BA Issue 66, May 23, 2013

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vol. 4. issue 66

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New Game

Athletes With Diabetes Face New Challenges Also in Level Up: • Nutrition • Weights • Shin Splints • Shoulders

Go 'Possums!

Not all mascots are created equal

May 23, 2013

Back2Back

Miramonte Tennis Does It Again

Dive In

Swimmers dazzle at NCS Finals

››› you

like like like We

sports

sports

ncs swimming

h s a l p s g i b e h t pg22 sports is hard enough, 33 Playing but if you have diabetes the challenge is taken to a whole ‘nother level.

miramonte: 16 magnificent The Mats do what they do best — win. In this case, another NCS team tennis title. bases: NCS playoffs are here.

28 xtra So study up. There will be a test.

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pitch: The Oscars?

8 first Whatever? The Emmy’s? As if.

Teen Choice Awards? Are those still a thing? (No, seriously ... are they?). The only awards that matter are handed out right here in SportStars Magazine.

Yes, seriously.

us on facebook

room: Mascots are awe10 locker some. Well, usually. In most cases.

We think. Probably. of the Week: 12 SportStars Chelsea Chenault, Carondelet You think you have 32 impulse: skills? Pffft. We have SKLZ. That’s right. We said it.

Coaches. They yell a 13 Clipboard: lot of stuff at you. But an insider tip: they usually know what they’re doing. on the cover: San Leandro High sprinter Gabriella Cantrell. Photo by Dean Coppola

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

41 Camps + Clinics

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OURTURN It’s time SportStars jumped into the year-end sports awards

F

or the past two weeks, much of our time here at SSM Headquarters has been consumed with building a 12-page special section commemorating the 2013 Sacramento River Cats AllCity Awards winners.

The River Cats honored more than 300 high school athletes from the Greater Sacramento Area, and you can find every one listed in the pages of our Sac-Joaquin Edition this issue. Or, if you’re holding the Bay Area edition right now, you can see what we did by pulling up SportStarsOnline.com/RiverCats or scanning this page with the Layar App on your smartphone. (Layar app? Yes, take a peek to your right and you’ll see what I’m talking about.)

Anyway, working on the River Cats Awards section provided a lot of nostalgia from my days working for the papers of the Bay Area New Group. This time of year we’d be putting the finishing touches on the East Bay Top 100 Athletes of the Year — which, always ended up being around 110 due to late add-ons. I could never understand why we didn’t name 90 and then use the late add-ons to make 100. But I digress.

Naming those 110 athletes was a collaborative staff effort which always brought to me a sense of pride when it was finished — especially in my last few years there when I had an even larger role in the process and its crowning banquet event in early June.

We have our own Athlete of the Year program here at SportStars that honors one male and one female athlete at the end of each season. Which we like, and is very well received. But there’s something about a school year-end awards program that ties everything up nicely.

It’s my understanding through the general reporters grapevine that BANG’s Top 100 program may be dropped entirely this season. The banquet, which was a great event but took a lot of effort to plan and execute, will not happen this year. And the naming of the athlete’s in print, which typically happens during the third or fourth week of May, seems as though it may have been cut as well.

If that’s truly the case, then it’s SportStars to the rescue. We can’t promise a glitzy banquet with a keynote speaker and the works — although, who knows, we might just build to that — but as the only Northern California publication devoted strictly to high school sports, we seem to be the appropriate folks to begin something like this.

So that’s what we’ll do.

Maybe the number won’t be 100 (though it certainly won’t be 110), and maybe it won’t be strictly East Bay, but we will be formulating something and announcing our grand plan in the coming weeks on our website as well as on Facebook and Twitter. And once you have a chance to see what we did for the River Cats, just imagine what we’ll do with our own awards. Stay tuned. ✪ 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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SportStars™© 2010 by Caliente! Communications, LLC. All rights reserved. Subscription rates: 24 issues, U.S. 3rd class $42 (allow 3 weeks for delivery). 1st class $55. To receive sample issues, please send $3 to cover postage. Back issues are $4 each. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of Publisher is strictly prohibited. The staff and management, including Board of Directors, of SportStars™© does not advocate or encourage the use of any product or service advertised herein for illegal purposes. Editorial contributions, photos and letters to the editor are welcome and should be addressed to the Editor. All material should be typed, double-spaced on disk or email and will be handled with reasonable care. For materials return, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope. SportStars™© and STARS!™© Clinics are registered trademarks of Caliente! Communications, LLC.

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rapidFIRE Summer Job or Summer School

Favorite Must-See Summer Movie Dr. Seuss Book

Favorite Moment Favorite Summer From School Destination: This Year Mountains or Beach

Job

A good chick-flick

Seeing the team do well at DFAL

Next Bay Area Team To Win A Championship

Kate Didion, Las Lomas Swimming

No time Iron Man 3 for either

Swimming for Granada

Nick Silverthorn, Granada Swimming

Job

The Great Gatsby

Graduating

Chelsea Chenault, Carondelet Swimming

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May 23, 2013

count‘em Number of pitches it took St. Francis-Mountain View senior pitcher Michael Strem to throw a perfect game in the first round of the Central Coast Section Div. I playoffs against Monta Vista-Cupertino. Nationally-ranked St. Francis won 2-0 as Strem struck out eight. Of his 66 pitches, 48 were strikes.

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Top 5 least intimidating mascot options Top 5 LEAST Intimidating Mascot Options We recently learned that there is a high school trotting out the Fighting Zebras as its mascot. Look. We get that zebras can be scary, what with the rectangular yellow teeth and the smell and the stripeyness.

But. Really? This is what we chose to strike fear into the heart of our opponents? A horse that can’t settle on a color? Um. Okay. Got us thinking, anyway. Here are our top five LEAST intimidating mascots.

1. Sea Cucumbers — Nothing like an animal that literally ejects its guts into the water when frightened as a distraction for predators to really rally the troops.

2. Opposums — Game not going well? You can always just… um… lie there. Nice work.

3. Three-Toed Sloths — Not recommended for schools emphasizing track. Or basketball. Or swimming. Or anything fast. Or. Well.

Anything. Is napping a sport?

4. Bunnies — What are you going to do? Wiggle your widdle nose at me, sprinkle some pellets and hop away adorably?

5. Vegans — Terrorizing produce everywhere since 1944. But not eggs. Or milk.

— Bill Kolb, Meativore

Got your own great mascot idea?

Share it with us on Facebook and we’ll print the best (or worst — whatever the case may be)

say what

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“I couldn’t have asked for a better race. ... It was amazing all the positive energy coming from the crowd, the announcers, and my teammates.”

Campolindo senior swimmer Steven Stumph’s post-race retmarks to the Bay Area News Group after setting the national high school record in the 100-yard breaststroke at the NCS Swimming Championships on May 18. He won the race in 53.39 seconds, narrowly outswimming fellow national-calibar talents Charlie Wiser of Miramonte-Orinda (53.57) and Nick Silverthorn of Granada-Livermore (53.61).The previous national record of 53.67 was held by U.S. Olympic swimmer Brendan Hansen.

Jonathan Hawthorne

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Chances are Chelsea Chenault had a better weekend than you. To recap, the Carondelet senior swimmer capped her banner high school career with three victories at the NCS championships on May 18: 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle, and the 400 free relay, the latter broke the independent national high school record. Her performance helped capture the Cougars’ first team title since 2010. Oh, and on Sunday she graduated from high school.

SportStars Magazine: Was this the highlight of your high school career?

Chelsea Chenault: Definitely.

We didn’t win NCS for two years after my freshman year. To be able to come in as a team and do so well… a day before my graduation, incredible wave of emotions.

SSM: Did you think you could break the 400 free relay record (set earlier this year in Pennsylvania)?

CC: It was something that I had noticed a couple months ago. … I looked up an article and looked at their splits and our girls’ splits. … When I compared the times, I called the girls and said ‘Hey, we can totally do this.’

SSM: How have you grown this season?

CC: I’ve just grown a lot with maturing and dealing with adversity. … Becoming more suc-

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honorable mention

chelsea chenault

jackson miller

carondelet . swimming . senior

The Las Lomas senior won the 200 and 500 freestyle events at the NCS championships on May 18.

justin pagila The De La Salle golfer shot a 3-under 69 to help the Spartans capture the team title at the NorCal championships on May 20.

iris brand Jonathan Hawthorne cessful, people aren’t always going to support you. Overcoming that … has really helped me develop and pave the path for next year when I go to college.

CHELSEA’S QUICK HITS Favorite athlete: Michael Phelps Favorite class: Anatomy Favorite Starbucks item: Passion Tea

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The Amador Valley sophomore won the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle events at the NCS championships on May 18.

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Our coach keeps talking about how we have to play harder in the NCS playoffs. He keeps telling us we have to ramp it up and stuff like that. Hey, we’re pretty good — shouldn’t we just keep playing the way we have all season?

G.P., Tiburon I’m guessing from your note that you play on a team that hasn’t been to postseason recently, because otherwise your coach wouldn’t have to say anything about what it takes in the playoffs.

First, though, you are right that teams shouldn’t change when it comes to NCS or SJS or NorCals.

What got you there is what will keep you there — but there’s a little more to the story.

There are a lot of different levels that high school teams start from.

Some are struggling, just trying to find wins wherever they can.

Others are pushing for an at-large berth in postseason and others are out to win a league title.

But the really good teams are focused on NCS (I’ll just use NCS because that’s where I’m from). Sure, they want to win in preseason, but those are more important for how they’ll affect postseason seeding.

These teams usually have plenty of veterans who have been to postseason before, and they’re not going to be bothered by a three-hour bus ride, officials they’ve never seen, or screaming crowds. They’re here to win, and they know what it takes — and it’s more than just talent. It’s focus, determination, steadiness, emotional maturity and

the ability to rise to the occasion.

That doesn’t mean every top seed with 80 percent seniors will win every time, but they definitely aren’t going to roll over and die like some below-.500 league opponents will.

They won’t beat themselves, which means you have to find a way to beat them — and that’s not how it is in the regular season, when a good team often just needs to hang around long enough and the other side will find a way to lose.

Teams that are focused on the postseason are very serious about the situation, and they’ve been pointing for this since the end of the last year. They’ve put in the work in the summer and offseason, and they’re not going to let that effort just slip away. Having a late lead is better than being behind, but it’s no guarantee in NCS. So yes, your coach is right. Even though what works for you in the regular season will continue to work for you in the playoffs, you have to be more focused, more intelligent and more mature if you want to do more than just play one postseason game and come home with a T-shirt. ✪ 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 Coach Kallam at clayk@fullcourt.com

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Jesuit-Carmichael’s rugby team battled back from a pair of half-time deficits to claim a seventh national title By jim mccue | Senior Contributor

The Jesuit High rugby team does not need much motivation for games. The Marauders are a nationally-recognized power that strives each year to live up to the standards and reputation established by their predecessors in the program.

At the recent High School Rugby National Invitational Tournament in Elkhart, Indiana, Jesuit got an unexpected motivation en route to the Marauders’ seventh national championship in 17 years of existence.

Prior to the team’s semifinal game against No. 2 Xavier of New York, Jesuit discovered that the oldest high school rugby program in the nation was more than a little confident in its ability to defeat the Marauders. The Outlaws had downed Jesuit 41-20 in an April 1 matchup in Carmichael, so Xavier supporters reserved an entire restaurant to celebrate their team’s national championship berth.

The problem was that the semifinal game to earn the national title game berth had not yet been played against Jesuit when some Jesuit parents and supporters stumbled upon the information about the Outlaws’ reservation while dining at the restaurant the night before.

“At our morning stretch and walk-through, we let the boys know that there was a big party planned by Xavier to celebrate their win,” coach John Shorey said. “We didn’t play it up, but we let them know.”

In the semifinal, Jesuit trailed at halftime before scoring 29 consecutive points after the intermission on their way to a convincing 39-20 victory to earn a shot at the national championship.

In the final, the Marauders again trailed at halftime — this time, 13-7 to national No. 1 Gonzaga College High from Washington, D.C.— before tightening up their vaunted defense and allowing just a single three-point try by the Eagles to record a 21-16 victory and secure the national title.

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James K. Leash

Jesuit’s Austin Gates gains separation by putting a strong move on a Dixon defender during the Northern California Invitational Rugby Tournament on May 4 in Sacramento.

“The game was top-flight and our defense was amazing,” Shorey said. “We were able to put tremendous pressure on what they wanted to do and they were unable to change their game.”

Wing Devin Kelly scored a pair of tries and Jesuit’s defense, led by junior flanker Connor Rock, set the tone. The Marauders allowed just 53 points in three games (17.6 per contest) against top-level competition.

“Our defense if our offense,” Shorey said. “If you don’t let teams score, then it puts more pressure on them and allows us to capitalize on mistakes teams might make if they start to panic.”

Jesuit’s biggest defensive stand came in the first game at the NIT when the Marauders defended their goal line against a bigger and more physical Herriman (Utah) squad that featured five Division I football scholarship athletes. The clutch defensive effort spanned the last five minutes of the game in a narrow 18-17 win.

That kind of desire and intensity has been a staple of Marauders squads under Shorey, who helped found the program in 1997 along with help of General Manager Fred Khasigian and support from then-athletic director Chris Smart. Shorey initially told Smart and Khasigian that he would coach for one year to help start the program, but the off-campus coach has

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not been able to step away for 17 years.

In addition to the traditional desire and determination, this year’s Jesuit rugby team featured great depth and unmatched team speed.

“From one through 15, this is one of the best teams that I have had in terms of talent at all positions,” The veteran coach said. “These young men have built an amazing bond where everyone is in for the team.”

Shorey credits captains Matthew Ternan and Casey Reilly for the team’s bond and unselfishness. The senior pair led the Marauders and the school with integrity, according to Shorey, and built a trust and brotherhood that the coach believes will last for years.

“We want kids to be able to come back to the school years later and show their kids and family the trophies and share the stories about the teams and their success,” Shorey said.

“I tell them that we play to win the hardware, but we do it with class and humility. That is their legacy.”

The legacy of the 2013 Jesuit rugby team will include another national championship trophy for the storied program.

That, in and of itself, will be motivation for future teams to live up to the standards and traditions upheld by this year’s team.

And it will likely be motivation for every opponent that faces the defending national champions in 2014.

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SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING

There appears to be no stopping the Walnut Creek Aquanuts these days. The synchronized swim club announced on May 10 that it secured another national championship after taking first place in the 2013 Swimoutlet.com National Synchronized Swimming Championships held in April in Greensboro, N.C. The Aquanuts had 21 swimmers make the trip to compete among 200 swimmers from more than 30 teams.

Along with winning the overall championship, the Aquanuts had several teams and individuals standout. The Senior Free Team claimed the gold medal in its division by topping Ohio State’s “Scarlet” squad by the narrowest of margins, 170.1000 points to 169.4125. It was the 14th Sr. National Championship for the program. The club also earned the High Point Award, the 20th such occasion in the club’s history.

Senior Aquanut Athlete Alexa Tchekmarev, 19, was second in the standings for the individual highpoint award. Alyson Haylor, 19, wasn’t far behind, placing third.

The Aquanuts Junior Team had a second-place showing with its circus-themed routine. Szofi Kiss, 17, took a bronze in the Junior Solo category and 16-year olds Karina Boyle and Sandra Ortellado grabbed second in Junior Duet.

The entire team’s success was a culmination of several intense weeks of training up to six hours a day, six days a week. Clearly, it paid off.

“The judges liked their combination routine so much that they wished they could see it again,” coach Kim Probst said in a press release. “The girls were thrilled with the response to their African-themed routine, and felt all their hard work had paid off.”

The Aquanuts will give their hometown fans and supporters a chance to see them in action on June 15 at the Celebration of Champions. All the Aquanut teams will demonstrate their award-winning style at the exhibition event taking place from 4-8 p.m. at Clarke Memorial Swim Center at Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek. Adult tickets are $15 each, and tickets for seniors and children (ages six to 17) are $10. Anyone under five years old gets in free. For more information, please visit www.aquanuts.org.

Contributed

Members of the Walnut Creek Aquanut compete in the gold-medal winning Combo Routine at the US National Synchronized Swimming Championships in North Carolina.

SOCCER

The West Coast Soccer Club sent four girls teams to the NorCal State Cup finals in Turlock on May 5, and three came home with the hardware. The U-15 Wild showed why they’ve been ranked No. 1 in the state for U-15 for more than eight months. They defeated Diablo FC in the final 2-0 on goals from Miciah Madison and Kasidee Wiley. The defense obviously did it’s part behind the play of Megan Amick, Emilie Allum and goalkeeper Amanda Valentine.

The U-14 Wonder came back from a 2-0 deficit to shock the Modesto Ajax with an eventual 4-3 victory in overtime.

Down 2-1, Michia Madison scored her second goal of the game to tie the match in the 54th minute. She made it hat trick a bit later to give the Wonder a 3-2 lead. Modesto managed to equalize and the match went to a golden goal overtime period where a hand ball violation in the box led to a penalty kick for the Wonder. Lesley Hernandez took the shot and put it in the left corner for the victory.

The U-17 Kryptonite completed their goal of a third straight State Cup with a 2-1 win over Central Cal Alliance.

Adaurie Dayak scored the eventual game-winner, breaking a 1-1 tie off a corner assisted by Ebony Ezeji & Regan Smithers who battled for the ball in the box. ✪

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Miramonte boys tennis won its second consecutive NCS team tennis final behind depth and balance

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By hunter hewitt | Contributor

erfection is a rarity in sports.

An undefeated season in any sport, at any level, is seldom seen. One off-day, one crucial mistake, one controversial call by a referee – any of these can lead to a loss and the dismantling of a perfect record.

To accomplish such a feat, a team must be incredibly skilled, well-prepared, tough-minded and closeknit.

Sounds like the 2013 Miramonte boys tennis team.

On May 11, the Matadors defeated Redwood-Larkspur and Monte Vista in the final two rounds of the North Coast Section Division I playoffs, securing their second straight NCS championship and ramping up their season record to a perfect 27-0.

“We had two great team victories today, and that’s how it has been all year for us,” Miramonte head coach Michael McCollom said following the matches. “We talk a lot about accountability and always

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Miramonte No. 3 doubles player, Kyle Rechnitz, celebrates a point during the NCS Team Tennis final.

Jonathan Hawthorne

showing up in the big moments, and we did that today. We got what we wanted.”

McCollom was named the East Bay Boys Tennis Coach of the Year by the Contra Costa Times in 2012, and could very well receive the honor again this year. Despite the individual accolades, he is quick to give credit to his players.

“Teams are all about the guys that go out there and play,” he said. “We have great players and leaders who demand excellence and motivate each other. We are very balanced and we always show up with an outstanding understanding of the team concept.”

Team captain Luke Bohuslav, one of the leaders McCollom specifically noted, led the way for the Matadors, winning both of his No. 1 singles matches in commanding fashion. In his team’s narrow 4-3 victory over Redwood in the semifinals, Bohuslav won his match in two sets, 6-0, 6-4. The senior was also victorious in two sets in the finals against Monte Vista, 7-6, 6-3.

“We have been training for this for years and it feels great to win another title,” Bohuslav said with a shiny medal around his neck. “The first match was a little shaky in the beginning, but luckily we pulled it out. We were really pumped up for the second match and we came out hot.”

Speaking of hot, the weather played a major factor in the final two rounds. With temperatures in the mid-90s, several players battled heat cramps and dehydration.

Miramonte felt the effects from the heat, but was far from fazed.

“It was tough in the heat, but we were prepared for it,” McCollom said. “We have been training hard, and that is one of the things that makes our team great. We have a very deep team and we practice hard with quality players every day.”

Senior Andrew Tan and junior Logan Boersma both suffered cramps during their No. 1 doubles match against Monte Vista, but they found a way to dig deep and play through the pain. Although they lost the first set, they fought back and won the second.

By the time their third set had begun, the Matadors had a 3-1 advantage over the Mustangs and needed to win just one more match to clinch the championship.

With several teammates and fans watching, Tan and Boersma came through with a gritty performance and won a nail-biting third set, 7-5. Their teammates rushed the court in triumph immediately following the game-winning point.

“The match was incredible, and the heat was a big factor,” Tan said afterwards. “We were cramping a lot, and we definitely had to work for every point. It always feels good to finish the match and see your teammates there running through the gate to celebrate.”

Tan and Boersma’s heroic victory gave Miramonte a 4-1 lead, and the Matadors won the final two singles matches shortly after.

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Although the final score was 6-1, it was actually Monte Vista who appeared to have the edge early on.

The Mustangs took an early 1-0 lead by winning the No. 4 singles match with the rest of the matches still in progress. They also led in two other matches, as they had won the first set in both No. 1 and No. 3 doubles.

The momentum quickly shifted in favor of Miramonte, however, as the No. 3 doubles team of Michael O’Melveny and Kyle Rechnitz bounced back from losing the first set and won the match, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.

No. 2 singles player Peter Martin won his match soon after, and the Matadors took control from there.

Miramonte’s run of perfection ended one week later in the semifinals of the CIF NorCal Championships, where they were edged 4-3 by Serra-San Mateo on May 17. Serra advanced to the final and was swept by powerhouse Menlo-Atherton. It was Menlo’s fifth consecutive NorCal title and the Knights didn’t drop a single match in the tournament.

Upon winning the NCS title, McCollom and his players were fully aware of the tough competition that lied ahead, but remained optimistic about the opportunity to compete against some of the best teams in California.

“We want to have a really good showing at CIF,” Bohuslav said. “There are going to be some really good teams there, but we want to go out with a bang and pull out some great wins.”

Added McCollom: “We’re just going to show up and do what we always do. We’re going to leave everything we have out on the court and hope for the best.”

Regardless of their performance at the CIF NorCal Championships, one thing is certain: The Matadors have a perfect attitude. ✪

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Matadors No. 2 doubles player Neil Weikert goes to his backhand to return a passing shot during the NCS final. Miramonte swept all four doubles matches in the 6-1 championship victory.

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Grand at Diablo De La Salle wins second NorCal golf title in three seasons

With superior depth and a good amount of confidence, the De La Salle boys golf team will head back to the CIF State Boys Golf Tournament for the second time in three years as the top team from the North.

The Spartans No. 1 Justin Pagila shot a 3-under 69 — one of just three golfers to shoot under par for the day due to the heat and windy conditions at Diablo Grande Country Club in Patterson — and De La Salle had four more players card rounds in the 70s. The Spartans posted a team score of 373, nine strokes better than secondplace Archbishop Mitty-San Jose.

“We had some success at the EBAL Championships (held at Diablo Grande), so the kids were real comfortable with the golf course,” De La Salle coach Leo Lopoz said. “We felt we were a competitor in the chase for the championship. I think they were confident going in and played with confidence. And that kind of carried them throughout.”

Pagila gets a good deal of the headlines for the Spartans, but the depth from golfers 2 through 6 will be what

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makes the team a threat at the state championship on June 5 at Quail Lodge and Country Club in Carmel.

At the NorCals on May 20, Pagila’s 69 was followed by a 75 from senior Ben Chambers, a pair of 76’s from junior Jason Hurtz and freshman Josh McCarthy, and a 77 from junior Justin Nuval.

“This group is as good as any we’ve taken to state before,” Lopoz said. “ It’s similar to a lot of the better teams that have come through DLS. ... You need five, even six guys. (The depth) was easy for me to see from the beginning, and has come to fruition. The ability to have a lot of different people score on any different day make this one special. Will they win a state championship? That remains to be seen, but they definitely can.

Mitty and third-place Robert Louis Stevenson-Pebble Beach also qualified as teams for the state tournament field. The individual medalist honor at NorCals went to Ryan Maund of Foothill. He topped Pagila by one stroke with a 4-under 68. ✪

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De La Salle senior Justin Pagila delivered a 3-under par 69 to lead the Spartans at the CIF NorCal Tournament.

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With the Bay Area — and particularly the East Bay — in seemingly a golden age for young swimming talent, the North Coast Section Swimming Championships have become a must-see event over the past five years.

Nothing exemplified that better than this year’s 100-yard breaststroke final in which the top three finishers all swam faster than the national high school record which had been set by U.S. Olympic swimmer Brenden Hansen in 2000. Campolindo’s Steven Stumph won the race to set the new national mark in the event.

And that wasn’t even the only national record to fall on May 18 at Concord Community Pool.

Carondelet’s Chelsea Chenault, Natalie Amberg, Madelyn Murphy and Madison White combined to set the national independent record in the 400 freestyle relay. The Cougars finished the race with a time of 3:20.42, a full second ahead of the previous record.

It was the third win of the day for Chenault, who also took firsts in the 200 and 500 freestyles.

Stumph also had three top finishes with victories in the 100 butterfly and contributing to Campolindo’s 400 freestyle relay win. Sven Campbell also swam in the Cougars’ relay win and won the 200 individual medley and 50 freestyle.

It was no surprise that the Campolindo boys claimed their ninth straight team title, and Carondelet won its first since 2010.

Non-Cougars who shined included Amador Valley’s Iris Brand (wins the 50 and 100 freestyle as well as the 200 freestyle relay) and Las Lomas’ Jackson Miller (200 and 500 freestyle along with a 200 freestyle relay win).

Here are a few of our favorite shots from SportStars’ photographer, Jonathan Hawthrone. ✪ — SportStars

Jonathan Hawthorne

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Miramonte’s Charlie Wiser during his 200 IM victory; San Ramon Valley supporters cheer from the deck; Foothill’s Celina Li during her 200 IM win; The start to the boys 50 freestyle final; Las Lomas’ Jackson Miller after winning the 200 freestyle; And Las Lomas’ Katie Didion swims in the 200 IM final.

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Once torn between singing opera and sprinting, Gabriella Cantrell chose track and became a runaway star

G

abriella Cantrell knew she had the race in hand at the halfway point. That’s something to be expected of a long distance runner competing in the 1600 meter or the 3200. But she’s not a long distance runner – she’s a sprinter, and this was the 100 meter dash.

And when she crossed the finish line “coasting”, as she put it, there was about a 30-foot gap between her and second place.

The San Leandro High junior posed for the camera, smiling and holding up her index finger, and received congratulations from her fellow competitors. In total, she tallied four first place finishes on the day at the West Alameda County Conference finals on May 11, further cementing her status as a track tour de force for 2013.

Like most prodigies, Cantrell started her track career at an early age — when her friends were still learning how to tie their shoes.

“I’ve been doing track since I was about 6-years old,” Cantrell said. “(My dad) just saw a talent in me ever since I was little. I used to take off running all the time and they couldn’t catch me.”

But track was far from the only extracurricular activity that occupied her free time. Cantrell listed basketball, tennis, swimming as other sports she played as a kid and added on dancing and opera singing for good measure. The activity she valued the highest after track?

“I was singing in the San Francisco Opera. … Track was like the same as singing so I kinda, like, tossed those in between, basically.”

When Cantrell got older she graduated from the chorus school and decided to take track a little more seriously.

“I went to Athens, Greece, to run for International Children’s Games with Tommie Smith,” said Cantrell who was in eighth grade for the event. “I did really, really well there. So I decided that track was the right way to go.”

◆◆◆ Cantrell began her high school career at Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland where she competed on the track and field team. She showed promise her freshman year placing fifth in the 100 at the North Coast Section Meet of Champions, narrowly missing out on a bid for state (only the top four qualify).

An ankle injury bothered her during her sophomore year and she was forced to have surgery early in the season. But she still finished fourth in the 100, third in the 200 and first in the 4x100 relay, helping O’Dowd take home first place overall at the NCS Meet of Champions.

State was an altogether different story.

Cantrell competed in the 100, 200 and 4x100 but failed to qualify in all three. The disappointment stung but it was still a learning experience.

“Just stay healthy and trust my training and my body,” Cantrell said on what it would take to succeed at state. “Just the peaks and the valleys, the bad times you learn from ‘em, the good times – you wanna keep having the good times.”

To allow her body to get back to top form, she took a break from track last summer.

“I had some scar tissue in (my ankle) from (competing) and that was kinda affecting my hamstrings and the backs of my knees. Everything was just swelling up so it was just like, ‘Let me just take a break.’ You know, first year ever that I didn’t run

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during the summer. But I just started back at it in September.” ◆◆◆ Cantrell is trained by track guru Curtis Taylor of the East Oakland Youth Development Center. He’s trained track and field stars such as triple jump extraordinaire Sasha Wallace (Castro Valley) and top sprinter Trinity Wilson, now at USC. He’s trained Cantrell on and off for three years, but this season he has a close eye on her.

“She’s gotten a lot stronger and spends quality time in the weight room,” Taylor said. “She’s also been able to get her confidence level up. A lot of success in track is in your confidence level, feeling comfortable competing at the level you’re at.

She’s gotten in more high level races this year and now what’s happening is she believes she can do well.”

Taylor explained the two things all track athletes need for continued success.

“One, you’ve got to get stronger. Second, you’ve got to have a lot of confidence. She’s been able to achieve both this year.”

With her ankle healed and her body at 100 percent, Cantrell has been on fire this season. The rest of the state took notice earlier this year at two meets. She posted a time of 11.76 seconds in the 100 at the Sacramento Meet of Champions on April 27. At the time, that was the third fastest in the state. She then posted a 23.97 in the 200 at the Mt. SAC Relays on April 20, which was second best in California through May 11. And with her showing at the WACC finals, victories at NCS are expected to follow on May 25.

“Just trying to pace myself,” Cantrell said after she ran the 200 on May 11. “Just get through the rounds healthy. That’s basically it. Not try to force myself and go for time.”

She’s saving all her energy for NCS where she’ll be a heavy favorite to win multiple events. Last year’s top finishers in the 100 and 200 have all graduated, leaving the door wide open

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Cantrell leaves one of her competitors in the rearview during her 200 meter heat at the North Coast Section Bay Share Area Meet on May 18. She won the heat to easily qualify for the NCS Meet of Champions on May 24-25.

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for Cantrell to be the big winner.

But that’s not her end goal for the season.

“My goal for this year: ultimately to win state, hopefully,” Cantrell said, “well at least place.”

To win state, Cantrell will have to do the improbable: beat Long Beach Poly’s Ariana Washington. Also a junior, Washington is a stranger to losing. Last year, she won the 100 and 200 at state. This year, she holds the state’s fastest times in the 100 (11.51) and 200 (23.34), both third fastest in the country.

For reference, Cantrell faced off against Washington in the 100 prelims last year — losing by nearly a second and a half.

Still, with a healthy ankle this go ‘round, Cantrell should give Washington a run for her money. ◆◆◆ Neither her goals, nor her season, stops at state. Cantrell

will continue to be found in track stadiums worldwide this summer.

“I’m trying to do Pan-Am (in Colombia) this year,” Cantrell said. “That’s August 23, I believe. And the trials are … after the school year in Des Moines, Iowa.”

After the summer, she’ll get things going for her senior year and then beyond. Some colleges have already taken notice.

“I got a couple (colleges looking at me),” Cantrell said.

“Tennessee called my school. UCLA I believe is looking at me.

That’s where I wanna go. Notre Dame and ASU (Arizona State University) looked at me last year.”

Taylor’s confident great things will happen for her.

“If she stays focused and serious … it’ll be interesting,” Taylor said. “She could definitely be one of the top sprinters in the country.” ✪

POISED FOR THE PODIUM Following is a list of NCS athletes who had Top 10 marks in the state through May 18.

Name (school)

BOYS

Event

Rank (mark)

Christian Carter (San Leandro)

400

5 (47.53)

Herbie Polk (Maria Carrillo)

400

6 (47.79)

Eugene Hamilton (B. O’Dowd)

800

1 (1:50.19)

Marquis Morris (De La Salle)

110 hurdles

3 (14.06)

James Traylor (Berkeley)

110 hurdles

6 (14.21)

Sam Peters (Amador Valley)

300 hurdles

6 (37.89)

Frank Kurtz (Heritage)

400

Mile 300 hurdles

1 (47.03)

2 (4:12.74) 1 (37.19

Karsten Washington (J. Logan) Long jump

Triple jump

4 (23-8.25)

Nate Moore (Castro Valley)

Long jump

5 (23-7.25)

Jeffrey Prothro (James Logan)

Triple jump

2 (48-11.75)

Matt Esparza (Amador Valley)

Shot put

9 (59-6.25)

Name (school)

Triple jump

GIRLS

6 (47-10.75) 1 (49-10)

Event

Rank (mark)

Jena Pianin (Amador Valley)

3200

9 (10:37.94)

Sasha Wallace (Castro Valley)

100 hurdles

1 (13.43)

Long jump

5 (19-2.75)

Gabriella Cantrell (San Leandro) 200

Kortni Smyers-Jones (S.Lndro)

Triple jump

4 (23.97)

1 (42-4)

100 hurdles

4 (13.94)

Taylor Craft (Newark Memorial) 100 hurdles

7 (14.06)

Kristen Mork (Granada)

7 (5-8)

High jump

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Here Comes Drama: NCS playoff preview Records are through regular season

Postseasons for North Coast Section baseball and softball began on May 21, beginning the last high-profile playoffs of the school year.

Extra Bases is here to provide a quick breakdown and a few predictions for the the top three divisions in each sport.

BASEBALL Rank, Prev. Team

1. (1)

2. (2)

3. (3)

4..(5)

5. (8)

6. (6)

7. (4)

8. (7)

9. (9)

10. (10)

11. (11)

12. (13)

13. (12)

14. (14)

15. (16)

16. (19)

17. (20)

18. (18)

19. (NR)

20. (15)

Granada-Livermore

St. Francis-Mountain View

Casa Grande-Petaluma

Campolindo

Bellarmine-San Jose

Serra-San Mateo

Elk Grove

Jesuit-Carmichael

Davis

Clayton Valley Charter-Concord

De La Salle-Concord

Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills

Woodcreek-Roseville

Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove

College Park-Pleasant Hill

California-San Ramon

Capital Christian-Sacramento

Pioneer-Woodland

James Logan-Union City

Valley Christian-San Jose

Record

23-1

25-4

24-2

17-6-1

24-6

20-5

22-5

20-7

21-6

20-4

17-7

19-8

20-6

21-7

18-5-1

18-6

21-5-1

18-9

BASEBALL

› FAVORITES: Division I — Granada and De La Salle; Division II — Casa Grande and Campolindo; Division III — Acalanes and Sir Francis Drake. › BRACKET BUSTERS: Division I — James Logan: The 2011 champs are too strong a program not to be taken seriously as the No. 6 seed. Freedom could be a very dangerous 10 seed as well.

Division II — College Park: The No. 5 seed closed the year winning nine of 10 and was a semifinalist a season ago. Division III — El Cerrito: Despite often having less talent and depth than their opponents, the fifth-seed Gauchos always find a way to get into the mix. › MUST-SEE MATCHUP: Division I — Granada/De La Salle: The Matadors have already beaten the Spartans twice in league play, but knocking off a defending champ is a lot tougher when the title is on the line. Division II — Campolindo/Clayton Valley: Either of these teams in a final against Casa Grande will be riveting, but count us in if this semifinal comes to pass. Division III — Acalanes/ San Marin: This would only be a quarterfinal, but these two teams just play phenomenal games against each other. Their 2011 championship game ended in a tie, and last year’s quarterfinal went to Acalanes in 11 innings. › PREDICTED CHAMPS: Division I — Granada; Division II — Campolindo; Division III — Acalanes.

SOFTBALL › FAVORITES: Division I — Amador Valley and James Logan.

Division II — Petaluma and Alhambra. Division III — Terra Linda and San Marin. › BRACKET BUSTERS: Division I — Freedom: The Falcons program just has too strong a history to discount as a threat.

Division II — Concord. This is the deepest tournament, which means plenty of teams could throw a monkey wrench into things.

But we like the defending champions as a No. 4 seed. Division III — Acalanes: If the No. 5 seed can upset Sonoma Valley in the quarterfinals, it could be a serious threat to top seed Terra Linda. › MUST-SEE MATCHUP: Division I — Amador Valley/James Logan: We’ve been clamoring for a rematch ever since the last out of the 2012 NCS final. We’re pretty sure both teams feel the same.

Division II — Petaluma/Alhambra: This was a fantastic semifinal a year ago with Petaluma winninng 3-2. A championship tilt would be just as good. Division III — San Marin/Analy: The defending champion Mustangs have just four losses this season, and one of them was a 13-8 drubbing by Analy. The Tigers are dangerous as the sixth seed. › PREDICTED CHAMPS: Division I — Amador Valley; Division II — Alhambra; Division III — San Marin. ✪

17-7

17-11

SOFTBALL Rank, Prev. Team

1. (1)

2. (3)

3. (2)

4. (5)

5. (4)

6. (6)

7. (7)

8. (8)

9. (9)

10. (10)

11. (11)

12. (12)

13. (13)

14. (14)

15. (15)

16. (16)

17. (18)

18. (17)

19. (19)

20. (20)

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Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

Amador Valley-Pleasanton

James Logan-Union City

Alhambra-Martinez

California-San Ramon

Vintage-Napa

Sierra-Manteca

Rocklin

Elk Grove

Petaluma

Woodcreek-Roseville

San Benito-Hollister

Carlmont-Belmont

Casa Roble-Orangevale

Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove

Tracy

Clayton Valley Charter-Concord

Concord

Kimball-Tracy

Roseville

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May 23, 2013

Record

27-0

22-2

23-1

21-2-1

20-4

27-0

21-2

23-3

21-7

24-1

19-8

22-3

24-3

18-4

18-9

23-4

19-3

18-4

21-6

17-6-1

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BAWS 2013 Preview: A closer look at the talent

The high school section playoffs are well underway which obviously means the high school season is nearly complete. That doesn’t mean the baseball season is almost over for high schoolers, though.

Many, in fact, most high school players continue to play into the summertime with a local or even a regional club or travel team. There are even some kids who still play American Legion baseball, though those are fewer and fewer, unfortunately.

Club and travel teams will play in a lot of tournaments all summer, some for the pure purposes of good competition and working at getting better.

There is another aspect of club/travel ball in the summer and that is exposure to college coaches. Another way high school players get exposure to those college coaches is by attending showcases.

Speaking of which, the original Bay Area showcase-tournament, Bay Area World Series (est. 2004, a.k.a. BAWS) will be held this summer, June 21-23 at Santa Clara University. Another BAWS event, BAWS Underclass, will take place July 19-21 at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo.

As BAWS 2013 nears, let’s take a look at some of the players expected to stand out.

Here’s a few highlights from each roster, which are almost entirely made up of outstanding juniors from the nine Bay Area counties.

TEAM ALAMEDA will feature Austin Piscotty of Amador Valley-Pleasanton.

Austin is the third Piscotty brother to play at BAWS and his older siblings are VERY well regarded by college coaches and even pro scouts. Middle infielder Kaleo Johnson of Encinal-Alameda is another player who likely will catch the eye of college coaches. He has been playing varsity ball for the Jets since his freshman year.

TEAM CONTRA COSTA is always a very talented group and this year will be no different. The player with the best chance to grab the most attention is De La Salle-Concord outfielder Ben Polshuk. Polshuk is a similarlyskilled and built player to former BAWS standouts and future high draft picks Bobby Crocker and Mitch Haniger. Middle infielder Brian Hsu of Dougherty Valley HS is another

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player to watch.

TEAM NORTH BAY often illuminates some players the college coaches don’t yet know about.This year look for infielder Kaelan Crisosto of Enterprise-Redding to be the one who grabs scholarship attention.

He’s big and strong and athletic, with a good basketball playing background. Middle infielder Michael Walker of Santa Rosa will also be a new name for the college coaches to learn about.

TEAM PENINSULA has lefthanded hitting catcher Austin Kron of Palo Alto. Anytime there is a good left-handed hitting catcher, particularly one from a good program like Palo Alto, he will get looks. A pair of outfielders from Aragon, Steven Hughes and Andre Perkins will have a chance to make a name for themselves. Left-handed pitcher Kyle Vallans of Mills may end up on another roster but he’s a Peninsula-area product and a good young pitcher to watch.

TEAM SOUTH BAY has righthander Ben Hughes of Valley Christian-San Jose.

Hughes was named the Most Outstanding Pitcher at BAWS 2012. Middle infielder Scott Jarvis of Bellarmine Prep-San Jose will draw attention with his size and talent — and Belllarmine is known for turning out good talent.

Expect P/OF Theron Kay of Valley Christian to also be looked upon favorably.

TEAM WEST has some players from out of the area, including the Monterey region as well as the Central Valley. Right-hander Chris Clements of Pacific Grove is a good college prospect, with three usable pitches and everincreasing velocity. Outfielder Brett Berghammer of Half Moon Bay is another player college coaches will get to stumble upon.

There obviously will be dozens of other players who stand out and many many surprises. Come out to Santa Clara June 21-23 and see 140 of the Bay Area’s top high school players. Full rosters and schedules can be seen at www.BayAreaWorldSeries.com. ✪ Blaine Clemmens is the founder and director for the Bay Area World Series showcase event that celebrates its 10th year in 2013.

For more information on the Bay Area World Series, visit www.bayareaworldseries.com

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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. This week we were royally hooked up by our friends Sklz, makers of trendy sports equipment. They massively furnished our digs for our Field of Dreams at the Bay Area KidFest, so let us take you on a tour of the goodies.

What makes Sklz products so cool is that they’re compact, lightweight but constructed in a way that makes them durable. We have a feeling this equipment can stand the test of time enduring countless soccer trips, little league double headers, and basketball tryouts.

Rapid Fire ››

Now you don’t need to bribe your little brother or sister to rebound for you.

What’s cool about the Rapid Fire is you can change the angle and any miss, even an airball, will come right back to you.

Quickster Golf Net ››

Who needs to hit the driving range when you can set this up in your backyard?

It’s so sturdy even your mammoth drives won’t knock it back. Take it anywhere you want: golf practice, friends houses, birthday parties, etc.right back to you.

Goal-EE ››

D-Man ››

If you’ve got two seconds then you can assemble this soccer goal. So easy to use, portable, and sturdy that we’re sure it can outlast a thousand soccer tourneys.

Set up a couple of these and work on your ankle breaking skills, spin moves, kicking, passing, peripheral vision and more. It’s the ideal football practice companion.

Sport-Bench

This compact bench seats four athletes (or, 5-6 little athletes) comfortably. It folds up easily so you can stow it away and make room for the rest of your gear.

This is a must-have for soccer since most fields don’t come equipped with benches.

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Athletes with diabetes A whole different kind of game

When someone is developing diabetes, their What does 10-time Olympic medalist Gary Hall Jr. and Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler body is unable to get the sugar out of their blood. have in common? Besides their elite athleticism, This sugar accumulates, turning the blood acidic. they both have Type 1 diabetes. Both must moniYour body still needs energy so it begins to break tor their blood sugar using finger pricks in-between down muscle or make keytones. These keytones races and possessions to perform at the highest can be deadly. The sugar in the blood is taking up level of sport. the place of oxygen making the athlete But what is diabetes? lethargic, tired and feeling like they have Diabetes can be divided into several flu-like symptoms. For people without subgroups with the most recognized diabetes normal glucose levels are in being Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is an low 100’s. autoimmune attack on the pancreas, So what do coaches, and trainers an organ that produces insulin. Insulin need on the field for their diabetic athallows food to be transported as glucose letes? First thing is to know your athlete. into the cell to be used by the body. The Alex Riley played soccer at Monte Robin Bousquet Vista-Danville. After playing many years cause is unknown and most Type 1 diabetics report no family history of diabetes. of youth soccer he found that “on some All Type 1 diabetics need insulin and at this time occasions, coaches didn’t take my diabetes serithere is no cure. A Type 1 diabetic can have high ously when I needed to come out of the game.” blood sugar or low blood sugar. Both of which can On the sidelines a diabetic kit should contain: be deadly. › Glucagon- an immediate injectable to give a When Lucas Fogarty was playing college diabetic who is unconscious from a low. football at Pitzer/Pomona College he remembers › Glucose tablets, candy, Gatorade- In case a tough camp day. your athlete is getting low during practice.

“I drank an extra juice before going to sleep that › Water night because I could feel myself going low. At 120, › Emergency phone numbers to parents, physiI thought just one Capri Sun would be enough, cian, and endocrinology team. unfortunately I was wrong and my blood sugar that › Knowledge of their insulin regulation system night was less than 15. My brother found me the (pump/shots/pens/etc) next morning blue, and close to not breathing. I › Insulin supplies (with syringes or pump suphad suffered a seizure during the night and bit two plies) holes in my tongue while giving myself a concus› Blood glucose meter with test strips sion. ... I was rushed to the hospital where they Dr.Tariq Ahmad, Pediatric Endocrinologist at fought to get my blood glucose back to normal.”

Children’s Hospital and Research Center Oakland Conversely, Type 2 is a genetic mutation of the hopes children and adults realize that Type 1 receptor cells that allows glucose into cells. Type diabetes doesn’t have to stop anyone from fulfill2 develops with lifestyle choices (high sugar / ing a dream. carbohydrate intakes) and family history. Type 2 “Optimizing performance is knowing your body, people can learn to control their blood sugars and and finding your balance to excel to your potential live without the use of medications. at any athletic event.”

But how do you know when you have diabetes?

Diabetes and athletics can go hand in hand What are the signs and symptoms? with the right support system in place.

Junior football player Matthew Rapolla of St. Lucas Fogarty has taken his experiences and Patrick/St. Vincent High in Vallejo was diagnosed now uses it to educate others at his sports camps last July. He reported feeling like he had the flu, for diabetic athletes and their friends called DASH. was throwing-up, thirsty, lethargic, and was going “Having your teammates looking out for you during to bathroom all the time. He credits his school’s practice is key,” Fogarty said. athletic trainer Carica Macariola (“Coach Mac”) for For more information about his camps go to saving his life. www.dashcamp.org “I was really fast and then the lineman started To find information about type 1 diabetes go to to pass me during sprints. One day at practice I www.JDRF.org passed out and Coach Mac called my dad and To find more information about Type 2 diabetes made me go to the doctor. She saved my life. My sugar was at 630, I could have died.” go to www.diabetes.org ✪

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Contributed

Alex Riley (20), a 2012 graduate of Monte Vista-Danville, managed his Type 1 Diabetes through several years of competitive soccer. With the Mustangs, he would need to monitor his blood sugar both before the match and at half time.

Robin Bousquet is mom to 3-year-old Max, who was diagnosed with Type 1 at 18 months old, and the Senior Physical Therapist at the Sports Medicine Center for Young Athletes, a division of Children’s Hospital Oakland.

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training tim: tim rudd

Falling into bad habits can affect performance & health Being a Precision Nutrition Level 1 coach has helped me ensure my athletes avoid these six nutritional mistakes that not only limit their performance but their health as well.

Next issue I will offer up a plan to help athletes avoid these nutritional mistakes.

Eating too much, like everyone else: › The young athlete needs more total food › The young athlete needs more food from carbs › The young athlete should eat more frequently › The young athlete needs to fuel high performance Poor breakfast habits: Breakfast is a critical meal, second only to workout nutrition. Breakfast can help: › Regulate blood sugar › Help maintain energy balance › Help control late-day cravings that lead to eating junk food Not eating enough protein throughout the day (lunch and snacks): While a higher protein intake is mistakenly associated with muscle building, the benefits of more protein include: › Higher metabolic rate › Faster adaptation to training demands › Better recovery › Better body composition

Ignoring the importance of workout and post workout nutrition: Research has shown that workout and post workout nutrition prevent: › Dehydration, › Delay fatigue › Decrease the stress response to exercise › Help prevent glycogen depletion › Help improve the immune system Not adding good fats: The balance of fat in your diet can control: › Inflammation, › Hormonal balance, › Metabolic rate, and more Eating too few fruits and vegetables: Many athletes getting less than 3-5 servings of fruits and veggies/ day are deficient in many vitamins and minerals, negatively impacting: › Oxygen transport and VO2 max › Energy metabolism › Aerobic and Anaerobic energy transfer › Muscle building

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

EDITOR’S NOTE: In Tim’s column for Issue #65 (May 1), his No. 3 speed training mistake to avoid should have read “over-speed training” and not “too much speed training.”

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training by trucks: anthony trucks

Nowadays, if you frequent any gym or training facility, then you are starting to see a large amount of different training tools and styles — more than ever before. Many people already do, or want to start doing, their resistance training OFF of traditional weights.

Back in the day it was simply a choice of a bar, and what size weight plate you wanted to slide onto it. Today, you have almost too many choices: tires, TRX, kettle bells, battle ropes, bands, chains, bosu balls, and the list can go on and on. So choosing which one is right for your goals, or being too scared to try something new out of fear of injury, are the bigger obstacles.

The solution is amazingly very simple: the more the merrier. When you are trying to complete a project, the goal is to utilize as many useful tools as possible — as long as you know how to use them. You don’t want to swing a power drill like a hammer or you’ll do more damage than good.

My recommendation is to keep your training as fresh and beneficial as possible by venturing out and trying new training equipment that works, but make sure to educate yourself on those tools so that you don’t hurt yourself in the process. That, or continue to be afraid of trying new things and see where that takes you. ✪ Anthony Trucks is the owner of Trucks Training facility in Brentwood and covers weight training for SportStars.

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nagging injuries: joyce warren

Getting a leg up on shin splints Are your workouts leaving you with tender, aching shins? You may have “shin-splints” — a painful condition most often caused by overworked muscles.

Left untreated, shin splints can become debilitating, and even result in stress fractures of the tibia.The good news is that if symptoms are recognized early and treated properly, prognosis is excellent for a full recovery.

Athletes often develop shin splints when they increase the duration or intensity of their workouts.

Risk factors include flat feet, tight or weak muscles, rigid arches, or a tendency to run with toes pointed outward. External risk factors – such as running on hard surfaces, uneven terrain or inclines, or use of improper or worn-out footwear – can also cause shin splints.

Treatment involves rest, ice, compression and elevation (R.I.C.E.) REST: It is important to give the leg muscles some time off, which will allow tissues to heal.

COMPRESSION: Wrapping the lower leg with elastic bandages or braces can help decrease symptoms.

ICE: Ice should be applied for 20 minutes three to four times a day while symptoms persist. Rubbing ice directly over the tender area for about five minutes can help reduce inflammation. Moist heat can also help.

ELEVATION: Elevating the leg reduces swelling by increasing blood circulation to the area.

Finally, massaging the calf, shin and foot can also ease shin splints. Many people use a foam roller or stick roller to self-massage calf or shin muscles, and a tennis ball or golf ball to massage the arch of the foot.

Although shin splints can often be self treated, it is important to contact a sports medicine physician if pain persists after a period of rest, since more serious diagnoses can also cause lower leg pain. It’s also necessary to address the risk factors that led to the problem in the first place. Seek help from a physical therapist or athletic trainer to correct physiological abnormalities and learn about stretching and strengthening techniques, as well as appropriate training regimens.

As always, prevention is even better than treatment. Remember to: › Gradually increase the intensity or duration of your workout › Warm up before exercise › Use shoes that provide proper support or are fitted with orthotics for your type of foot › Avoid hard surfaces, uneven terrain, and inclines And most importantly, listen to your body when it needs a little more TLC. Joyce Warren is a doctor of physical therapy at the St. Francis Memorial Hospital Center for Sports Medicine in Walnut Creek.

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shoulder care: justin dudley

Better conditioning shoulders for sport-specific movements What do baseball, volleyball, swimming, golf, lacrosse, football, softball, tennis and CrossFit have in common? They all require the arms to generate skilled, coordinated, and powerful directed movements.

Each of these sports has very specific skill requirements that take years of repetition, training and coaching to master. However, before any of these sport specific movements of the arm can be mastered, the stability and appropriate positioning of the shoulder complex needs to be addressed.

This stability and control are the foundation upon which skilled movements can be built.

In a simplistic way to think about the muscles of the shoulder joint, they can be broken down into two categories: “Prime Movers” and “Stabilizers.” Prime Movers are the muscles that perform actual sport-specific movements of the arm (golf swing, swim stroke, volleyball spike, etc.) and only provide minimal stability as a secondary function. Conversely, the function of the Stabilizers, which include the rotator cuff and scapula muscles, are designed for scapula positioning and centering the ball in the shoulder socket. Their contribution to sport-specific movement is much less.

Because of this, the ability to implement a few well-developed programs for scapula and rotator cuff function across many upper-extremity sports is possible. It is the skilled movements built on top of this foundation that differentiates athletes. However, it is important to realize that despite the seemingly generic approach of a program for scapula strengthening and rotator cuff function across all athletes, it is likely the most important component to injury prevention and the longevity of an athlete. Stabilizer muscles underperforming requires more attention of the Prime Movers to obtain stability.

This example is all too common in overhead athletes and often results in decreased performance due to wasted energy, decreased accuracy and often times predisposes the athlete to injuries of the shoulder complex due to poor biomechanics.

Crossover Symmetry is not a replacement for sport-specific training and conditioning, but rather a great adjunct to be incorporated into a training program. It was developed to address the Stabilizers and make sure the muscles are functioning at an optimal level — regardless of your sport — in order to allow your Prime Movers to master skill movements. ✪ Justin Dudley is an in-house Physical Therapist for Crossover Symmetry, based in Denver.

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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 Livermore-based club not only hosts The Pitching Center’s Spring Break Baseball Skills Camp 2013, it also is home 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.

The Pitching Center In an effort to develop baseball players to their full potential, The Pitching Center has become the Total Player Center (TPC), a full-service 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.thepitching-

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center.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. 925-606-1605, www.norcalgrizzlies.org.

FITNESS

Children’s Hospital “Learn What It’s Like To Be An Athletic Trainer.” Workshop exclusively for high school students, March 1-2. Includes: Overview of careers in sports medicine; ankle injuries and taping techniques; wrist, hand, thumb injuries and taping; knee injuries and RICE therapy; stretching techniques; low back injuries and CORE Training; sports concussions; shoulder injuries, rehabilitation. Class credit, certificate of completion and reference materials. Run by Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine staff, held in Oakland. Also available: yoga, athletic development, speed camps, circuit training. Info: 510-428-3558 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.

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 super-

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vised, 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, 925-639-0907.

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: 925942-6344.

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: 925932-6400, 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: 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.

Football University From the creators of the U.S. Army AllAmerican Bowl. Exclusively for nation’s most elite youth, high school players. For many younger players this level of coaching is simply not available, so the Football University experience focuses on intense position-specific technique taught by our expert faculty. The 2013 Bay Area camp will be held at Dublin High from April 26-28.

Info: footballuniversity.org 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

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2012, LinebackerInc was added. Info: www.linemeninc.com.

Next Level Training Combine This spring combine and football camp is April 6 at Emerald Park in Dublin for football players ages 7-18. The camp will feature 10-year NFL defensive back Donovin Darius. Youth camp are 9 a.m-noon, high school camp is 1-4 p.m. Focuses of the combine will include speed, agility, strength, quickness and conditioning. Info: DariusNextLevelTraining.com; 904-290-3320 NorCal Football Camps Led by Ken Peralta, Norcal Football Camps focused on youth ages 7-14. Norcal Flag Football Leagues serve kids entering grades 2-6. Info: Ken, 650-245-3608, norcalyouthfootballcamp@ yahoo.com; www.norcalfootballcamps.com.

SOCCER

EuroSoccerCamps.com We offers Skills, Goalie, Player Development, and Team Camps. We motivate players to challenge themselves and excel beyond the camp. 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.

Our Goalie Camp focuses on agility, defense, and strategies to protect the goal (ages 7-14). 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

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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, 925-937-4466 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 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 NorCal. 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. ✪

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Advertiser Index

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1-To-1 Pediatrics.............................................................................................34 Alameda County Fair.......................................................................................21 All Out Baseball & Softball In Season..............................................................28 Army National Guard Recruiter..........................................................................7 Bay Area Blast Volleyball Club.........................................................................43 Bay Area Festivals Inc. Kidfest Field Of Dreams................................................20 Big O Tires Northern California/ Nevada............................................................2 Bigfoot Hoops.................................................................................................27 Blaze Volleyball...............................................................................................40 Cal Athletic Camps..........................................................................................46 California Family Fitness..................................................................................15 Championship Athletic Fundraising................................................................26 Cheergyms.Com..............................................................................................23 Children’s Hospital And Research Center..........................................................35 City Beach Sports Club....................................................................................19 Club Sport Renaissance...................................................................................15 Community Youth Center................................................................................46 Core Volleyball Club.........................................................................................40 De La Salle High School Summer Camps.........................................................46 Diablo Trophies & Awards................................................................................43 Dianne Adair Enrichment Programs..................................................................3 Dublin United Soccer League...........................................................................41 E J Sports Elite Baseball Services.....................................................................40 East Bay Youth Football...................................................................................40 East Bay Youth Sports Camps..........................................................................44 Excellence In Sport Performance.....................................................................38 Fellowship Of Christian Athletes......................................................................40 Fit 2 The Core...................................................................................................34 Game Changers Sports And Event Center........................................................16 Garaventa Enterprises.....................................................................................25 Halo Headbands..............................................................................................46 Hawk Basketball Academy..............................................................................41 Home Team Sports Photography.....................................................................43 Image Imprint.................................................................................................41 James Logan High School Track.......................................................................44 Little League Intermediate World Series.........................................................29 M L B Scout.....................................................................................................41 Marin Waves Track Club...................................................................................43 Midway Paintball Park....................................................................................41 Mountain Mike’s Pizza.......................................................................................9 Muir Orthopaedic Specialists...........................................................................36 National Academy Of Athletics........................................................................17 Pacific Rim Volleyball Academy.................................................................41, 42 Passthaball......................................................................................................46 Pro Hammer Bat..............................................................................................30 Rocco’s Pizza....................................................................................................43 Rockin Jump....................................................................................................31 Sacramento River Cats.....................................................................................30 Saint Mary’s Athletic Summer Camps..............................................................47 San Leandro Crusaders Youth Football & Cheer...............................................42 Sherman Swim School....................................................................................42 Sky High Sports...............................................................................................43 Sport Clips.......................................................................................................18 Sports Stars Magazine.....................................................................................43 Stars Fitness: Sports Therapy And Rehab Specialists........................................37 Stevens Creek Toyota.........................................................................................4 Summit Orthopedic Specialists.......................................................................48 Sutter Delta.....................................................................................................39 The First Tee Of Contra Costa............................................................................46 The Sports Authority.......................................................................................13 Tpc / The Pitching Center.................................................................................30 Trucks Training................................................................................................38 U C Merced........................................................................................................5 United States Youth Volleyball League............................................................45 Velocity Sports Performance.....................................................................42, 43 World Events...................................................................................................42

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