himself, the sports writer whose advocacy ushered in the modern era of San Diego sports, stands sentry with his dog Abe near the northwest entrance.
Snapdragon is the centerpiece of SDSU Mission Valley, a future western campus of the university. The project will include housing, a hotel, retail spaces, an Innovation District, and more than 80 acres of parks and open space, including a 34-acre River Park. The development will eventually enable SDSU to add up to 15,000 additional students.
SDSU scrimmage
Derrick Tuskan
San Diego State earned the right to purchase the site through a voter referendum in 2018 when a citywide measure won a resounding vote over a competing soccer stadium proposal from private investors. Local tech powerhouse Qualcomm paid $45 million over 15 years to name the stadium after its mobile technology platform (though, for you poets, Snapdragon is also the name of a perennial flower native to San Diego). The new football stadium is on par with other world-class soccer temples.
The field is designed to accommodate a regulation international soccer pitch. San Diego State would love to partner with a future MLS franchise, and the stadium has been designed to incorporate canopies in the future to create an atmosphere like that of Europe and modern American soccer stadiums. Overhanging canopies are a roof over seating areas which, in addition to sheltering fans from the California sunshine, would help to reflect noise back onto the field.
“We took a canopy into consideration when we designed the building,” says Derek Grice, Executive Associate Director of Athletics for Mission Valley Development at SDSU. “We created voids and super columns in the four corners that would allow us to build a canopy should that be desired in the future.”
Snapdragon’s seating bowl starts close to the field, immediately rising at a steep angle to keep fans close to the action. All seating is chair-backed with no bleachers, which is unique for a college stadium. After being exiled in an elevated corner at the former stadium, the student section was given prime placement. The Show (the name of SDSU’s student section) is now in the field-level north end zone.
SDSU Football
Derrick Tuskan
Plush private suites and premium club spaces—the main revenue drivers for most sports stadiums—will attract alumni and local corporations. A “hype tunnel” runs alongside the Field Club, giving fans an up-close look at the players running onto the field. A unique seating area in one corner features metal countertops and office-like rolling chairs.
The design is distinct and quirky. The Piers social area—featuring a cantilevered slab that extends out over the seating bowl—is a nod to our oceangoing lifestyle. Trapezoidal angles conjure Mesoamerican architecture, and seat colors are arranged in a randomized pixelated pattern.
Art and features around the facility echo the heritage of the site, located a short distance from the first California mission, which itself had been the Kumeyaay village of Nipaguay, and Mission Valley’s more recent history of dairy farming is also referenced. Local artists Chris Konecki, Celeste Byers, Channin Fulton, Neil Shigley, Nathaniel Hall, and others contributed paintings, murals, sculptures, and other works to the stadium.
Grice says he’s “fortunate to be part of something as transformational” as he thinks the stadium project will end up being. He’s excited for “not only what the stadium itself is going to do for the community and for our athletic program, but for what this 166-acre development is going to do for San Diego.”
The swath of Mission Valley land continues its evolution. Gone are pro teams, expanses of asphalt, and years of civic turmoil. Coming is a dynamic university campus with a new stadium as its cornerstone. A river runs next to it, connecting the city with its past, present, and future.
Beau is a freelance writer and longtime San Diegan. He has covered sports and other topics in multiple outlets, is a statistician for national television broadcasts, and is a licensed private investigator.
Every year, when winter swells bring San Diego’s best waves to their fullest potential, local surfers flood the lineups of popular spots like Black’s and Swami’s. But some of the heaviest and most dangerous surf lies further south, off the coast of Imperial Beach. The area’s crown jewel, Tijuana Sloughs, sometimes serves up 20-plus-foot waves that break up to a half-mile from shore.
Even as the surfing population has exploded, however, IB remains empty in comparison to the rest of San Diego, thanks to the pollution that plagues its waters. Surfers in IB don’t just check the surf cams and swell forecasts—they monitor the water data from the nearby International Boundary and Water Commission.
“It’s almost a science to go out for a surf and not get sick,” says resident Dwayne Fernandez. “My wife hates that I still surf here; she gets worried. I check the reports every day to see if it’s safe, which has been rare these days. If it’s not, I may have to drive over an hour just to get in the ocean—and I live minutes from the beach in IB.”
Photo Credit: Ariana Drehsler Dwayne Fernandez says his wife hates that he still surfs in IB. He lives near the beach but often must drive more than an hour to surf where water conditions are safer.
According to the Surfrider Foundation, IB has the unfortunate distinction of being the most polluted beach in America. Built in 1996 with the capacity to manage 25 million gallons of wastewater a day, the nearby South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant (SBIWTP) is frequently overwhelmed. Anything that exceeds the limits of the SBIWTP comes out as raw sewage, clearly visible in the water as a dark brown plume with an accompanying nasty smell.
The sewage flow can sometimes hit hundreds of millions of gallons in a single day. “You don’t want to be out there when that happens, and it can happen quickly,” says Adam Wraight, an Imperial Beach lifeguard sergeant, junior lifeguard coordinator, and longtime local surfer.
Courtesy of Surfrider Foundation
But that hasn’t stopped some residents, despite mandates prohibiting surfing and swimming during beach closures. If the waves are good, surfers are probably out there. Why take the chance, though, when there are so many other good waves—with cleaner water—in the county?
It’s partly a point of local pride. The surf history in IB runs deep. Stories of the Tijuana Sloughs on its good days are the stuff of legend, discussed in hushed tones in the core San Diego surf community.
Photo Credit: Kevin Stuart Former lifeguard and IB resident Jeff Knox braves toxic conditions to surf his local waves.
“The Sloughs was never a spot meant for everyone,” says Jeff Knox, a former lifeguard and lifelong IB surfer. “The paddle-out alone was enough of a deterrent for most. The shorebreak took care of the rest. It’s mostly locals out there; we like it that way. It’s one of the best waves around and, for that very reason, we never used to talk about it. But those days are long gone. We need all the help we can get—the more attention, the better. Because this is a huge problem.”
It’s also been part of the deal for decades. “I started surfing IB in the ’60s, [and] we’ve always had to deal with pollution,” Knox adds. “Throughout my entire life, it’s never been as bad as the last 10 years. The last five have been absolutely terrible.”
Additionally, there’s the simple fact of convenience. While IB’s median rent cost of $3,000 is well under the staggering housing costs in other surf-adjacent ’hoods like Encinitas and Del Mar, locals still pay a pretty penny to live a few blocks from the beach. And they often pay a price for surfing there.
Photo Credit: Jeff Knox Imperial Beach is considered the most polluted beach in the United States, with dangerous levels of bacteria caused by millions of gallons of raw sewage regularly flowing directly into the sea.
Scientists have identified 175 toxic pollutants in IB’s waters. Surfers have contracted everything from diarrhea and bacterial infections like MRSA to neurological disorders and hepatitis A.
“As a lifeguard, I see all the data. I check the flows daily and monitor the testing just to see if I can go for a surf during my break or after work. There are plenty of people who don’t check anything—they just see waves and go out—but even they get spooked when they hit the water and everything feels and smells wrong,” Wraight says. “Our responsibilities are definitely different from other [lifeguard] stations and, unfortunately, so much of what we do revolves around the pollution. It can get pretty negative, and it takes a toll on morale and recruitment.”
The problem has driven some local diehards from the water completely. Ramon Chairez, an activist and educator with the nonprofit Un Mar de Colores, has lived in IB for decades, but in 2020, he “made a conscious decision to stop surfing IB,” he says. “I saw too many people around me getting sick. It wasn’t worth it. The last five to 10 years have really been pivotal in the consciousness of the population, especially the kids—they know it’s polluted and unsafe.”
As a junior lifeguard coordinator, Wraight once trained the next generation in IB. But, now, he and the local kids he works with must travel to other beaches in the county. YMCA’s Camp Surf, a program that attracts children and teens from all over the nation with the allure of learning to surf in San Diego, can no longer take participants into the area’s waters.
Photo Credit: Ariana Drehsler
They must head to other neighborhoods or stick to land-based activities. “The biggest tragedy is the youth,” Wraight says. “They’re growing up not being able to enjoy the ocean like we did—their whole life experience is affected by the pollution.”
Despite the toxic water, IB still feels like a classic beach town, a callback to a time before $8 lattes and luxury condos dominated the coast. It’s charming, quaint, and beautiful, with the open space of the Tijuana Estuary to the south, mountains in the distance, and the mighty Pacific to the west. It has one of the most unique coastal views of all of San Diego—and some of its best waves. If only you could safely surf them.
Chris Dodds has been falling in love with San Diego for the past 10 years. He's passionate about the protection and preservation of our natural areas, especially our coastline and waterways.
“I started playing golf when I was 16,” David Moon says. “I’m married to the game, and I love this brand.”
His affection for Honma Golf is understandable. Clubs from the BERES line, with smooth metals dyed silver, gold, and red, look more like pieces of jewelry than they do sporting goods. It’s Moon’s job, as the company’s ecommerce and customer service manager, to sell those clubs, although that title doesn’t fully capture his role running Honma Golf’s three-person Carlsbad operation.
Courtesy of Honma Golf
Founded in Japan in 1959, the company developed a devout following, mostly in Asia, for its meticulously designed and unusually sophisticated golf clubs. They aren’t manufactured so much as they are crafted, but for decades that luxury went largely unnoticed in North America. In an effort to grow in Western markets, Honma Golf setup shop in Torrance in Los Angeles County, then Cyprus in Orange County. Finally, in 2019, the company landed in Carlsbad, known as the “golf equipment capital of the world.”
That may sound like a roadside oddity or an obscure Guinness World Record, but in Carlsbad the moniker is serious business. A block from Honma Golf is Titleist’s Carlsbad office. TaylorMade and Callaway are headquartered on the other side of Palomar Airport. That makes three of golf’s “Big Four” brands within two miles of each other, and you can’t swing a club without hitting dozens of smaller companies like Cobra and Honma. “It’s good to be in the mix with the big companies,” Moon says. “We’re not moving any time soon.”
Courtesy of San Diego Tourism Authority TaylorMade Golf production facility
According to a report from the city’s economic development division, there are no less than 116 firms in the sports innovation and design industry cluster, which includes the city’s world-renowned golf equipment manufacturers. “We’re claiming over 2,300 employees in that sector, which is more than six times the national average,” says Bret Schanzenbach, president and CEO of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce. “It also generates good income—averaging $130,000 per employee per year in annual earnings.”
Callaway and TaylorMade together earn over $5 billion annually, or about $5 for every golf ball the world manufactures in a year. And the story of selling golf balls is inextricably linked with the story of Carlsbad.
Long a farming town, Carlsbad didn’t incorporate until 1952. Its population as of the 1960 census was just over 9,000, and not many people outside of San Diego County had heard of the town until the La Costa Resort, opened in 1965, began hosting the PGA’s Tournament of Champions in 1969. A 34-year-old Gary Player, at the height of his legendary career, fended off the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Lee Trevino for the trophy that year.
Courtesy of The Club at La Costa
“I believe it is the way courses should be set,” Player told The New York Times after his victory at La Costa, now known as the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa. “It’s as fine a course as I won on.” High praise from a man who had taken the crown at the British Open nine months prior. La Costa would go on to host the tournament for the next 30 years, and the city grew around it.
That’s due in large part to Ely Callaway and Gary Adams. A textiles executive from Georgia, Callaway brought his fledgling golf club company to Carlsbad in 1983. A year later, Adams came to town with TaylorMade, a company he started in Illinois that had some success hawking “metalwoods,” a departure from the traditional all-wood sets.
In 1991, Callaway took the novel idea a step further and invented the Big Bertha driver, the first made entirely of stainless steel. The club head was massive yet light in the hand. It felt like the future, because it was. The story of golf—and Carlsbad—became centered around engineering, research and development, and technological advances. It mirrored the digital revolution rooted in Northern California. The Bay Area had Silicon Valley. Carlsbad had Titanium Valley. Honma Golf resides on Innovation Way.
Courtesy of TaylorMade Golf
“If you’re a golf company, do you want to be based in Illinois, or are you going to go to a place like California where you can golf year round?” Schanzenbach says. Carlsbad has “infrastructure, plus the weather, plus the quality of life, and the ability to bring in top [golf] professionals to your facility to test out your equipment,” he adds. “You want to bring them to a place where, afterwards, you can go out to a really nice course with beautiful weather and treat them.”
But the local industry has hit the rough in recent years. According to the city, employment in the sector declined 16.3 percent between 2018 and 2020, a trend that started back in 2013, despite overall golf participation being up 30 percent since 2016, according to the National Golf Foundation. While the weather in Carlsbad is still perfect, some of the factors that fueled its explosive growth, especially cheap land and plentiful labor, are today tilting against it.
Courtesy of TaylorMade Golf
“Coming out of Covid, one of the biggest things we were hearing from our membership was the challenge with finding and then retaining talent for their companies,” Schanzenbach says. “I know TaylorMade has done a good job with it. But [for] the middle-tier companies, it’s hard.”
Honma Golf felt this firsthand.
PGA tour pro Justin Rose signed with the company in early 2019, and a few weeks later, he won the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego. Honma was finally making inroads in the US, then Covid hit. “All the momentum stopped,” Moon says.
Sales slumped, then the company struggled with staff turnover and recruiting executive and marketing teams to achieve its goals in North America. The realities of high costs, intense competition, and hiring challenges set in, but Honma Golf is undeterred. By reorganizing its marketing team and refocusing on its core market segment of golfers interested in premium clubs, the company feels there are better days ahead. “2025 is going to be a good year,” Moon predicts.
Courtesy of Topgolf
It’s a retrenchment not unlike Callaway Golf’s. In September, the company announced it was spinning off Topgolf, the chain of entertainment-focused driving ranges it acquired just four years earlier. The company wants to focus on its traditional golf equipment and apparel business, the one based in Carlsbad—the one that helped make Carlsbad.
After Covid’s industry-wide disruptions, the future of the local golf manufacturing industry is coming into focus. So far, it looks a lot like the first 40 years: You can’t play golf without Carlsbad.
San Diego, with its gorgeous coastal views and year-round sunny weather, is a golfer’s paradise, offering an impressive array of courses that cater to all skill levels, whether your scorecard usually consists of eagles or bogies. For locals and out-of-towners alike, exploring these courses will not only test your skills but also immerse you in the breathtaking scenery that San Diego is known for.
Courtesy of Coronado Golf Course
Coronado Golf Course
Coronado Golf Course, opened in 1957, is one of San Diego’s more walkable courses. Cited as a top SD course by the Golf Channel, the well-maintained public course offers views of the Coronado bridge and boats out on the water. The onsite restaurant serves American bites (including vegan options) for brunch and lunch.
2000 Visalia Row, Coronado
Courtesy of Torrey Pines Golf Course
Torrey Pines Golf Course
Consistently ranked as one of Golf Digest’s 100 greatest courses, the challenging Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla hosted the 2021 US Open and puts on the annual PGA TOUR’s Farmers Insurance Open. Named after the rare Torrey Pine tree, which only grows along the San Diego coastline and Santa Rosa Island, the course has made its way onto many golfers’ bucket lists.
11480 N Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla
Courtesy of Fairmont Grand Del Mar
The Grand Golf Club
Located at the luxurious Fairmont Grand Del Mar, The Grand Golf Club and its 50,000-square-foot driving range are open to hotel guests. Three-hundred-and-sixty degree views of each hole are available online, helping give you a leg up if you’re trying to improve your handicap. And if your kiddo dreams of becoming a future Masters champion, this course is the perfect place to take them, as children 12 and under can play and rent clubs for free.
5300 Grand Del Mar Way, Del Mar
Courtesy of Park Hyatt Aviara
Aviara Golf Club
Aviara Golf Club is San Diego’s only course designed by the legendary Arnold Palmer. Situated within Carlsbad’s Park Hyatt Aviara, this layout includes strategically placed bunkers and water features that provide both pretty views and tough obstacles. And, if you’d like to level up your gear game, the course’s TaylorMade Aviara Performance Center allows you to test clubs with 3D motion analysis technology. The club offers both public and resort fees, as well as online course videos that provide insight into hole details and potential strategies.
7447 Batiquitos Drive, Carlsbad
Courtesy of Rancho Bernardo Inn
Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Course
Designed by golf course architect William Francis Bell, the Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Course has hosted both PGA and LPGA events. Its 18th hole, surrounded by old-growth trees, is a fan favorite. Golf lessons are also available at the Carlsbad course, whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned golfer needing a couple tips or tweaks.
17550 Bernardo Oaks Dr, Rancho Bernardo
Courtesy of Singing Hills Golf Club
Singing Hills Golf Club
Singing Hills Golf Club supplies golfers with three courses in the Dehesa Valley of San Diego County. The Willow Glen course runs along the Sweetwater River and features narrow fairways, while the Oak Glen course is known for rolling greens and a beautiful, yet difficult, fifth hole. The nine-hole Pine Glen course is ideal for beginners or those looking to squeeze in a quick round.
3007 Dehesa Road, El Cajon
Courtesy of Mt. Woodson Golf Glub
Mt. Woodson Golf Club
The course at Mt. Woodson Golf Club in Ramona is tough—but you don’t need to worry about having an audience for any whiffs. Each hole is so secluded it’ll feel like you and your buddies are the only ones on the course. Open to the public and surrounded by serene, rocky hills, the club also houses a bar and grill with some of the best prices in town (hello, post-birdie BLT for under $9).
16422 North Woodson Drive, Ramona
Courtesy of Goat Hill Park Golf Club
Goat Hill Park Golf Club
Originally built in 1952, Oceanside’s Goat Hill Park Golf Club was one of the first golf courses in San Diego County and began as a regulation-length nine-hole setup. In the early 1990s, it was redesigned into an 18-hole course, enhancing its appeal to golfers seeking a fun time on the links and a laid-back atmosphere.
Admiral Baker Golf Course, located within the historic Navy complex near Tierrasanta, is notable for its two distinct 18-hole courses—the North and South. The lush fairways and well-maintained greens are complemented by facilities like a driving range and eatery.
Jordyn Berg is a freelance writer whose favorite topics include food and travel. A Pacific Northwest native, she delights in exploring the best of San Diego, by searching for hidden gems, experiencing must-try restaurants, and soaking in the city’s amazing views.
Stake Chophouse & Bar isn’t your average steakhouse. Blue Bridge Hospitality’s Coronado outpost is a modern interpretation of a big-city steakhouse nestled in the heart of the small coastal community. The team at Stake has reimagined the whole steakhouse experience. By prioritizing a seasonal farm-to-table sourcing philosophy, a personalized guest experience, and unique service touches, like a formal steak presentation and a bespoke knife selection process, Stake distinguishes itself in a sea of steakhouses.
Exceptional steaks, including Wagyu from Japan, Australia, and the U.S., and fresh seafood flown in daily form the core of Stake’s culinary identity. The menu features a five-course omakase-style steak experience highlighting house favorites, plus an array of cuts, and classic steakhouse staples—think a wedge salad, baked potato, or pasta carbonara—refined for a contemporary palate without losing their traditional appeal. Stake focuses on seasonal sourcing from the region’s best family farms and specialty purveyors, and incorporates intentionally unexpected touches to create something truly unique.
“I challenge our chefs and myself to take it a step further in sourcing,” says Chef Ronnie Schwandt. “It’s important to us to highlight different farms, unique one-off farms—whether it’s cattle, strawberries, a local fisherman or from anywhere in the United States, we’re always trying to find that niche.”
Beyond the menu, Stake emphasizes outstanding service, says Vinny Spatafore, Director of Hospitality Operations. Staff maintains detailed notes, allowing them to remember guests by name, recall previous orders such as a favorite martini (also memorable for the customer since it’s served in an extra tall, distinctly-shaped glass), and celebrate special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries.
“When you have those points of topic that you remember about a guest, they appreciate that,” he says. “Our servers are really good with that—we have a couple servers who have been here since the beginning and they’ll remember somebody from years ago, their name, their kids’ names, where they live. I’m really thankful to have a great front of house staff.”
Award-winning wines, rare whiskeys, special events, and a complementary black car service that provides transportation for guests throughout Coronado add to Stake’s appeal.
Schwandt stresses that Stake offers more than a meal; they aim to give patrons something unforgettable.
“It starts when you walk up the stairs and are greeted by the hostess—that sets the tone for the night. Then you’re greeted by a server, who may know you by name, and can guide you through the menu and curate as they get to know you,” says Schwandt. “Most people leave kind of blown away; they leave feeling like they just had an experience. That’s the goal, right? Whether you’re serving smash burgers or high-end steak, you want somebody to leave thinking, Wow, that was awesome.”
Ann Najjar didn’t set out to be on the cover of magazines. Didn’t have dreams of acting in movies. Wasn’t itching for an Adidas sponsorship or hoping to garner the attention of more than a million followers on her Instagram account. She merely wanted to support her brother’s passion.
Fame came anyway.
Najjar and her brother Sean were students together at Monte Vista High School in Spring Valley. Sean was on the wrestling team before eventually moving into mixed martial arts. “He was like, ‘Come to the fighting gym with me,’” Najjar recalls. She wasn’t very active at the time but was curious about the sport. “I went to my first boxing class and I fell in love.”
Soon, she began helping her brother sell tickets to his fights and promoting his merch while learning to coach. As she improved her skills, she quickly became one of the most sought-after boxing trainers in the area. While Sean now occasionally competes in jiu-jitsu tournaments, Najjar found a space in the boxing world that few women occupy: mitt holding. Ever seen a fighter in training, jabbing at a strike pad while the person clutching the pads deftly matches their strikes and absorbs the impact? Najjar is that person.
Her talents garnered her the nickname “Mitt Queen” amongst her male counterparts in the gym. Now 36, the Carmel Mountain resident counts pro fighters, high-profile athletes, and celebrities among her trainees.
“She made herself into her own. She carried the torch,” says Berlin Kerney, a boxing coach at Bomber Squad Academy in El Cajon. He has known Najjar since she was 18. “I feel like she helped [women] think it’s possible to achieve a level that wasn’t really seen before. There was no market, no spot for a female mitt holder. I see a lot of [women] now doing the same thing that she has done.”
But her rise took time. In 2020, when Covid was keeping us indoors, Najjar quit her job at Louis Vuitton (her other love is high fashion) to begin filming her workouts.
“I cleaned up my whole Instagram, got rid of everything, [and] said, ‘I’m going to stick to just mitt work and I’ll show a little bit of myself,’” Najjar says. “I posted my first video with [pro boxer] Jonny [Mansour], and it went viral.”
Photo Credit: Erica Joan
She began posting regularly, growing over months from hundreds of views per video to sometimes over a million. It’s easy to get lost in her clips. She’s quick, nimble, strong—often meeting the punches of men nearly twice her size.
As her account took off, she caught the attention of actor Michael B. Jordan, who direct messaged her, asking her to be in the latest installment of the Creed franchise, boxing movies set in the Rocky universe. “I didn’t know who he was,” Najjar says. She had to Google him before responding. “He was like, ‘You’ve never seen Creed? Black Panther?’ I was like, ‘No, I live and breathe fighting.’”
Next thing she knew, she was moving to Atlanta, Georgia for a year to work as a trainer for the cast and play herself, Ann “Mitt Queen” Najjar, in 2023’s Creed III. Pro boxers like Canelo Álvarez, José Benavidez Jr., Florian Munteanu, and Tony Bellew shared the big screen with her, acting as characters or as themselves.
“That’s the cool thing about the movie. All the fighters are real; all the refs are real. All the commentators are real,” Najjar says. “I worked with [pro boxer Terence Crawford] on the movie set. He went 28 rounds straight with me. No budging.”
But being a great mitt holder isn’t as simple as knowing how to catch a punch. One of the most important skills a coach can have, mitt holding requires balance, skill, and the ability to clearly communicate with your fighter as they move around—as well as hours of daily practice. Doing it well is a key step on the road to creating a world champ.
“When you’re the holder, you’re guiding,” Najjar says. She determines her trainees’ combinations—as she calls out movements, they follow her lead.
Courtesy of the Mitt Queen
Bomber Squad Academy strength and conditioning coach Tez Avant says Najjar’s competitive nature is a huge part of what makes her so good at what she does. “If there’s an obstacle, she wants to beat it. No matter who’s there, she wants to try to beat them,” he says. “I think that’s the thing that will keep her thriving.”
Najjar trains four to six hours a day. When she’s not in the gym with clients, she’s running to improve her cardio and posting on social media, hoping to inspire more young women to become holders.
“I was Sean’s little sister, and now, my brother is the Mitt Queen’s brother,” Najjar says with a smirk. Sometimes, a bit of sibling rivalry is all you need to become great.
Nicolle Monico is an award-winning writer and the director of creative projects, digital editor for San Diego Magazine with more than 16 years of experience in media including Outside Run, JustLuxe and The San Francisco Chronicle.
With or without a membership, whatever kind of court you're looking for—hard, clay, lighted—you're bound to find the perfect match.
Courtesy of La Jolla Tennis Club
By Chase Scheinbaum
Think surfers and sailors in this town have it made? The waves can go flat for weeks at a stretch, and there’s only so much wind and daylight to go around. Tennis players, on the other hand, most certainly do. They can don their pleated skirts and headbands and revel in nearly 365 days—and on lighted courts, nights!—of ground strokes, volleys, serves, and smashes every year.
In the City of San Diego alone, there are 159 courts, more than 140 of which are outfitted with lights for nighttime play. You can find an exhaustive list of courts that includes high schools, parks, and even backboards and practice walls in your neighborhood here. But we’ve rounded up premier places to play. Committing to a club membership is a big deal, but many of these courts are accessible to the public for the amenable price of free.
Other Amenities: One stadium court, backboards, and pro shop. Lessons available through Angel Lopez Tennis Academy
Courtesy of Balboa Tennis Club
Tennis Courts in Balboa Park
Morley Field / Balboa Tennis Club
The Morley Field courts, in volleying distance of the San Diego Zoo, are the site of many tennis tournaments throughout the year hosted by Balboa Tennis Club, which offers a full complement of lessons and leagues. Reservations can be made a week in advance.
Address: 2221 Morley Field Drive
Courts: 25 hard courts, all lit, some with bleachers
Other Amenities: One stadium court with 1,500 seats, and a clubhouse with lounge, and locker rooms. Membership lets you reserve courts a week in advance and grants access to clubhouse with locker rooms, showers, and the option to play on the club’s teame
Senior Vice President, Public Affairs San Diego Padres
By Joyce A. Glazer
Sarah Farnsworth
Barney & Barney G.R.O.W. logo
geneenm
How did you make the leap from Washington, D.C., to the Padres in San Diego? Tom Garfinkel, CEO of the Padres, asked me if I would consider working for a baseball team. I thought it was a joke. I didn’t know anything about baseball. After 19 years in D.C. I wanted the opportunity to become a part of a community, and that is what I saw in San Diego. It’s an opportunity for me to give back.
You are engaged to marry a retired Marine, and you have a young daughter. What role did they play in your decision to join the Padres? It was a family decision. We decided together. I was working in a job that really wasn’t a career. With the Padres I have a career where I can be challenged, and I am part of a civic asset. Since my fiancé is retired, he plays a big role in my daughter’s care when I have work demands.
How did you get involved in politics? I was living in New York when the Democratic National Convention was held there; 22 years old and just out of college, I volunteered at the convention. From there I was assigned to do advance for Hillary Clinton during Bill’s first run for president. That was 1992. When Bill won the presidency, I was asked to work on the inauguration in 1993. From there I went to work on the First Lady’s staff in the East Wing. I was responsible for planning all events in the Rose Garden, the South Lawn, and basically anything in the White House. And the Clintons were very active, with many events going on!
Tell me about your time in the White House. I worked seven and a half years and left to marry, but returned for the last six months at the end of the Clinton term. I celebrated my 30th birthday at the second Clinton inauguration.
Where did you work when you left the White House? I was chief of staff at the USO and traveled frequently to Afghanistan and Iraq. I was working in the world headquarters for then-General Jim Jones, who later became President Obama’s national security advisor. President Obama asked me to become senior advisor to the national security advisor, so that put me working in the West Wing of the White House. When General Jones resigned in 2010, I was asked to work in the Pentagon.
You spent so much time working for presidents in both wings of the White House. How did you keep your feet on the ground? I never thought of it as politics, but as being part of an historical institution. There was a plaque on the wall in the White House that I passed by every day. The bottom line was “one day you will be on the other side of the iron gate.” That puts it in perspective.
What challenges have you faced? After being to Iraq and Afghanistan, challenges take on a different meaning. As long as my family is healthy, I don’t have any bad days.
What adjustments did you have to make when you joined the Padres? I have had to earn trust and credibility in a whole new profession, I had to learn baseball, and I have had to earn trust in the community.
What is in your future? I’m here with the San Diego Padres as long as they will keep me.
