Gracy Llana Stays Forever Young at Gerry Blanck’s Martial Arts Center

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

When she began taking karate lessons 14 months ago, little did Gracy Llana know how much it would change her life for the better.

She has found a renewed purpose, new friends and a fountain of youth at Gerry Blanck’s Martial Arts Center on Marquez Avenue.

“We call her the Karate Mom,” Blanck said of his new prize pupil,  who in her 50s has quickly become the dojo’s golden girl. “Everyone loves her. She’s winning all these tournaments and she’s totally into going—even if she’s by herself.”     

Llana’s reflexes match those of someone half her age, her instincts are uncanny and her fighting spirit separates her from her peers. In barely over a year she has ascended to Blue Belt and has her sights set on Green, Brown and, lastly, Black.

“It started with private kickboxing lessons from Gerry in April of last year through one of my best friends, Danica Dallas, who’s a family friend of his,” Llana explained. “I wanted to find a purposeful exercise that would keep me physically fit, but also instills discipline. Before that, I’d gone to the gym, took dance and played volleyball, but I got bored. With karate I’m learning new things.  You have to think on your feet and  apply what you learn at the moment. Karate is my refuge, my sanctuary, my ‘me’ time. Gerry is a pillar of the community and his dojo is a family. It’s a really supportive environment in which to grow in mind and body.”

One could say Llana’s penchant for the sport is in the blood as hers is a family of boxers. Her dad Romy Somodio was a judo champion in the Army in the Philippines and an Olympic boxing referee in 1984 and 1988 while her uncle Bert was a  pro boxer in the 1950s and ‘60s.

“The genetics is there, I just never capitalized on it before,” she said. “I did dance and modeling instead, but my competitive spirit is inherent in the DNA. Sometimes you have to go beyond your comfort zone, push yourself and try new things.”     

Versatility is one of her strengths.

“I enter all the disciplines because  I want to be able to spar,” she added. “I learned the bo and I’m learning nunchucks now. For competitions my primary coach is Sensei Tamar [Springer]. She really knows how to hone in on your strengths and she does the refining of my routines. I train three days a week, sometimes more. It’s about being able to center yourself and focus, understanding it’s  about the journey. Win or lose, no one can take that away.”   

In May, Llana won gold medals in  both Kata (forms) and Sparring and added a silver medal in Weapons at the Elite Karate Cup in Santa Ana.

One month ago, she captured three golds in the Adult Novice Division at the USA World Championships in Las Vegas.

“I live in West LA but I want to move to the Palisades,” said Llana, who came to America from her native Philippines in the late 1980s.

Growing up, her parents exposed her to a variety of activities and she  tried dance, art, painting, modeling, swimming and skateboarding. She earned two Master’s degrees in Education in addition to two years of law school and took doctorate classes in Educational Administration. She was Principal of a K-8 school and now does public relations and marketing. She has two adult children who “do their own thing.”    

While she wishes she had started  in karate younger, Llana is making up for lost time.   

“We should never stagnate, so I’m always pushing myself,” she said.     

“Health is wealth, so I work first and after that I go to the dojo. I want to get better at everything—technique, accuracy, power and speed. I want to learn more katas, which are specific to styles. There are some for Taekwondo, some for Kung Fu, some for kickboxing and others for karate. As you progress you see new skills built upon old skills.”

Then a board member of the Filipino American Kiwanis of Glendale,  she was named one of the 100 most influential Filipina women in the U.S. by the Filipina Women’s Network in Washington, D.C. in 2007.

“Striving for excellence is my motto in life,” Llana said. “I’m very competitive, so to be in an environment which nurtures that philosophy is good. I feel so much support from everyone at the dojo.”

Llana marched in the Palisades Fourth of July Parade alongside Blanck and many fellow students and brought the trophies she won in Las Vegas, frequently holding them up for all to see while doing the splits.

Being that there are so few competitors in the 50+ division, Llana has had to go up against women much younger than herself, but she is never one to shy away from a challenge. Case in point: at last weekend’s Elite Summer Showdown in Chino Hills she competed in the Intermediate Division for the first time and left with golds in Kata and Weapons and a silver in Kumite (sparring).

“Starting at the bottom again, but I persevered,” she said proudly upon returning home. “I lost to a gal 20 years my junior with a higher belt and many more years of training but I conquered my fear of stepping into the ring and just doing it. As Nelson Mandela said: ‘The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time you fall.’ Homage to my parents in heaven and my heritage. Seriously, how many dojo moms are willing to do this with people decades younger?”

These days there’s nowhere Llana would rather be than with her “Fam Bam” at Blanck’s studio. She is preparing for her next big competition in October, after which she hopes to celebrate at one of her sensei’s favorite local hangouts: Pearl Dragon.            

Knowing the positive impact the sport has made in her own life, Llana encourages women of similar circumstance to give martial arts a chance.    

“It’s never too late to start… just look at me,” she said. “A year ago I was a girly wimp wearing high heels and look how much I’ve grown. We all want to keep improving ourselves and it’s a way to improve mental stamina as well as physical stamina. There’s a harmony of mind, body and spirit, an interweaving of all these different components. It’s both an end and a means. We need more karate moms and I think they’ll really love it if they try!”      

……… Click on any photo below to view slideshow ………

Local Mustang 9U Baseball Squad Battles Before Bowing Out of PONY West Zone Tournament

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

When the final out was recorded to end one of the best summers ever by any team in the 70-year history of the Pacific Palisades Baseball Association, head coach Taylor Talt gathered his Mustang 9U All-Star squad together and congratulated each of the players for making it further than any of them could have anticipated.

“It was so much of a grind, so much baseball, but you all showed super focus and gave super effort,” Talt said after his team’s 8-3 defeat to eventual-champion Tecolote Red in the PONY West Zone playoffs July 13 at Creekside Park in Walnut. “You proved you can play with any team. This should make you hungrier to come back next year and win.”

The talented roster consisted of 12 of the PPBA’s best: Will Feil, Carter Bergman, Tristan Kawasaki, Cabe Talt, Anthony Layton, Axl Moody, Bennett Underwood, Dylan Morrow, Jack Hetherington, Owen Tyler, Nate Underwood and Maddox Martin.

Palisades was one of only eight teams to advance to the Zone tournament and prevailed in its opening game 12-3 over Rodeo of the Bay Area on July 11, setting up a winner’s bracket semifinal against Cypress, which prevailed 8-5. Facing elimination the following afternoon, Palisades rallied from an early six-run deficit to beat Kauai of Hawaii 10-9 on Kawasaki’s walkoff hit after Layton singled, then stole second and third to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning.   Later that afternoon, Palisades was back at Creekside Park trying to keep its season alive, but Tecolote Red of San Diego dealt the PPBA boys their second loss in the double-elimination format. Still, there was a lot to be proud of, not the least of which was an 11-game winning streak on the way to a 23-6 overall record. Palisades won the Section playoffs in Simi Valley and the Region tournament in Camarillo to earn an automatic bid to the Zone round (skipping the Super Region], one step away from the International World Series in Vacaville.

Taylor Talt credited the chemistry he enjoyed with assistant coaches Matt Underwood and Joe Layton for piloting the team to two wins at the Zone playoffs—joining Coach David Hoffman’s Mustang 9U “Nachos” team in 2022.

“We had a lot of depth at pitching but we also had games  where we hit six doubles in an inning. As we progressed we tightened up our defense, eliminated the errors and stayed aggressive on the bases, giving us a huge advantage over most of the teams we played.”

Coincidentally, all three coaches played sports at USC. Talt was a backup quarterback on the football team in 2000 and 2001; Underwood was a pitcher on the baseball team (2002-06) and Layton was a 400-meter hurdler for the Trojans from 2007-10.    

…… Click on any photo below to view slideshow ……

The Palisades High football team was back in action on July 13 at the Westside Classic 7-on-7 passing tournament in Culver City.

The Dolphins opened pool play strong by shutting out City Section rival Carson 26-0. In their second game they were edged by Lancaster 26-24 and in their group finale they surrendered a touchdown on the last play of an 18-16 defeat to Torrance, despite two touchdown passes thrown by Jack Thomas and two interceptions on defense.

Palisades faced El Rancho in the first playoff round and the Dolphins were well on their way to victory after a pair of scoring tosses by Brett Federman, but sophomore receiver Asher Rothman suffered a knee injury that required a splint, prompting Palisades coach Dylen Smith to end the Dolphins’ day prematurely.

Summer practice continues this week and the Dolphins worked on conditioning as they creep closer to the start of full contact in August. Palisades will scrimmage host Santa Monica on Aug. 16 to prepare for its season opener with Dymally on Aug. 23 at Stadium by the Sea.

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

When Syr Riley speaks, Palisades High football players listen.

That is because not too long ago he was in their shoes and Riley knows precisely what it takes to succeed at the next level. Riley is back at his alma mater to coach the offensive line until returning to Mississippi in mid-August to finish his Master’s degree in Urban & Regional Planning at Jackson State University, where he finished his collegiate career in 2023, playing in six games on the offensive line.

“I’ll be here up until the scrimmage on Aug. 16, then I have to get back to my apartment in Jackson,” said Riley, who is on track to graduate in May 2025. “It’s nice to return to my old stomping grounds.”

Riley spent four years at Washington State (earning a redshirt) and another at Idaho State before transferring to a school in the Deep South, where he appreciates the hospitality, lightning storms, 90-degree heat in the summer and, most importantly, the love for football. His parents are both teachers, his grandfather was a professor at Compton College before retiring a few years ago and his younger brothers Syaire and Savyour both followed him to Palisades (Syaire playing linebacker and Savyour playing defensive back). “They don’t have too many questions, we’ve all had different experiences,” Syr said of his siblings. “If I had to pick one guy who made the biggest difference it would be Dennis McKnight, our interim offensive line coach at Washington State during the COVID season,” said Riley, who is living in Inglewood, only a five minute walk from The Forum and SoFi Stadium. “He really took me in, helped me grow and made me a lot better. What lessons have I learned playing football? Be a man of your word, be dependable. People have to be able to depend on you.”

As a junior at Pali High, Riley was named Western League Offensive Lineman of the Year and made the All-City Section Second Team. Prior to his senior season in 2017 he was rated the sixth-best guard prospect in the Top-10 Guards in the West by Scout.com. He again earned All-Western League First Team honors after tying for the team lead with 55 pancake blocks in 12 games. He also had a 63-yard interception return on defense.

“At Pali I had about 150 pancakes and if you were in front of me I was gonna’ run you into the ground,” he said. “I was the biggest and most athletic guy and I had that winning mentality. In college, I had to learn technique, posture and fundamentals, all things I lacked in high school.”

Now 23, the 6-foot-4, 310-pound Riley keeps in shape by walking 45 minutes a day, doing cardio, push-ups and sit-ups and watching his diet (he avoids fried foods and consumes 200-300 grams of protein per day).

“I enjoy coaching the offensive line and I’ll even run through the drills with them,” Riley said. “Older coaches can tell them what to do, but I’m young enough to be able to show them as well as tell them. I’m glad to be able to help out Coach [Dylen] Smith. He’s great!”

An entrepreneur with business aspirations, Riley would like to open a bakery and a restaurant one day.

“My fridge is filled with random ingredients like you’d see in an episode of “Chopped,” he said. “I’ve always been good at baking and I have a hell of a sweet tooth. In sixth or seventh grade I’d bake cookies and sell them on field trips. I taught myself even more when I got to college and started specializing in cheesecakes as a graduate research assistant last semester. Now I bake them and sell them myself. My uncle instilled that in me.”

What are his favorite recipes?

“I make all kinds of cheesecakes but my favorites are brown sugar caramel, lemon quake, banana pudding, strawberry crunch, cookie dough, key lime pie, sweet potato pie and caramel apple pie,” he says.”

Riley’s top priority right now, though, is molding the Dolphins’ trench men into a cohesive unit.

Life as a professional soccer player can be unpredictable, but fortunately Kaitlyn Parcell is comfortable  with change. After two seasons with MSV Duisburg in the German Bundesliga, the Palisades High alum wanted to explore other opportunities and signed with Fortuna Hjorring in the Danish Women’s League (Kvindeliga) last year, playing in all but one game and making 12 starts on defense. She reported back to the squad last week for the preseason and league play begins in early August. Parcell, who turns 27 in September, is looking forward to a successful sophomore campaign in Denmark for Fortuna Hjorring, saying she has really enjoyed her new club and teammates and adding the Danish people are generally super nice and kind.

Parcell grew up in the El Medio Bluffs, excelled in cross country and track at Corpus Christi School and is the only player in the history of the Pali High girls soccer program to tally 50+ goals and 50+ assists in her career. She won the Palisadian-Post Cup Award in 2016 as the school’s outstanding senior athlete and played collegiately at Santa Clara and Georgetown.

Two of Parcell’s teammates at Georgetown had played for Fortuna in previous years and spoke highly of the club and the league. Also, one of her best friends on the German team hails from Denmark and had played in the league previously as well, telling her it is a strong league and that she would like it. Parcell took her advice.

Kaitlyn’s younger brother Max played sweeper on the Pali High team that captured the program’s only City Section boys title in 2016.

The running career of Palisadian Mitchell Majors is just getting started and based on his performance in the Palisades Will Rogers 10K on July 4, his name will be popping up on race sites for years to come.

The 14-year-old won his age group and placed third overall in the 6.2-mile run from the Palisades Recreation Center to Will Rogers State Historic Park and back in a time of 36:07. Only 20-year-old Henry Didden from Woodland Hills (who repeated as champion in 32:46) and 24-year-old Matthew Walker were ahead of him.

Majors tried the 10K for the first time last summer, finishing 80th overall and sixth in the male 13-15 age group with a time of 47:17. He also ran the Turkey Trot 10K last November, placing 13th overall and second in the male 13-16 category in 40:31.

Majors went to Marquez Elementary and recently graduated from Paul Revere Middle School, where he broke a long-standing school mark in the “Sub Six Mile” by clocking 4:41. Majors will attend Viewpoint this fall, where he will run cross country and track and hope to follow in Didden’s footsteps. He also competed in his first two half marathons this year: Surf City USA (taking second in the 1-14 male age group in 1:28:34); and Santa Barbara Wine Country (finishing first in the 1-19 division and 11th overall in 1:24:55.

Athletes with Local Roots Are Going for Gold at the Summer Olympic Games

Miles Partain

Miles is making his Olympic beach volleyball debut with his playing partner Andy Benesh. The duo qualified for the Paris Games after sweeping Norwegians Anders Mol and Christian Sorum on June 9 in the bronze medal match at the FIVB World Beach Pro Tour stop in Ostava, Czech Republic.

The American pair tied for fourth in the men’s rankings to earn their Olympic spot following a grueling qualification period that started in January 2023. Joining Partain and Benesh on Team USA’s Olympic roster will be Chade Budinger and Miles Evans, who tied for 13th in the rankings.

Partain is only 22, making him the youngest US Olympian to date in his sport, and has been playing with the 29-year-old Benesh since 2022. In their final Olympic tune-up they made the quarterfinals of the Elite16 in Vienna, Austria last week. The beach volleyball competition in Paris begins Saturday and concludes August 10 at Eiffel Tower Stadium. Partain played in his first organized beach volleyball tournament at Will Rogers State Beach when he was 10 and starred at Palisades High.

Johnny Hooper

The 27-year-old who grew up in the Highlands is making his second appearance at the Summer Olympics, having helped the Team USA men’s water polo team to sixth place at the Tokyo Games in 2021. Johnny was a four-time All-American at Cal, scoring 245 career goals and leading the Bears to the 2016 NCAA Championship. An avid surfer, he went to Village School and then Harvard-Westlake High, helping the Wolverines win back-to-back CIF-Southern Section Division 1 titles.

Hooper was one of 15 players competing for his country at the 2024 World Aquatics World Championships in Doha, Qatar in February and he scored a goal in a shootout loss to Montenegro. The Americans finished ninth. At the Tokyo Games, the Palisadian tallied twice against Croatia in the fifth-place game. He scored the clincher versus Japan, had three goals versus South Africa and netted the winner versus Italy. The result equals the second-best Olympic finish in 25 years for the USA. 

Team USA begins water polo action Sunday morning against Italy and faces Romania on Tuesday morning. 

Ali Riley

Captain of the New Zealand women’s national soccer team since 2017, Ali is playing in her fifth Olympic Games, having debuted for the Football Ferns in the 2008 Games in Beijing. The 36-year-old defender from the Alphabet Streets has topped the Palisadian-Post’s Athletes of the Year list more times than anyone and last July she helped New Zealand notch the country’s first World Cup win ever., a 1-0 upset of Norway to open pool play.

Riley was a multi-sport star at St. Matthew’s, earned All-CIF honors at Harvard-Westlake High, enjoyed a stellar collegiate career at Stanford and played for the Pali Blues of the USL-W League in 2009 before joining the WPS and later playing for Rosengard in Sweden, Chelsea in England and Bayern Munich in Germany. She currently plays for NWSL’s Angel City FC in Los Angeles.

Ali will try to lead New Zealand to its first Olympic medal. The Ferns open  Group A against Canada this morning before taking on  Colombia on Sunday and host France on July 31. If NZ advances, quarterfinals are on Aug. 3.

Nick Itkin

After helping the Team USA men’s fencing team win the bronze medal in the foil at the Tokyo Games three years ago, Nick would like to add an individual medal to his resume in his second trip to the Olympics—and he wants the gold. The 2017 Palisades High alum won multiple individual and team championships at the University of Notre Dame and has appeared on the Palisadian-Post’s Athletes of the Year list multiple times, having been first in the foil at the Junior Worlds in 2018 and taking the senior circuit by storm with a bronze medal in Bonn, Germany later that year to become the first American fencer to win individual junior world, USA Fencing Division I and NCAA championship titles in the same season. He rose to No. 6 in the U.S.during his senior year at Palisades.

Now 24, Itkin is coached by his father Michael, once an elite fencer in Ukraine. His mother Tatyana was a member of Ukraine’s rhythmic gymnastics team and his older sister Julia was on the U.S. rhythmic gymnastics team. The men’s foil individual Table of 64 competition starts Monday.

Steve Kerr

Steve is a winner and as head coach of the USA men’s basketball team he will try to guide a squad featuring NBA superstars LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, Bam Adebayo and Joel Embiid to its fifth straight Olympic gold medal and 17th overall.

The 58-year-old Kerr, who grew up in the Palisades and played basketball and baseball at Palisades High (graduating in 1983)  has nine NBA titles to his credit (five as a player, four as a coach) and holds the league record for highest three-point percentage. He returned to his hometown to ride as Grand Marshal in the Palisades Fourth of July Parade in 2014. Assisting Steve at USAB training camp in Las Vegas last month was his s close friend and his mentor at Pali High, Chip Engelland, who led the City in scoring as a senior for the Dolphins in 1979.

Kerr is also the head coach of the Golden State Warriors, earning Coach of the Year honors in 2016 and leading the franchise to titles in 2015, 2017, 2018 & 2022. Team USA opens Group C versus Serbia on Sunday morning.