California Senator Tony Strickland Adds Second Job – Pro Basketball Player

Well, Senator Strickland won’t be joining the Los Angeles Lakers but he will be joining the professional Los Angeles Lightening professional basketball team.

State Sen. Tony Strickland will join the Los Angeles Lightning for its season debut, May 2, against the Edmonton Energy in the Gilbert Sports Arena at California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks.

“I’m excited about it,” said the Moorpark Republican, who stands 6-feet-5 and played hoops at Whittier College nearly two decades ago. “I’m as serious about my basketball as I am about my politics.”

Strickland said he knows the Lightning’s owner, Mark Harwell, who was aware of the legislator’s love for basketball and invited him to join the team for one game, perhaps more.

“It didn’t take me long to say yes,” Strickland said.

The Los Angeles Lightning is a member of the professional International Basketball League, which began play in 2005.

Flap supposes this is a healthy hobby for the near 40 year old Strickland and certainly will relieve the stress of State Capitol machinations. And, since the home games are here in Thousand Oaks, Ventura county voters will know where their Senator is on the weekends – on the Cal Lutheran court.

The Lightning will play 14 of their 18 games at Cal Lutheran, starting on May 2-3 against the Edmonton Energy of Alberta, Canada. Games will start at 7 p.m. on Saturdays and 5:30 p.m. on Sundays. In the next two weeks, tickets will be available online at Ticketmaster.com, at all Ticketmaster outlets or to charge tickets by phone, call 800-745-3000.

The Los Angeles Lightening schedule is here.