BA Issue 67, June 6, 2013

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June 6, 2013

vol. 4. issue 67 bay area

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y t i r o i super pg14 can’t protect yourself 31 You from concussions if you don’t understand the symptoms and how to communicate them.

pitch: Mitch Stephens 8 first pinch-hits for us this week and tell us the tale of Campolindo athletic director Bob Wilson.

It’s a story of courage and love.

It’s not to be missed.

We all know that 13 Clipboard: sometimes when a coach says

usa!: Never tell Sabrina 28 usa!

Ionescu (above) or Gabby Green the odds. They’ll just laugh ‘em off and make Team USA. mitty: Monarchs 18 magnificent lay claim to anothe NorCal title.

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room: The NCAA Letter 10 locker of Intent might be a bad contract, but it’s far from the worst. of the Week: 12 SportStars Sasha Wallace, Castro Valley Don’t you hate it when 27 impulse: you’re playing Candy Crush and your battery dies? Not any more.

‘voluntary’ what they really mean is ‘mandatory.’ Sure you can miss them, but do so at your own peril. on the cover: Concord High softball players (L to R), Kelly Drake, Lu Benipayo and Amber Golini. Photo by Phillip Walton

Fence: Tryouts, sign-ups, 40 The fundraisers and more!

39 Camps + Clinics

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Out On Top

EDITOR’S NOTE: Days before the last high school sporting event of the season, Mitch Stephens — a national columnist for MaxPreps.com and long time friend of SportStars — contacted me with a column idea. I immediately agreed and offered up my soapbox. Enjoy his First Pitch. — Chace Bryson

T

he end.

That’s how movies finish, not how stories begin.

But the end for Campolindo athletic director Bob Wilson, how he finished off a 35-year run in sports and education, was more important than how it started. He didn’t want to conclude a rich, joyous merry-go-career sitting at home, in the dark — sick and broken.

Yes, the thymic carcinoma returned to his chest in December. Yes, he couldn’t possibly get to campus following chemotherapy and radiation for four months.

But come May, the 61-year-old Wilson was hell-bent on a return to finish what he started. He announced before the school year this would be his last after 14 years at Campolindo and 21 before that in West Contra Costa County.

“You want to leave on your own terms,” Wilson said.

“Besides, coming to school has made a big difference. Being around the kids and coaches gives you a lot of spirit.”

The Cougars gave him more than that.

For the last two seasons — about the time of Wilson’s rare cancer diagnosis — Campolindo has been selected the state’s top Division III athletic program

by Cal-Hi Sports. With a mighty flurry upon Wilson’s return in May, the Cougars might just make it three straight. › Led by a national record and four wins from USC-bound Steven Stumph, the boys swim team won its ninth straight North Coast Section title. › The boys volleyball team won NCS and NorCal titles, and Saturday, in poetic fashion, the baseball and softball teams won section crowns as well. › The softball crown was a complete shock, while the baseball squad won its fourth straight title, not giving up a run over four playoff games. Wilson made the 90-minute drive to Santa Rosa for the baseball game.

“It’s a great way to go out,” Wilson said. “I never cease to shake my head at how good these kids are and how well the community of parents and coaches work together.”

But Wilson tied it all together, which is no easy task, said longtime football coach Kevin Macy. Moraga is huge on support, but also on demands to succeed in every walk of life. Besides recent state-title runs in girls volleyball, football, cross country and basketball, the Campolindo Academic Decathlon team recently won a national championship.

“Sports and academics run at a fever pitch in this community, and Bob has always been the perfect person in the middle to balance it all,” Macy said.

“He’s been the godfather of Campolindo’s glory days of sports.”

Interesting, considering Wilson grew up on the other side of the hill and attended blue collar El Cerrito High and taught and coached at Harry Eells, Richmond, Kennedy and Pinole Valley.

His move to Campolindo was seamless. “He’s interested in every kid and knows about all of them,” said Campolindo teacher and former cross-country coach Chris Walsh. “He’ll come in on Monday morning and tell some JV player, ‘I heard you had a double and triple against Alhambra.’

Walsh believes Wilson’s return had an impact on Campolindo’s success the final month, spiritually if not physically. The titles definitely had a positive impact on Wilson. “Way down deep, every man wants to be proud of his craft,” Walsh said. “They want a sense of what they built was good and productive and successful. If Bob didn’t know it already, I think these championships helped him understand it now.”

Almost like a movie.

The end. ✪ 8

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join our team PHONE 925.566.8500 FAX 925.566.8507 Editorial Editor@SportStarsOnline.com Editor Chace Bryson • Chace@SportStarsOnline. com Staff Writers Erik Stordahl, Jim McCue Contributors Bill Kolb, Mitch Stephens, Matt Smith, Clay Kallam, Bryant West, Dave Kiefer, Liz Elliott, Tim Rudd, Jonathan Okanes, Hunter Hewitt, Joe Stiglich Photography Butch Noble, Bob Larson, Jonathan Hawthorne, James K. Leash, Norbert von der Groeben, Phillip Walton, Doug Guler Intern Ryan Arter Creative Department Art@SportStarsOnline.com Production Manager Mike DeCicco • MikeD@ SportStarsOnline.com Publisher/President Mike Calamusa • Mike@SportStarsOnline.com Advertising & Calendar/ Classified Sales Sales@SportStarsOnline.com, 925.566.8500 Account Executives Erik Stordahl • Erik@SportStarsOnline.com, Phillip Walton • PWalton@SportStarsOnline.com Sac Joaqin edition: Dave Rosales • DaveRosales64@gmail.com Reader Resources/Administration Ad Traffic, Subscription, Calendar & Classified Listings info@SportStarsOnline.com Distribution/Delivery 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

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Pilar Souder, College Park soccer

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Will Brueckner, Acalanes golf

count‘em

0 2 4 The number of runs allowed by the Campolindo baseball team over four North Coast Section playoff games.

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The number of pitchers required to accomplish the feat. Senior Trent Shelton & junior Matt Ladrech each threw a pair of complete game shutouts.

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Consecutive NCS titles for the Cougars, joining just two other schools: Casa Grande-Petaluma (2004-07) and St. VincentPetaluma (1986-89)

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Top 5 contracts as lopsided as the national letter of intent As it turns out, Placer High School football standout Eddie Vanderdoes, one of the most heavily recruited athlete’s in Sac-Joaquin Section history, made one huge mistake. He trusted Notre Dame. He trusted the NCAA. He signed the %!&^%@!($@! National Letter of Intent. And. Apparently.

He will pay for it. According to NCAA rules, the 6-foot-4, 305-pound defensive lineman must either become a Golden Domer, or forfeit an entire year of college eligibility in order to change his school of choice to UCLA. If, conversely, Vanderdoes had signed the odious NLI and the Fighting Irish had — ooops! — accidentally extended too many scholarship promises or something idiotic like that, the consequence to Touchdown Jesus would have been … wait for it … NOTHING. For those of you following along at home, that means that the NLI ranks among the worst contracts in the long, sad, litigious history of agreements between parties.

Here are the top five contracts that are almost as onesided as the National Letter of Intent. Almost.

1. Faust v. Mephistopheles — Sorry to go all literary on you, but, well, you makes a deal with the devil, and you takes your chances. We still think Heinrich came out better than Eddie.

2. Idol v. Whip* — No really. Throw me the idol. It’s cool.

We’re in this together.

3. Zito v. Giants — Any time you out-bid yourself by, like, $20 million (yes, YOU, Brian Sabean), chances are you are not really winning that deal.

4. Trojans v. Horse — Wow. What a lovely parting gift.

Those Greeks are really pretty okay guys.

5. Billy Beane v. Major League General Managers (yes, all of them) — Fleecing, line one. Why does anyone take his calls?

— Bill What-Could-Possibly-Go-Wrong Kolb * Really? You haven’t seen Raiders of the Lost Ark? Netflix this now, people.

random act of factness

On June 6, Stanford pitcher Mark Appel, a Monte Vista-Danville graduate, was selected No. 1 overall in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. He became the 11th California high school product to be taken No. 1 overall, but just the second from Northern California. The only other NorCal No. 1 also came from the Bay Area, and won a World Series ring there as well — Pat Burrell.

The Phillies selected Burrell (Bellarmine Prep-San Jose) No. 1 out of the University of Miami (Fla.) in 1998. Burrell’s ring came with the Giants in 2010.

How’d Appel get so good? Well, he’s trained for a long time at The Total Player Center in Pleasanton. Find their ad on page 7. Tell ’em SportStars sent ya.

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Sasha Wallace accomplished what few track athletes have in the history of the sport: she defended both of her state titles when she won the triple jump and 100M hurdles on June 1. She also picked up the long jump this season and learned the event well enough to capture first place at the NCS Meet of Champions on May 25. Her performance in these two meets capped off an impressive high school campaign for the Castro Valley track star, who’s headed to Oregon in the fall.

SportStars Magazine: What does this feat mean to you?

Sasha Wallace: I just feel like to have done it two years in a row. I’m happy with how I ended my senior year on a good note.

SSM: How does this year compare with last year?

SW: Last year was my first time winning at state. i’ve gone to state every year since my freshman year. … I know the whole pressure and everything from junior year i was really happy with myself. … I think it’s just you have to become more focused.

SSM: This was the first year you competed in the long jump.

Is it something you’ll continue in college?

SW: I don’t know what was a good jump. It’s a learning process. i definitely want to, I’m sure coach (Robert) Johnson is open to the idea. Most likely.

June 6, 2013

sasha wallace castro valley . track & field . senior

honorable mention

marquis morris The De La Salle track star won the 110-meter high hurdles at state with a personal-best time of 13.90.

raeAnn Garza The James Logan senior pitched a complete game with seven strikeouts to lead the Colts to a 4-1 win over Freedom in the NCS Div. II final.

matt ladrech

SASHA’S QUICK HITS Favorite athlete: Jackie Joyner-Kersee Favorite class: English Favorite Jamba Juice drink: Razzmatazz

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The Campolindo junior tossed a three-hit shutout as the Cougars won their fourth-straight NCS title beating Casa Grande-Petaluma 8-0.

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I play two high school sports, and both coaches have made it really clear that if I don’t play their sport during the summer, I won’t have much of a chance to make varsity. I don’t have time to do both — I have to work — and it just doesn’t seem fair.

R.R., San Francisco

agree — it’s not fair. And it’s not right. But sadly, that’s the way it is.

Back in the day, only the really devoted spent their summer touring gyms or baseball fields. Sure, there might be a camp here or there, but nobody thought the world would end if an athlete didn’t play 35 games (at least) in the summer.

But the competition for college scholarships is much more intense, and those scholarships are much more important because college is much more expensive than it once was. There was a time, not that long ago, when tuition at a UC was about $500 a year, so the pressure to pay for college was correspondingly much less. But now, with student loans a burden to be borne for most of a lifetime, the hunt for scholarships is much more cutthroat.

That individual focus translates into team performance. Obviously, if all 12 guys on my basketball roster play all summer, and only four guys on another team’s roster play all summer, I’m going to have an advantage because my players are presumably going to improve more. So a competitive high school coach clearly wants his players getting better, and he doesn’t want to lose ground to another team if his guys don’t put in as much time.

Which leads to ultimatums like the ones you got, and even though it’s not really “fair,” in a sense, to demand summer participation, it’s also not really “fair”, in a sense, for a potential varsity athlete not to work hard on his game in the offseason. After all, when it comes to team sports, the skill level of every player

I

is important, and those who don’t do their best to enhance their skills are letting everyone else in the program down.

In other words, if you play one sport in the summer and not the other, you’re letting down the players in the sport you skip; if you pass on both sports, you’re letting down everyone. On the other hand, you have to work, and even if you didn’t, shouldn’t you have the right to do what you want with your summer?

There is no simple answer, but this is what I tell my players: I’m not going to penalize a girl who doesn’t participate during the summer — but in a program with players fighting for starting spots, and even places on the varsity roster, the girl who doesn’t play is liable to get passed by. While she’s taking a photography course, say, her teammates are getting better, and come the season, that could make a difference.

Of course, if a girl doesn’t pick up a basketball from March to November, and walks on the court for the first day of tryouts and is still one of the best players in the school, then she’s still going to make my team. I’m not going to punish my program by denying talented players an opportunity to contribute just because they didn’t want to spend the summer looking at the walls of a gym from the inside.

I will, though, definitely give the girls who put in the time and effort more chances to prove themselves, and if it comes down to a tough choice for those last couple spots on varsity, the edge is going to go to the girl who sacrificed during the summer, not the one who worked on her tan. ✪

Summer Programs They shouldn’t be mandatory, but avoid them at your own risk

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

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By mitch stephens | Contributor

N

Northern

Power Bay Area track contingent puts on grand show at state

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ate Moore had one more jump. He raised his hands to start a rhythmic clap among the packed 8,500 fans jammed in and around Veterans Stadium on the campus of Buchanan High in Clovis.

Under hot and windless conditions on June 1, the Castro Valley High junior had already clinched the CIF State triple jump championship at 48 feet, 8.5 inches, more than a foot behind his personal best.

He wanted more. Check that. Moore wanted more.

The smallish, but springy 5-foot-8, 145-pounder sprinted down the runway and with the first hop, the crowd went “oooh,” with the skip, the crowd went “oooh” again, and when he jumped deep into the pit they let out a giant “ahhh.”

This was a good one. A very good one. At 50-11.75 it not only shattered his PR by 11 inches, but was the national best high school mark of the season, a perfect landing point for perhaps the finest collective performance by a Bay Area contingent in state-meet history. Certainly in recent history.

Between the North Coast and Central Coast sections, 46 medals were captured between relay teams and individuals, including seven gold, eight silver and eight bronze.

Moore (triple and long jump) and teammate Sasha Wallace (100-meter hurdles and triple jump) won two gold medals themselves — for the Oregon-bound Wallace a repeat double-gold performance, the first East Bay girl to repeat at state in the same two events.

She also placed sixth in the long jump, an event she had just begun competing in six weeks earlier. It gave eight medals in her illustrious career, including four gold.

Wallace will go down as one of the East Bay greats, along with recent stars Ashton Purvis (St. Elizabeth-Oakland), Tania Woods (Skyline-Oakland), Julian Purvis (St. Elizabeth), Trinity Wilson (St. Mary’s-Berkeley), KeNyia Richardson (Holy Names) and Jamesha Youngblood (Hercules), among others.

“It’s hard to believe it’s all over,” Wallace said. “This has all been emotional and a blessing. There’s definitely a pecking order. I chased others and now others will follow me.

It’s been a fantastic career.”

She seemed equally happy for Moore, a training partner at Castro Valley. Each transferred — Moore from Bishop O’Dowd and Wallace from Holy Names — at the start of the school year. Each benefitted from jumps coach Dooney Jones.

“He’s like a brother to me,” Wallace said of Moore. “I’m so proud of him.”

The understated Moore was pretty proud himself.

He upset favorite and defending champion Adoree’ Jackson, of Serra-Gardena, to win the long jump 24-11.75 to 24-7.50. Moore’s win-

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ning jump came on his fifth attempt.

“To come out and do the best I’ve ever done on this stage is pretty incredible,” Moore said. “It’s beyond words.”

He said the long jump title “meant a little more because I really wasn’t supposed to,” he said. “(Jackson) is a great athlete and the defending champion. But once I got close, my competitive spirit took over.”

The triple jump title and last jump with the crowd roaring its approval was simply icing on the cake. The crowd’s reaction on each phase was a sound, he said, he’ll never forget.

“I love that,” he said. “I loved all of it.”

There was actually one later groan over a Bay Area win after Moore’s. It was when Piedmont Hills’ 4x400 girls relay team crossed the line.

The Pirates became just the third Northern California team in history to win the event, and first in 19 years, clocking in at 3:41.14, the second fastest mark in the nation this season.

The team of sophomores Timarya Baynard and Bianca Bryant and seniors Alexandra Diaz and Ellisa Bryant broke the CCS record it set the night before by more than three seconds.

On Friday, the quartet broke the CCS record by more than six seconds, so in two days it shaved more than nine seconds off the previous section mark.

Bianca Bryant also picked up a fourth-place medal in the 800 and Ellisa Bryant took third in the 400. Piedmont Hills had little trouble holding off perennial winner Long Beach Poly (3:43.62), winning by more than two seconds.

Poly won the girls team title for the fifth time in six years.

“I was proud of my team, getting us in good position,’’ Ellisa Bryant told Glenn Reeves of the San Jose Mercury News.

“I didn’t know how far behind they were, how close the next runner was. I was just thinking, ‘Give it everything you’ve got.’

I just wanted to win it for my coach and for Piedmont.”’

The team’s coach Chioke Robinson told Reeves: “I just hope we did the CCS proud. It felt so good to go blow for blow with Southern California.”

Among the many more good blows for Bay Area athletes: De La Salle junior Marquis Moore became the first Spartan to ever win a hurdles crown, taking the 110 highs in a lifetime best of 13.90 seconds. Moore took control at the fifth hurdle and pulled away from a very even field.

“I took a deep breath after the third hurdle and pushed all

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Jonathan Hawthorne

LEFT: Castro Valley’s Nate Moore soars toward the pit during the long jump finals at the NCS Meet of Champions. ABOVE: Sasha Wallace clears her final hurdle in winning the 100 hurdles at NCS. Both Moore and Wallace were double gold-medal winners at the state championships.

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the way through,” Moore said. “It was just like my coaches told me.”

Gabriella Cantrell led a spectacular effort for San Leandro, taking third in both the 100 (11.67) and 200 (23.79) while anchoring her team’s third place 400 relay team (46.57).

Combined with a gritty second-place effort from 800 runner Nijae Jones (2:09.91), San Leandro (31) points finished in second place behind Poly (49) and ahead of Castro Valley (23) and Piedmont Hills (21), meaning three of the top four places in the girls were from the Bay Area, another first.

Jones, a senior, actually fell in a heap to start the 800, colliding with another girl, which caused a restart. Despite a scraped up knee and hands, and being emotionally shaken, Jones got back on the starting line and set a lifetime best, losing only to champion Mikaela Jones of Clovis North who finished in 2:08.39.

“I had to get mentally prepared immediately,” Jones said. “I just had to get out fast and forget what had just happened. In all my years of (age group) racing, that was the first time I’ve ever been tripped.”

San Lorenzo Valley junior Anna Maxwell broke the field with a blistering early pace to win wireto-wire in the 1600, outlasting defending champion Nikki Hiltz of Aptos, 4:47.33 to 4:48.07. Maxwell took a 40-meter lead by the second lap and then held on.

Maxwell came back to take third in the 3,200 and Hiltz third in the 800. Another remarkable CCS distance double came from Gunn’s Sarah Robinson, who was third in the 1,600 and fifth in the 3,200.

Six medals between Maxwell, Hiltz and Robinson is an amazing feat considering the competition and lack of time between races.

The Marin County Athletic League delivered two special performances as Tamalpais junior pole vault August Kiles and Drake 3,200 runner John Lawson each took second.

Kiles set a lifetime best by going 16-4 and Lawson, who will run at UCLA next season, finished in 9:02.64 behind double-winner Blake Haney of Stockdale. Lawson was the 2011 Division IV state cross country champion.

Amador Valley senior Sam Peters ran a lifetime best of 37.45 to take second in the 300 hurdles behind Serra-Gardena senior Lloyd Sicard. Peters then watched teammates JeMaun Charles, a sophomore, junior Conner McKinnon and seniors Darnell Roberson and Josh Slaton take third in the 4x400 relay (3:13.57), also a season best.

Acalanes senior Adler Faulkner PR’d for the fourth consecutive race to take a surprising second in the 800 in a time of 1:51.30. The Cornell-bound runner couldn’t catch Ridgeview’s Ivan Gonzalez (1:50.71), but held off Rancho Bernardo senior Alex Grigoriev (1:51.61) and Sherman Indian senior Isaiah Thompson (1:51.76) for second ✪

LAYAR EXTRA

De La Salle hurdler Marquis Morris’s sprint to a CIF gold medal wasn’t without adversity. Read his story exclusively at SportStarsOnline.com/Morris or scan this page with Layar.

Mitch Stephens is a national columnist for MaxPreps.com.

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HIT parade Archbishop Mitty won the CIF’s first NorCal boys volleyball title with its best effort of the season — and lots of talent

Tanner Vinson’s thunderous right arm swung violently at the volleyball, connecting and sending an un-returnable shot into the Deer Valley defense.

It marked Archbishop Mitty’s 75th point of the California Interscholastic Federation Northern Regional Division I Championship match on May 25 at Dublin High. The winning point of a three-game sweep.

However, it was the Monarchs’ fourth point of the match that set the tone and served as a harbinger of what would transpire over the ensuing 80 minutes.

Deer Valley entered the inaugural NorCal championships with a 42-1 record built on its powerful hitting combo of sophomore outside hitter Jordan Ewert and senior middle hitter Marcus Lee — a University of Kentucky-commit for basketball. Lee scored the very first point of the match on a strong kill. However, five points later, on his second big swing, Mitty’s Aaron Williams was right there to deny him with a block.

That block — the first of six for the Monarchs during the first set — put Mitty up 4-2 and showcased the first of several plays that would confound and frustrate Deer Valley the rest of the match. Mitty never trailed the rest of the set, winning 25-20. They would win the following two sets both by the score of 25-21.

It was a near flawless effort on the biggest available stage.

“That win felt so good,” Mitty junior middle blocker Ian Aguilar. “This was probably the best game of volleyball that we’ve played over the entire year.”

Aguilar wasn’t the only one to suggest such a thing.

“They picked the best night to play their best ball,” Monarchs coach Will Yuen said. “Different games and different matches (this season) we’ve had different guys step up. Tonight, I felt like we were firing on all cylinders. We’re pretty tough to beat when that happens.”

Mitty is pretty tough to beat period — something the team heard about often in February as it prepared for the season. Celebrated as one of the most talented Bay Area teams on paper, the Monarchs found their hype to be a bit of stumbling block early on.

“We had a little chip on our shoulder and were a little arrogant,” Williams said.

St. Francis-Mountain View humbled them quickly in just the third match of the season.

“We walked into their gym kind of buying into the hype and came out with an 0-3 loss really quick,” Yuen said. “It was a lesson learned. Realizing that just because you’re better on paper doesn’t mean you’re going to win all the points.”

It was Yuen’s first year back as the Monarchs coach, returning after seven years away from the bench where he was most recently a women’s volleyball assistant at Santa Clara University. The Monarchs had little trouble adjusting to his style.

“It’s always fun when you and a coach have a really good bond and he can talk to you and tell you what you really need to hear,” said Williams, who was one of the few players familiar with Yuen, having played for him during the club season. “He knows how to make me play better, and I can’t thank him enough ... He brings us energy and this kind of aura. He expects a lot from you and he makes you want to give him all the effort that he wants.”

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Archbishop Mitty’s Tanner Vinson rises for a kill during the CIF NorCal final. Bob Larson photo And it certainly didn’t hurt that the roster anchored by seven seniors was already well on its way to building a strong chemistry on and off the court.

That chemistry was more than evident during the championship victory over Deer Valley.

“This is one of the best team chemistries that I’ve ever had on any sports teams in my life,” Vinson said following the win. “We really are a family and it’s really helped us along the way.”

But Yuen wasted no time in pointing to the biggest factor behind the championship season.

“Talent. A coach may want to try and hide that, but we really are the most talented team.

Just because you have the talent doesn’t always mean you win the games, but tonight they showed what that talent can accomplish.” ✪ — Chace Bryson, Editor

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Softball was well respected at Concord High before Megan Coddington S took over in 2010, three titles later a new description has surfaced

By Chace Bryson | Editor

chool has ended on the second to last Tuesday of the school year. Concord High softball coach Megan Codding oved rem ton sits in her office, four days st Secfrom her program’s third North Coa since ons seas four the in tion championship . helm she’s taken the feels And she’s trying to explain how she about the word. in It’s the word that keeps popping up ions ersat conv y lator ratu the myriad of cong eded she’s had in the days since the fourth-se run title NCS their d plete com en utem Min rter Cha y Valle by defeating rival Clayton Coly’s Mar t Sain at 9-2 in the Div. II final lege on May 31.

Dynasty. be The word has its own gravity. It can’t and this, s know ton taken lightly. Codding it’s evident as she speaks. of us “To be honest, I never really thought wing thro like that,” she says. “(Others) keep people that word out. I think it’s neat that it deuse beca out, are throwing that word kids that ires requ It ... e. llenc mands exce and ram prog the g lettin be ll You’ step up. t wha do t your school down if you don’ ing putt st almo It’s you’re supposed to do. to put pressure on them without me having dy. alrea them on pressure g. I “I think it’s going to be a good thin .” cted expe be think the kids know what will ion Sect st Coa th Nor And if the rest of the cord at doesn’t know what to expect of Con tion. atten ng payi not just it’s then t, this poin h coac ity vars Coddington was named the at year one ding in January 2010, after spen varsity. the freshman level and two at junior s, had Will Jerry late the sor, eces Her pred ing the lead by ess succ for n datio foun a built off apMinutemen to eight consecutive play . titles no pearances — though h, In her first year as a head varsity coac the ing winn of goal a set team her she and program’s first NCS title. That season. s “I’d been coaching in the lower rank said ” , hing coac be d I’ ers and knew the play ry inCoddington, whose playing histo t State bold Hum at er care ar stell a ed clud

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Concord softball coach Megan Coddington, center, with (clockwise from bottom) seniors Lu Benipayo, Amber Golini and junior Kelly Drake Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

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University where she was the starting catcher for an NCAA Div. II National Championship team in 1999.

“We knew we had the athletes to win that year in 2010.”

And they did, posting a school-record 24 wins along the way. They matched that number again in 2012, storming the NCS Div. II field as the No. 5 seed, defeating top seed Pinole Valley in the semifinals and No. 3 Petaluma in the championship.

Unlike those first two title seasons, Coddington wasn’t sure what she had in 2013.

Eight seniors had graduated and the projected starting pitcher Kelly Drake had seen only limited action as a sophomore.

“I find it amazing that this group of girls came togethers as well as they did,” Coddington said. “On paper, they may not have been the best pitchers or best hitters — on paper — but when they stepped out onto the field, honestly something clicked.”

Something clicked off the field with the Minutemen as well. “We just meshed really well,” junior third baseman Kelsey Randall said. “We all felt like equals and there were no outcasts. Even when JV players got called up they fit right into everything. It just worked.”

And approximately halfway through the 22

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season, the motto became “Why not us?”

After a 3-0 nonleague loss to Petaluma on March 21, the Minutemen reeled off 14 consecutive wins. The last of those wins came on May 14 at Clayton Valley Charter. The Eagles would avenge that loss and break Concord’s streak just two days later, but the Minutemen had discovered their identity and had no shortage of confidence.

Drake had developed into an extremely effective pitcher, not overpowering but very adept at hitting her locations. The lineup had become quite prolific with a top of the order that began with Randall hitting over .500 and senior Amber Golini and junior Monique Cook immediately following her with averages hovering around .450. Seniors Quincy Pierce and Adrianna Ross joined Drake as key RBI bats in the middle of the order, and Alyssa Fredzess, Lu Benipayo and Courtney Davis were a very productive bottom third.

Concord had ten different players score at least 10 runs, nine players with at least 10 RBI, and seven with at least 20 hits. “Our hitting was all-around great this season,” said Davis, the team’s senior catcher. “We’re a very diverse lineup that could do a lot of different things.”

But perhaps the backbone of it all was the

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Records are through 4/27. (source: MaxPreps.com)

Shortstop Lu Benipayo looks to turn a double play from second base during the NCS final against Clayton Valley on May 31. team’s defense.

“DWC! Defense wins championships,” someone shouted while the team took pictures near the scoreboard following the championship victory.

That defense allowed Drake to find a new level in the circle as well. “Coming into this year, I knew I had to work on my confidence,” the pitcher said. “It was big when I realized how good of a defense I had behind me. Trusting them really helped make me a better pitcher.”

The team’s regular season split with Clayton Valley lead to a co-Diablo Valley League Championship. And to nobody’s surprise on the campus at 4200 Concord Blvd., Concord was seeded behind its rival in a stacked Div. II playoff bracket.

The Minutemen were given the No. 4 seed behind No. 1 Petaluma, No. 2 Alhambra and No. 3 Clayton Valley.

“We were pretty shocked,” said Benipayo, the team’s steady-handed shortstop. “We thought we might’ve been seeded higher. We’re always the underdogs. Everybody always doubts us but we always come out and shock people.”

Why not us?

Drake shined in a shutout of top-seed Petaluma in the semifinals, allowing just five hits and striking out five. In the championship, she gave up just two earned runs on a two-run home run in the fifth. She also pounded out two of the team’s 11 hits and drove in four of the nine runs.

The Minutemen’s defense was on display throughout the championship game. They committed just one error and made a handful of spectacular plays, including the game’s

final outs — a double play started when Sabrina Winningham made a diving catch in right field and Concord was able to retire an over-aggressive Clayton Valley runner at first base.

Three championships. None as one of the top two seeds.

“Being the underdog was definitely motivation for these girls,” Coddington said. “We’d hear Concord is going to lose to Clayton because of XYZ. When we won, we were proving once again that you don’t always need the best players to win, you just need to have players who believe in one another.”

Coddington reinforced that idea with an anecdote about Pierce, the team’s cleanup hitter for much of the season.

Pierce’s varsity career at Concord had been one of frustration after injuries cut both her sophomore and junior seasons short. This season was the complete opposite. She earned a starting job in the outfield and became a very dependable hitter in the cleanup spot for much of the year.

She hit .386 and drove in 15 runs over 24 games.

But during a 5-2 NCS quarterfinal win over Pinole Valley, she was injured again when her thumb was hit by a pitch. A week later, Concord was set to play in the championship and Pierce was given medical clearance to play.

But she knew she wasn’t 100 percent. She went to Coddington and stepped down, “so that someone else could step up,” the coach said. “That was just another example of how these girls were team first all the way.”

Players who think that way, and coaches who foster it — it’s how dynasties are built. ✪

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Rank, Prev. Team

Record

1. (3)

James Logan-Union City

26-1

2. (1)

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

27-1

3. (2)

Amador Valley-Pleasanton

22-3

4. (6)

Vintage-Napa

34-1

5. (7)

Sierra-Manteca

25-2

6. (14)

Casa Roble-Orangevale

24-5

7. (18)

Concord

22-4

8. (12)

San Benito-Hollister

25-3

9. (5)

California-San Ramon

21-5

10. (10)

Petaluma

26-2

11. (17)

Clayton Valley Charter-Concord 22-4

12. (4)

Alhambra-Martinez

23-3-1

13. (15)

Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove

22-11

14. (NR)

Gilroy

19-12

15. (8)

Rocklin

26-5

16. (9)

Elk Grove

24-9

17. (NR)

Pioneer-Woodland

24-6

18. (NR)

Freedom-Oakley

19-6-1

19. (NR)

Christian Brothers-Sacramento

20-11-1

20. (19)

Kimball-Tracy 25-8

DROPPED OUT No. 11 Woodcreek-Roseville (19-9), No. 13 CarlmontBelmont (25-4), Tracy (25-6) and Roseville (20-9-1).

BIGGEST MOVER Concord picks up the title of biggest mover to end out

the season. The Minutemen jump 11 spots from 18 to No. 7. They did so by fighting their way to a second-

straight NCS Div. II championship, and did so as the

No. 4 seed. It was our opinion that the Div. II field was

the deepest of all the NCS tournaments, and Concord’s run included a road victory over the division’s top seed, No. 10 Petaluma.

TEAMS STILL RANKED FROM PRESEASON TOP 20: 10

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NEW

DONS Mired in a late-season funk, Amador Valley rediscovered itself just in time to win the program’s second NCS crown

T

By Chace Bryson | Editor

hey were everywhere.

The name plate-sized pieces of paper were taped to the wall, running the length of the first base dugout at Louis Guisto Field on the Saint Mary’s College campus. Most contained just one or two words.

They were reminders. They were rallying points. They were the words that helped the Amador Valley High baseball team reclaim its identity during the last week of the regular season — right before it produced five straight wins for an improbable North Coast Section Division I championship.

Some of the words: Experience. Hard-working. Talented.

None of these descriptions for the Dons were in dispute when they were 7-2 at the end of March and 11-5 on April 19. With a key core of seniors, strong pitching and good defense, Amador Valley had the look of a serious contender when they battled nationallyranked St. Francis-Mountain View to a 1-0 loss on April 4.

Then came the swoon. Four straight losses over the first two weeks of May, taking the team’s record to 13-10. The Dons were already qualified for the playoffs, but were not in a good place. “We were really low. We were down in the dumps,” senior catcher Daniel Jackson said. “We were all frustrated, angry and underperforming.”

The day after a 2-1 loss to San Ramon Valley on May 15, Jackson and fellow senior Jake Dronkers talked and decided a team meeting was in order.

Amador Valley didn’t practice that day.

The players talked with one another and aired their frustrations. Coach Lou Cesario invited a friend and sports psychologist, Duke Zielinski, to sit in with them as well.

Zielinski has been on several coaching staffs over the past few decades, but his career in sports psychology also involved him in synchronized swimming and earned 24

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him some gold medals as a consultant for the 1992 and 1996 U.S. Olympics teams.

“What I saw was a team that just needed to get re-focused,” Zielinski said. “I think they were experiencing what I like to call a ‘mind drift.’ They were able to recognize that and get back to what’s important.”

More signs on the dugout wall: Loose.

Fun. Determined. W.M.I.N. “WMIN,” Jackson said, pronouncing it like the word ‘women.’ “What’s most important now. That became our philosophy.”

The following day, Amador Valley defeated cross-town rival Foothill 3-1 and was reborn. ◆◆◆ What’s most important now?

Nick Carney knew the answer. The Dons needed a double play. Badly.

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of the fourth of the NCS final against De La Salle. Amador Valley held a 2-1 lead, but after a sacrifice and a walk loaded the bases, that lead was in serious jeopardy.

With a well-placed fastball down in the zone, Carney got Spartans pinch-hitter John Velasco to hit a chopper right back to him on the mound. He quickly returned the ball to Jackson, who touched home plate and fired the ball up the first base line for a 1-2-3 double play.

Cesario raised his fist triumphantly from just outside the dugout and was the first to greet Carney at the foul line as he walked off the field. Conversely, the De La Salle dugout took on an ominous vibe. After losing to the Dons twice in the regular season, the Spartans were growing exponentially frustrated.

Amador Valley added an insurance run in the fifth inning on a two-out base hit from senior Michael Echavia that scored No. 9 hitter Ryan Ibanez. It was Echavia’s second RBI of the game. Carney worked through single hits over the next two innings, which included stranding Chris Williams at second base after his leadoff double in the sixth. And with one out and one on in the bottom of the seventh, Cesario made one last trip to the mound in favor of Dronkers.

“Jake is our unconscious leader,” Cesario said. “He’s our guy.

He said he was ready and we held him off as long as we could because he’d gone 7 innings in (the semifinal three days earlier). When he got out there, our guys felt it.”

Dronkers struck out his first batter and got the second to fly out to center to seal the win.

“Great pitching team. Timely hitting team. Solid defense and just great workers,” Cesario said when asked to sum up his title-winning squad. “Our chemistry has been nails all years.

We knew we could do it, we just had to be patient with them.” ◆◆◆ Even more signs from the dugout: Street fight. Blue collar.

Great friends. Chemistry. Not just any team can find itself with one game left in its season. The foundation was already there in the Dons’ team chemistry.

“This team is like the 2010 (NCS championship) team with its chemistry,” Cesario said. “When you have great chemistry, it’s 25 guys focused on one thing. They identified that, they know it. It boiled down to ‘I’m playing baseball with my best buddy in the world.’”

After shutout victories over Berkeley and Heritage in the first rounds of the NCS tourney, the Dons still had to clear one more mental hurdle — top-seed and state-ranked, Granada.

The Matadors entered the semifinal matchup with Amador Valley with a record of 24-1, including a pair of very convincing wins over the Dons. In fact, the infamous four-game losing streak began with a 15-0 drubbing at Granada on May 3.

“That was a big deal,” junior shortstop Austin Piscotty admitted. “We’d played Granada twice and been outscored 20-0.”

Echavia hit a home run in the top of the first and Amador Valley jumped out to a huge lead. They led 8-1 through five innings before eventually holding on 9-7. Echavia finished 2-for3 with two runs and two RBI. Carney hit a grand slam as part of a five-run fourth inning. Seven different players scored runs and five different players had at least one RBI. After that, De La Salle — who the Spartans had defeated twice already — could’ve hardly seemed threatening.

“They were dialed in against Granada,” Cesario said. “It got a little scary in that game, but (against De La Salle) they were dialed too. They expected it. They executed. They played great.”

Echavia may have summed it up best.

“We’re just a bunch of close-knit guys. We all loved each other and just rallied off one another. ... It’s the most fun team I’ve ever been a part of.”

One more word from the dugout: Celebrate. ✪

Records are final Rank, Prev. Team

Record

1. (2)

St. Francis-Mountain View

29-4

2. (4)

Campolindo-Moraga

21-6-1

3. (7)

Elk Grove

29-5

4. (1)

Granada-Livermore

24-2

5. (6)

Serra-San Mateo

27-7

6. (NR)

Amador Valley-Pleasanton

18-10

7. (11)

De La Salle-Concord

19-8

8. (5)

Bellarmine-San Jose

25-7

9. (3)

Casa Grande-Petaluma

19-1

10. (10)

Clayton Valley Charter-Concord

22-5

11. (14)

Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove

24-9

12. (NR)

Yuba City

22-11

13. (9)

Davis

22-8

14. (8)

Jesuit-Carmichael

21-8

15. (15)

College Park-Pleasant Hill

20-6-1

16. (NR)

Acalanes-Lafayette

20-7

17. (13)

Woodcreek-Roseville

20-7

18. (17)

Capital Christian-Sacramento

25-5-1

19. (19)

James Logan-Union City

19-8

20. (NR)

Pacific Grove

31-0

DROPPED OUT No. 12 Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills., No. 16 California-San Ramon, No. 18 Pinoeer-Woodland and No. 20 Valley Christian-San Jose.

BIGGEST MOVER Without question the biggest mover was Amador Valley.

The Dons were in these rankings through March and

into April before an early-May skid put them on the shelf.

Three weeks later they were NCS Div. I champions after

defeating No. 1 Grenada in the semifinals and No. 11 De La Salle in the championship game. Yuba City also was noteworthy, as it entered the rankings at No. 12 after an impressive run to the SJS Div. III crown.

TEAMS STILL RANKED FROM PRESEASON TOP 20: 12

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Welcome to Impulse, your one-stop shop for gadgets, gizmos and gear.

Compiled by staff writer Erik Stordahl, Impulse provides you with the latest and greatest and what’s currently hot on the market.

Precision Travel Werx

If you’re determined to get your kids out of the house for a real outdoorsy vacation, you’re gonna need a trailer. Load up your mountain bikes, fishing equipment, camping gear and you’re set. We suggest going with the Atlas 8, the ideal trailer for camping trips, Iron Man events and other mountainous, manly and/or womanly adventures.

Candy Crush Saga

Wait, what’s Candy Crush? If you’re part of the one percent who still asks this question, we’re gonna take it easy on you. Think of the most addicting thing in the world and multiply it by a color bomb and a coconut wheel. If you don’t want to have a social life anymore, this is the app for you. You can play it on Facebook, your smart phone or tablet.

MEElectronics

Now that it’s summer, we’re sure you’re going to do everything in your power to get in top shape for next season. We’re also sure you’re overdue for new headphones. Grab a pair of sports headphones from MEElectronics. They’re colorful, comfortable and they’re yours for as low was $29.99.

Get ‘em at www.meelec.com

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Lenmar iPhone battery case

It’s probably the worst feeling when you’ve patiently waited to get all your lives back in Candy Crush only for your phone to die with no charger around. Have no fear! Grab a Lenmar Meridian iPhone case and your troubles will go away. Lenmar keeps your phone charged at all times, no matter how much Candy Crush you’re playing. Go to www.lenmar.com to get your case now.

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Sabrina Ionescu and Gabby Green each shed longshot expectations to make USA Basketball rosters 28

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U

By clay kallam | Contributor

SA Basketball tryouts are always full of surprises – unfortunately, all of them aren’t good ones.

Gabby Green found that out the hard way in 2011, when she went to the U16 session in Colorado Springs, Colo., and played really well — so well, in fact, that most observers thought she had earned one of the 12 spots on the team.

But instead, Green was cut and a player who had missed all but one session with an injury was picked ahead of her.

In 2013, Sabrina Ionescu lived a different script. One of 91 players who came to this year’s U16 tryouts without an invitation, Ionescu was just one of a horde of unknown players who were chasing a dream.

For Ionescu, though, the dream came true.

She outlasted not only the other 90 players who applied to come, but also 23 of the 33 players who had been invited to the Memorial Day weekend tryouts.

Two weeks earlier, Green also pulled off an upset, making the USA Basketball U19 team despite competing against college players when she still has a year of high school left to go.

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Gabby Green. Photo by Phillip Walton Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

USA

Women's Hoops Summer 2013 What's at stake?

Though everyone knows about the Olympics, FIBA (the association that runs most international competitions) also holds world championships for both U19 and U17 national teams.

Each youth team is on a two-year cycle: In the first year, it goes through a regional qualification (for the U.S., FIBA Americas), and then the next year, there’s a world championship.

This year’s U16 team, then, is the precursor to the U17 team that will play for a world title in 2014. So the U16s will head to Cancun, Mexico, to try for the third straight gold medal at this level — and in fact, the U16s have not lost a game in the only two previous FIBA Americas’ competition.

That said, though, there will be another tryout for the U17 team that will be playing for the world championship in 2014, so there’s no guarantee that Sabrina Ionescu or any other member of this year’s team will get to play in the world championships.

Gabby Green’s U19 team is playing for a world title this year, and will begin training July 1. A trip to the Canary Islands for a preliminary tournament will set the stage for the big event in Lithuania starting July 18.

See Sabrina & Gabby in action!

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Miramonte freshman Sabrina Ionescu, right, goes up strong against Duke-bound Oderah Chidom of Bishop O’Dowd during the NCS Div. III final in March.

The United States has won five straight gold medals at the U19 level, and stars of previous teams include luminaries such as Tamika Catchings, Cappie Pondexter, Candice Wiggins, Nneka Ogwumike and Diana Taurasi. ✪

— Clay Kallam

Photo by Jonathan Hawthorne

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“The first time,” says Green, “not hearing my name called, I was devastated,” so she approached her second go-round with a little trepidation.

“It was a mixed feeling when I got the invitation,” she says.

“I was going to be playing against older girls, and I was real nervous. After the first night, I got more comfortable.”

That’s when Green began to show the perimeter skills rare in a long, 6-foot-1 athlete who has spent a lot of time at the point.

“But I wasn’t a point guard there,” says Green. “I was more of a two or a three so I got the ball on the wing and made good passes.”

“She showed an amazing amount of maturity,” says Katie Meier, the U19 coach who’s also the coach at Miami of Flori-

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da – and that’s not surprising. Not only did Green have to go through getting cut in 2011, she followed that up by breaking a bone in her foot and missing nearly nine months.

She had surgery after the injury and screws were inserted into her right ankle where it meets the tibia, and the feeling was the screws could stay there. “But my foot wasn’t right,” says Green, so she had another operation in December to take the screws out.

“I didn’t feel 100 percent until the summer,” she says, and her recovery showed during an outstanding season for St. Mary’s of Berkeley.

“She has a huge basketball IQ,” says Meier. “She’s incredibly coachable, and she was very, very steady.”

Of course, Green was all that in 2011, though she didn’t

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make the team — but there was one difference.

“You had a different selection committee,” says Carol Callan, Women’s National Team Director for USA Basketball, and different committees will value different skills differently.

(USA teams are not chosen by the coach, but rather by a fiveperson selection committee that changes regularly.)

Another factor, though is the makeup of the roster. “As the committee pieces together its roster, they fit players around the first seven or eight” – and the first seven or eight on the U19 team include players such as Breanna Stewart of Connecticut, Bashaara Graves of Tennessee and Alexis Jones of Duke, all of whom played major roles on Top 10 college teams this past season.

“It was very hard for the 2014s to make this U19 team,” says Meier. “It was amazing how they held up.”

In fact, Green wasn’t the only rising high school senior to make the team. The consensus top two 2014s in the country, Brianna Turner of Texas and A’ja Wilson of South Carolina, will join Green on the roster.

Ionescu didn’t have that kind of reputation coming into this year’s trials, but the open tryouts gave her a chance.

“We opened up the process for situations just like this,” says Callan, who is also the non-voting chair of the selection committee.

“There are certain players who draw your attention,” says Callan, and Ionescu, a rising sophomore at Miramonte, was one of those. “She also did all of the little things, as well as the things that make you turn and look.”

Sue Phillips, the U16 coach (and coach at Archbishop MItty-San Jose), also noticed her coachability.

“She immediately understood what we wanted to do,” says Phillips. “She put forth a well-rounded game and is very versatile. She’s great at directing traffic, and I feel confident in her decision-making. She made her teammates better.”

But though Ionescu, like Green, had spent a lot of time at the point in high school and club basketball, she was on the wing in Colorado Springs. “I’m used to playing there,” she said, and she was also comfortable in the four-out, one-in set that Phillips ran.

That comfort level showed in the second of three sessions Sunday. “The session before, I didn’t play that well, I thought,” she says. “The second session I wanted to play harder.”

That translated into getting an offensive rebound and converting a reverse layup on her team’s first possession, and after that, she was everywhere. She made shots, delivered good passes and defended well.

“The criteria for what a player should be,” Callan says, “she was it.”

But amidst all the talent, invited and uninvited, Ionescu was still a long shot. In fact, when she heard the name “Sabrina” as the team was announced, her first thought was that maybe there another Sabrina — which of course there wasn’t.

She couldn’t get too excited (though that’s not her style anyway) as 31 of the 43 players listening to the announcement didn’t make the team, but afterward she “hugged and thanked all the coaching staff ” and waved to her mom who was outside watching.

Green also had the same issue when she heard her name called, especially since she knew first-hand how painful it was to not make the final roster. “I covered my face, but I was so excited,” she says. “I was standing next to Linnae Harper (who also made it), and after all the names were called, we turned to each other and said ‘Oh my God, we’re on the team’.”

It took longer than she thought, but now Green, like Ionescu, will be chasing a gold medal for the United States this summer — and both know they beat the odds to do so. ✪ Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

For Whom The Bell’s Rung Concussion safety starts with knowing the symptoms and communication Among athletes, a concussion is known as “getting your bell rung.” It’s an evocative and amusing phrase, but it downplays the seriousness of the injury.

On-field or off, a blow to the head should never be “walked off” or underestimated.

Concussion can disrupt brain function, and continued play after an initial head injury can even lead to death.

Derived from the Latin word “concutere,” which means to shake violently, a concussion can also be caused by even a mild bump to the head. It does not necessarily result in a loss of consciousness. In fact, although symptoms of concussion usually occur right away, they also can occur over the course of several days.

Recognizing symptoms is particularly important, because a concussion doesn’t necessarily show up on CAT scans or MRIs. That’s because a concussion is not an injury of the brain itself, which is what scans are designed to reveal. Rather, it’s an injury of brain function at a neurological level.

Symptoms vary greatly and are highly individualized, because each concussion is unique. I tell my patients to think of their concussion as a fingerprint: It is unlike any other in the world, because the brain performs so many functions on a daily basis and varies from person to person. Typical symptoms include: › PHYSICAL: Headaches, balance disorders, visual disturbances, sensitivity to light, sensitivity to noise, dizziness, nausea, vomiting › COGNITIVE: Feeling sluggish, fogginess, amnesia, difficulty concentrating, confusion › EMOTIONAL: Sadness, anxiety, irritability, depressed, feeling more emotional than usual › INSOMNIA: Difficulty falling asleep or sleeping more than usual Concussions have been getting more media attention, and for good reason. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that up to 3.8 million concussions occur each year in the Unites States, and more than 300,000 involve sports-related activities.

Athletes who sustain a concussion are at extra risk, because a second impact to the brain occurring soon after the original injury can produce irreversible brain damage known as “Second Impact Syndrome,” which can be fatal.

Do helmets prevent concussions? Absolutely not! Helmets decrease the incidence of skull fractures, but they will not ward off concussions.

What should you do if you see an athlete receive a blow to the head? REMOVE THEM FROM PLAY IMMEDIATELY! Make certain that he or she is evaluated by a physician who has expertise in treating concussions. Athletes should not return to play until they have received medical clearance from their physician.

Education is the best way to prevent a concussion from becoming life-threatening.

Proper techniques that avoid using the head when tackling should be mandated. Before the start of any sport season, meet with parents, coaches and athletes to discuss the dangers of concussions and the long-term consequences if they are not treated appropriately. Remind athletes to look out for one another, and to report to an adult immediately if they suspect that they or one of their teammates has sustained a concussion.

As a coach or parent, your role is vital. To prevent fatalities, it is imperative to take a team approach that involves coaches, parents, teachers, athletes and athletic trainers.

This way we can create a better and safer environment for student athletes to enjoy the pleasure of their respective sports. ✪

Artemio Perez

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Artemio A. Perez is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine for Saint Francis Memorial Hospital and its Center for Sports Medicine in Walnut Creek.

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get mental: erika carlson

Are you a BIG GAMER? You shouldn’t be It’s a mistake I see often from top athletes.

Nate, a tennis player on track to play in the 2016 Olympics, was taught to step on to the court in BIG matches with what he calls, “Warrior Mentality.” This mentality is focused on dominating and winning.

Intensity is high. He thinks about destroying his opponent.

Sounds like a warrior alright. Only one problem — Nate’s performance falls short every time he does this.

Why does this strategy consistently backfire? Simple; this is not how he practices.

In practice, he works on playing with a calm mind and energized body. He strategizes shots and focuses on good footwork.

His thinking is simple and he easily reads his opponents next shot. The “Warrior Mentality” obliterated his ability to do any of that. It overwhelmed him and completely took away his mental performance, and therefore his physical skills disappeared too.

The lesson here is simple: Compete like you practice. AND … practice like you compete. The urge to “do more” in BIG games will hurt you. A more effective strategy is to do more IN PRACTICE (train with more intensity, increase your speed, adversity and pressure) so that the BIG game feels normal. Your game is your game. ✪ Erika Carlson is a certified mental trainer and owner of Excellence in Sports Performance in Pleasanton.

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› compete Like you practice › practice like you compete › raise your intensity in practice › keep mentally calm › simple thinking

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› compete at a completely different intensity level › be lazy in training › do more, try harder › focus only on your opponent › focus on winning

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training time: tim rudd

Building a nutrition plan In the last Issue I shared the Six Nutritional Mistakes Limiting Athletes performance. With this column, I want to share with you how to build a better plan that will ensure an athlete is avoiding the mistakes that limit his or her health and performance.

Here is how you can build a better plan today:

Eat every 2-3 hours, no matter what.

Eat at least two servings of fruits and veggies with each feeding. › Carrots › Broccoli › Blueberries › Strawberries

Eat at least one serving of lean, complete protein with each feeding.: › Chicken › Lean beef › Fish

Always use workout nutrition; 30-45g carbs and 15g protein/hour of training or competition.

Balance your fats by adding good fats in with each meal. › Make sure to avoid trans fats.

If you’re about to eat something with trans fats listed on the food label, don’t eat it. › Balance your saturated fats (everyone gets plenty) with: › Fish Oil (6-10g/day) › Flax Oil (1 tbsp/day; unheated)

› Olive Oil (1-2 tbsp/day; unheated) › Mixed Nuts (1/2 cup/day) › Ground Flax Seeds (2-4 tbsp/day) › 1 Avocado › Coconut Oil or Butter 1-2 tbsp/day for cooking)

If you’re going to eat non-fruit and veggie carbs (pastas, breads, rice, cereals), choose high fiber and multi-grain varieties and eat them at breakfast and within the few hours after training.

Tim Rudd is an IYCA specialist in youth conditioning and owner of Fit2TheCore.

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shoulder care: justin dudley

Strength&Stroke Limiting injuries among swimmers starts with refined technique, strength of shoulder complex Competitive swimmers train anywhere between 3,000 to 10,000 yards or meters per day, using the freestyle arm stroke for most of the distance.

At an average of 8 to 10 arm cycles per 25 yards, a swimmer can complete nearly 1 million shoulder rotations each week. This high volume of training puts swimmers at an increased risk of shoulder injury if their mechanics are not perfect.

Faulty mechanics can be the result of poor technique, and/or poor shoulder strength and control.

Here, we will primarily focus on the demands of swimming as they relate to strength and control of the shoulder complex — and leave detailed technique training to your respective coaches.

Studies show an incidence of shoulder impingement and overuse injury in 30-50 percent of competitive and masters swimmers. Incidence of shoulder pain has been on the decline since the implementation of the ‘new’ biomechanics of swimming introduced in the late 90’s and early 2000’s.

Accordingly, the swimming stroke is now often taught as an early catch with an early exit.

Another important technique has been to get away from a thumb first water entry, as this places the shoulder in a position of impingement. Instead, the focus is on utilizing a finger first entry followed by a straight pull-through.

Swimming is a complex and integrated relationship of muscle firing of the scapula, rotator cuff, and primary functional movers of the shoulder complex. Poor strength, function and control of these muscles, particularly the scapular and rotator cuff musculature, can result in pain and overuse injuries. Similarly, it has been shown that pain can alter the mechanics and firing patterns of the muscles of the shoulder complex leading to further stroke dysfunction and more severe pain. Thus it is important to utilize scapula and rotator cuff activation and strengthening programs for both injury prevention as well as rehabilitation. ✪ Justin Dudley is an in-house Physical Therapist for Crossover Symmetry, based in Denver,

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tri-steps: liz elliott

Some of the best competitive runners, swimmers & bikers are those who find fun in their sport Play is essential for kids (and adults). Aside from having your child in organized sports, it’s equally important to allow for unstructured but active games with other children, with family, or whatever seems comfortable for all involved.

Play helps with creativity, social skills, stress management, and allows kids to socialize and play with a goal.

A good youth program in any sport will provide a time for “down time”, where participants are still moving without calling it “exercise”.

Actually moving without a goal can help with racing as well. The

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best racers are the ones who can manage anxiety the best. When athletes can associate sport with play, no matter a practice or race, it is easier to learn and embrace racing as another form of play at an early age.

Have your kids on structured sports teams to learn valuable skills in discipline, and look out for bike rides, fun runs, and other events in your community that associate exercise with something fun to promote life long love of movement. ✪ Liz Elliott was an All-American collegiate swimmer and is the head coach at Tri-Valley Triathlon Club.

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health watch: james faison

Running program might help prevent nagging lower-leg injuries for track athletes Every year, around track season I see a steady number of athletes head to the athletic training room with lower leg injuries.

Shin splints, achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis ... and the list goes on.

A progressive lower leg strengthening and flexibility program before your season starts may help ‘season’ your feet for the rigors of running on the track.

One strategy that has helped my athletes prepare for the season is a “Socks on Turf” gradual training program. Since field turf has more cushion than the track, certain running drills can be done on the turf without the jarring impact of the track.

My high school has a field turf playing surface, and incorporating some barefoot running drills on the turf has helped prepare my athlete’s feet and ankles for the volume of training that is coming up in their season.

The program is quite simple, and all it requires is some properly fitting socks and a 15 yard square of turf on the field.

Wearing socks on the turf while exercising helps to protect your feet by reducing friction, preventing cuts, and keeping your feet clean.

The five main drills that you should use are jogging, side shuffles, skipping, toe walking and heel walking. The “Socks on Turf” program is meant to be done two times a week over the 2-4 weeks right before tryouts.

“SOCKS ON TURF” Running Program: › Jogging 10 yards x2

› Side shuffle 10 yards x2 › Skipping 10 yards x2

› Toe walking 10 yards x2

› Heel walking 10 yards x2 All of these drills must be pain-free, and should help you get your foot and ankle ready for the upcoming season.

If there is any pain before, during or after exercise, discontinue immediately.

For more information on preseason conditioning programs, visit the Sports Medicine Center for Young Athletes at Children’s Hospital. We have facilities in Oakland and Walnut Creek. ✪ James Faison is an Athletic Trainer and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist at the Sports Medicine For Young Athletes, a division of Children’s Hospital Oakland. He is also the Head Athletic Trainer at Berkeley High.

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BASEBALL/SOFTBALL All Star Academy of Baseball All-Star Academy in Santa Clara features a 17,000-square foot indoor and outdoor training facility that is home to a variety of instructional programs designed to develop the total player. ASA offers All Skills Camps for ages 7-12, and Summer Boot Camps for 12 & under, middle school, high school competitive athletes. Info: 650961-2255; www.asabaseball.com Blankenship Baseball We are a year-round competitive program based in Danville. The camp focuses on teamwork, hustle, sportsmanship.

We also offer small group training and one-on-one training.

Info: lancerblankenship@sbcglobal. net or 925-708-3173.

Cabernet Baseball Club The Livermorebased club not only hosts The Pitching Center’s Spring Break Baseball Skills Camp 2013, it also is home

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to training and recreational leagues in other sports — including football, soccer, futsal, softball and lacrosse.

Lil’ Baseball offered for ages 3-7. Info: 925-416-1600, www.cabernetindoorsports.com EJ Sports EJ Sports provides positive, instructive baseball programs that includes camps, teams, conditioning clinics for ages 7-18. We provide an exciting, bully-free environment to help players improve athletically and build confidence. Our instructors possess the capability to teach concepts and relate to youth based on their comprehension level and athletic ability.

Our staff consists of qualified coaches dedicated to improving and continually learning newest techniques in baseball. Info: 925-866-7199, www. ejsports.com.

Total Player Center In an effort to develop baseball players to their full potential, The Pitching Center has become the Total Player Center (TPC), a fullservice baseball/ softball training

academy. We provide comprehensive, fully-integrated programs that evolve based on the best research and information in areas from health/ safety, peak performance, education techniques and more. Age- and skill-specific programs available for ages 8-18. Info: 925-416-1600, www. thepitchingcenter.com.

NorCal Grizzlies Baseball Camps and classes offered at various locations. NorCal Grizzlies Baseball has programs to help accelerate baseball development for players of all ages. 925606-1605, www. norcalgrizzlies. org.

BASKETBALL All Out Sports League Our camps are geared toward teaching fundamentals. Every aspect is covered: dribbling, shooting, layups, passing, crossovers, defense, help defense, boxing out and more.

Camps open to boys, girls ages 6-16.

We hold a multi-week Spring Academy in Clayton, four-day Summer Academy in Antioch. Info: 925-203-

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5636 or www.alloutsportsleague.com Bald Eagle Basketball Camp Campers get improved skills, passion for becoming their best.

Our unique format gives campers a choice period each day to play more basketball, go swimming, play sports camp games, have fun in our activity arcade — whatever summer fun they choose! This year we’ve ramped up our staff with more coaches who have high level playing and/or coaching experience, not to mention their PCA Certification like every staff member at Bald Eagle Sports Camps. Info: 888-505-2253.

CalStars The Stars Basketball Academy offers youth and high school summer camps. The SBA is a fundamental based skills development camp for kids in third grade-high school. We offer three youth (3rd-8th) sessions and two high school sessions. Camps are conducted by Clay Kallam (Bentley HS), Kelly Sopak (Miramonte HS), Dan Middleton (Northgate HS), Raul Reyes (Miramonte HS) and Elgin Leslie (Campolindo HS). Camps also

assisted by former high school, college players. Info: www.calstars.org.

FastBreak Basketball Margaret Gartner, highly-decorated girls basketball coach for Carondelet, leads this girls camp focused on fundamentals. Three week-long sessions: Session I, June 24-28, Grades 4-10; Session II, July 15-19, Grades 1-6 and Session III, July 22-26, Grades 4-10. Learn, improve basketball fundamentals, skills while having fun. Info: www.FastBreakBball.com; or email Fastbreak_club@yahoo.com Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors will be conducting camps this spring, summer for boys and girls ages 7-15.

In addition to high quality instruction, each camper receives a reversible Warriors jersey, headband, certificate, two tickets to a Warriors home game and more. Info: 510-986-5310 or go to http://warriors.com/camps.

Hawk Basketball Academy We focus on skill development, challenging the individual to push themselves to become

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the very best. Focusing on: footwork, dribbling, proper shooting technique, reaching your highest level of performance, improving your mental game, preparing for CYO, high school and AAU. Info: 510-943-9252, facebook. com/hawkbasketballacademy.

I’m Possible Training (Mike Allen) Whether you’re beginner or on varsity, this program will help you excel. Improve ballhandling, footwork, shooting, overall fitness. I’m Possible is a world-renowned basketball program authored by NBA skills coach Micah Lancaster. Mike Allen, head trainer for the Bay Area located in Los Gatos, runs clinics for athletes of all levels from pros to AAU and high school.

By registering, you can download the program, which lists a library of drills.

Info: 408-224-8503 or email mikeallen@possibletraining.com, www.possibletraining.com/mikeallen NorCal Courts Basketball Camps Norcal Courts in Martinez covers all major fundamentals: dribbling, passing, shooting, defense, rebounding. Camps run by qualified high school coaches from Cal Stars

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and Cagers Basketball. Info: 925-4575081; www.norcalcourts.com CHEER CheerGyms.com Customize our clinics to fit your needs. Cheergyms.com runs the best overnight residential camps. We offer practical, fun material and professional, knowledgeable staff.

Camps do not exceed 375 cheerleaders with one staff member for every 15 cheerleaders. Two-day camps also available. Private camps allow you to pick the hours, decide what they will learn. Camps also available for coaches. Intense Training Camps let you can pick one specific thing to work on for just $10 per student per hour. Info: morton@cheergyms.com, 925-685-8176, www.cheergyms.com ENRICHMENT Bald Eagle Jr. High Leadership Camp Giving your child a road map to create success is extremely powerful. Our Jr. High Leadership Camp includes tangible experiences working cooperatively with peers, leading groups,

public speaking, making friends, understanding community service, living an active lifestyle through fun camp activities. Info: 888-505-2253.

Dianne Adair Programs Come join any of our eight summer sites for our fun and exciting summer program. Each week campers choose from several camps including sports, fashion, drama, CSI, science and more. In addition to weekly camps, we have weekly field trips to places like an A’s or Giants game, museums, the Jelly Belly Factory, Six Flags, the pool, the movies, parks and the zoo. Field trips and camps vary by site. Offers, rates may vary at any of our nine locations. Info: www.dianneadair.org.

FITNESS Fit 2 The Core As a Youth Conditioning, Speed/Agility and Nutrition Specialist with the International Youth Conditioning Association, Fit-2 The Core Training Systems offers innovative approach to getting athletes back on the field.

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We work on a solid athletic foundation while focusing on individual progress.

Instruction in movement training, injury reduction, linear/lateral speed development, foot speed and agility, power development, proper weight training techniques and functional strength training. Athletes are closely supervised, with attention on proper technique, safety. We offer 2 days/ week or 3 days/week program options. Free two-week free pass. Info: www.fasteryoungathletes.com, 925639-0907.

Renaissance ClubSport We offer sports, speciality camps for kids 5-12 during school breaks. Participants have fun-filled, active breaks as they receive instruction in a variety of sports, activities and projects. Working parents can take advantage of our extended hours for both morning and afternoon sessions. Families with multiple children receive 10 percent discount for each additional sibling registered for the same week. Info: 925-942-6344.

Trucks Training Trucks Training was started by people who grew up in the area, experienced

the world and came back to provide a service that we feel our community lacks. We have proven records and know what it takes to achieve the next level of sports & fitness safely and effectively.

Hometown feel from true hometown people. We offer 1-on-1, group and small group training for both fitness and sport-specific needs. Info: truckstraining.com; 925-756-7321 Walnut Creek Sports & Fitness We offer more than 70 group classes per week.

WCSF raised money for Walnut Creek Schools through our annual Turkey Trot 5K, 10K & Kids’ Fun Runs. We thank the community for helping raise over $25,000. Free one week pass. Info: 925-932-6400, www.wcsf.net FOOTBALL All Out Sports League Camps held in Antioch and Clayton.

Our four day non-contact camp teaches every position on the football field and are geared toward the fundamentals. Every aspect is covered:

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blocking, tackling, running, defense, offense, special teams and more.

Camps are open to boys, girls ages 6-16. Info: 925-203-5636, www.alloutsportsleague.com Diablo Football Camps We offer contact and non-contact camps for players ages 6-14, which take place at Laural Ball Field and Shady Oaks Park in Oakley. Info/ registration: 925-625-2222, www.

DiabloFootball.com.

LinemenInc Camps Utilizing top college coaches and former NFL linemen, LinemenInc has produced a nationally-recognized camp and coach’s clinic. LinemenInc blends a fast paced, technically skill-oriented curriculum with a level of competition not found in other camps. Tuition is reasonably priced and includes camp, room, meals and jersey. In 2012, LinebackerInc was added. Info: www. linemeninc.com.

NorCal Football Camps Led by Ken Peralta, Norcal Football Camps are focused on serving youth ages 7-14. Norcal Flag Football Leagues serve kids entering grades 2-6. Info: Ken, 650-245-3608, norcaly-

outhfootballcamp@yahoo.com; www. norcalfootballcamps.com.

GOLF The First Tee-Contra Costa The First Tee Summer Camp is a youth development program for boys, girls ages 7-18. Participants will learn about golf and life skills and values inherent to the game.

We have offerings at courses in Antioch, Concord, Martinez and Walnut Creek. Fee assistance available. Info: Angela Paradise, 925-686-6262, Ext. 0, www.thefirstteecontracosta.org.

The First Tee-Oakland Participants receive a minimum of 12 hours of instruction over an eight-week period. Instruction is conducted at three City of Oakland affiliate courses. We introduce the game of golf in a way that allows participants to progress with the mechanics required. Offered at little or no cost. Info: 510-352-2002; www.thefirstteeoakland.org The First Tee-Silicon Valley Seasonal classes are offered at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course (San

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Jose) and Palo Alto Golf Course.

We welcome participants ranging from 2nd to 12th grade. Scholarships available.

Info: www.thefirstteesiliconvalley.org The First Tee-Tri-Valley We offer seasonal camps for youth ages 7-17, held at the Pleasanton Golf Center. Life Skills Experience Once-a-week summer slasses also available.

Info: 925-4627201; www.TheFirstTeeTriValley.org.

LPGA-USGA Girls Golf Camp All-girls golf camp at Boundary Oak Golf Course taught by highly skilled LPGA and PGA member Teaching Professionals. Improve your short game, irons, woods and trick shots.

Practice on the range and short game area where we will play a lot of games while building on the fundamentals.

Etiquette and character built into

the curriculum. Finish by playing nine holes. Info: LPGAKatie@gmail. com; 925-482-4547 GYMNASTICS East Bay Sports Academy Summer day camps offer the best in gymnastics, cheerleading, and tumbling. Halfday and full-day camps for girls, boys ages 5 and up for both recreational and competitive athletes. Our 13,000 square foot facility has the newest equipment, including the brand new super-bouncy, safety-rated Weller Spring Floor, which is the largest in the world. Gymnastics & cheerleading camps: July 15-18, July 22-25, August 5-8, August 12-15. Competitive gymnastics camp (Levels 4 & up): July 8-12. East Bay All-Stars Cheerleading also private minicamps and clinics for all kinds of cheerleading. Info: www.eastbaysportsacademy.com, 925-680-9999 .

HORSEBACK RIDING Earthquake Arabians Our skilled staff and individual instruction gives each rider an opportunity to advance at his or her own pace while

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creating individual goals for success.

If a competitive riding program is what you’re looking for, Earthquake Arabians has been continuously successful in the Arabian show ring. Spring and summer camps are around the corner.

Info: www.earthquakearabians.com, 925-360-7454.

LACROSSE Atherton Lacrosse Join Atherton Lacrosse and learn the basics of the game in their spring, summer and fall camps. Every camper receives access to the best high school, college and professional lacrosse coaches in the Bay Area in a setting with an extremely low coach-to-camper ratio. Every camper receives a free t-shirt. Dates and Info: www.athertonlacrosse.com.

MARTIAL ARTS USKS Adult and children’s programs, kick box fitness, mixed martial arts.

Providing excellence in martial arts instruction and services for the entire family. 925-682-9517;

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www.usksmartialarts.com.

OUTDOOR/ADVENTURE Bear Valley Mountain Outdoor adventures including kayaking, tennis, cycling, hiking, camp fires and more. Soccer (ages 9-16); archery (9-adult); teen climbing and Bear Valley’s Day Camps for ages 3-18 provide mountain fun. Eight-week, weeklong and day camps. Every camper will have the opportunity to enjoy a selection of mountain activities including: rock climbing, sailing, canoeing, hiking, swimming, disc golf, art and crafts, kayaking, biking, wilderness adventures and more.

Info: www.bearvalley.com.

Diablo Rock Gym Offering kids summer camps every week June-August. Ages 6-17; multiple kid and/ or week discounts.

Info: 925-602-1000.

Epic Indoor Skatepark Skateboard and scooter camps available in June, July and November. Only $250 for a week or $50 per day.

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or scooter grips included with a full week of camp. Lunch and snack provided. Info: www.epicindoorskate.com.

RUGBY Diablo Rugby Youth rugby is one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S. Based in Clayton, our club is dedicated to providing a positive rugby experience for boys at high school, jr. high and youth levels. Info: 925-3815143, http://diabloyouthrugby.clubspaces. com.

SOCCER EuroSoccerCamps.com We offers Skills, Goalie, Player Development, and Team Camps. We motivate players to challenge themselves and excel beyond the camp. We believe serious learning happens when it’s fun.Players are grouped by age and then moved to appropriate skill level. The Skills Camp uses progressively more sophisticated soccer drills (ages 5-10). Player Development Camp prepares players (11 and older) to be an effective contributor to the team effort. Our Goalie Camp focuses on agility, defense, and strategies to protect the goal (ages 7-14). The Team Camp helps team coaches and players to do their best as a team (all ages). 877-812-1235

Gino’s Soccer Academy The official camp of the Walnut Creek Soccer Club, run by WCSC Director of Coaching, Tom Ginocchio, and staffed with WCSC club coaches & players.

Five one-week programs for ages 4-17 in July and August.

Along with regular full- and half-day soccer programs, GSA runs the following specialty programs: team camps (recreational, competitive), advanced player academies, high school player academy, goalkeeper academies, all boys/all girls academies.

Info: www.ginossocceracademy.com, 925937-4466 Heritage Soccer Club Two fun-filled sessions: June 24-28, July 22-25. Camp runs from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Cost for Heritage members is $150 for one session, $250 for both. Non Heritage players: $225/$325. Sibling discounts: $50 each. Heritage camp focuses on learning new skills and honing existing ones.

Compete in small-sided games and camp tournaments. Camp also includes keeper

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and striker training, conditioning, nutrition and developing your mental game. Registration is open to boys and girls ages 7-14. Info: www.

HeritageSC.com West Coast Soccer Programs designed to bring professional experience and guidance to youth players across Northern California. The WCS coaching staff has created a curriculum to build the necessary foundation for your child to continue to grow. WCS camps, clinics and training programs create an environment that encourages experimentation and a passion for the game. Info: www.westcoastsoccerclub.com West Contra Costa Youth Soccer League Our program caters to competitive youth players ages 8-9. The main focus is not winning, but on development of total player within framework of a team.

We also offer specialized training for strikers and goalkeepers. Younger ages focus on foot skills. We desire to promote personal responsibility, fitness, sportsmanship and teamwork. Info: 510-758-5288, http://wccysl.com.

SWIMMING-DIVING Sherman Swim School Our year-round schedule allows children and

adults to learn, retain and improve their swim skills. We teach from age 9 months to adults, from non-swimmers to competitive. Our private or semi-private lessons allow you to progress at your pace. We also offer beginning and competitive diving classes. Info: 925-283-2100, www.

ShermanSwim.com.

TENNIS ClubSport Valley Vista Our camps are designed so that we touch on every major aspect of the game: stroke production, conditioning, strategy, footwork and psychology. Our low prices help make summer camp more affordable than ever. Eight sessions offered between June 17 and Aug. 16 geared toward players ages 7–16 from beginner to intermediate levels. ClubSport Valley Vista members receive discounted rates. Info: 925-934-4050.

VOLLEYBALL Bay Area Blast Summer Clinics Offering summer skills clinics for players of all ages, skill levels at NorCal Courts in Martinez. Morning clinics for 6th-8th grade girls and boys or players who are beginner/intermediate level. Evening

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clinics for 9th-12th grade girls and boys or players who are intermediate/advanced level. Info: www.bayareablast.com/summerclinics.html City Beach The City Beach volleyball club is based out of Santa Clara and has achieved a vast amount of national success while sending an array of athletes to the college level. The club offers summer camps and clinics. Info: CityBeach.ClubSpaces.com Pacific Rim Volleyball Through private lessons and opportunity for yearround skills classes, athletes of any age or level can learn and improve the skills to gain a competitive edge. For athletes with limited experience, we help develop solid fundamentals. Our advanced training, for junior levels (12th grade & below) will provide athletes opportunity to excel at becoming elite players in preparation for high school and/or collegiate volleyball. Info: www.pacificrimvolleyball.com.

U.S. Youth Volleyball League Camps are for beginner, intermediate,

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advanced players for boys, girls.

We have a player-tocoach ratio of 8:1. Focus on spiking, serving, setting, passing, blocking, defense, offense and game strategy.

Six-, four- and two-person formats allow kids to play in every position. Registration fee includes a T-shirt, completion certificate, snacks and water. Info: 888-9887985, www.USYVL.org.

WRESTLING Community Youth Center Offers young athletes opportunity to participate and excel in one of the world’s oldest sports. The program trains, challenges wrestlers at all age groups from kindergarten through high school, and all experience levels. The program is nationally recognized under the guidance of coach Mark Halvorson. Info: 925-671-7070, Ext. 229, www.communityyouthcenter.com.

MULTI-SPORT Bald Eagle Sports Camps A great blend of non-traditional “ultimate” games along with traditional summer

activities, especially the soft-sword “Zaber Games” that no other camp in the Bay has.

Every activity is inclusive of any level athlete, and our message creates encouragement from coaches and teammates. Even the non-sports child will feel motivated to play and love our camp and the highly competitive athlete will feel challenged.

It’s the perfect mix of fun activity, message and culture. Ages K-8th grades. Info: 888505-2253.

Cal Camps Camps are offered in variety of sports for girls, boys ages 5-19, with week-long, halfday, full-day and overnight options. Most camps on campus in Berkeley and are held from June through August. The 2013 Cal Athletics Camps include the following sports: baseball, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls rowing/crew, field hockey, football, boys and girls golf, girls gymnastics, rugby, boys and girls soccer, softball, boys and girls swimming, boys and girls tennis, boys and girls volleyball and girls water polo. Info: CalBears.com/camps.

City Beach Kids Camp Camps in Fremont for ages 6-15 and are chock-full of activities, including rock climbing, interactive games, free play at the

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entertainment hub and courts (based upon availability).

Camps are offered in 1-, 3- and 5-day session (w/ full- and half-day options) and run from June 20-Aug.30. 510-651-2500 x105.

De La Salle Camps Our athletic summer camps provide a fun, skillbuilding week for kids. Camps appeal to local youth with a variety of athletic interests. De La Salle will offer the following sessions: football, track & field, lacrosse, wrestling, quarterback & wide receiver, lineman, volleyball, baseball, soccer, water polo and strength & conditioning. Week-long sessions run through June 27. Info: summercamps@ dlshs.org; 925-288-8100, Ext. 7090.

East Bay Youth Sports Association Year-round, full-service youth sports organization dedicated to growth, development of character, sportsmanship, confidence, teamwork, ability and fun. Family friendly schedules and a relaxed, enjoyment of sports in a less-than-competitive atmosphere that offers both the player and their families the best that youth sports can offer. Our camps schedule includes spring break camps for ages 5-12 and summer camps for ages 5-14.

Info: www.eastbaysummercamps.com Saint Mary’s College Camps We offer boys and girls overnight, day, team

and specialty athletic camps for ages 4-18.

Camps include: multisport (badminton, basketball, flag football, handball, paddleball, soccer, softball, street hockey, swimming, tennis, volleyball), individual sport camps (baseball, boys basketball, girls basketball, golf, rugby, lacrosse, boys soccer, girls soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball). Each clinic features the head coach of the respective Gaels’ program. Info: www.smcgaels.com, smccamps@stmarys-ca.edu, 925-631-4386. ✪

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Advertiser Index

❒❒ 1-To-1 Pediatrics.............................................................................................34 ❒❒ Alameda County Fair.......................................................................................17 ❒❒ Army National Guard Recruiter..........................................................................4 ❒❒ Back Forty B B Q..............................................................................................22 ❒❒ Bay Area Blast Volleyball Club.........................................................................22 ❒❒ Big O Tires Northern California/ Nevada............................................................2 ❒❒ Bigfoot Hoops.................................................................................................30 ❒❒ Blaze Volleyball...............................................................................................40 ❒❒ Cal Athletic 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Club.........................................................................................40 ❒❒ Diablo Rock Gym.............................................................................................45 ❒❒ Diablo Trophies & Awards................................................................................45 ❒❒ E J Sports Elite Baseball Services.....................................................................41 ❒❒ East Bay Sports Academy................................................................................40 ❒❒ East Bay Youth Football...................................................................................42 ❒❒ Excellence In Sport Performance.....................................................................38 ❒❒ Fit 2 The Core...................................................................................................34 ❒❒ Game Changers Sports And Event Center........................................................16 ❒❒ Halo Headband...............................................................................................46 ❒❒ Hawk Basketball Academy............................................................................. 40 ❒❒ Home Team Sports Photography.....................................................................43 ❒❒ Image Imprint.................................................................................................44 ❒❒ James Logan Track...........................................................................................43 ❒❒ Kangazoom.....................................................................................................45 ❒❒ Little League Intermediate World Series.........................................................19 ❒❒ M L B Scout.....................................................................................................41 ❒❒ Marin Waves Track Club...................................................................................41 ❒❒ Mountain Mike’s Pizza.......................................................................................9 ❒❒ Muir Orthopaedic Specialists...........................................................................39 ❒❒ Pacific Rim Volleyball Academy.................................................................41, 42 ❒❒ Passthaball......................................................................................................46 ❒❒ Pro Hammer Bat..............................................................................................45 ❒❒ Rocco’s Pizza....................................................................................................45 ❒❒ Rockin Jump....................................................................................................47 ❒❒ Sacramento River Cats.....................................................................................26 ❒❒ Saint Francis Memorial 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