Schools

Poly Named Best Sports School in the U.S.

ESPN ranks Long Beach Poly as the #1 athletics program.

Online and Broadcasting's ESPN has named Poly High School the top sports program in the nation.


The school ranked No. 1 in the Powerade Fab 50 All-Sports rankings of
the nation's high schools for the 2010-11 school year.

"We're proud of Poly's many accomplishments, including this latest national honor," said Chris Eftychiou, spokesman for Long Beach Unified, California's third-largest district. The Washington Post named eight Long Beach high schools, including Belmont Shore's high school, Wilson, among the top in the country recently.

Find out what's happening in Belmont Shore-Napleswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Poly's PACE for accelerated learners--GATE on steroids--is a vaunted academic program that has thus far been spared in budget cuts that have resulted in hundreds of teachers being laid off due to drastic state funding elimination. Numerous Belmont Shore students have opted for the rigorous program.

"Despite our many challenges," Eftychiou noted, "Long Beach schools still have the will to win, both on and off the field."

Find out what's happening in Belmont Shore-Napleswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The ESPN story opens: "When Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) was first beginning to field multiple powerhouse teams in high school sports, many people were still traveling around in a horse and buggy."

The story notes that Poly's state titles in boys and girls track propelled the school to the top of the 2010-11 rankings. The girls volleyball team, ranked 11th in the nation, was photographed for the cover story.

ESPN's Cal Hi Sports editor, Mark Tennis, one of the country's top prep athletics specialists, writes: 

"No matter how you look at it -- from its long list of famous athletes
to its long list of titles won over the years -- there's really no
other school in America that can match Long Beach Poly for its tradition
of success in multiple sports.

"Yes, it has been more than 100 years in which high school athletic
teams from the fabled buildings along Atlantic Avenue have been winning championships. And while just about every other school of that age in urban environments around the nation has drastically declined in
athletic excellence, nothing has changed at Long Beach Poly," ESPN
states of Poly's selection.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Belmont Shore-Naples