Laguna Beach Trophy Invitational

The “Eric Hulst 3200 Meter Run” is in memory of one of Laguna Beach High School greats, the late Eric Hulst. Eric Ran a 9:00.4 as a HS freshman. As a junior in HS, Hulst won one of the best high school races of all time as he edged Ralph Serna in the California state 2 mile finals. Hulst ran 8:44 to Ralph’s 8:45. As a senior in HS, Eric went on to win the World Junior Cross Country Championships, leading the American team to victory. Eric Hulst died of a brain tumor. A great loss of one of the most tremendous high school runners in US history.

Meet History

Back in the mid 1930’s Orange County consisted of 12 high schools, 10 of which were lumped into the Orange League regardless of size. Red Guyer recognized this inequity and the lack of any high school competitions for the county’s smallers schools. Due to this inequity, Laguna Beach hosted the first “minor” division track meet in 1937, and thus began the annual Trophy meet held almost every year until 1983. During the 70’s, Laguna’s State Champion Eric Hulst attracted elite runners for special 1, 2, and 3 mile races featuring Southern California’s top long distance runners. By the late 70’s the 2-day meet annually attracted athletes from over 60 schools.

The Trophy Invitational was ressurected in 2010 for schools of all sizes, and the track was named the ERIC HULST TRACK. The meet features the “Eric Hulst 3200” for both boys & girls.