Brayden Kyman latest in family to play at Pauley

When you’re a sportswriter overlaying high faculty sports activities in Southern California since the Seventies, you meet heaps of sports activities households who come and go.

It’s going to be the end of an period for one of my favourite households, the Kymans. Bernie was the patriarch. He coached and was athletic director at so many high colleges he may have worn a different mascot shirt every day for weeks. He was at Daniel Murphy, Los Angeles, St. Bonaventure, Moorpark, Chaminade (twice), Bishop Alemany, Littlerock, Cal Lutheran and Pierce College (twice).

His son, Coley, grew to become a star in soccer and volleyball at Reseda in the Eighties, then the beginning quarterback at Cal State Northridge and a Hall of Fame volleyball participant for the Matadors. Coley’s spouse, Michelle, received a national championship taking part in for UCLA’s ladies’s volleyball group. They had two sons, Jake and Brayden.

Jake helped Santa Margarita win a Southern Section Division 1 basketball championship in 2019, then spent three years at UCLA before transferring to Eastern Washington.

The last of the Kymans is Brayden, a 6-foot-7 senior at Santa Margarita and a Washington State commit who will get to play on Saturday for the first time where his father, mom and brother once performed — UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion. Santa Margarita faces Sherman Oaks Notre Dame in a 7 p.m. basketball recreation as half of a daylong showcase.

“Once I saw it on the schedule, I was really grateful and super excited,” Brayden said. “My brother played there, my parents played there. It’s kind of a full circle moment.”

His grandfather died in 2019 at the age of 78. Brayden said he realized loads from a man who always believed in character and dedication.

“He taught me a lot and my dad, which was passed down to me — working hard and staying focused on what you want to do in life,” he said.

His dad and mom both performed professionally in volleyball, so they’ve been good function fashions and sounding boards for what to count on in the faculty journey.

“They always give me the best advice, whether it’s about recovery or a game,” he said. “They support me.”

Santa Margarita returns 4 starters this season and started the season as the No. 2-ranked group in the Southland by The Times. Kyman has already achieved one thing few other top gamers are doing these days — staying from freshman season through senior season.

“It’s gone by super fast,” he said. “I remember yesterday I was a freshman. I’m grateful for the experience to be here all four years. I know that’s not as common now.”

After Brayden graduates, his dad and mom are transferring to Montana. It permits them to drive some 5 hours to his video games in Pullman, Wash., while take pleasure in being away from big-city life. Just don’t count on Brayden to hang around in Montana. He makes it clear he’s a California boy for life.

“I think it’s crazy,” he said. “I’ve lived in the same house [in Aliso Vijeo] my whole life. I’m going to visit for a few days but not a whole week.”

He can also go to his brother, Jake, who’s dwelling in Austin, Texas, and is a filmmaker. Brayden desires to keep taking part in basketball for as long as he can, then turn out to be a coach or coach.

It’s been fantastic to see the Kymans make their mark in Southern California sports activities historical past.

Day session Saturday at Pauley Pavilion

Servite vs. Loyola, 9:30 a.m.

Orange Lutheran vs. St. Francis, 11 a.m.

Crean Lutheran vs. Campbell Hall, 12:30 p.m.

Mater Dei vs. Crespi, 2 p.m.

Night Session

JSerra vs. Sierra Canyon, 5:30 p.m.

Santa Margarita vs. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 7 p.m.

St. John Bosco vs. Harvard-Westlake, 8:30 p.m.