La Costa Canyon High graduate Lauren Mann has the perfect résumé for her summer job at the 28th annual Surf Cup soccer tournament.

To help with security, specifically keeping certain areas off-limits, Mann brings the qualifications of a goalkeeper who protected the nets so well last season that she led the Ivy League with nine shutouts for the Harvard women's team.

There is also the experience Mann gained while playing in the Surf Cup for six years during her younger days. Returning to the tournament means remaining part of the soccer community and seeing old friends while earning extra income.

Mann will remain on duty for the second half of the tourney Saturday through Monday at the San Diego Polo Club, where the under-16 to under-19 age groups are scheduled to play.

“I just enjoy it all,” said Mann, an incoming college junior. “Just watching these kids, it seems they're a lot better than I was. So it's good to see that the caliber of soccer is really improving. Even at the younger weekend of the Surf Cup, you can get really high-quality games.”

Surf Cup What: Youth soccer tournament with 338 national and international boys and girls teams. When: Under-16 to under-19 age groups play Saturday through Monday. Under-10 to under-15 age groups played last weekend. Times: Saturday and Sunday schedules begin at 8 a.m. Monday schedule, including semifinals and finals, starts at 8:30 a.m. Where: San Diego Polo Club, east of Del Mar, at El Camino Real and Via de la Valle. Admission: Free Parking: $10 per day Web site: surfcup.com

This is Mann's fifth year as part of the support staff made up of high school and college students. She was promoted to security after previously working on litter patrol.

“She's a fantastic kid,” said Rob Haskell, the tourney's personnel director since 1998. “She's very polite and humble. Obviously, too, she's smart.”

Mann has talked about the Surf Cup with her college teammates. She said most of them played in the tournament, which traditionally draws top national teams.

“They used to love the Surf Cup,” Mann said. “It's a big tournament for players all around the United States. So it's fun to share a common experience like Surf Cup.”

Mann, who was a four-year varsity starter at La Costa Canyon, is on track for the same distinction at Harvard.

As a freshman, Mann started all 17 games for the Crimson. While Harvard endured a 3-13-1 season, she recorded a league-best 85 saves and received second-team all-league honors.

“I was very excited coming into it,” Mann said. “I didn't know what to expect. Not only was I going from club soccer to college, but it was West Coast to East, which can be slightly different. I tried to be pretty much ready for anything that would happen.”

Mann followed with another standout season as a sophomore, earning all-league recognition as the Crimson improved to 10-6-1.

In her early college planning, Mann didn't consider Harvard. She later heard the Crimson was looking for a goalkeeper through Ada Greenwood, her club coach and the University of San Diego women's coach.

“So I talked to (the Harvard) coaches, went on a visit, and I really loved the school,” said Mann, who committed to Harvard during October of her senior year in high school.

Mann is majoring in psychology with the goal of becoming a teacher. Her senior year plans will include classroom time as an elementary school instructor.

“I'm excited about these next two years, both soccer and academics,” Mann said. “They should be good. My first two years have kind of flown by. To say I'm a junior, oh, wow.”

Come fall, she'll be back to protecting the nets.