Pan Pac athletics is tops in Dept. of Recreation and Parks
When I moved to Los Angeles in 1985, the historic Pan-Pacific Auditorium on Beverly Boulevard in the Fairfax District was abandoned and run-down. Weeds shoved through the crumbled pavement, and a rusty chain-link fence ran the perimeter of the Art Deco ruin. I imagined creepy organ music every time I drove by, and the decaying structure reminded me of that haunted pavilion in the horror B-film classic “Carnival of Souls.” It was difficult believing this had once been Los Angeles’ premier events venue, where Elvis Presley performed for two nights and the Ice Capades made yearly stops.
When a fire leveled the auditorium in 1989, it paved the way for the development of the present Pan Pacific Park Recreation Center.
Championships
Eric Calhoun, the senior recreation director for the center, has lots to be proud of. He arrived in 2019 from West Los Angeles’ Stoner Park and immediately began Pan Pacific’s soccer program. Last month, his Minors Division (10 and under) coed team won the Metro Region Championship.
“This was the first regional title for soccer in the long history of Pan Pacific,” said Calhoun.
That regional title qualified the team for the City Championships, which they unfortunately lost 1-0 to a tough Van Nuys Delano Park team.
Soccer is not the only sport at which Calhoun’s Pan Pac athletes excel. The Girls Majors Division (11 and 12) volleyball team progressed to the Regional Championships, and, on Dec. 14, lost a nail-biter in three sets. The final set ended just 17-15.
“That was a heartbreaker,” said Calhoun.

PAN PACIFIC MINORS DIVISION soccer team won the Metro Region Championship in December.
Flag football
Is there any better sound than that Velcro rrrrrippp when a flag is yanked from a flag football player’s belt?
Two years ago, the Pan Pacific Park Boys Majors Division Flag Football team won the City of Los Angeles Dept. of Recreation and Parks Flag Football Championships. The title game against Northridge was a slugfest that emphasized two great defenses. The final score was 9-6.
Pan Pacific’s flag football program has become the one to beat.

PAN PACIFIC MINOR DIVISION FLAG FOOTBALL TEAM: (Front row, left to right) Micah Epstein, Cade Quinn, Micah Kim, Clinton Sellers Jr., Jason Ayala, Hugo Payne, Ryan Lopez, James Saltzman, Canaan Willis, Maximillian Fredericks, Sage Mohajer, Jordan Wasserman, and kneeling, Jeremiah Reinholdt. Back row, left to right: Pan Pacific Sr. Dir. Eric Calhoun, Coordinator Floyd Thweatt and coaches Clinton Sellers, Jason Ayala and Marcellus Willis.
“We entered two teams into this year’s post-season tournament,” said Calhoun. “Our Majors lost in the championship game of the Metro Region finals.”
The post-season squads consisted of the best players chosen from Pan Pacific’s six leagues. Each coach nominated players from his team to represent Pan Pac against Los Angeles County’s other All-Star recreation and park teams in the post-season city tournament.
“We had three weeks to prepare for the playoffs,” said Marcellus Willis, head coach of the Minors Division team.
Overtime victory
Youth flag football is a seven-against-seven format. Speed trumps size, and a quarterback who is an accurate passer is tough to beat. Pan Pac had two quarterbacks with deadly arms.
“We stressed that next player,” said Willis.

MICAH EPSTEIN AND MICAH KIM are sixth graders at John Burroughs Middle School.
Pan Pac’s Minors won the Metro Championship by shutting out the first three teams, then defeating Echo Park in the title game 30-6. These games were played with first-string quarterback Canaan Willis. But as the Willis family was out of town for the City Championships, backup quarterback Owen Church stepped in.
“Owen is a wide receiver, which enabled him to understand the role of quarterback.”
With Church leading the team, Pan Pac won their semifinal game over Valley Region champ Sherman Oaks 28-0.
“Our finals opponent was Cheviot Hills,” said Willis. “They had a great pass coverage defense.”
The title game ended in a 28-28 draw, then went into double overtime. On an option play, Church handed off the ball to running back Max Fredericks, who faked a pass before sprinting in for the winning score.
“Movement on the football field is life,” said Willis.
Pan Pac’s Minors moved a lot.
Category: Entertainment