Point Loma High School#Leap of Faith

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|principal1 = David Jaffe{{cite web|url=https://sdnews.com/new-point-loma-high-principal-a-veteran-leader/#:~:text=David%20Jaffe%20(above)%2C%20a,staff%20determine%20a%20starting%20date.|title=Point Loma High|date=7 August 2023 |publisher=SDNews|access-date=August 7, 2023}}

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Point Loma High School is a public high school in San Diego, California, United States. It is part of San Diego Unified School District. The school is located in the Loma Portal neighborhood of Point Loma. The school serves the neighborhoods of Point Loma and Ocean Beach. Students who live in Mission Hills may choose to attend Point Loma High School as their neighborhood school.{{Cite web |url=http://www.sandi.net/page/1189 |title=San Diego Unified School District website |access-date=2011-10-17 |archive-date=2011-10-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015200943/http://www.sandi.net/page/1189 |url-status=dead }} Point Loma is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).[http://www.pointlomahigh.com/ourpages/auto/2009/11/9/37208401/PI_status_letter_1_.pdf PLHS letter to parents, November 4, 2009]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

History

PLHS is the third oldest high school in the San Diego Unified School District. It was dedicated in 1925 as Point Loma Junior-Senior High school, serving grades 7 through 12. There were 386 students at its opening on September 8, 1925 (verified by photo of newspaper article covering the opening.) The first principal was Pete Ross and there were 30 teachers. Some San Diegans opposed creating a school in Point Loma, contending it was too far away from town, but school board member Edgar F. Hastings pushed the proposal through. In its early days the school was sometimes referred to as "Hastings' folly".Held, Ruth Varney, "Beach Town", privately published, San Diego, 1975, page 109 The original three-story high school building was torn down in the 1970s as part of a statewide requirement to make all schools earthquake-safe. It was replaced by multiple two-story buildings.{{Cite web |url=http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20051111/news_7m11loma.html |title=San Diego Union-Tribune, November 11, 2005 |access-date=February 13, 2010 |archive-date=March 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313181913/http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20051111/news_7m11loma.html |url-status=dead }} During the 1950s it was converted to a three-year high school with the opening of Richard Henry Dana Junior High School. In 1983 it became a four-year high school. PLHS now draws from six elementary schools serving grades kindergarten through 4, and two middle schools: Dana Middle for grades 5 and 6, and Correia Middle for grades 7 and 8.

The school holds the distinction of having produced two major-league baseball pitchers who threw perfect games - David Wells and Don Larsen. Only 24 pitchers have thrown perfect games in Major League Baseball history. Wells also threw a perfect game while a student at PLHS.{{cite news|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/sdut-wells-and-larsens-perfect-games-echo-in-point-loma-2016mar27-story.html|title=Wells' and Larsen's perfect games echo in Point Loma|last=Harms|first=Rob|date=March 27, 2016|work=San Diego Union Tribune|access-date=19 April 2017}}{{cite news|url=http://www.sdnews.com/view/full_story/27207145/article-After-tough-season--Pointers-baseball-celebrates-players-?instance=update1|title=After tough season, Pointers baseball celebrates players|last=Hopkins|first=Scott|date=June 10, 2016|work=Peninsula Beacon|publisher=San Diego Community Newspaper Group|access-date=19 April 2017|archive-date=20 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170420144034/http://www.sdnews.com/view/full_story/27207145/article-After-tough-season--Pointers-baseball-celebrates-players-?instance=update1|url-status=dead}} Wells became the school's head baseball coach starting with the 2014–2015 school year. He had been volunteering as an assistant coach for several years. The team's home field was named David Wells Field in 2010.{{cite news|title=MLB All-Star David Wells to helm PLHS baseball|last=Hopkins|first=Scott|date=June 19, 2014|work=Peninsula Beacon}}

Demographics

{{Update|date=March 2025|reason=Outdated demographics data, needs updating.|section=Demographics}}

Point Loma High School is the third largest of 16 high schools in the San Diego Unified School District. It is a four-year, comprehensive high school, serving grades 9–12. It houses a student population of approximately 2000 students who come primarily from the local community. Approximately 35 percent of the student body participates in specialized programs, such as the Voluntary Ethnic Enrollment Program (VEEP), the Choice Program, the Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) program, or the Seminar Program.

Athletics

The school's colors are maroon and gold, although football uniform colors are typically unconforming with their traditional colors of a main maroon with an accent of gold. The mascot is the Pointer Dog. The school offers a variety of men's and women's competitive sports:[https://plhsfightingpointers.com/ PLHS website]

=Offered=

==Fall==

Cross country (men and women)
Field hockey (women)
Flag Football (women)
Football (men)
Golf (women)
Marching band (all genders)
Tennis (women)
Volleyball (women)
Water polo (men)

==Winter==

Basketball (men and women)
Soccer (men and women)
Water polo (women)
Wrestling (men and women)

==Spring==

Badminton (men and women)
Baseball (men)
Competitive cheer (men and women)
Golf (men)
Lacrosse (men and women)
Softball (women)
Swim (men and women)
Tennis (men)
Track & field (men and women)
Volleyball (men)

=Club Sports=

Surfing (men and women)
Sailing (men and women)

=Awards and championships=

==Football==

The Pointer football team won CIF championships four times, in 1966, 1982, 1987 and 1991, all during the tenure of football head coach Bennie Edens.[http://www.sdnews.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2008/02/13/47b386be95ca9?in_archive=1 PLHS coach's legacy spans decades] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303175252/http://www.sdnews.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2008/02/13/47b386be95ca9?in_archive=1 |date=2016-03-03 }}, Peninsula Beacon News, February 13, 2008.

==Women's basketball==

The Lady Pointers basketball team was a powerhouse at the state level during the late 1980s, capturing the state championship for four straight years, 1984 to 1987.{{cite news|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/high-school-preps/sdut-one-more-song-these-pointers-sisters-2012jan31-htmlstory.html|title=One more song for these Pointers sisters|last=Brand|first=Steve|date=January 31, 2012|work=San Diego Union Tribune|access-date=29 January 2018}} Their victories inspired a graffiti-style mural at the athletic field. Under legendary women's basketball coach Lee Trepanier, known as "Coach T", the Lady Pointers posted an astonishing record of 335 wins and 51 losses between 1977 and 1990.[http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050118/news_1s18p-preptu.html San Diego Union-Tribune, January 18, 2005]

== Men's Soccer ==

The Point Loma High Men's Soccer team has found success on the field including 5 regional championship and the Division 3 SoCal Regional State Championship.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-07 |title=Pointer boys win both section and Southern California Regional titles |url=https://sdnews.com/pointer-soccer-boys-rise-to-cif-champions-after-early-season-adversity/ |access-date=2023-11-30 |website=SDNews.com |language=en-US}}

==Sailing==

The nationally ranked PLHS sailing team has won the Baker Trophy, the national team-racing championship of the Interscholastic Sailing Association, sixteen times (2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2018[http://hssailing.org/event/history/baker Baker Trophy results]), making them the national champions in the sport of sailing. PLHS sailing teams also won the Mallory Trophy, the national fleet-racing championship, eight times (1993, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2014, 2017, and 2018), a record unmatched by any other school.{{cite news|url=http://sdnews.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Point+Loma+High-s+sailing+team+wins+seventh+national+title%20&id=27417675|title=Point Loma High's sailing team wins seventh national title|last=Hopkins|first=Scott|date=May 17, 2017|work=San Diego Community Newspaper Group|access-date=3 June 2017|archive-date=15 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615214938/http://sdnews.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Point+Loma+High-s+sailing+team+wins+seventh+national+title%20&id=27417675|url-status=dead}} In 2003 PLHS Sailor Parker Shinn won the Cressy Trophy, the national singlehanded championship of the ISSA.[http://hssailing.org/event/history/cressy Cressy Trophy results]

Leap of Faith

The school became known among skateboarders for an infamous drop called the "Leap of Faith". This was a drop of 17 feet, consisting of 27 stairs, that had to be approached by an ollie over a railing.{{Cite web |last1=Fraebel |first1=Rob |last2=Michna |first2=Ian |date=2023-01-17 |title=REVISITING THE LEAP OF FAITH, THE MOST FAMOUS TRICK NEVER LANDED |url=https://www.jenkemmag.com/home/2023/01/17/revisiting-the-leap-of-faith-the-most-famous-trick-never-landed/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=Jenkem Magazine |language=en}} Professional skateboarder Jamie Thomas made this spot famous in his filmed attempt to land it; he landed without injury, but his board snapped upon impact.{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj6GUl6ZM0Y#t=103s | title=- YouTube | website=YouTube }} His attempt was included in the Zero video "Thrill Of It All".{{cite web|url=http://www.modernskate.com/modernskate/dept.asp?s_id=0&dept_id=1826|title=Jamie Thomas|work=modernskate.com|access-date=14 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224235926/http://www.modernskate.com/modernskate/dept.asp?s_id=0&dept_id=1826|archive-date=2012-02-24|url-status=dead}} Another skateboarder, Richard King{{cite AV media |date=October 7, 2009 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwPD9nVJ490 |title=Leap of Faith Richard King |publisher=kaseliii |via=YouTube |access-date=September 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130081559/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwPD9nVJ490 |archive-date=January 30, 2021 |url-status=live}} and several rollerbladers also attempted it, among them Ian Brown,{{cite AV media |date=November 19, 2007 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETTR5s6ppKQ |title=Leap of faith |publisher=barcasj |via=YouTube |access-date=September 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018012052/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETTR5s6ppKQ |archive-date=October 18, 2020 |url-status=live}} Brian Shima,{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8URn9aXJHdc#t=419s | title=Brain Fear Gone-Brian Shima - YouTube | website=YouTube | date=23 April 2006 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orKpkxxq6Mc#t=353s | title=Part 3: Brain Fear Gone - YouTube | website=YouTube }} and Chris Haffey,{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIAuueRCepQ#t=41s | title=Oldies Ep. 3.mov - YouTube | website=YouTube | date=20 October 2011 }} but no one was successful at landing it completely, and several people broke their legs or ankles in the attempt. The PLHS Leap of Faith was included as part of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 and in a bonus level in Tony Hawk's Underground, the skateboarding-based video games. In 2005, the school built an elevator at the site to close it off to skateboarders.{{cite web | url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-leap-of-faith-was-skateboardings-definitive-avant-garde-moment/ | title=The 'Leap of Faith' Was Skateboarding's Definitive Avant-Garde Moment | date=19 January 2018 }}{{Cite web| title=A building | url=http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1057/1186630942_93b19b4edc.jpg | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104170244/http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1057/1186630942_93b19b4edc.jpg | archive-date=2013-11-04}}

The Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance Company

English teacher Larry Zeiger taught a class in musical theater called “Contemporary voices in literature” from 1977 until his retirement in 2007. In the second semester the students became “The Gotta Sing Gotta Dance Company”, writing and performing an original musical show in which all 100+ students took part. The students were all seniors, and “Zeiger’s show” became a beloved senior-year school tradition during the 31 years of its existence.{{cite news|url=http://legacy.sandiegouniontribune.com/uniontrib/20070520/news_lz1j20zeiger.html|title=It's a wrap for English teacher Larry Zeiger after 33 years at Point Loma High|last=Grant|first=Lee|date=May 20, 2007|work=San Diego Union Tribune|access-date=29 January 2018}} The 2003 production "Sticky Fingers: A Tale of Saks, Lies and Videotape", which was inspired by the :Winona Ryder shoplifting incident, received national attention.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-may-26-me-winona26-story.html|title=High Schoolers Find Drama in Ryder's Trials|last=Perry|first=Tony|date=May 26, 2003|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=29 January 2018}}{{cite news|url=http://amarillo.com/stories/052803/usn_students.shtml#.Wm9aZ5M-f7k|title=People in the news: Students write play about Ryder's trial|date=May 28, 2003|agency=Associated Press|publisher=Amarillo Globe-News|access-date=29 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130013824/http://amarillo.com/stories/052803/usn_students.shtml#.Wm9aZ5M-f7k|archive-date=30 January 2018|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} The Performing Arts Center on campus was renamed the "Larry Zeiger Performing Arts Center" in 2007.

Notable alumni

Jamal Agnew, NFL wide receiver for The Jacksonville Jaguars
Eric Allen, six-time NFL Pro Bowler; Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, Oakland Raiders; ESPN analyst
Margaret Avery, actress, nominated for an Academy Award, The Color Purple
John Balaz, Major League Baseball player
Todd Benjamin, CNN business reporter
Graham Biehl, 2008 and 2012 Olympian in men's 470 sailboat
Malin Burnham, American sailor, philanthropist, and businessman
Florence Chadwick, swimmer, first woman to swim English Channel in both directions
Bill Cleator, former San Diego City Councilmember, District 2
Dennis Conner, sailor, four-time winner of America's Cup
Faye Margaret Emerson,Faye Emerson{{Circular reference|date=February 2025}},stage and film actress, first American television late night and evening chat show host, The Faye Emerson Show, Fifteen with Faye, Faye Emerson's Wonderful Town, Author Meets the Critics, Faye and Skitch.Cary O'Dell, Women Pioneers in Television, Biographies of Fifteen Industry Leaders, McFarland & Company, Inc., Jefferson, N.C.1997 pp.81-92; Karen Burroughs Hannsberry, Femme Noir, Bad Girls of Film, McFarland & Company 1998 pp.111-120; Maureen Mauk. Politics Is Everybody's Business: Resurrecting Faye Emerson, America's Forgotten First Lady of Television, Journal of Cinema and Media Studies, Vol. 59, No. 4, Summer 2020, and University of Texas Press. pp.129-152
Randy Gardner (record holder), holder of world record for longest time a human has gone without sleep
La'Roi Glover, NFL defensive tackle, St Louis Rams, Oakland Raiders, New Orleans Saints
Sandra Good, Manson Family member
Justin Halpern, writer
Waad Hirmez, six-time pro soccer champion with San Diego Sockers; 1981 CIF player of the year
Ben Hueso, state legislator
Joe Hutshing, Academy Award-winning film editor
Don Larsen, Major League Baseball pitcher, pitched only perfect game in World Series (1956)
Bill Lowery, former Congressman
Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz (1921–2014), surfer and physician
Briana Provancha, Olympic sailor in 2016[http://www.sdnews.com/view/full_story/27232583/article-Point-Loma-High-grad-sailing-to-Rio-as-an-Olympian-?instance=most_popular1 Point Loma High grad sailing to Rio as an Olympian] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826030317/http://www.sdnews.com/view/full_story/27232583/article-Point-Loma-High-grad-sailing-to-Rio-as-an-Olympian-?instance=most_popular1 |date=2016-08-26 }}, Lainie Fraser, SDNews, Retrieved 6 August 2016
Mark Reynolds, four-time Olympian in sailing with two gold medals and one silver; two-time Star World champion
Marion Ross, actress, Happy Days
Jason Scheff, member of rock band Chicago
JL Skinner, NFL safety for the Denver Broncos{{Cite web |last=Norcross |first=Don |date=September 27, 2018 |title=Point Loma senior displays sideline-to-sideline skills |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/high-school-preps/sd-sp-preps-football-jl-skinner-point-loma-20180927-story.html |access-date=August 24, 2022 |website=The San Diego Union-Tribune}}
Keegan Smith, tennis player{{cite web |title=Keegan Smith - Men's Tennis |url=https://uclabruins.com/sports/mens-tennis/roster/keegan-smith/10256 |website=UCLA |language=en}}
Suzy Spafford, creator of Suzy's Zoo line of greeting cards, calendars and cartoons
JJ Stokes, NFL wide receiver, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars
Wavves musician Nathan Williams
David Wells, Major League Baseball pitcher, pitched perfect game in 1998
Dan White, football player, quarterback for 1994 Fiesta Bowl champion Arizona
Jimmy Wilson, defensive back, Miami Dolphins
Aaron Zigman, songwriter and Hollywood film score composer
Marty Smith. professional motocross racer
Slightly Stoopid, reggae rock band