Bay Area Issue 119, July 2016

FREE

JULY 2016 VOL. 7 ISSUE 119

BAY AREA EDITION

sportstarsonline.com 4

SportStars™

July 2016

follow us

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

like us

follow us

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

JOIN OUR TEAM PHONE 925.566.8500 FAX 925.566.8507 EDITORIAL Editor@SportStarsOnline.com Editor Chace Bryson • Chace@SportStarsOnline.com Staff Writer Jim McCue • JimMcCue16@gmail.com Contributors Bill Kolb, Matt Smith, Clay Kallam, Dave Kiefer, Tim Rudd, Trevor Horn Copy Editor Bill Kruissink Photography Bob Larson, Jonathan Hawthorne, James K. Leash, Norbert von der Groeben, Phillip Walton, Doug Guler, Berry Evans, III Marketing/Events Ryan Arter CREATIVE DEPARTMENT Art@SportStarsOnline.com Production Manager Mike DeCicco • MikeD@SportStarsOnline.com PUBLISHER/PRESIDENT Mike Calamusa • Mike@SportStarsOnline.com

Jonesin’ In July

I

f you’re a die-hard high school sports fan, July can be a tough month.

In June, you can coast off the adrenaline of the section and state championships that wrap up at the beginning of the month. In August, you can start reading football season previews at the beginning of the month and be watching games by the end of it.

But July holds the waiting game.

We know. We get it. We’ve been there.

However, you, fine reader of SportStars, have a couple of things going for you. For one, you have us. We keep an eye out for the stories and events that should help tide you over for the next four weeks. Secondly, more than likely, you live in Northern California. And there’s an awful lot to do here, and some pretty amazing weather to do it in.

But if we were going to make a list of some of the things we plan on using to help us navigate July, it might look something like this. ›› Little League — Livermore remains the host of the Little League Intermediate 50/70 World Series and Sacramento’s American River College has become the host site for the Little League Senior Western Regionals All-Star Tournament. Both of these events are free, and feature some of America’s best young baseball talent.

And, for the most part, the competition is pure. Go watch a game and enjoy the hustle, fundamentals and

sportsmanship. You won’t be disappointed. ›› Swimming — There are plenty of competitive swim meets you could go watch. But we’re actually advocating submerging yourself. (Please, put the magazine down first.) Chalk this up to the spoils of NorCal, where if you don’t have a swimming pool, there’s undoubtedly a natural body of water within driving distance that can cool you off. ›› Hoops — Not 100 percent sold on jumping in some water? Cool off in an air-conditioned gym by watching some of the best boys and girls basketball players compete in their AAU tournaments and showcases. The next one of these events comes July 9-10 as the NorCal Summer Tip-Off comes to San Francisco City College. As many as 50 boys teams will participate in NorCal’s only NCAA-certified boys event of the summer. Games run up until 11 p.m. on Saturday night and until 5 p.m. on Sunday. ›› Google Team USA — Get pumped for Rio! The Summer Games take place in August and several Northern California natives will be going for gold. Find out who they are — you just may find that you witnessed part of their high school career — and get ready to follow the drama.

And by the time the Olympics are over, you’ll be opening the pages to our Football Preview. ✪

ADVERTISING Sales@SportStarsOnline.com, 925.566.8500 Account Executives Camps & Clinics: Ryan Arter • Camps@SportStarsOnline.com Alameda County: Berry Evans • Berry@foto-pros.com Central Valley, World Events: Anthony Grigsby • Area Director anthony.grigsby@worldeventssports.com Darin Wissner • JustAGameEvents@gmail.com READER RESOURCES/ADMINISTRATION Subscription, Calendar, Credit Services Info@SportStarsOnline.com DISTRIBUTION/DELIVERY Phillip Walton • Mags@SportStarsOnline.com INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY John Bonilla CFO Sharon Calamusa • Sharon@SportStarsOnline.com COMMUNITY SPORTSTARS™ MAGAZINE A division of Caliente! Communications, LLC 5356 Clayton Rd., Ste. 222 • Concord, CA 94521 • info@SportStarsOnline.com www.SportStarsOnline.com

Caliente!

LLC

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER IN USA

YOUR TICKET TO CALIFORNIA SPORTS ADMIT ONE; RAIN OR SHINE This Vol. #7, July 2016 Whole No. 119 is published by Caliente!

Communications, LLC, 5356 Clayton Rd, Ste. 222, Concord, CA 94521.

SportStars™© 2010-2014 by Caliente! Communications, LLC. All rights reserved. Subscription rates: 16 issues, U.S. 3rd class $35 (allow 3 weeks for delivery). 1st class $55. To receive sample issues, please send $3 per copy for $6 total fo bulk. Back issues are $4 each. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of Publisher is strictly prohibited. The staff and management, including Board of Directors, of SportStars™© does not advocate or encourage the use of any product or service advertised herein for illegal purposes. Editorial contributions, photos and letters to the editor are welcome and should be addressed to the Editor. All material should be typed, double-spaced on disk or email and will be handled with reasonable care. For materials return, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope. SportStars™© and STARS!™© Clinics are registered trademarks of Caliente! Communications, LLC.

Read Me. Recycle Me. 6

SportStars™

July 2016

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

honorable mention

DE LA SALLE-CONCORD - GOLF - 2016 GRAD Building off the momentum he established during a phenomenal postseason for the Spartans this spring, McCarthy recently qualified for the PGA Web.com Tour’s Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonebrae taking place from July 28-31 in Hayward. McCarthy earned the entry by shooting a 4-underpar 67 at the 2016 Junior Tour Ellie Mae Classic Qualifier at TPC Stonebrae on June 26. He was the only qualifier from that day’s event. This is only the most recent standout performance by the Pepperdine-bound golfer. McCarthy closed out his De La Salle career with a 1-under 71 at the North Coast Section Tournament of Champions, a 3-under 69 to finish second at the CIF NorCal Tournament and an even-par 71 for an eighth-place finish at the CIF State Tournament. The Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonebrae carries a $600K purse with $108K going to the winner.

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

Nicole Bates: The Ceres softball standout wrapped up her high school career by being named Cal-Hi Sports’ Ms. Softball. The state player of the year honors came on heels of a season in which the shortstop hit .571 on 60 hits, with 45 runs and 33 RBI for the SJS Div. III-champion Bulldogs.

Lilly Weyrauch: The 13-yearold Junior Level 3 standout for Velocity Cheer in Antioch was named an All-America at the National Cheer Association Camp held at her home club in Antioch from June 24-26.

Weyrauch was a Junior Level 2 national champion in the solo division a year ago.

Got Send your nominations to: Next? Editor@SportStarsOnline.com or tweet us using #SSOTW

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2016

Like us on Facebook

SportStars™

7

TOP 5 PROMISES TO LURE KEVIN DURANT

Andy Martin Jr. via ZUMA Wire

This 4th of July, former NBA MVP and one of the league’s top five players Kevin Durant celebrated his independence -- from coming in second. After a heated recruitment period in which all 30 teams in the Association*, as well as seven teams from Europe*, two teams from South America*, the US Postal cycling team*, and the Russian national track team* courted the versatile Durant, the stretch forward (who disputed claims that he would be a contender to win the Tour de France or the Olympic pole vault -- but we’re not so sure) agreed in principle to a two-year contract with the 73-win Golden State Warriors**, sparking a wave of disappointment, outrage, and hurt-feelings that might have caused Great Britain to leave the European Union***. The following is a list of the Top 5 recruitment pitches to KD from various team executives.

1. Every practice, and twice on game days, you get to sock Blake Griffin right in the nose — L.A. Clippers coach Glen ‘Cool Story, Doc’ Rivers.

2. Unlimited Voodoo Donuts and Stumptown Coffee, and the closest arena to the city to which you were drafted, and from which you were subsequently stolen. Not that the Pacific Northwest is still bitter about that at all**** — Portland Trailblazers coach Terry Stotts.

3. Every practice, and twice on game day, you get to slap Kevin Love right in the face — Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue. 4. Dude. South Beach. — Miami Heat general manager Pat Riley.

5. Dude. We’re gonna win. Like. A lot — Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers. *not really; **really; ***not really again; ****still not really — Bill “Two Outta Three Ain’t Bad” Kolb

8

SportStars™

July 2016

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

#

TRENDING

HASHTAG Having a little fun this issue, and trying something new. In lieu of listing some of our favorite tweets from the last week, we thought we’d post one of our own. We haven’t really gotten into the Twitter poll scene much, but we’re going to have some fun with them more often.

While working on this issue, we tried one out and got a decent response, and perhaps a surprising result. Check it out, and let us know if you agree or disagree: “Working on a July feature of @jakehaener10 has us wondering: Which NCS Div. I star’s team will have a better 2016?”

JAKE HAENER & MONTE VISTA — 61%

What’s hot in the world of stuff that’s hot The reunited Guns ’N Roses is out touring. Axl has showed up every night.

There have been no riots.

Everybody is getting along.

Rock and Roll is truly dead.

NAJEE HARRIS & ANTIOCH — 39% 264 votes over 24 hours.

Hillary Clinton avoided charges. Donald Trump did something stupid on Twitter. Wish I had a joke in here.

Kellog’s is opening a cereal cafe in New York City.

Hope the hipsters that eat there ironically will be able to keep the milk out of their beards.

39% 61%

So winning 73 games, blowing 3-1 lead in the Finals, signing Kevin Durant. No pressure next year, guys.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? JADEN CONWRIGHT It was two years ago this month that we visited Sonoma Raceway to spend a day interviewing 14-year-old Formula Car racing talent Jaden Conwright of Fremont. At the time, Conwright was a Newark Memorial High sophomore turning heads as the youngest driver in the Formula Car Challenge Series for Mazda FormulaSPEED2.0 cars. Conwright’s passion for formula car racing was evident, and his goals were wide in scope. And it was clear to many, he had talent. Two years later, he’s continued his climb and has entered the European scene. In January he signed with Vincenzo Sospiri Racing to compete in the Italian Formula 4 Series. He’s yielded no points in his first three races on the tour, but gets another chance on July 17 when the series comes to Mugallo Circuit — a 15-turn, 5.245 kilometer raceway in Tuscany.

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

Turns out the BFG wasn’t a BFD after all.

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2016

SportStars™

9

College Advice: Who Knows Best?

A lot people are giving me advice about where to go to college. I’d like to play soccer, but I don’t really know how good I am. Some people say I can play Division I, and one of my coaches said I might have a better college experience if I go Division III. But the schools I really want to go to are so good in soccer I probably couldn’t play there. So I’m really confused, and people keep talking to me and confusing me even more. Who should I listen to?

G.G., Berkeley

t’s sort of ironic you’re asking me for advice on which advice to take, but that’s really the crux of the issue, for you and almost everyone heading off to college: You want to make the best decision possible so you talk to as many people as possible, but after a while, it’s easy to fall into the paralysis-from-analysis trap — but then again, maybe the next person you talk to will give you the key to unlocking the best decision.

At some point, though, you have to draw a line in the sand and say to yourself “OK, I have to move from information-gathering to decisionmaking.”

That’s step one. Step two is to evaluate who’s giving you advice and why. Generally, your parents have certain goals for you, and obviously you should listen to them. But, as you assuredly have pointed out to them in the past, you are not them, and their goals aren’t necessarily yours.

Your club soccer coach makes his living from soccer, and the more players he sends on to Pac-12 schools, the better his club looks — and the more likely he is to make more money. So his assurance that you’ll do fine at UCLA is great, and may even be accurate, but there is an advantage for him even if you go to UCLA and quit playing after one year.

I

10

SportStars™

July 2016

He can still say he sent a player to the Pac-12.

Your soccer friends and their families are all wrapped up in the same complications, but there’s also an added level of competition. One girl and her dad are bragging about how she got a ride to Texas Tech, and a boy claims he got into a really good academic school because of the soccer coach.

All of this leads to the moment when you want to decide where to go to school, and at that moment, you are taking another step, a big one, towards adulthood. In the end, the only advice that matters is your own, and you have to filter out, as best you can, all those other voices.

How important is soccer? How important will soccer be two years from now? Four years from now? Twenty years from now? Will you look back if you wind up not playing in college and always wonder “What if …,” or will you feel that your time was better spent on preparing for a business career? Or is the fact that you can only play soccer at this level for a few more years and you’ll be working the rest of your life more important?

One of the reasons we enjoy sports is that there’s always a clear outcome (even a tie), but life is much more ambiguous. You can never really know what the best decision is or was, so you just have to do the best you can at the moment you decide, and then move on.

Of course, that’s just my advice, and maybe my voice is one you should filter out.

Or not. Good luck. ✪ Clay Kallam is an assistant athletic director and girls varsity basketball coach at Bentley High in Lafayette. To submit a question for Behind the Clipboard, email him at clayk@fullcourt.com

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

Potent Pairs NorCal’s Most Dominant Teammate Duos

D

ynamic duos in sports can be a corny phrase, but when they are two players from the same team it can create all sorts of possibilities.

At the high school level, I was reminded of the greatest duo from any one high school team that I’ve ever covered in June when the WNBA announced its top 20 players from its first 20 seasons.

Believe it not, but both Lisa Leslie and Tina Thompson, two of the WNBA’s alltime best, were indeed once on the same team at Morningside High in Inglewood.

It was Morningside’s 1990 team that went 32-3 and won the CIF Division I state title over Berkeley in a game played at the Oakland Coliseum Arena (now Oracle Arena).

Thompson, in fact, once broke Leslie’s record as the all-time career scoring leader in the WNBA and they also were teammates on two U.S. Olympic teams that won gold medals.

What I remember most about those two being on the same team, however, was that Leslie

was the dominant player while Thompson, just a freshman at the time, was simply learning the ropes. After that state final and the press conference, Leslie also collapsed in a hallway at the arena, which concerned everybody because it wasn’t too many weeks after Hank Gathers had collapsed and died while playing at Loyola Marymount. Thank goodness, Lisa was just dehydrated.

Even those two, however, can’t be considered the greatest pair of athletes to ever be teammates at the same time on the same high school team. That label would have to go to the McClymonds-Oakland boys basketball team of 1952, which had one of the greatest baseball players of all-time, Frank Robinson, and one of the greatest basketball players of all-time, Bill Russell. At the time, Robinson actually was better than Russell in basketball because it wasn’t until Russell got to USF that he began to dominate.

With those dynamic duos in mind, here would be my top five from Northern California history:

1. Bill Russell & Frank Robinson (McClymonds-Oakland basketball)

4. Helen Wills & Helen Jacobs (Anna Head School-Berkeley tennis)

Robinson went on to a baseball career, of course, and is the only player ever to win MVP awards in both the American and National League. He’s also still in the top 10 all-time for career homers and was the first African American to be a manager. Russell is one of the most iconic figures in U.S. sports history due to winning 11 NBA titles in 13 years. We could have listed Robinson with two other McClymonds baseball teammates on this list — Vada Pinson and Curt Flood — but only went with the one listing from the one school.

We’re really reaching back into the 1920s and 1930s for these two, but why not? The two Helens were two years apart, grew up in the same neighborhood and had the same coach. Wills went on to win at Wimbledon eight times. One of the years she didn’t win at Wimbledon, in 1936, Jacobs won. Jacobs also won the U.S. Open title four times. Wills won the U.S. Open seven times. They weren’t sisters like Venus and Serena Williams, but they might as well have been. In 1979, the Anna Head School for girls was merged with Royce School and became Head-Royce of Oakland.

2. Mark & Dave Schultz (Palo Alto wrestling) Both Schultz brothers were Olympic gold medal winners and are legendary figures in the sport of wrestling. Dave Schultz was murdered in January of 1996 near his home in Pennsylvania.

3. Debbie Meyer & Sue Pederson (Rio Americano-Sac. swimming) Technically, they weren’t on the same high school team because in 1968 there wasn’t girls sports. But at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, the Rio Americano classmates both won gold medals — Meyer won three and Pederson won two — and they’re both in the International Swimming & Diving Hall of Fame.

12

SportStars™

July 2016

5. Joe Morgan & Rudy May (Castlemont-Oakland baseball) We tried to get a football combo in the top five, but it was too hard to beat these two. Morgan, a member of the MLB Hall of Fame for his years with the Cincinnati Reds and regarded as one of the greatest second baseman of all-time, played on the same prep team at Castlemont as May, who had an 18-year MLB pitching career and led the American League in ERA in 1980. ✪ Mark Tennis is the co-founder of Cal-Hi Sports, and publisher of CalHiSports.com. Contact him at markjtennis@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter, @CalHiSports.

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

BASEBALL CALIFORNIA TOP 10

SOFTBALL CALIFORNIA TOP 10

Sheldon’s Jaciana Vasquez

All records are final 1. (1)

—

All records are final

Buchanan-Clovis 30-1

The Bears also were the final consensus No. 1 team in the nation.

2. (3)

▲

De La Salle-Concord

25-3

The Spartans dominated in the CIF North Coast Section Division I playoffs and also notched wins over CCS champ St. Francis plus Sac-Joaquin champ Elk Grove.

3. (5)

▲

Redondo Union-Redondo Beach

29-2

The L.A. Times also agreed in its final rankings and placed the CIF Southern Section Div. III champs at No. 1 in SoCal. 4. (16)

▲

Murrieta Mesa-Murrieta 27-7

This was the surprising CIF Southern Section Div. I champion.

Head coach Bryn Wade is building a powerhouse.

5. (8)

▲

St. Francis-Mountain View 24-8

The Lancers won their second straight CCS Open Div. crown and moved up when others lost.

6. (5)

▼

Harvard-Westlake-North Hollywood 25-9

The Wolverines secured this lofty finish in the rankings thanks to knocking off previous No. 2 JSerra in the CIFSS Div. I semifinals before losing in extra-innings to Murrieta Mesa in the finals.

7. (2)

▼

JSerra-San Juan Capistrano 27-7

Watch out for the Lions again next year behind State Junior of the Year Royce Lewis.

8. (9)

▲

El Camino Real-Woodland Hills 28-7

The two-time L.A. City Section champs have to be behind CIFSS Div. I finalist Harvard-Westlake due to a head-to-head loss.

9. (14)

▲

Serra-San Mateo

25-6-1

Season ended in a one-run loss to No. 5 St. Francis — a team it went 2-2 against during the season.

10. (4)

▼

Clovis North-Fresno 24-7-1

We had to give the Broncos some credit for being able to beat No. 1 Buchanan once in four tries.

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

1. (5) ▲ Mission Viejo 27-4 With the previous top three teams all losing in the CIF Southern Section playoffs, the Diablos jumped to the top after winning the CIFSS Div. II title.

2. (7) ▲ Mater Dei-Santa Ana 27-7 An 8-2 win over previous No. 1 Orange Lutheran in the CIFSS Div. I final capped a magical ride for the Monarchs.

3. (4) ▲ Grand Terrace 28-1 Previous No. 1 Orange Lutheran could have been here, but Grand Terrace deserved to rise at least one spot for the season it had. We didn’t agree with MaxPreps’ final rankings that listed Grand Terrace No. 2 in the nation.

4. (1) ▼ Lutheran-Orange 30-4 The Lancers ended up going 2-2 in games this season against league rival Mater Dei. They also had a win over Mission Viejo.

5. (2) ▼ Los Alamitos 26-3 A loss to Orange Lutheran in the CIFSS Div. I semifinals — when the two teams were the No. 1 and No. 2 in the state — ended the season for the Griffins.

6. (8) ▲ Etiwanda 29-3 The Eagles lost in the second-round of the CIFSS Div. I playoffs, but the team they lost to (Mater Dei) ended up winning it all.

7. (12) ▲ Valley View-Moreno Valley 25-2 This team knocked off previous No. 3 La Habra in the CIFSS Div II semifinals before losing to Mission Viejo in the final.

8. (3) ▼ La Habra 29-2 Realistically, the Highlanders could have landed anywhere from fourth to eighth in the final rankings. These teams were that close.

9. (10) ▲ Sheldon-Sacramento 30-2 The Huskies ended up as the No. 1 team in Northern California due to previous No. 9 Amador Valley-Pleasanton losing in the NCS semifinals.

10. (6) ▼ Norco 26-6 Last year’s CIFSS Div. I champs went out in the semis this year after losing to Mater Dei.

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2016

SportStars™

13

W

hat can you build with a 40-ton pileof-rock and a quarter-mile walkway through the desert? Answer: A wicked Radio-Controlled Rock Crawler Adventure Trail.

In the spring of 2016, Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) proudly unveiled its new RC rock crawler trail. This new park feature provides RC enthusiasts countless obstacles to maneuver while traveling along a trail that is engineered to test their skills while practicing the Tread Lightly principles of trail etiquette and responsible recreation practices.

While traversing the trail, operators encounter numerous obstacles including bridges, tunnels, canyons, the mountain of doom, a teeter-totter, and of course, plenty of rocks to challenge their patience and route planning. The new RC trail has something for everyone — easier routes for those still wet behind the ears, moderate routes for those with a little more confidence, and difficult to extreme routes for those highly skilled trail bosses.

As gnarly as the obstacles are along the trail, the RC vehicles found maneuvering them are just as legit as those found in the park’s “fullsized” 4x4 vehicle obstacle course. Today’s RC vehicles have evolved to be more authentic and functional than the first off-road RC vehicles that appeared in the late 1970s.

In fact, crawlers today are built with fully functional off-road suspension systems, rebuildable and exchangeable engines, operating LED lighting and winches, a wide selection of tires to choose from, as well as upgraded grille and body kits to aggrandize your ride. The wide-range of gearing options and add-on accessories allow today’s crawlers to not only conquer a wide-variety of terrain, but look awesome.

So, grab your rock crawler and head out to Ocotillo Wells SVRA to test your crawlin‘ skills along its new one-of-a-kind RC trail. See you there! ✪ — Copy and photo provided by Ocotillo Wells SVRA staff, California State Parks 14

SportStars™

July 2016

OCOTILLO WELLS STATE VEHICULAR RECREATION AREA 5172 Highway 78 Borrego Springs, CA 92004

www.ohv.parks.ca.gov/ocotillowells Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

VOLLEYBALL NOTES

NATIONAL TREASURE Several Northern California Girls Volleyball Clubs Shine On Multiple National Stages

T

he girls volleyball competitive club season ended with multiple national championship events in 2015-2016.

At the USA Volleyball Junior Nationals from June 28-July 3, as many as four Northern California teams returned after Top-5 efforts. The Five Starz 15-1 Black squad (pictured below) out of Davis returned with the runner-up trophy from the 15 American Division. Five Starz 15-1 Black went 8-3 during their time in Indianapolis. They won their quarterfinal and semifinal matches in straight sets before falling 25-11, 25-20 to Revolution 15-1 National of Woodlands, Texas. That Revolution team went 11-0 and won 22 of its 24 sets.

Other clubs to shine in Indianapolis included Red Rock 14-1 (Redwood City), SF JRs. RoShamBo 14-1 (San Francisco), Encore Navy 16-1 (Redwood City) and Mountain View Volleyball Club (MVVC) 18 Red. Red Rock went 7-2 on the weekend to grab a tie for fifth place in the 14 National Division. SJ JRs 14-1 grabbed a fifth-place finish in the 14 USA Division.

Encore tied for a third-place finish in the 16 USA Divsion, and MVVC 18 Red went a blistering 8-1 en route to a fifth-place finish. MVVC was bounced from bracket play 25-21, 21-25, 15-12 by eventual runner-up Rockwood Thunder 18-Navy (St. Louis).

The Diablo Valley Volleyball Club 18-1 Black — which SportStars featured in its Digital Weekly as part of a Junior Nationals preview — wound up placing tied for 21st in the 18 American Division. DVVC went 4-5 during the weekend.

While many clubs were preparing to go to Indianapolis, Xceleration VB Club’s 18-Blue (Pleasant Hill) was already competing at a national event. The Xceleration team coached by Andy Schroeder and led by the Liberty-Brentwood duo of outside hitter Taylor Dixon and setter Kaitlynn Zdroik, were competing at the AAU National Championships in Orlando. The team — which also featured Monte Vista-Danville standout Ava Patterson, Head-Royce-Oakland’s Natasha Skov and St. Joseph Notre Dame-Alameda standout Emma Doud — finished 19th overall.

Xceleration began the tournament 6-2, but narrowly missed winning the crossover match that would’ve propelled the team into the championship bracket. The team was defeated by Northern Lights (Minnesota) in a three-set thriller. Northern Lights took the decisive set 15-12.

Dixon is headed to CSU San Marcos on scholarship; Zdroik chose San Jose State; Patterson will attend Bryant and Doud is set to go to Loyola Marymount. ✪ — SportStars Staff Taylor Dixon

16

SportStars™

July 2016

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

PONY EXPR 18

SportStarsâ„¢

July 2016

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

Y RESS I

Jake Haener Is Ready To Deliver In His Last Season As Monte Vista Quarterback

t’s 1:15 on a late June afternoon and the near-100 degree heat is radiating off of the Mustangs Stadium turf on the Monte Vista High campus in Danville.

As many as 45 members of the 2016 varsity football team have gathered for a short practice prior to heading to the weight room for an afternoon lift. Later in the evening, many will head to Dougherty Valley High for some 7-on-7 competition.

The players have finished stretching and senior quarterback Jake Haener breaks away with the rest of the skill players to get some throws in. The line of pass-catchers is about 15 players deep, and after about one and a half times through the line, Haener slows his pace some. Mustangs all-league linebacker Nate Landman takes the opportunity to spell his quarterback and starts throwing to some guys.

Says one receiver, “What are you throwing for, Nate?”

Landman replies, “I don’t want Jake to kill himself because we have 100 receivers on this team. Plus, nobody else has a gun like this.” And he wings another — truth be told, a decent

— spiral at a teammate running a crossing pattern 15 yards downfield.

Haener laughs and returns to action, making precision throws on a variety of routes — silently showing that touch is equally important to having the gun. As the warm-up concludes and the team shifts into some 7-on-7 work, Haener showcases sharp throw after sharp throw as he works with guys toward developing the offensive timing that makes the Mustangs spread offense so dangerous.

This is where Haener has pined to be since he was 9-years old. That’s when he first put on pads for the San Ramon Valley Thunderbirds, and after practices on the lower fields of the Monte Vista campus, would walk up to the stadium to watch the ends of the varsity practices. He was told by the late T-Bird coaches Leo Hartford and Todd French that he was going to be a quarterback, and he latched on and didn’t let go.

“When I was 9 and 10 I’d come to games here and watch Brett Nottingham play,” Haener said of the Mustangs 2010 graduate who threw for 45 touchdowns and nearly 4,000 yards

Story by Chace Bryson | Photos by Phillip Walton Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2016

SportStars™

19

“I’ve always had that chip on my shoulder.

That’s just something that keeps me going.” his senior year before going on to play at both Stanford and Columbia. “I always wanted to be that ‘next’ Monte Vista quarterback. I don’t think it’s really hit me yet that I’ve become the next one now.”

Now about to begin his third year as the starting quarterback, with a talented nucleus around him, Haener is more than set up to put up the same kinds of numbers Nottingham did when he was the East Bay’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2009. In fact, he flirted with such stats as a junior. After throwing 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as a sophomore in 2014, Haener took a large jump in 2015 as he threw for 3,005 yards and 35 TDs. More impressive, he completed 65 percent of his throws and threw just six interceptions in 321 pass attempts.

“He’s always been a mature kid, but his approach on the field has become much more professional,” Monte Vista coach Craig Bergman said of Haener’s growth over the past two seasons. “The older he’s got, the more he’s studied. The kid loves football. He can’t watch enough film and he can’t throw enough balls. We have to sometimes tone it down a bit for him and make sure he doesn’t out-do himself.”

Haener’s drive is fueled by what some presume to be his one shortcoming — his height. Just six-feet tall, Haener has been hearing he’s too short for the position for as long as he’s played it.

20

SportStars™

July 2016

— Jake Haener

“I’ve always had that chip on my shoulder,” Haener said. “That’s just something that keeps me going.”

Haener kept on going after his junior season. His summer included qualifying for the finals of the national Elite 11 Quarterback Camp. And on Father’s Day, he orally committed to a scholarship offer from the University of Washington. In addition to being the alma mater to both his mom and grandfather, Haener was undoubtedly drawn to the Huskies because of coach Chris Peterson — an offensive-minded coach who gained notoriety when he built Boise State into a powerhouse by recruiting talented players who many believed were (wait for it) too small.

“The coaches that do a great job of recruiting, they look at a football player,” Bergman said. “They don’t look at the numbers. They look at can that kid make plays. Chris Peterson has been doing it for a long time, and at Boise State he made a living off of kids who were told they were too slow, not big enough and not tall enough. … He saw the same things in Jake.

“He doesn’t care how tall Jake is. He knows Jake can throw the football. He knows Jake is a competitor. He knows Jake is a leader. And I think their gain will be everybody else’s loss.”

In the meantime, Bergman and Monte Vista are looking forward to one last season with Haener behind center.

There’s plenty of optimism surrounding a team which has

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

a good amount of experience returning. The team will need to replace its top receivers from 2015, Noah Sol and Traehone Banda, who both graduated after combining to catch 28 touchdowns. However, having Erik Krommenhoek, a USCcommitted, third-year tight end is a good start.

“It’s been a little bit of transition,” Krommenhoek said.

“We’re really starting to come together and I think we’re going to be a pretty good team. There’s a lot of guys coming back and some good guys coming up from JV.” And if there’s one thing the tight end knows he doesn‘t have to worry about, it’s his quarterback.

“He’s confident. He knows the play. He makes sure everyone knows what they’re doing,” Krommenhoek said of Haener. “If somebody doesn’t know something, he makes sure they know. … We’ve played together a long time and were on the T-Birds

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

together. I know we can trust him.”

Haener is now officially the next quarterback in a long line of noteworthy Mustangs graduates that includes Kyle Wright, Drew McAllister, Nottingham and Jeff Lockie. Wright was the last to lead Monte Vista to a North Coast Section title, a 3A East Bay title before the NCS realigned its postseason and before the school’s enrollment eventually placed it in the same division as De La Salle.

With a new Open Division debuting in the NCS playoffs this season, new postseason opportunities may exists for the Mustangs. Haener will first focus on getting the Mustangs back to the top of the East Bay Athletic League.

“I’ve waited for this,” he said. “I wanted to make a college decision early so I could put all my focus on the team for my final year. I’m ready to tear it up.” ✪

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2016

SportStars™

21

Summer Sanders Swim Meet Completes Its 19th Year With Great Success The Roseville Aquatics Complex was literally swimming with hundreds of Olympic hopefuls from June 9-12 due to the Summer Sanders Long Course JR+Swim Meet.

This year the incredible four-day swimming event was dubbed, “The Last Chance U.S. Olympic Trials” because of it being an Olympic year and it was many swimmers’ final opportunity to achieve a qualifying time for the official trials which took place in Omaha, Neb., from June 26 to July 3.

For the 19th year in a row, California Capital Aquatics (CCA), Roseville’s year-round premier USA Swimming Olympic development swim team, hosted this exciting event which showcased talented swimmers from 57 different teams throughout the West Coast. CCA Board Advisor and Executive Director for Sierra Nevada Swimming, Denna Culpepper conveyed that this year proved to be a tremendous success on multiple levels.

“We had more than 800 swimmers each day and several records were broken,” Culpepper said. “I know we had 15

Junction City Silver Cup Nears Roseville Youth Soccer Club is ready to kick-off the competitive tournament season with the Junction City Silver Cup that will take place July 16-17 at numerous fields throughout Roseville. Now in its 17th year, this tournament showcases competitive boys and girls teams from Northern California and beyond. “This year we will hold our largest and hopefully most successful tournament on record,” Roseville Youth Soccer Club’s President, John Sommercamp said. “We plan to have 180 teams competing from ages 8 to 18.”

Every team is guaranteed at least three games and the competition is expected to be fierce. Both California Youth Soccer Association teams as well as U.S. Club teams will participate, and many age divisions have two brackets to accommodate the most competitive level of play. “RYSC has invested a great deal of energy to ensure this is a great event for the players, coaches and families,” Sommercamp said. “We are excited to be welcoming both our own club teams as well as teams traveling from out of state.”

Nine parks in Roseville will be utilized for this two-day tournament including Maidu, Kaseberg, Veteran’s Memorial and Wanish Park. There is no fee for parking or spectators; however there will be vendors at several of the parks with snacks and refreshments for purchase. Go to rosevillesoccer.com for more information, or to sign up to receive text messages on your phone with the final scores on your favorite teams. ✪ All copy and photos provided by Placer Valley Tourism

22

SportStars™

July 2016

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

Olympic Trials cuts total from nine swimmers as some made more than one cut. You could just feel the excitement in the air.”

Besides the Olympic magic that was unfolding, another highlight of the meet was that former Olympic swimmer and Roseville native, Summer Sanders, made an appearance. Not only did she lend encouragement to the swimmers, but she was also there to support the John Wayne Cancer Foundation in their “Block the Blaze” campaign that is designed to educate the public about skin cancer prevention. The foundation had a poolside booth throughout the meet.

“Since joining the CCA family four years ago and being involved in this event, I can say that at each and every one Summer Sanders has taken the time out of her busy schedule to drop by during one day of the meet to sign autographs, take pictures and talk to and encourage the swimmers,” CCA Meet Director Alex Oncago said. “It makes me feel proud to be part of this team and part of this wonderful sport; it is an honor to have one of Roseville‘s beloved come back and show support for her sport and her hometown.” ✪

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2016

SportStars™

23

Akayla Jackson

24

SportStarsâ„¢

July 2016

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

T

Erin Pondexter-McHan

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

wo teams, both from the Bay Area. They both shoot more 3s than anyone. They both win championships — well, one of them has won only one while the other has won six.

Which is one reason Pinewood’s Doc Scheppler has this to say: “We don’t play like the Warriors — the Warriors play like us.

We’ve been playing like this for 20 years.”

And though ������������������������������������������������������������������ “����������������������������������������������������������������� playing like this” didn’t win the Los Altos Hills school its seventh CIF State Championship this past winter, it did propel the 3-point shooting Panthers to the biggest upset of the season — and maybe several seasons — when they knocked off unbeaten and national-No. 1 St. Mary’s-Stockton 7269 in the NorCal Open Division semifinals last March. Pinewood hit 16 of 32 shots from behind the arc in that game, and overcame a 10-point third-quarter deficit. But as Scheppler and his players are quick to point out, Pinewood is much more than just a 3-point shooting machine.

“We want to dominate on all levels,” says senior Erin Pondexter-McHan, “not just shooting.”

And despite being undersized — both in height and school population (about 220) — the Panthers do just that.

“Everyone on our team can handle the ball,” says senior Mikaela Topper. “At all times, we have five players on the court who can handle the ball.”

Kelly Sopak, the coach of a notorious pressing team at Miramonte-Orinda, echoes that assessment. “We learned that we just can’t press Pinewood like we can other teams,” he says. “They excel in the open floor and the press seems to make their spacing even better. And there’s nothing a shooting team likes more than space and skip passes.“ Of course, Miramonte is another reason that Pinewood is like the Warriors — er, the Warriors are like Pinewood. After Golden State pulled off the miracle 3-1 comeback against Oklahoma City, they stumbled against the next opponent, and the same happened to Pinewood. After stunning St. Mary’s, there just

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2016

SportStars™

25

“We don’t just shoot a lot of 3s, we shoot a lot of wide-open 3s.”

— Pinewood’s Doc Scheppler

wasn’t enough in the tank for the team to win its ninth NorCal title; Miramonte ended their season with a 73-40 thumping.

Note, however, that both of those games were in the Open Div., not where Pinewood would be if enrollment was the only criterion. The Panthers instead would have been in Div. V, and there’s no doubt they would have been heavy favorites to not only win the NorCal championship, but the state title as well.

Even so, look for Pinewood to be back in the Open next year — and Pondexter-McHan, for one, can’t wait. Only Chloe Eackles graduated from last year’s team, which generates this kind of optimism: “My personal goal is to get back to the state championship in the Open.”

And though Pinewood is much more than just a 3-point bomb squad, there’s no doubt that the long-range salvos are a big part of the team’s arsenal.

“This is the way a team that doesn’t have a lot of talent can compete against more talented teams,” says Scheppler – but he’s also quick to point out a key difference between just launching from beyond the arc and Pinewood’s offense.

“We don’t just shoot a lot of 3s,” he says, “we shoot a lot of wide-open 3s.”

And they make a lot, in great part due to Scheppler’s coaching. “�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� All I did as a kid in my free hours was shoot in the driveway,” he says. Scheppler not only coaches Pinewood, he works extensively with individuals — most notably Jeremy Lin, now of the Brooklyn Nets. Lin graduated from Palo Alto and went to Harvard, but was struggling to find a place in the NBA when he started working with Scheppler. A revamped shot led to more confidence, and Lin burst onto the scene with the New York Knicks before also playing with Houston, the Los Angeles Lakers and Charlotte.

Scheppler works the same magic with his own players, but he’s not one to sugarcoat the situation. “He basically told me my shot was hideous,” says Topper.

“He completely changed it.”

“Doc completely fixed my shot,” says senior Akayla Hackson. “It was awful before.”

“When I came to Pinewood,” says Pondexter-McHan, “I wasn’t a shooter but it took one one-hour lesson to get the basics.”

Of course, the instruction never ends.

26

SportStars™

July 2016

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

“Every day in practice, he tweaks things,” says Topper – but that tweaking goes beyond shot mechanics.

“I’ve learned how to get better,” Scheppler says of his own coaching. “I want to be great, but if I want to be great, I have to get better.”

One adjustment he’s made over the years came when he realized opponents were just running Pinewood off the 3-point line and making his smaller players go to the basket.

“One thing I learned to do is to work really hard on finishes at the rim,” he says. ����������������������������������������� “We�������������������������������������� ’ve mastered the floater,” in part because he’s spent a lot of time learning how to teach it.

And as Sopak noted, the Panthers handle pressure as well as anyone, and that too is something Scheppler has focused on.

“It’s about teaching kids to make basketball plays,” says Scheppler, “rather than teaching kids to run basketball plays.”

Still, though, Pinewood’s system is based on the ability to generate wide-open 3s, and then knock them down.

“We don’t step into the shot,” says Scheppler, “we hop. We catch the ball in the air, then hop. All we have to do is hop and release the ball within 0.5 seconds.”

Of course it’s a lot more complicated than that. All shooting starts with footwork, and that was the tweak for PondexterMcHan. “With some people, he wants to fix their arc and how they flick their wrist,” she says, “but I was very bad with my feet.

“At first, I thought it was awkward, but by next practice, I was so much quicker.”

“We all want to have the perfect shot,” says Hackson, but at the same time Scheppler and his players realize that shooting is like the weather – it comes and goes. “�������������������������������������������������������� You can’t be a really good team with just shooters,” ad-

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

mitted Pondexter-McHan, and like the team across the Bay, they’ve learned the hard way that you can’t rely on making 16 threes every time out. “We have to focus on the little things our team needs to do to win.”

Scheppler does just that in practice, working his players on handling traps, looking for offensive rebounds and understanding the game. The past results speak for themselves, but today’s Pinewood players want to create their own legacy.

“We’re only losing one player,” says Hackson, “and a lot of other teams lose more. We’re a year better and we’re maturing.”

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

But Pinewood does have a big challenge not that far down the road, as Archbishop Mitty-San Jose brings back a lot of talent as well — but a hot night from beyond the arc can be the great equalizer, as St. Mary’s learned last year.

“I don’t mind having that reputation,” says Topper, “but we’re definitely more than that.”

“We’re all looking forward to this year so much,” she adds. “�������������������������������������������������������������� The possibilities are endless, and there’s a lot of determination.”

And of course, there will be a lot of 3s as well. ✪

July 2016

SportStars™

27

Here Come Best In American River College Is Site of Little League Senior Western Regional; SportStars Part Of The Fun

W

hen it comes to Little League Senior Baseball, the West will be won in Sacramento this July.

Beaver Field at American River College will be the host site for the Little League Senior Western Regional All-Star Tournament from July 19-27. Nine teams from seven states will slug it out for the opportunity to fly to Bangor, Maine, and compete in the Little League Seniors World Series from July 31-Aug. 6.

Senior League is played by boys and girls ages 13-16 on regulation diamonds featuring 90-feet base paths and a pitching

28

SportStars™

July 2016

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

The West

distance of 60-feet, 6-inches from home plate. For many Little Leaguers, it’s the next step up after the relatively new Intermediate Division that features 70-foot base paths, a 50-foot pitching distance and has it’s World Series hosted in Northern California (Livermore, to be exact).

Among the states expected to be represented at Beaver Field this July are Arizona, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and three teams from California. Northern California and Southern California will each have a representative in addition to a host team belonging to California District 5 — the host district for the event.

In fact, the host team is already known after the Citrus Heights Little League Senior Rebels punched their ticket by claiming the District 5 Championship in late June.

The Rebels roster is comprised of players from the following high schools: Del Campo-Fair Oaks, Mesa Verde-Citrus Heights, Casa Roble-Orangevale, Delta-Clarksburg, El CaminoSacramento, Foothill-Sacramento and Oakmont-Roseville. The team includes Jake Adkins, Nick Barnett, Steve Bowman, Tim Butler, Chayton Clarke, Jason Coasta, Michael Farley, Mark Geise, Jordan Jenkins, Thomas Moorehead, Max Mrizek, Colin Quisenberry and Robbie Wells.

As if having an elite Little League tournament — which is free to attend, by the way — taking place at a top-notch NorCal setting like Beaver Field wasn’t enough, SportStars is adding more to look forward to surrounding the event. On Saturday, July 23, SportStars is hosting it’s SportsJam event on ARC campus location adjacent to the baseball stadium.

The SportsJam will feature interactive opportunities in a variety of sports. The list of exhibits include a lacrosse skill station, baseball/softball challenge, rugby skills station, football and baseball combine, volleyball speed & agility, fitness/obstacle course, golf challenge and an allsports challenge. Each station and exhibit is open to aspiring athletes of all ages.

Among the partners helping to make the event happen are Sacramento Lacrosse, Fair Oaks Lacrosse, Baseball Mentoring Program, Rugby NorCal, National Scouting Report, Olympus Sports Coliseum, Cal Family Fitness, The First Tee of Greater Sacramento and the National Academy of Athletics. ✪ Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2016

SportStars™

29

Redding Soccer Park Plans For A Busy Late Summer And Fall

O

nce the Northern California weather finally dips back into double digits, Redding Soccer Park will be the place to be this fall.

Competitive and recreational programs from throughout the western region, most specifically NorCal, Oregon and Nevada, will be sending teams to Redding for a pair of noteworthy tournaments on the Redding Soccer Park schedule.

The first one on the schedule is the Wonderland Tournament taking place on Sept. 24-25. The Wonderland Tournament is for competitive boys and girls programs in divisions U10-U12, and recreation programs from division U10-U19. There will be five teams per division with each team playing at least four matches.

One month later, Redding Soccer Park plays host to the SMASH Cup — a tournament geared toward raising breast health awareness and furthering the “Think Pink” movement of the Redding Community. The tournament features divisions for competitive U12-U19 teams and donates its proceeds to selected breast cancer charities, including NorCal Think Pink and The Love and Light Foundation.

Information on both of these tournaments, including how clubs can register their team, can be found Redding-

30

SportStars™

July 2016

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

SoccerPark.com/Tournaments.

The Redding Soccer Park is a jewel in the crown of sports attractions in Redding. The one-of-a-kind, “state-of-the-sport” 22-acre soccer facility boasts four all-weather synthetic turf NCAA regulation-sized lighted fields. The park is fully landscaped and features a half mile of concrete walkways, covered areas, misters and spectator seating, full concessions, clean restrooms and children play areas.

And if that’s not convincing enough, teams will be playing their tournament at a vacation destination. With mountains all around, miles of hiking and biking trails, a river running through it, and national parks nearby, Redding is an outdoor paradise for young and old alike. Cradled by Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen, Redding has 300-plus sunny

days per year. It‘s a great place to escape the chill of spring and the gray days of winter, too!

Want a list of possibilities? Time magazine called Redding the Unofficial Capital of Kayaking for its “weird obsession““ with all things paddling. With temperate weather, nearby lakes, and that river in the middle of town, it would be “weird” to not get out and enjoy it all! Let the good times flow with a visit to Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, a great place to kayak, sail, or just float on your back. So bring your team to Redding and enjoy the outdoors. ✪ — All copy and photos provided by Redding Soccer Park

Caldwell Park Triathalon

Get active with the Caldwell Park Triathlon!

All participants receive a T-shirt and a gift bag, medals to the top three finishers in each division (ages 5-8, 9-12, 13-16 and 17-and-older). Separate divisions for boys & girls. August 13 at Redding Aquatic Center, 9 a.m. www.visitredding.com/ eventdetail/1628/caldwell-park-triathlon

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

Redding Soccer Park HUNTER TROY CLEGG MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT: Sept. 24-25, Competitive U10, U11, U12 and Recreation U10-U19 soccer tournament. Five teams max per division, guarantee of four games. $425 per team. www.

ReddingSoccerPark.com CHALLENGER SOCCER CAMP: July 25-29. Soccer camps for all ages. www.ReddingSoccerPark.com CHALLENGER SPORTS TETRA BRAZIL CAMP: July 11-15. www.ReddingSoccerPark.com

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2016

SportStars™

31

get mental: erika carlson

You Can Make Impression On College Coaches Without Filling Stat Sheets In today’s ultra-competitive, youth sport landscape, I.D. camps have become a big piece of the puzzle for those who seek to play at the collegiate level.

Many athletes are initially uncertain about how to perform in these camps: Do I focus on showing off my skills? What if the other players in the camp won’t pass me the ball?

Should I pass or try and score? How do I stand out?

Over the last three years, I’ve spent many evenings sitting with college soccer coaches on recruiting educational panels, (check out iSoccerPath. com for info).

We help families understand the recruiting process, and they are brought up to speed on Div. I, Div. II, Div. III, NAIA and even community college playing opportunities.

I always enjoy listening to coaches insights on players and it’s tremendously helpful for me to get a better understanding of what they are looking for in recruits. And, while the focus on these panels is soccer, the tips apply to all team sports. Ironically, I rarely hear coaches talk about talent. There are so many talented players out there today, coaches are looking for several other characteristics in their final list of recruits.

Pay attention, many of these may surprise you. ›› How team-oriented are you? — Sometimes it’s easy to get wrapped up in trying to show a coach everything you know. You’re being recruited to play as a member of a team; coaches want to see that you prioritize that. ›› How do you handle mistakes? — Mistakes happen. Coaches are VERY interested in how you handle them. Can you let go of mistakes and get back to work quickly? If so, this is a sign that you are mentally ready to move on to the next level. ›› How well do you communicate with teammates? — Good communication is an indicator that your focus is strong and you are likely to be a positive contributor to the team. ›› How adaptable are you to this new situation? — Coaches like adaptability. It’s a sign of maturity and a sign that you are ready for the big transition into college life. ›› Are you likeable? — If a coach is considering spending nearly everyday of the next four years with you, a good sense of humor, maturity and likability go a long way on the coach’s consideration list.

Think about some of these general themes as you get ready for camps. And good luck out there. ✪ Erika Carlson is a CEO and certified mental trainer at Mental Training, Inc. in Pleasanton.

32

SportStars™

July 2016

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

34

SportStars™

July 2016

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

Fueling For Success nutrition: jill daniels Beat Fatigue By Developing A Mid-Practice Diet Many athletes tell me how they start their practice feeling great, but halfway through they feel tired and slow and like their legs are filled with lead. As hard as they work, they just aren’t able to push through this fatigue.

The fatigue is probably due to low carbohydrate stores which can affect performance. When we exercise, the body uses a fuel mix of carbohydrate and fat. Even the leanest person has plenty of fat on them to exercise for hours and hours and hours. However, the body carries limited stores of carbohydrates, so the goal is to maximize these carbohydrate (aka glycogen) stores.

Athletes who are working out for 90 minutes or longer, or for 60 minutes at an intense level, will benefit from fueling during their workout. Carbohydrate stores get depleted quickly, so the goal for taking in fuel during a workout is to extend the fuel resources and be able to maintain speed, endurance and agility.

Start taking in fuel within the first 30 minutes of exercise — don’t wait until you’re feeling tired or slow or hungry. Continue every 15-20 minutes after that. Take in 120-240 calories every hour from carbohydrates, which equals about 30-60 calories every 15 minutes. Here are some ideas of fuel you could use: 8 ounces of Gatorade (50 calories), ¼ Power Bar (45 calories), ½ banana (60 calories).

If you aren’t used to taking in calories during a workout, start at the lower end of the range and build up over a few weeks. Make sure to try out these guidelines during practices before you try them during a competition.

That way you can prevent an upset stomach during a big race or game. Summer workouts are a great time to experiment with fueling during your training.

Fueling during your workout will help energize your muscles and mind, allowing you to finish each workout strong and focused. The harder you are able to train, the better you’ll be able to perform during your season.

Have a great summer, and remember to have fun! ✪ Maximize your performance by seeking out personalized advice from Nutrition Coach Jill Daniels, MS, RD, CSSD, Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. www.JillDanielsRD.com

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2016

SportStars™

35

powered by trucks: anthony trucks

Defending The Bench I’ve recently heard talk that the bench press may be a bad exercise for the upper body joints. It was odd because I hadn’t really heard this in the past, but the more I ask around I found that people are actually avoiding the bench press a little more because of the negative effects they, or someone they know, has experienced.

The common negative points I hear are that it stretches the shoulder joint, adds uncommon stress to the acromioclavicular (AC) joint — where your clavicle meets your shoulder — and that it leaves people feeling achy pains in the elbows and shoulders overall.

So here’s my two cents on avoiding these things, so you can do what I think is one of the most cornerstone exercises without hurting yourself. ›› Warm up and stretch your shoulders and chest EVERY time you plan on getting under the bar.

Almost every person I talked with did zero prep before they lifted, or even after. Would you start a cold engine and put the pedal to the floor? No, so don’t do it to your body. ›› Slowly climb up in weights as you progress into your lift. This helps your body and nervous system slowly adapt and recruit more motor neurons to adequately lift the weight. ›› Use a full range of motion so that you don’t hurt yourself in the future by accidentally going too far in the range. ›› Don’t flare your elbows because it puts too much stress on the shoulder at the wrong angle.

That’s it. Apply this information and you should be good when it comes to safely bench pressing. ✪ Anthony Trucks is an IYCA-certified trainer who covers weight training for SportStars.

36

SportStars™

July 2016

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

Don’t Let Overhead Be Overkill overhead injuries: benjamin busfield As the Little League regional and international tournaments hit full swing, and several other young weekend-warrior baseball players hop from tournament to tournament, it’s a good time to think about overhead injury prevention.

Overhead injuries can occur in almost any sport or activity that features repetitive overhead use. The primary overhead athletes we think of are baseball and softball’s pitchers, catchers and shortstops, but football quarterbacks, tennis players and swimmers are all equally at risk.

In terms of baseball, many point to strict pitch counts as proactive prevention, but those counts are often only adhered to in games. And that’s only protecting pitchers. Catchers keep throwing overhand back to the mound even after a pitcher leaves the game due to pitch count.

The type of injuries that can develop from overuse include ligament strains, bone structure/growth plate injuries and tendon injuries such as tendinitis or labral tears. Furthermore, range of motion injuries can compound the problem if the athlete attempts to throw or swing through initial pain.

My first advice to my young patients is don’t play year-round.

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

That’s a hard thing to tell an athlete and convince them to oblige. But my biggest argument is that very few athletes at high levels play year-round. Collegiate athletes have rest periods, and professional athletes, too. When the season ends, it ends. And they stop playing. They continue to cross-train and work on fragments of their skill sets, but they aren’t playing full-tilt competition.

If and when overhead athletes are in season, they need to pay attention to their shoulder. It’s common to experience muscular pain the day after throwing, but if it becomes prolonged pain that occurs while at rest, that ought to be a red flag.

If one is able to afford a positional or private coach who can help keep an eye on mechanics and overuse, that’s highly advisable. In addition, be sure to cross train and keep those muscle groups strong.

Many of these injuries are treatable, but the amount of playing time missed due to rehab can be significant.

Be smart. Pay attention to your body and give it time to rest now and again. ✪ Dr. Benjamin Busfield is an orthopedic surgeon who practices at Sutter Delta Medical Center and Alta Bates Summit Medical Center.

He is board certified in orthopedic and sports medicine.

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2016

SportStars™

37

❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒

38

SportStars™

July 2016

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

All- Star Baseball Academy....................................................37 Big O Tires Northern California/ Nevada..................................2 Bigfoot Hoops........................................................................11 Blankenship Baseball.............................................................36 Cal Athletic Camps................................................................18 California Football Academy..................................................37 Championship Athletic Fundraising........................................25 Club Sport..............................................................................40 Colin Knightly Lacrosse..........................................................27 Diablo Futbol Club................................................................26 Diablo Trophies & Awards......................................................38 Diablo Valley Federal Credit Union........................................28 Dougherty Valley High Jr Wildcat Volleyball Clinic...............37 East Bay Badminton Assn.......................................................36 East Bay Parks........................................................................38 Eden Medical Center Super Safety Saturday...........................16 Encore Lacrosse.....................................................................36 Eye Level Walnut Creek Learning Center Summer Camps......36 Franklin Canyon Stables Summer Camps...............................38 Fusion Academy....................................................................27 G Tech Sport..........................................................................21 Garaventa Enterprises.............................................................19 Halo Headband.....................................................................38 Heads Up Sports....................................................................21 Jiffy Lube®.............................................................................17 Jumbo Sunflower Seeds..........................................................29 Krossover Game Film Solutions................................................5 Mental Training Inc................................................................21 Modesto Magic......................................................................35 Muir Orthopaedic Specialists...................................................3 Off- Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division...................15 Placer Valley Tourism Board.............................................22, 23 Prodigy Performance..............................................................34 Quick 6 Performance.............................................................37 Renaissance Club Sport..........................................................10 Rise Summer Basketball Camps.............................................35 Rugby Nor Cal.......................................................................34 San Ramon Slammers Baseball..............................................35 South Bay Sports Training.......................................................32 Sports Stars Sports Jam...........................................................39 Stevens Creek Toyota..............................................................17 The Winning State..................................................................29 Tpc / The Pitching Center.......................................................34 U C S F Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland.........................33 U S Air Force..........................................................................24 Valley Christian Vikings..........................................................38 Velocity Cheer Gym...............................................................35 Visitredding.Com.............................................................30, 31 Walnut Creek Soccer Club ....................................................20

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!