Winners May 2018 by Copperfield Publishing

WINNERSUTAH.COM | MAY / JUNE 2018 | VOL. 2 N0. 2

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WINNERS THE LOCAL SCOREBOARD

Mountain Bike Tech Tricks p. 20

THE AMAZING ‘SPIDA’-MAN

Utah Volleyball Finds a Beach p. 32

Led by rookie Donovan Mitchell, the Utah Jazz are on the rise p. 12

May I June 2018 • Winners Utah |

CONTENTS 8 12

Chalk Talk

U of U lacrosse a beacon in the West ZOE ZORKA

Game Time

Donovan Mitchell's rise to stardom MIKEY SALTAS

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Don’t Forget About Ogden Hockey

I couldn’t help but notice that there is no mention of the Ogden Mustangs in the March/April 2018 issue of Winners Utah. The Mustangs play for a nearly sold out crowd each time they play, just took first place in the Mountain Division and are headed to the Thorne Cup finals in El Paso, Texas. They also have one of the best hockey players in the division—Matus Spodniak. It’s great what you are doing, but you overlooked an important sport. This is hockey one level below NCAA. Hockey is quickly growing in northern Utah, and these boys (18-24) are winners and worked hard. They deserve the recognition. I feel they should be included. So do many other Ogden hockey fans.

Tailgate

X-Factor

Hot Shots

Performance

Thanks,

GEOFF GRIFFIN

Butch Wright Ogden

Health and Wellness

Overtime

Time Out Photo

Firing up the summer grill ELENI SALTAS

Mountain bike tech upgrades JOSEPH SILVERZWEIG

Standout Utah high school athletes MIKEY SALTAS

Moab-inspired gear

Debunking weight-loss myths JACKILYN ROCK

U volleyball heads for the coast JOHN COON

Pro rider Amanda Batty PHOTO OGDEN MUSTANGS

Ogden Mustangs forward Matus Spodniak

2 | Winners Utah • May I June 2018

May I June 2018 â&#x20AC;¢ Winners Utah |

WINNERSUTAH.COM | MAY / JUNE 2018 | VOL. 2 N0.2

WINNERS

CONTRIBUTORS

THE LOCAL SCOREBOARD

STAFF PUBLISHER EDITORIAL CO-EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR COPY EDITOR CONTRIBUTORS

PHOTOGRAPHERS

JOHN SALTAS ALEX MARKHAM, MIKEY SALTAS JERRE WROBLE SARAH ARNOFF JOHN COON, GEOFF GRIFFIN, JACKILYN ROCK, ELENI SALTAS, JOSEPH SILVERZWEIG, ZOE ZORKA BETSEY BOWEN, BOB DONNAN, BEN HASLAM, CHAD HEYBORNE, IAN HYLANDS, AARON LOVATO, JULIE SHIPMAN

PRODUCTION ART DIRECTOR ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR GRAPHIC ARTISTS

JOSH SCHEUERMAN BRIAN PLUMMER VAUGHN ROBISON, SOFIA CIFUENTES

BUSINESS/OFFICE ACCOUNTING MANAGER OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

PAULA SALTAS DAVID ADAMSON, ANNA KASER BRYAN MANNOS

MARKETING MARKETING COORDINATOR CIRCULATION CIRCULATION MANAGER SALES VICE PRESIDENT, NEW BUSINESS MAGAZINE ADVERTISING DIRECTOR NEWSPRINT ADVERTISING DIRECTOR DIGITAL OPERATIONS MANAGER SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES RETAIL ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

A trusted journalist, JOHN COON has written for a variety of sports publications locally and nationally, including but not limited to: Associated Press, Sports Xchange, Deseret News, The Salt Lake Tribune, and Athlon Sports. Follow him on Twitter: @johncoonsports

SAMANTHA SMITH

As owner/operator of Rock Fit Training & Fitness, JACKILYN ROCK is a certified personal trainer who is passionate about helping people of all abilities achieve optimal health and fitness. Follow her on Instagram at @rockfittraining.

ERIC GRANATO SAM URIE JENNIFER VAN GREVENHOF PETE SALTAS ANNA PAPADAKIS DOUG KRUITHOF, KATHY MUELLER ANNE BAILEY, LISA DORELLI, ALEX MARKHAM, MIEKA SAWATZKI, JEREMIAH SMITH

COVER PHOTO: UTAH JAZZ COMBO GUARD DONOVAN MITCHELL SKYING FOR A SLAM PHOTO BY BOB DONNAN COURTESY OF UTAH JAZZ

Journalist, outdoor enthusiast and author of Brooklyn Bat Boy, GEOFF GRIFFIN and his wife, Kathleen, host the Travel Brigade Radio Show and Podcast. You can find them at TravelBrigade.com

Distribution is complimentary throughout the Wasatch Front. Additional copies are available for $4.95 at the Winners offices located at Copperfield Media, 248 S. Main, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 • 801-575-7003 • Winnersutah.com Email editor at msaltas@winnersutah.com Advertising contact: sales@winnersutah.com COPPERFIELD PUBLISHING COPYRIGHT 2018. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4 | Winners Utah • May I June 2018

MIKEY SALTAS began covering sports as a college freshman. After two years of writing for the Rivals.com network, he beame a managing editor largely due to his ability to connect with and report on athletes. He also shares his insight on a 1280 the Zone podcast.

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Becom i ng Indivisible How Wyoming’s young Latinos are navigating a web of prejudice and an uncertain fate.

A Utah Family Business Offering media solutions for your digital, print and event endeavours. The mining community of Copperfield was set in world famous Bingham Canyon, high in the Oquirrh Mountains. In 1906, the Saltas family joined those Copperfield residents in the steep hillside, shanty area, called Greek Camp. Copperfield was home to thousands of melting pot immigrants including Greeks, Japanese, Mexicans, Germans, Swedes, Brits and many other ethnicities all bound to common American values of family, faith, education, hard work and community. They shared many good times, often tempered by the frequent bad times derived of dangerous mining work. Copperfield is now gone, scraped away by mining. But the Copperfield spirit remains alive in everything we do, from newspapers and magazines to events and digital services. We work hard for each other

and for the large communities of readers—online and in print—who value honesty and stories told well. Watch for Winners Magazine this fall. We will keep telling stories— your stories--as long as people keep reading. And wouldn’t it be a shame if they didn’t read? We don’t think that will happen, so meanwhile, turn a page, or many pages, in one of Copperfield Publishing’s growing catalog of Utah (and Jackson Hole, Wyoming) award-winning publications. We bring you the Best of Utah every day, every week, every month, including our newest product, the one you are reading now, We Are Utah. With this issue, discover that behind every great Utahn or super business is a beating heart that is connected in some way to all the rest of us. Their stories are your stories. We are all the community of Utah. Enjoy.  John Saltas Founder

May I June 2018 • Winners Utah |

GAME BY ALEX MARKHAM

pringtime along the Wasatch Front often brings cold snaps, which means playing or attending spring games can be a chilly proposition. That might be why, when the University of Utah added beach volleyball to its roster, the athletics department chose to avoid spring weather altogether by playing road games—that’s right, only road games—on warmer, sandy beaches. John Coon’s article about the new team has us rooting for the time when we can cheer those games home. Beach volleyball isn’t the only new sport at the U, as Zoe Zorka’s Chalk Talk article points out. Lacrosse and its fast-paced, hard-hitting, East Coaststyle action will grace the campus as a sanctioned sport beginning this fall. In Game Time, Mikey Saltas looks at how the Utah Jazz have shocked the NBA with the efforts of Rudy Gobert and the once-in-a-generation talent of Donovan Mitchell. And, what was that guy’s name who moved on to

PHOTO COURTESY UNIVERITY OF UTAH

6 | Winners Utah • May I June 2018

Boston? You know the one that—nah, forget about it! That rookie nicknamed “Spida Mitchell” has accomplished more than that certain video gameloving dude did in seven years. This might just be the most likable and fan-friendly team ever to grace the Vivint SmartHome Arena. Speaking of the young and talented, Utah is home to some of the West’s best high school prospects, as Mikey Saltas points out in his Hot Shots feature. Travel to Pleasant Grove High School, and you’ll find a 7-foot-4 hot-shot basketball star named Matt Van Komen. You’re bound to see elite college program scouts from across the nation in the stands of any high school gym Van Komen plays in, salivating over his potential. And he’s just one of six high school student athletes we’re highlighting in this issue. For those whose playing days are over, going from athlete to spectator— I’m talking to you, Uncle Rico—there are still countless reasons to maintain a healthy lifestyle. After embarking on a two-month weight-loss program, losing 15 pounds and 8 percent of body fat in the process, I myself am determined to keep off that weight and create healthier habits. Still, the question is, what diet is right for you?

PHOTO BOB DONNAN USA TODAY SPORTS

In this issue, personal trainer Jackilyn Rock looks at a variety of diets and discusses their effectiveness. Whether you’re an athlete or not, spring is the time to get a move on. Go for a jog or jump on your mountain bike to journey down one of Utah’s scenic trails. Joseph Silverzweig describes some of the advances in biking gear and technology in his X-Factor feature while Geoff Griffin highlights some of the best performance gear to take with you on a road trip to Moab. After you get that adrenaline rush, head home, kick back and throw something (healthy) on the grill— such as Eleni Saltas’ tasty chicken in the Tailgate feature. As you watch Utah’s up-and-coming athletes and reminisce about your playing days, take some time to explore this issue of Winners Utah to learn about local players, teams and activities that make the scene so exciting. —By Alex Markham Co-editor Alex Markham is a publisher at Rivals.com and can also be found on a 1280 the Zone podcast.

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k l a h C Talk

LACROSSE BECOMES THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH'S NEWEST VARSITY SPORT

s the focus at the University of Utah turns to spring sports, excitement is brewing for men’s lacrosse, the school’s newest Division I sport. While it has been a club sport for years, 2018-19 will mark the first year in which Utah lacrosse makes its official NCAA debut, making the U one of the few schools in the West to boast a Division I program for the elite sport. The decision to add lacrosse as a university-sanctioned sport was based on many factors—most notably the growing popularity of the historically East Coast-based sport in the Western states. University of Utah outgoing athletic director Chris Hill notes that a lot of research went into the decision to add men’s lacrosse. Lacrosse’s popularity with local fans, potential impact on other teams, financial self8 | Winners Utah • May I June 2018

BY ZOE ZORKA PHOTOS COURTESY OF U OF U ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

BETSEY BOWEN

sustainability and compliance with Title IX were all taken into consideration. “Men’s lacrosse met those criteria,” Hill says. With the upgrade to Division I, the coaching staff also got a major boost with the arrival of coach Brian Holman, a veteran coach and former standout lacrosse goalkeeper at Johns Hopkins University. Before coming to Utah, he served eight years as an assistant for the North Carolina men’s lacrosse program. In his eight seasons, the Tar Heels won an ACC Championship in 2013 and a National Championship in 2016. Many supporters see Holman’s talent as a key element in taking Utah lacrosse to the next level and excelling. So, why lacrosse? Why would it be popular in Utah? One reason is, as Holman points out, lacrosse is a great spectator sport played in a great season. Like football, it’s a

“I WANT PEOPLE TO SAY 'MAN, THAT UTAH WAS TOUGH.”

TIM HASLAM

—U OF U LACROSSE COACH BRIAN HOLMAN

contact sport, but it also has elements of soccer and basketball. Nate Berger, a junior Utah lacrosse player, is quick to mention that the sport’s appeal resonates not just at the university, but within the greater Salt Lake City community as a whole. “It’s been growing a great deal in Utah at the youth and high school levels,” he says, a trend that reflects nationwide growth. According to U.S. Lacrosse, nationwide participation reached a record level of more than 825,000 participants in 2016. This growth is mirrored within the university program. Historically, men’s lacrosse has also been one of the fastest growing club sports for the university. As the first Pac-12 school with an NCAA men’s lacrosse program, Utah will likely be ahead of the curve in terms of on-field competition should other Pac-12 schools follow suit. This puts them at an advantage rather than entering sports in which competitors have long-established programs.

BEN HASLAM

U of U departing athletic director Chris Hill and coach Brian Holman May I June 2018 • Winners Utah |

“

We play the game as fast as we possibly can.

”

As for game-play, Holman explains his X-and-Os strategy as one revolving around players that’s based on intensity and speed. “One of our goals,” he says, “is to play the game as fast as we possibly can and for the players to play as tough as they possibly can. Getting ground balls typically wins the game—it’s a sign of toughness and aggressiveness. I want people to say ‘Man, that Utah was tough.’ “When people fall in love with the game of lacrosse, they’re falling in love with the action of the sport. You’re looking at a new market that you have to captivate. You don’t want to bore them with nuanced plays, you want Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference them to be excited,” he says of the (RMLC) such as Utah high-paced, high-energy State, BYU, Colorado, approach of playing “When people fall in Colorado State and UVU to national-championshiplove with the game playing teams with more caliber teams. Holman’s of lacrosse,” Holman established programs appreciation for these says, “they’re falling such as Furman, Hofstra, teams goes back to the Denver, Air Force, in love with the lacrosse powerhouse Detroit, Marquette, action of the sport.” legends of the late ’80s Cleveland State and even and early ’90s such as the possibility of lacrosse Syracuse, Virginia, North Carolina and powerhouses such as Maryland, Duke, Johns Hopkins. North Carolina and other major East While the energy is palpable, the Coast and Midwest schools. 2018-19 season will not be without How Utah stacks up against such challenges. Utah will go from playing competition remains to be seen, but for other Western club teams within the Coach Holman, the competition is part 10 | Winners Utah • May I June 2018

TIM HASLAM

BETSEY BOWEN

TIM HASLAM

—Coach Holman

The team's offensive approach can be unnerving for their challengers

of the excitement and the ingredient for growing their fan base. Holman points out that “lacrosse is among the highest graduation rates in all of college athletics, so not only are they are adding a growing sport—one with a ton of potential and growth—but they are also adding a team that excels in the classroom.” Given the commitment by the U of U’s athletic department, Utah’s maiden lacrosse season is bound to be an exciting one.

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May I June 2018 • Winners Utah |

P E R F E C T LY P O I S E D The Utah Jazz finally have what it takes to bring Utah its first NBA title BY MIKEY SALTAS PHOTOS BY BOB DONNAN COURTESY OF UTAH JAZZ

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell dons the jersey of Jazz legend Darrell Griffith in the 2018 Verizon Slam Dunk contest

12 | Winners Utah â&#x20AC;¢ May I June 2018

t was a year ago June 13 when the Utah Jazz faithful spent a restless night awaiting Gordon Hayward’s decision. Would the All-Star free agent re-sign with Utah Jazz, the team that drafted him in 2010, or would big markets like Miami or Boston scoop him up? Hayward had plenty of reasons to stick with the Jazz—namely a five-year, $177 million contract (one year and $46 million total more than any other team could offer). He was also the face of the organization and had led the Jazz to the second round of the 2017 playoffs. His cohorts— especially Rudy Gobert and Joe Ingles— were locked in with new, multi-year contract extensions. A promising wing by the name of Donovan Mitchell from Louisville was heading to Utah. Those four could become the foundation of a really great team. The following day, Utah Jazz fans let out a collective moan upon learning that Hayward would join fellow AllStar Kyrie Irving to play for the Boston Celtics. The positive momentum the Jazz had gained over the past several years developing the team around Hayward’s stellar game and making the playoffs for the first time since 2012 suddenly felt like an air ball. Yet, less than a year later, those same fans have bounced back and are nearly euphoric as the Utah Jazz and garnered a high playoff seed in 2018.

A Star in the Making

After losing Hayward to the Celtics in free agency, nobody could fault the Jazz for mustering a sub-40 win season in the ultra-competitive Western Conference in the 2017-18 season. At 19-28 in mid-January, including some early dreadful losses, it looked like the Jazz were bound for that outcome. It has been anything but dreadful since January—due to a scorching offense and historically stout defensive play—when Utah started winning. The Utah Jazz rolled into the All-Star break riding an 11-game win streak, beating top tier teams such as the Toronto Raptors, Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs (twice). Much of the team’s success is credited to rookie phenom Donovan Mitchell, the 13th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Mitchell has thrust himself to Rookie of the Year conversations in his first professional season—in the Jazz’s mid-season win streak, Mitchell led his team in scoring, the first rookie to do so since Wilt Chamberlain. Drawing comparisons to Dwayne Wade, Mitchell leads all rookies with 20 points per game, as well as most 30-point games by rookies. At just 6-foot-3, he impressed the world with acrobatic slams and won the NBA dunk contest. Mitchell torched the New Orleans Pelicans on Dec. 2 for 41 points, the

first rookie to surpass 40 points in a game since Blake Griffin in 2011. For comparison: The only other active NBA players to accomplish that feat in their rookie year are LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry and Eric Gordon. Mitchell had another 40-point game on Feb. 3, this time against the Phoenix Suns, joining Allen Iverson and Griffin as the only rookies to have multiple 40-point games since Michael Jordan in the 1984-85 season. You get the picture: He’s elite. The charismatic Mitchell is helping Jazz fans forget about that dreary night a year ago when Hayward bolted. The guard’s rise to stardom even made solid contributor, Rodney Hood, expendable—Hood was traded before the deadline to the Cleveland Cavaliers for forward Jae Crowder. In less than one season (and at 21 years old, no less), Mitchell has effectively replaced Hayward as a leader on the court and the face of the franchise.

Piecing Together the Puzzle

Mitchell alone won’t bring the Utah Jazz a title. The Jazz has one of the top centers in the league signed until the 2021 season. Rudy Gobert, the 7-foot-1 Frenchman called the “Stifle Tower,” has sat out much of the 2017-18 season due to an injury. When he is on the court, he’s well worth his $25 million salary, due to his shot blocking and protection of the paint. In 2020, one of the most efficient three-point shooters in the league, Joe Ingles, is set to make just under $12 million. This season, Ingles is shooting 45 percent from three-point range. Jae Crowder will be in the final year of his $7.8-million contract. Crowder had a down year with the Cavaliers before joining the Jazz, but his bruising and thrashing play style is already paying dividends in the slow-paced offense run by Head Coach Quin Snyder. Mitchell, Gobert, Ingles, Crowder and surprise undrafted talent Royce O’Neale are set to earn just under $52 million in the 2019-20 season. Ingles will be 32 years old. Everyone else? Under age 27. By 2020, the NBA salary cap is expected to rise to $109 million. That leaves ample room for the Utah Jazz to retain other key players such as point guard Ricky Rubio ($14-million salary) and Derrick Favors ($12-million salary).

Point guard Ricky Rubio confers with Jazz Head Coach Quin Snyder May I June 2018 • Winners Utah |

Donovan Mitchell, left, drives to the basket Or, the draw of young talent might be enough for General Manager Dennis Lindsey to convince another superstar (or two) to come to Salt Lake City. Kemba Walker, Eric Bledsoe, DeMarcus Cousins, Nikola Mirotić, Kevin Love and Jabari Parker are notable unrestricted free agents in the next two off seasons. Even in the golden years of Stockton to Malone, the Jazz were not known for outsourcing top talent, and today’s crop of Mitchell, Gobert, Ingles and O’Neale were all relative unknowns before being developed in Salt Lake City. Carlos Boozer, from back in 2004, remains the marquee signing of a free agent not originally drafted by the Jazz. However, as small-market organizations—such as Cleveland, Milwaukee, Minnesota and Oklahoma City—with multiple superstars have proven, talent begets talent, no matter the city. But what about the current dynasties in the NBA? In 2020, Father Time’s biggest adversary, LeBron James, will turn 36. Golden State’s trio of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green will be over 30 years old and have salaries that will, astoundingly, eat up the majority of the expected $109 million salary cap. Same with 14 | Winners Utah • May I June 2018

Houston’s James Harden, who is set to make over $40 million per year, and Chris Paul, who will make around $30 million. In 2020, the Jazz core will be in their prime and won’t yet be able to demand max contracts. The pressure is on Lindsey over the next two years to add a star in their prime to complement, or perhaps even supersede, Mitchell

and Gobert. It’s time to dish out the big bucks for a new “big three” in Salt Lake City. The Jazz are this close to having a title contending team. Just as they were in the late ’90s, Jazz faithfuls are itching for another run at the title. Fortunately, the era of mediocrity is over. The new era of Utah Jazz basketball has begun.

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May I June 2018 • Winners Utah |

TAIL

Gating RECIPE & PHOTOS BY ELENI SALTAS

Grilled chicken and cabbage salad for the win!

If it’s spring, it’s time for grilled chicken

16 | Winners Utah • May I June 2018

he days are getting longer—that means it’s time to bring out the grill. Nothing beats the scrumptious smells of meats and vegetables sizzling on a grill—and enjoying the meal outside, before or after the game, is one reason we relish summer barbecues. Whether you’re cooking for the youngsters after a match, the company softball team or friends at your house watching the big game, these easy-to-prepare and healthy dishes pack amazing taste that you and your ilk will love.

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken

When I think of grilling, my mind is drawn to the classic burger and hot dog. But there’s an endless variety of what should be thrown on a grill—chicken, shrimp, ribs, fruits and vegetables. Chicken is my favorite meat to grill, as it’s versatile and combines well with creative seasonings and sauces. Before grilling chicken, I marinate the meat for several hours using robust flavors that are often enhanced on the grill. My marinade for this grilled chicken recipe has zesty lime with cilantro, garlic, oil and honey. Optional add-ins are chili flakes for pop and a shot of tequila for fun—that tenderizes the chicken even more. Sliced avocados and cabbage salad on the side are just what’s needed for a lovely presentation. And if you have any leftovers, dice up the chicken to use in tacos.

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts or thighs 4 limes, zested and juiced ½ cup honey ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 shot tequila (optional) 4 garlic cloves, minced ½ cup cilantro, finely chopped 1 teaspon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Combine lime juice, lime zest, honey, olive oil, (optional) tequila, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Reserve ¼ of the marinade in a separate bowl to later drizzle on the chicken. Add the remaining marinade to a shallow dish or Ziploc bag and add the chicken. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. To grill, preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place it on the preheated grill. Grill each side of the chicken for about 7-8 minutes, or until the chicken’s internal temperature is 165 degrees. Drizzle the reserved marinade on the cooked chicken and serve warm. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges. Enjoy!

May I June 2018 • Winners Utah |

Cabbage and Jalapeno Salad INGREDIENTS

1 head of cabbage, finely shredded 3 leeks 2 jalapeños, diced 5 limes, juiced 1/2 cup olive oil salt and pepper to taste cilantro, for garnish

Enjoy the heat and zest of cabbage and jalapeño Wanting to experiment with new combinations, I recently invited a few friends over for a salad tasting party. Surprisingly, the fan favorite turned out to be one with shredded cabbage as the base. Mid-meal, a friend who dislikes cabbage said, “I usually hate cabbage, but this is the best salad here.” I agreed, and we both quickly reached for second helpings. Ever since that gathering, I get requests to bring my cabbage salad to barbecues and dinner parties. This salad is equal parts spicy and refreshing. Using crunchy and finely shredded cabbage as a base, freshly diced jalapeños are added for a kick. Leeks and lime juice give it zest and tartness. The salad is then topped with cilantro. Customize your level of heat with more or fewer jalapeños. Serve as a side salad with the grilled lime chicken or stuff it into tacos and to wow any dinner guest.

DIRECTIONS

Cut and remove the stem and core of the cabbage. Clean and slice the cabbage in half and slice each half to create quarters. Thinly slice the cabbage into strips. Cut and discard the roots of the leeks, using just the white and a small portion of green parts only. Carefully clean the remainder of the leeks and cut them into rounds. Halve the jalapeños and remove the seeds. Dice into small pieces. Add cabbage, leeks and jalapeños to a bowl. Combine the lime juice, olive oil and salt and pepper into a bowl and whisk together. Drizzle the salad with the dressing, top with cilantro and serve.

18 | Winners Utah • May I June 2018

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FACTOR

The high-tech fine-tuning of Utah mountain biking BY JOSEPH SILVERZWEIG

ew technology changes everything, in ways both obvious and surprising. Social media, politics and business are regularly rocked by big changes, and sports are no different. In Utah, the mountain-biking scene has attracted a robust hobbyist following and is growing as a professional sport. It was included as a sport in the Rio Olympics and continues to find fans in other mainstream formats. The rapid development of mountain biking has been mirrored by changes in technology. Groundbreakers in the sport used old, worn-out, rebuilt street bikes and pounded them out of commission after one or two rides. Not satisfied with this, enthusiasts began to make modifications to the frames, tires and other aspects of the bikes. The pace of change has only increased as money and attention have flowed into the industry, and now one of these supremely well-engineered machines can set you back $10,000 for a championship-quality bike. Materials technology has been a key factor in the evolution of mountain biking. The common diamond-frame design seen in most street and mountain bikes is structurally sound, and the use of steel is a popular choice for engineers seeking a strong, lightweight material. However, as consumers seem more willing to open their wallets, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re seeing bikes made from exciting alternative

20 | Winners Utah â&#x20AC;˘ May I June 2018

materials. Aluminum is now common, and high-end bikes often are made with titanium or carbon fiber. Titanium is flexible and impact resistant, allowing frames made with it to absorb a tremendous amount of punishment from the trail. Carbon fiber is incredibly strong, feather light and can be molded into unique shapes that allow for innovative engineering. Mountain terrain deals out frequent, unpredictable blows that drives demand for sophisticated shock-absorber technology. The heavy-duty shocks mounted on the front of a bike are one of the defining features. What started as simply mounting steel springs to the wheel assembly has transformed into a shockabsorption industry thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s developed full-suspension bikes with front and rear springs of varying materials. Like everything else in this competitive sport, it all boils down to speed. Better shock absorption means less rider fatigue, more control and more time spent with the bike in contact with the ground. This all adds up to better times, bigger air and a more exciting ride.

Over the past few years, metal springs have mostly vanished from the higher-end mountain-bikes. Riders want to be able to instantly and precisely fine-tune their ride, while keeping their bike as light as possible. The innovative engineering solution is an air-filled tube, which compresses on impact. Tuning a bike for racing is as simple as adjusting the volume of air inside the tube, and the spring package is as light as possible. The terrain in mountain biking changes in a heartbeat, going from a speed-building straightaway to tight turns and difficult maneuvers. Riders need the ability to lose speed quickly, so they don’t waste time bleeding off speed as they enter a tight corner or other tough spot. Brakes on a street bike likely sit on the rim of the wheel, adding friction to the spin and slowing it down. This is far too inefficient for mountain bikers, who have upgraded their braking systems again and again over the years. Nowadays, disc brakes, which use friction more efficiently against a plate (or disc) attached to the wheel, are the gold standard for mountain bikers. At the fast speeds of competitive mountain biking, these brakes heat up quickly. Thus, a critical component of braking technology is the need to reduce heat. The discs are often perforated and have unique architecture to maximize airflow and the speed at which heat can be removed from the system. Calipers are also the focus of relentless innovation and are now made from a host of different materials suited to various competition types and terrain. Mountain bikers have also begun adding hydraulic systems to their bikes to improve the feel and responsiveness of their brakes. Perhaps the most crucial components of a mountain bike’s performance are its gears, and they haven’t changed all that much since they were first introduced to the sport about two decades ago— aside from the materials designed to make bikes lighter, stronger and more resilient. Gears are still, for the most part, the same concentric rings of metal you see on any street bike. Innovation

is relentless, however, and this area of mountain biking is beginning to change as experiments are undertaken with contained gear systems and shiftless transmissions. This is likely to be the next big leap in mountainbiking technology, a leap that allows athletes to transfer maximum power to the ground with each pedal. The beat of technology goes on. Materials and engineering improve,

allowing riders to maximize the results on some of the most challenging terrain imaginable. While new technology can overshadow the accomplishments of early mountain-bike competitors, ultimately progress is just about connecting the will and skill of the rider with the terrain—all while removing obstacles to performance. When technology improves, everyone wins.

Like everything else in this competitive sport, it all boils down to speed.

Professional mountain biker Amanda Batty on a table top feature

PHOTO AARON LOVATO

May I June 2018 • Winners Utah |

By Mikey Saltas

JULIE SHIPMAN

CHAD HEYBORNE

COURTESY DESERT HILLS HIGH SCHOOL

HOT Shots

High school student-athletes on the rise

Brianna Austin Davison St. Clair Rowland Hall Salt Lake City Baseball

After a respectable freshman season where he batted .321 for Rowland Hall’s varsity baseball team, Austin Davison had a breakout sophomore campaign batting a gaudy .682 (30 for 44), a 1.227 slugging percentage and .722 on base percentage, all state-leading statistics. Davison, the catcher for the Winged Lions, led his team to the state playoffs in the 2A division in 2017 before losing to eventual runner-up Grand County High School. Graduating in 2019, Davison still has plenty of time to grow his legacy for Rowland Hall. 22 | Winners Utah • May I June 2018

Desert Hills High School St. George Softball

Desert Hills High softball star Brianna St. Clair has been ripping up the record books and rewriting them with her own name and stats. She is a tour de force on the diamond, as she led her team last season in batting average (.457), hits and doubles. She’s also a one-woman wrecking ball as a pitcher—of the 185 innings played by Desert Hills, St. Clair pitched 182.2 innings, leading the state with 24 wins and 326 strikeouts in the process. For reference, the next closest pitcher tallied 243 strikeouts.

Lolani Langi

Bingham High School South Jordan Football

A four-star outside linebacker recruit ranked No. 9 at his position and No. 209 in the country overall (and No. 2 in Utah) by Rivals.com, Lolani Langi is the heir apparent to the laundry list of star football products out of Bingham High School. Year after year, the Miners send top-tier talent to Division I football programs, such as Jay Tufele (USC), Dalton Schultz (Stanford) and brothers Star and Lowell Lotulelei (Utah). Lolani is the brother of Harvey Langi—another Bingham product— who played collegiately at BYU before making the roster at linebacker with the 2018 AFC Champions the New England Patriots.

Max Miller

Aidan Troutner

Winter Sports School

Timpview High School Provo Cross County

Pleasant Grove High School Pleasant Grove Basketball

COURTESY PLEASANT GROVE HIGH SCHOOL

Though he’s always stood head and shoulders above his peers—he surpassed 6 feet tall when he was 11 and 7 feet by the time he was 13—Matt Van Komen is considered one of the tallest high school basketball players in the nation, now towering at 7-foot4. He used his height to tally the third most blocks in a single season in state history this year, only trailing Shawn Bradley. The 2019 prospect is still raw and growing into his body, but his enviable size has top college basketball programs from across the nation offering full-ride scholarship.

A cross-country phenom at Timpview, Aidan Troutner became the second consecutive Utahn to earn Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year honors, the other being Casey Clinger from American Fork High School. Like Clinger, Troutner will serve a two-year LDS mission before enrolling at BYU to run cross country. The athlete is coming off a couple of amazing performances, where he won NXR Southwest competition’s 5K with a time of 14:50.00 and then earned a Class 5A championship in Utah, finishing in 14:48.80.

Park City Alpine

Max Miller just finished up his junior year at the Winter Sports School in Park City and is poised to have a stellar finish to his high school career. The Alpine racer trains with the Park City Ski Team, and he was recently selected to attend a special development training camp in Europe, the only Utah skier of his age to do so. Snow is in the blood of the Miller family—his brother Andrew (class of 2016), a product of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard development pipeline, is an athlete at Dartmouth College.

COURTESY WINTER SPORTS SCHOOLSCHOOL

Matt Van Komen

COURTESY TIMPVIEW HIGH SCHOOL

s Utah’s high schools continue growing at a rapid pace, so does the talent pool of student-athletes. In fact, Utah has become one of the most visited Western states by college coaches looking to fill their rosters, second only to California. In each issue, Winners Utah acknowledges the accomplishments of student-athletes, as they give everything they can in the school and on the field to make their communities proud. This issue’s honorees are poised to become the next line of athletes on the court, track, gridiron, diamond and slopes.

If you know of a high school student-athlete to consider for Hot Shots, write to msaltas@winnersutah.com. March May I| June April 2018 • Winners Utah |

Red-Rock Rugged

Gear up for summer with Moab-inspired gear By Geoff Griffin Photos courtesy of Moab Travel Council When the Utah Jazz recently wanted to create a uniform and court conveying the essence of their home state, they chose the landscape of Moab. Their uniform is a gradually changing color scheme designed to symbolize the sunset over Southern Utah’s red rocks. A line on one side of the uniform represents a road map from Salt Lake City to Moab. The court that goes with those uniforms features Moab’s Delicate Arch. Of all the outdoor recreation hot spots found in Utah, Moab is arguably the best known internationally. If you plan a trip there, you can find gear that’s made in Moab, tested in Moab, and that uses “Moab” in the name.

Sleep in Style

The Moab-based company Nunatak is known for its ultralight down quilts, sleeping bags and garments, or in the case of the Raku, all of the above. This insulated down suit doubles as a threeseason sleeping bag. Whether you want to lounge around the campfire, put up the tent, cook or simply lie down and sleep, you can do it all with this one unique product that has a hood, sleeves and a foot box that can be zipped open. It can be custom ordered to fit any size from 5-foot-4 to 6-foot-8, and any temperature rating from 0 degrees to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Best of all, the average weight of a Raku is 32 ounces, making it easy to pack around. Nunatak Raku, $520 NunatakUSA.com

24 | Winners Utah • March | April2018 2018 May I June

Hit the Trail

Moab is a biking mecca and your next ride could be handcrafted at Moab’s Blaze Bicycles, a maker of titanium and steel frames. The company came into being when Pierre Chastain wrecked his Trek Model 420 and couldn’t find a good replacement. He began making his own frames and went on to make them for other riders. The Arrow titanium road bike can be customized not only by size, but in 12 other areas, ranging from drive train to handle bars. Build time is typically 6-8 weeks and well worth the wait. Blaze also makes the Howling Wulf and Alpha Wulf titanium hardtails, and Wulf steel hardtail. Blaze Arrow Titanium Road Bike $1,750-$9,195 BlazeBicycles.com

Test Drivers Wanted

If you’d like to check out a bike on a Moab trail before you buy it, try Outerbike. This Moab-based enterprise holds four yearly events in biking hotbeds like Crested Butte, Colo., and Bentonville, Ark., and twice in Moab. The Moab dates are Oct. 5-7. During those days, dozens of premier bike and gear manufacturers set up demonstration facilities at the Outerbike expo site. Drop by and check out the latest innovations or take a bike you like out for a spin near the venue. They’ve even got shuttles that will take you to some of Moab’s classic trails. Besides biking, passes get you daily lunch and a beer garden at night. The Full Demo ($240) lets you demo bikes each day while the BYOB ($190) and Social Card let you attend with different levels of access. Outerbike Expo Aug. 17-19: Crested Butte, Colo. Oct. 5-7: Moab $60-$240 Outerbike.com

Sole Power

The Moab name carries so much weight, even companies based outside of Utah want to use it on their products. Merrell shoe company makes an entire Moab line of hiking shoes, with 14 men’s and 11 women’s styles. The women’s Moab 2 Ventilator Wide Width has a Vibram sole for traction and breathable mesh lining for comfort. The men’s Moab 2 Waterproof has the trademarked M Select DRY system that seals out water while also letting moisture escape. Women’s Moab 2 Ventilator, wide width, $100 Men’s Moab 2, waterproof, $120 Merrell.com

March May I| June April 2018 • Winners Utah |

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Debunking Weight-loss Myths It’s normal to feel self-conscious when starting a new fitness program By Jackilyn Rock

If you, like two-thirds of American adults, are overweight, you might feel a bit dazed and confused by the oft-times contradictory advice abound on weight-loss and medical websites. As a personal trainer, I’m passionate about helping people achieve lasting health and fitness. I’ve identified five myths around weight loss that throw people off their goal of losing weight. Here are some strategies to help find your way and keep the pounds off for good.

May I June 2018 • Winners Utah |

to give up Myth 1: You have ps to lose certain food grou weight We all know how the weight-loss industry works: It’s just one fad diet after the other. The problem with most trendy diets is sustainability. When we eliminate a food group or macronutrient, the weight is most often gained back when food is reintroduced into the diet. “Any diet will work if you follow it correctly,” Taylor Read, owner Max Muscle Nutrition says. “The question is whether it is a lifestyle diet. If it isn’t, what is your plan to maintain a healthy lifestyle after the diet?” Often, the rebound weight gain is higher than the starting weight. Further, when we cut out entire food groups, we limit our intake of healthy foods that provide natural sources of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fiber—all of which are critical for optimal health. The fad diets below are both popular and notorious for causing rebound weight gain.

Low-carb diets

Currently trending is low carb or the popular “keto” diet where carbohydrate-intake is extremely low or completely avoided. Carbohydrates are a macronutrient, like protein and fat, and they play a vital role to our overall health. Our body’s preferred source of fuel for most activities is from carbohydrates, while our red blood cells and brain rely almost exclusively on it for fuel. Research shows that low-carb eaters generally lose more weight at first, but that the weight loss levels out over time, and in the end, is no different than those who eat a moderate carb diet.

Going gluten-free

Those diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten intolerance need to avoid eating foods high in gluten. Even so, there is little evidence that going gluten-free results in lasting weight loss. In reality, many gluten-free packaged foods are higher in calories (from added sugar) and lower in fiber. Thus, someone who normally eats large quantities of refined flour products (cookies, breads, pasta) can make the switch to gluten-free and still not lose weight. But if they increase their intake of vegetables, fruits and other naturally gluten-free foods, their diet will be not only be healthier but likely they would lose weight as well.

Dairy-free

People who are lactose intolerant have obvious reasons for avoiding dairy products. Dairy provides Vitamin D and protein our bodies require to build and maintain muscle as well as calcium for strong bones. Dairy alone does not cause weight gain. If you eat a pint of ice cream every day and top your foods with butter and sour cream, those specific foods are the culprits, not the food group. The important thing to remember is that you need to eat the right kind of dairy. Aim for low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt and cheese. It’s all about making healthy choices within the food group.

Vegan diet

Eliminating animal products does not guarantee weight loss. Without staple foods such as meat and dairy, it can be easy to turn to cereals, breads and other processed foods to satisfy hunger. Too many carbs will counteract weight loss. Make wise plantbased choices when subbing out meat, and avoid processed junk food.

Low-fat diet

Avoiding fat often causes weight gain instead of the opposite. When fat is cut from the diet, calories are commonly replaced with refined grains and added sugar. Insulin spikes and so does the belly fat. Furthermore, recent research proves that healthy fats actually speed up your metabolism and can help you shed unwanted pounds. Fat provides nutrients that are essential to the body. Eating healthy fats like olive oil, wild salmon, hemp seeds, walnuts, flax seeds and avocado in moderation will lower inflammation, keep you satisfied after meals and help you lose weight. Fats have more calories per gram than carbohydrates or protein so don’t overdo them.

28 | Winners Utah • May I June 2018

Myth 2. Cleanse s & detoxes help you to lose weight

Suffering through days of not eating only to end up back where you started once you start eating again? Yes, it’s happens to many of us. Additionally, depriving your body of nutrients such as fiber, protein and fat does not allow your body to thrive. If you want to feel cleansed, try eating 100-percent clean (whole, unprocessed) foods for a week and increase your intake of water. Fiber is important for cleaning out the body and for making us feel full and satisfied. An added bonus to not fasting is being able to chew foods and not be limited to drinking juice, tea or other overpriced cleansing products.

Myth 3. You have to be hungry to lose weigh t

Perhaps you think losing weight means starving by skipping meals and snacks, or by eating toddler-sized portions. Eating fewer calories than normal will usually make the body lose weight. However, eating too few calories for a long period of time will make weight loss stall completely. Long-term undereating makes the hormones go haywire by telling your body to conserve fat as though it is in emergency-survival mode. “Unless medically supervised,” Read says, “it is not advisable to eat fewer than 1,200 calories per day.” Try consuming sufficient amounts of water, vegetables and fiber-rich foods to stay satisfied and eat less garbage.

May I June 2018 • Winners Utah |

Myth 4. Strength training does not help in weight loss; it bulks you up

Fact: If you pick up something heavy over and over, you will get stronger. If you eat more calories than you burn every day while you pick up heavy things, you will get stronger and your muscles will get bigger. However, if you pick up heavy things and eat the right kind of healthy foods in a caloric deficit, you will burn the fat on top of your muscles and become “toned.” The density of your muscles will increase, which might not make the scale move dramatically, but the fat will drastically reduce and so will your size.

rdio Myth 5. Long ca st for e workouts are b weight loss

The idea that you need to spend hours a day in the gym to make the scale move is far from correct. Long steady-state cardio workouts help the weight come off initially, but eventually the body adapts to the workload, since it is mostly repetitive, stalling any additional progress. Low-intensity cardio (think long, slow jogging, for example) targets the slow-twitch muscle fibers. In order to restart the weight-loss engine, you’ll eventually want to target your fasttwitch muscle fibers by performing resistance training or High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

Bottom line: There is an abundance of conflicting information regarding diets, exercise and weight loss. While it can be tempting to believe the hype behind every new trend, remember that the magic solution is consistent effort. Reduce the amount of processed junk food consumed and eat the foods you like in moderation, along with healthy foods from all food groups. This will ensure that you develop a lifestyle of healthy eating, and not a rollercoaster ride of fad diets with their accompanying weight losses and gains. Stay active in a variety of ways to continually challenge your body and keep boredom from setting in. Everything worth having takes effort, and your health is worth it. Jackilyn Rock is owner/operator of Rock Fit Training & Fitness and a certified personal trainer. Follow her on Instagram at @rockfittraining.

30 | Winners Utah • May I June 2018

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Lunch Buffet: $8.95 Adults, $4.95 Kids, Mon-Fri 11am-3:30pm Dinner Buffet: $12.95 Adults, $7.75 Kids, Mon-Fri 3:30pm-9:30pm Saturday, Sunday & Holidays $12.95 All Day Take-Out: Lunch $4.75/lb Dinner $6.25/lb May I June 2018 • Winners Utah |

hit their stride DigginIt ThewithUtesPac-12 beach volleyball

BY JOHN COON PHOTOS COURTESY OF U OF U ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

The U’s Torree Glasker on the attack 32 | Winners Utah • May I June 2018

iling up frequent flier miles isn’t optional for Utah in beach volleyball. It’s become a way of life for the Utes ever since adding the sport before the 2017 season. Beach volleyball is the only sport where Utah doesn’t play at home. In April, the Utes hit the road each weekend for volleyball matches. They participated in four tournaments—culminating in the Pac-12 championships at month’s end—staged in Hawaii, California and Arizona. There’s no home crowd or home court advantage—the same story as it was during the program’s debut season in 2017. The fun of playing in the sun and on the beach in a warm location is counterbalanced by an ever-present need to guard against a build-up of mental and physical fatigue. “Beach volleyball takes so much energy,” Utah sophomore Brianna Doehrmann says. “It’s very good for conditioning, we say. Especially since we switch off between beach volleyball and indoor, there’s a little bit of balance. But after traveling for, like, a month on end for beach volleyball, you do get pretty tired.” To keep student-athletes from buckling under continual travel, Utah is spreading out the matches. The Utes had 15 matches in 2017, with 12 played during a 10-day span in mid-March. This year, all 16 matches were played over four weekends in April. Adding home matches into the mix

Bailey Choy passing

isn’t a consideration for the near future. Beach volleyball is played outdoors. While it would alleviate some of the academic schedule-juggling and travel fatigue, Utah weather in the spring can be fickle at best. Rain or snow would be a constant worry for home games. “We just haven’t really addressed that yet,” says Beth Launiere, director of volleyball who oversees both of Utah’s indoor and beach programs. “We’re not sure about the weather situation. Do we want to schedule a home event and then maybe have it snowed out? I think we’ll get there, but we’ve just decided to not worry about it yet and just hit the road.” Playing road matches every weekend is a small price to pay for the players on Utah’s beach-volleyball roster. For them, what they get in return outweighs the sacrifices they make. Each match features teams of two players, just like in doubles tennis. This means athletes are forced to do things in beach volleyball they don’t normally do in an indoor match, such as cover more ground and, as a result, improve ball-control skills and become better defenders. Many of the same players play both indoor volleyball and beach volleyball for Utah. The impact on their overall skills in just two years has been immeasurable. Sophomore Dani Barton says she likes problem-solving with her partner. “It helps a lot with defense,” she says, “like being able to read the game.”

Adora Anae bumps the ball

Adora Anae lunges for a ball One unique wrinkle with beach volleyball is the fact that coaches are limited to coaching during timeouts. Unlike indoor matches, they can’t shout instructions onto the court. Partners need to rely on each other to make adjustments. It helps foster better chemistry between teammates because their success hinges on communicating with each other. “We definitely have to look at our partner more for advice,” Doehrmann

Reaching high: Dani Barton May I June 2018 • Winners Utah |

says. Players have a better eye for the game because they’re also looking at what their partner can improve. “It’s really a game of communication,” she says. A season’s worth of learning in beach volleyball showed up during indoor games in the fall. Utah finished fourth in the Pac-12 and reached the Sweet 16 round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament. Launiere thinks the Utes will continue to climb in both sports as the players become more accustomed to the demands of competing in both beach and indoor environments. “We’re completely different in the sand than we were a year ago,” she says. “This group is so much better than it used to be.” Beach volleyball has emerged as one of the fastest growing NCAA sports. Utah is one of nine Pac-12 schools that sponsor the sport. A total of 55 NCAA Division I schools competed in beach volleyball in 2017. The Utes are the first collegiate beach volleyball team in the Beehive State. For the women who spend many spring weekends on the road, it’s been rewarding to pioneer the program. “It’s awesome to build the program and start from the very beginning,” Barton says, noting how surprising it is that Utah even has a sand team. She says she’s excited the program is opening doors for women who might have never thought about playing collegiate sports.

Sophomore Dani Barton: Having a partner helps with defense 34 | Winners Utah • May I June 2018

Eyes on the prize: U of U’s Berkley Oblad and Adora Anae

Torre Glasker uses her forearms

Tawnee Luafalemana spiking

THE TERRAIN OF MOUNTAIN BIKING CHANGES IN A HEARTBEAT PRO RIDER AMANDA BATTY PHOTO IAN HYLANDS May I June 2018 â&#x20AC;¢ Winners Utah |

36 | Winners Utah â&#x20AC;¢ May I June 2018