NorCal Issue 107 October 2015

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8 locker room: Halloween is right around the corner and some people are starting early (we’re looking at you, 49ers, dressing up as an NFL team).

The Fence: 38 Tryouts, sign-ups, fund-raisers and more!

46 Advertiser’s index 4

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When Game & Life Collide Editor’s Note: Every so often, our SacJoaquin region coordinator Jim McCue has something he wants to say. And it’s usually important. So he gets the First Pitch this month.

See you in a few weeks. -Chace Bryson

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ften times, sports are criticized for missing the point that they are just games. The early part of the Fall 2015 high school sports season has shown that sports can be a platform to support greater causes within the school, community and country.

In Weeks 1 and 2 of the football season, The Honor Group — based in Loomis and headed by former coach Mark Soto — honored military veterans and first responders with football showcases in Southern California (at Oceanside High) and locally (at Del Oro-Loomis). It was the sixth year Soto has led the effort to “educate, empower, and equip” with a football showcase that has been recognized as one of the best in the nation.

Since 2010 The Honor Bowl has had over 100 teams from four states (California, Nevada, Washington and Hawaii), and has included varsity, JV, freshmen, junior football programs and law enforcement teams.

Meanwhile, St. Francis, an all-girls parochial school in Sacramento, used a recent match featuring its highly-touted volleyball program to raise cancer awareness. The Troubadours hosted Davis on Blood Cancer Awareness Night in support of St. Francis junior Natalie Woodruff.

Woodruff, who was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in May and began receiving treatment in July, is sitting out the season to battle the disease. Both teams wore variations of lime green, the official color of the fight against blood cancer, including hair ribbons, shoe laces, and special jerseys for the St. Francis varsity team — all of which had Woodruff ’s name across the back.

The junior was joined on the court by her parents and grandparents for a pregame prayer and Woodruff addressed both teams and those in attendance before the match. Additionally, staff from the

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society were present to recognize seniors Abby Fitzgerald, Sophie Huang and Mia Bonini for their fundraising efforts this past summer.

Longtime teammate Bailey Avery, also a junior, was excited and emotional following Woodruff ’s appearance and address before the match, according to St. Francis Assistant Athletic Director, Steve Shaff.

“I have been going to school with Natalie since the fourth grade,” Avery told Shaff after the Troubadours 3-0 win. “When she was giving her speech, it made everyone really emotional and I started tearing up. It made every one play with more heart because it was for someone we know.”

Connecting games with a cause is noble, and adding the familiarity of a teammate and friend to the cause can be very powerful for all involved.

“It was so much fun,” Woodruff said after the match.

“I felt back at (St. Francis) and part of the community.

I have always felt that, but tonight made it feel real.”

Woodruff recently completed her fourth — and hopefully, final — round of treatment, and will get an MRI and PET scan soon with hopes of good news.

The cancer awareness event at St. Francis was fitting as September was Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. In the United States, approximately 15,780 children under the age of 21 are diagnosed with cancer every year, and about 1 in 4 of those will not survive the disease. Many of those affected are current or aspiring athletes who would gladly trade the chance to compete for a greater chance of survival. While sports will not save a child — athlete or not — from cancer, they can at least provide a platform to help raise awareness as well as funds for research and support.

Sometimes the games are more than just games. ✪ If you or your school are playing for a cause this year, let us know.

Send an e-mail to editor@sportstarsonline.com or Tweet us with #SportsForACause to spread the word and raise awareness.

join our team PHONE 925.566.8500 FAX 925.566.8507 Editorial Editor@SportStarsOnline.com Editor Chace Bryson • Chace@SportStarsOnline.com Staff Writer Jim McCue • JimMcCue16@gmail.com Contributors Bill Kolb, Matt Smith, Clay Kallam, Ben Enos, Dave Kiefer, Liz Elliott, Tim Rudd, Trevor Horn Copy Editor Bill Kruissink Photography Bob Larson, Jonathan Hawthorne, James K. Leash, Norbert von der Groeben, Phillip Walton, Doug Guler, Dean Coppola, Berry Evans, III Marketing/Events Ryan Arter Editorial Intern Mike Young Creative Department Art@SportStarsOnline.com Production Manager Mike DeCicco • MikeD@SportStarsOnline.com Publisher/President Mike Calamusa • Mike@SportStarsOnline.com Advertising Sales@SportStarsOnline.com, 925.566.8500 Account Executives Camps & Clinics: Ryan Arter • Camps@SportStarsOnline.com Alameda County: Berry Evans • Berry@foto-pros.com Central Valley, World Events: Anthony Grigsby • Area Director anthony.grigsby@worldeventssports.com Darin Wissner • JustAGameEvents@gmail.com Reader Resources/Administration Subscription, Calendar, Credit Services Angela Paradise • Info@SportStarsOnline.com Distribution/Delivery Phillip Walton • Mags@SportStarsOnline.com Information technology John Bonilla CFO Sharon Calamusa • Sharon@SportStarsOnline.com community SportStars™ Magazine A division of Caliente! Communications, LLC 5356 Clayton Rd., Ste. 222 • Concord, CA 94521 • info@SportStarsOnline.com www.SportStarsOnline.com

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

Highlands-North Highlands, Football, Senior The senior quarterback is putting up huge numbers in leading the Scots to a 3-1 start. Tenette has passed for 583 yards and six touchdowns in four games, but his running game has been nearly unstoppable — and record-breaking in one instance. In a Week 1 matchup against Mira Loma, he carried the ball 21 times for 465 yards, the most rushing yards ever amassed in a single game by a Northern California QB. The rushing total, which included seven touchdown runs, was also the highest single-game rushing total in the region. The 5-foot8, 140-pound speedster is not just a running quarterback, though, as Natomas found out.

Tenette passed for a season-high 203 yards and connected with Kentrell Turner for a 25-yard scoring strike in the 37-25 victory over the Nighthawks. He also rushed for three scores, including a back-breaking 80-yard dash in the fourth quarter. The Scots open Sierra Delta League play on Oct. 2 at Rio Vista.

honorable mention Maddie Haynes: Rocklin’s senior outside hitter recorded a team-high 19 kills in a hard-fought, five-set Sierra Foothill League win over rival Granite Bay. Haynes has 176 kills on the season.

Katherine Claybaugh: The San Ramon Valley-Danville senior needed just three sets to post 16 kills, seven digs and four aces in a late September win over Livermore.

Christian Silva: The electric senior QB for TennysonHayward threw four TD passes and rushed for two more as the Lancers built a 40-0 lead after three quarters in a 40-14 win over Mt. Eden-Hayward.

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Top 5 halloween costume suggestions It’s autumn, sports fans. According to the calendar, at least. Going by the weather, it’s still the middle of July. But then, there was that big horking Harvest Moon eclipsey thingy the other night, so we guess we’ll just go with it. And when the leaves change and the frost is on the pumpkin and all that, you know our favorite holiday is just around the corner. Ghouls, goblins, witches, skeletons — and that’s just in the end zone seating at the Oakland Coliseum. Halloween is upon us, folks.

Here are our Top 5 ideas for costumes, SportStars style. Get your trick-or-treat on, decked out as: 1. A real NFL Quarterback — We’re looking at you, Colin Kaepernick.

2. A head coach who knows how to celebrate a magical championship season — Steve Kerr: There should be cigars and tee-times and champagne toasts. Not two back surgeries. Ask Phil and Pop. You’re doing it wrong.

3. A fanbase that knows there’s a 5-year moratorium on whining about your team after a title; knows how to savor three titles in six years instead of kvetching about bad luck and injuries and folding down the stretch — This works out well, since your team colors already fit a Halloween theme.

4. Luchadores — We think Jonathan Papelbon and Bryce Harper would make a great tag-team pairing. Plus, with the masks, we wouldn’t have to look at their faces.

5. An Oakland A’s starting pitcher — Sonny Gray, we think this getup is perfect for you. Here’s hoping you can trot it out again next year, and the year after, and…

—Bill ‘that goes bump in the night’ Kolb

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Rapid Fire kaitlynn zdroik Liberty-Brentwood Volleyball

Beau Bisharat Jesuit-Carmichael Football

what's your plan for a halloween costume Vince Lombardi (family Packers fans)

Undetermined superhero

have you ever pranked a freshman No Not freshmen, but guys in my own class

favorite animated film Finding Nemo

#

hashtag

A look at our favorite social media posts of the past several weeks. Got any good posts you’d like to nominate? email editor@sportstarsonline.com

Roseville FB @RHSTigersFB Sept. 26 (following 4 OT loss to Del Campo-Fair Oaks) “Heartbreaking resultbut how we respond & come back over next 6 weeks will tell a great deal about our character. Many players stepped up2nite.”

Social Media Athlete @HSSocialMedia Sept. 29 “Social #Training: Don’t carry the fight to Social - it lives long after you’re not angry any longer.”

Andrew McCutchen @TheCUTCH22 Sept. 29 (Regarding St. Louis Cardinal, Stephen Piscotty, an Amador ValleyPleasanton grad injured in a nasty outfield collision) “Good to know Stephen Piscotty is okay after last night.

Praying for health and healing.”

where they now?

With Davis High cross country phenom Fiona O’Keeffe on our cover, we thought we’d check in to see what a former cross-country cover girl is up to.

Campolindo-Moraga 2012 grad Carrie Verdon was a two-time state champion and one of the Bay Area’s most decorated distance runners of the past several years. At Colorado, she was 2nd Team All-Pac 12 as a sophomore before having to take a medical redshirt last season. She returns this season to a Buffaloes team looking to improve on its seventh place finish at NCAA Nationals in 2014.

Trending What’s hot in the world of stuff that’s hot Justin Bieber says he wants to live like Jesus. Well, get yourself in that cave and we’ll roll the boulder in front and see what happens.

It’s so bad for the San Francisco 49ers that even Browns fans are reaching out. You never want to see that.

We might be nearing another government shutdown because people who can’t (or won’t) do their jobs seem to be highly re-electable.

They found water on Mars!

That’s nice. Matt Damon looks thirsty.

A show runner says the end is near for ‘The Simpsons’. I dunno, is 2000 really ‘near’?

The Incredibles

best part of homecoming week Gettin' jiggy with it

The game

Eddie Lacy, Packers RB

20th Century Fox

favorite athlete outside your own sport LeBron James

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NFL has NORCAL flavor

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veryone talks about a graduating class from high school and key athletes moving on into college, but it’s always fun to check out those who’ve earned jobs as rookies in the NFL after playing in college.

There’s a strong group of those players this year from Northern California high schools. This list includes:

ARIK ARMSTEAD (Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove) Former first team all-state player for the Eagles and a first round pick out of Oregon plays defensive line for the San Francisco 49ers.

ANDREW FRANKS (Carmel) After kicking for the Padres, Franks went to tiny Rensselaer Polytechnic Instaitute in New York. He just won the starting job for the Miami Dolphins.

SEAN MANNION (Foothill-Pleasanton) He starred at Oregon State and is the third QB on the roster for the St. Louis Rams.

Arik Armstead

MARCUS PETERS (McClymonds-Oakland) What a start for the former University of Washington player in the Kansas City Chiefs’ secondary. Marcus got the NFL season’s first interception in his first game, and in his second he got a pick six.

JORDAN RICHARDS (Folsom) Was a standout from Bulldogs’ 2010 state title team and first to make it to the NFL from Folsom’s current coaching staff. Richards played collegiately at Stanford and is now in the secondary for defending Super Bowl champ New England Patriots.

TY SAMBRAILO (St. Francis CCC-Watsonville) Already starting at left tackle and providing protection for Peyton Manning with the Denver Broncos. Sambrailo went to college at Colorado State.

JAMES SAMPLE (Grant-Sacramento) He was with Marcus Peters at Washington and was with Shaq Thompson at Grant. Now playing DB for Jacksonville.

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Shaq Thompson

SHAQ THOMPSON (Grant-Sacramento)

a pERFECT TENETTE

A first-round pick last April by the Carolina Panthers and also from the University of Washington, Thompson remains one of the best players we’ve seen from NorCal prep football in the last 10 years.

Heading into the fourth major week of the season, California’s leader for single-game rushing was Highlands of North Highlands senior Isaiah Tenette. On just 21 carries, in a 84-43 victory against Mira Loma-Sacramento on Sept. 12, Tenette racked up 465 yards and scored seven touchdowns. His total broke the Sacramento area single-game record of 449, set in 2005 by James Montgomery from Cordova-Rancho Cordova.

The most intriguing aspect of Tenette’s total, however, is that he did it not as a running back but as a quarterback. We had to check out the complete all-time state list and found the only total higher in California history from a quarterback was Sty Hairston of Banning. He had 476 yards rushing on just 15 carries and scored seven TDs in a 2012 game when Banning defeated Linfield Christian-Temecula 71-14.

For the complete updated list of single-game state rushing leaders, please visit CalHiSports.com. ✪

TERRON WARD (De La Salle-Concord) Yes, the Spartans have another one in the NFL after Terron (who played at Oregon State) earned spot as a running back for the Atlanta Falcons. He also joins older brother T.J. (playing for the Broncos) as first set of DLS brothers to make it as pros.

CODY WICHMANN (Mariposa CountyMariposa) He was an all-state small school player from Mariposa at TE/LB who went to Fresno State and eventually into the NFL (he’s with the Rams). Sound familiar? Logan Mankins, a longtime NFL offensive lineman with the Patriots and Jaguars, did the same.

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Mark Tennis is the co-founder of Cal-Hi Sports, and publisher of CalHiSports.com. Contact him at markjtennis@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter, @CalHiSports.

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California football top 25 Through Games of Saturday, Sept. 26) 1. (1) — De La Salle-Concord 3-1 Spartans beat Lutheran-Orange 41-3 one week after Lutheran lost 35-14 to No. 2 Corona Centennial. De La Salle’s win over Servite-Anaheim also was easier than when the Friars played national-power Bishop Gorman-Las Vegas.

2. (2) — Centennial-Corona 4-0 After demolishing Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks 52-0 (same team Serra-San Mateo beat by just one score), the Huskies took a bye.

3. (3) — St. John Bosco-Bellflower 5-0 If the Braves crush every opponent they face in the Trinity League (with Mater Dei, Santa Margarita and others coming up), then watch out.

4. (4) — Mater Dei-Santa Ana 5-0 Freshman QB J.T. Daniels has been making big-time throws for the Monarchs. It’s a team that could keep getting better as season evolves.

5. (5) — Folsom 5-0 Bulldogs push state-best regular season win streak to 37 games and counting. It’s been the running game, not as much as passing, that has been the story so far.

6. (6) — Bishop Amat-La Puente 4-1 A 56-7 romp past Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks proved Lancers among state’s elite squads. Their score was similar to No. 2 Centennial’s win over the same team.

7. (7) — Mission Viejo 6-0 After 35-16 road win vs. Redondo-Redondo Beach, the Diablos were done with the non-league portion of their regular season schedule.

8. (8) — Grant-Sacramento 4-0 DeShawn Collins and Mike Green combined for nearly 200 yards and two TDs rushing in 27-0 win vs. Franklin-Elk Grove.

Pacers are playing No. 22 Elk Grove next.

Bellarmine’s Kyle Macauley Photo by James K. Leash

16. (17) ▲ Helix-La Mesa 2-1 The only loss for the Highlanders came by just 23-19 to Chaparral-Scottsdale (AZ). They later won 37-7 vs. San Diego Cathedral Catholic.

17. (18) ▲ Oaks Christian-Westlake Village 5-0 Lee Pitts had three interceptions on defense while Michael Pittman Jr. caught nine passes for 220 yards and three TDs in 55-7 romp past Birmingham-Lake Balboa.

18. (20) ▲ Westlake-Westlake Village 4-1 The Warriors are next-door neighbors to Oaks Christian and are the same in the state rankings. Westlake got into the State Top 20 after beating Santa Margarita, which was No. 9 at the time.

9. (10) ▲ Serra-Gardena 4-1 Cavaliers are the first team in line to move up in this week’s rankings due to previous No. 9 Vista Murrieta dropping out. They do so after defeating previous No. 22 Loyola 35-17.

20. (21) ▲ Santa Margarita-Rancho 4-1 After losing their first game of the season the week before 21-14 to No. 18 Westlake of Westlake Village, we expected the Eagles to soar their way back into the win column and that is what they did by defeating King-Riverside 56-7.

10. (11) ▲ Long Beach Poly-Long Beach 3-1 The Jackrabbits, who are playing at De La Salle on Oct. 16, have suffered their only loss to Bishop Gorman (Nev.) and have a win over No. 12 Narbonne.

21. (NR) ▲ Lutheran-Orange 3-2 The Lancers will continue to play games against highly ranked opponents, including No. 4 Mater Dei in the next game in two weeks. They’ll be on a bye this week.

11. (12) ▲ Alemany-Mission Hills 5-0 Marcel Myers scored on a 70-yard fumble return and helped hold the Crespi-Encino offense to just 121 yards for the game in a 18-0 win.

22. (23) ▲ Elk Grove 4-0 Ryan Robards has been ridiculous for Elk Grove, including a 200-yard, three-TD outing vs. Davis that sparked a 55-0 win.

12. (14) ▲ Narbonne-Harbor City 2-2 Close losses to higher-ranked Long Beach Poly and Serra-Gardena remain primary reason they are ranked high themselves.

23. (24) ▲ JSerra-San Juan Capistrano 5-0 This is yet another team from SoCal’s Trinity League (only Servite from that league isn’t currently ranked) but hasn’t played as tough of a schedule so far.

13. (13) — Bellarmine-San Jose 3-0 Bells and No. 19 Serra-San Mateo were regarded as favorites in the WCAL heading into first week of games. In that league, though, prognosticating is perilous.

24. (NR) ▲ Foothill-Pleasanton 5-0 Head coach Matt Sweeney’s team has been better than expected so far, especially due to the graduation loss of QB Kyle Kearns and WR Isaiah Langley.

14. (15) ▲ Clayton Valley-Concord 3-1 Tim Murphy’s team had a bye heading into an East Bay showdown on Friday, Oct. 2 vs. unbeaten Monte Vista-Danville.

25. (25) — Clovis 5-0 Senior QB Sean Kuenzinger led a balanced attack after going 19-of-30 passing for 336 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-24 triumph against Lemoore.

15. (16) ▲ Mission Hills-San Marcos 5-0 The top team in the CIF San Diego Section made two goalline stands in a decisive 23-0 road victory at Torrey Pines-San Diego.

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For the complete state rankings every week plus weekly divisional state rankings, go to calhisports.Com today. ✪

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Running The Risk Strive to be a team player, but don’t let others keep you from protecting your body I run for a good cross country team, and we do lots of mileage. My shins have started to hurt a little, and I don’t want to get shin splints — but if I mention that I need to skip a workout, my teammates tease me about it, so I run. What can I tell them so I can keep from getting shin splints?

—A.B., Walnut Creek

eer pressure can be dangerous, in a lot of ways, and though getting shin splints might seem a lot less of a risk than trying to drive buzzed or going to that college party, they can turn into a serious and even life-long condition.

So number one, don’t think sore shins are no big deal. They are.

Shin splints involve swelling in the lower leg and there is one cure: Rest. The worse the case, the longer the rest required to get back to normal (that is, pain-free running).

Girls are more vulnerable to shin splints than boys, but regardless of gender, left alone, shin splints can turn into stress fractures, and they can also be something that never completely goes away.

Number two, your friends aren’t really your friends if they’re making you feel bad about protecting your body. You only get one set of legs for your whole life, and ignoring shin splints would be like ignoring a toothache — the pain is trying to tell you that something is wrong and needs to be fixed. With a toothache, you might wind up having to wear a bridge the rest of your life; with a stress fracture in

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your tibia, you might never be able to do anything involving running or jogging.

Finally, where’s your coach in this situation? You should be talking to him or her about your pain. Now I do know that some cross country coaches rely on attrition for success: They start with 80 runners, run them mercilessly, and those who drop out (for shin splints or whatever reason) are just collateral damage. The ones who survive have bodies that can stand the miles, and some of those who survive will be fast enough to win meets.

If your coach is like that, it wouldn’t surprise me, because a team culture in which peers pressure peers to run when hurt is not a healthy one. As a friend of mine pointed out long ago, the winners don’t get a lot more money than the losers in high school sports, so why would anyone risk their health for a victory that will most likely be forgotten in a few months?

Look at it this way: If you ask most 40-year-olds who played high school sports what the won-loss record was of their teams, only a very few would know the answer. Ask them if they had a good experience, and they will remember — and if they’re hampered still by a high school injury, you can bet they will remember that more than anything. ✪ 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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n the world of high school sports, September signifies that water polo season has officially begun. And what better way to kick off the season than with a massive tournament? That’s exactly what Sierra College has done for the last 21 years with their Sierra Shoot Out for high school girls teams throughout the West Coast.

This huge tournament has always been such a success that about 10 years ago they decided to add boys teams to the mix and an extra weekend to the tournament. Traditionally, the event starts the weekend after Labor Day and is divided into two separate weekends. This year, the boys teams competed on Sept. 11-12 and the girls teams on Sept. 18-19.

Both weekends, the tournament utilized the Sierra College Aquatics Complex as well as the pool facilities at Oakmont High in Roseville and Whitney High in Rocklin. The boys tournament had 52 teams competing and the girls tournament had 60. Beginning as early as 7 a.m. on the Fridays of each tournament, the teams battled it out well into the evening. Every team was guaranteed five games and both tournaments branched off with a championship tier and a challenge tier on Saturday.

During the first weekend, the boys team of Bella Vista-Fair Oaks produced an impressive second-place finish overall. However it was Merced High that captured the title.

As for the girls, competition was especially fierce. They actually had to tier the tournament into three divisions due to the number of teams competing and various levels of play. The Challenge A tier included 16 teams and the Challenge B tier had 12. That left 32 teams competing in the championship tier and on Sept. 19. The field whittled down to two teams, Sanger High out of Fresno and Placer Valley’s own Del Oro-Loomis. Del Oro was victorious and brought home the gold.

Scott Decker, Sierra College’s Aquatics Director and Tournament Coordinator, was pleased to have another successful tournament in the books.

Decker added, “The Sierra Shoot Out is considered the largest water polo tournament in the west and we love hosting it every year!”

beast of the west Every wrestler dreams of letting their inner beast shine and that is exactly what youth wrestlers ages 5-18 will have the opportunity to do at the Beast of the West Tournament. RMN Events and Placer Valley Tourism have teamed up for the second year in a row to bring this wrestling event back to Hardwood Palace in Rocklin on Dec. 5-6. The tournament has space for 800 youth wrestlers, 32 middle school teams and 24 high school teams and will utilize 14 mats for competitions.

Youth athletes and wrestling teams from up to 20 different states throughout the country are expected to be in attendance. First-place winners in all divisions are awarded with an incredible championship belt while second through sixth place receive custom four-inch medals. New this year is the addition of the high school teams which will add an increased level of competition and excitement.

“It will be only the second tournament in California history to give high school athletes a chance to compete for a one of a kind custom championship belt for placing first,” said Joshua Gutierrez, Director for RMN Events. “We expect great things for this event.”

RMN Events has an incredible reputation for bringing top-level competition to their tournaments and having the best opening ceremonies in the business. The Beast of the West is no exception and will feature an amazing laser light show, special guests and more.

“Our goal is always to inspire, encourage and recognize the youth,” Gutierrez said. “At RMN Events, we truly believe the way these kids will be recognized at this tournament will encourage and inspire their inner beast for years to come.”

It’s not too late to get your team or youth wrestler registered. Online registration is available at www.rmnevents.com and will be open until Nov. 30.

Space is limited so don’t delay. ✪ — All copy and photos provided by Placer Valley Tourism Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

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CHASING HISTORY Fiona O’Keeffe is seeking her third consecutive CIF State Cross Country Div. I individual title. If she three-peats at Fresno’s Woodward Park in late November, the Davis runner would join an impressive list of cross country legends. Following are all the 3- and 4-time girls CIF State Cross Country Champions.

Sarah Baxter (Simi Valley) 2010, 2012 – Div. I champion 2011, 2013 – Div. II champion Jordan Hasay (Mission Prep-San Luis Obispo) 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 – Div. V champion Sara Bei (Montgomery-Santa Rosa) 1997, 1998 – Div. III champion 1999, 2000 – Div. II champion

Julia Stamps (Santa Rosa) 1994, 1995, 1996 – Div. I champion Deena Drossin (Agoura) 1987, 1989, 1990 – Div. I champion (finished 3rd in 1988) Clara Horowitz (Head Royce-Oakland) 1999, 2000, 2001 – Div. V champion Julia Maxwell (Branson-Ross) 2011, 2012, 2013 – Div. V champion

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ace is vital for distance runners.

One’s speed, strength and place are most important at the finish line rather than the start of the race. Davis High School cross country coach Bill Gregg has always been careful to monitor his runners’ and team’s pace throughout a season to ensure his Blue Devils are peaking when it matters most.

“We will be looking at Stanford, Clovis, and Mt. SAC to see where we are at,” Gregg said of early season invitationals where the Davis girls team will be assessing themselves against some of the top competition in the state. “We are always trying to be mindful to not be too fast too early in the season because our mission every year is not to be fast, but to be running our best as a team.”

The traditional powerhouse program is strong this year, and has aspirations to claim its 13th Sac-Joaquin Section title and second in three years. In 2013, the Blue Devils claimed the Division I section crown, finished second at the CIF State Cross Country Championships, and qualified for the Nike Cross Nationals (NXN). With a solid top four that includes juniors Sofia Castiglioni and Abbey Fisk and sophomore Olivia O’Keeffe, Gregg believes that a great finish to the season is within reach.

“I am feeling pretty good with what we have seen early in the season, but we are still in the process of identifying our 5-7 runners and closing the gap between the times for our No. 4 and 5 through 7,” Gregg said.

“We would like to try to get on the podium at State, and I don’t think that is out of the realm of possibility.”

Not when the Blue Devils have Fiona O’Keeffe lining up alongside them.

Fiona O’Keeffe entered 2015 as a three-time SJS champion and two-time CIF State Division I individual champion. She recently led Davis to a team title at the De La Salle Invitational in Concord while breaking a 19-year-old course record that was held by three-time state champion Julia Stamps from Santa Rosa.

Her time of 16:41 was 24 seconds faster than her winning time on the course in 2014, and the defending state champion looks faster and better than ever. While the fast pace might be of some concern to Gregg, he sees his star making a natural progression from freshman upstart to a senior with unlimited potential.

“She has continued to improve and her career arc from freshman to senior year goes hand in hand with some of the best distance runners I’ve seen,” the veteran coach said. “She has great potential to compete at a high level collegiately and also at the national and international level if that is what she wants to do.”

The progression for O’Keeffe was a natural transition from constant running as a soccer midfielder to the more peaceful distance running on the track and trails. Fiona first focused on running in middle school and quickly learned to combine her natural gifts with the passion 18

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that she found for the sport.

“I think part of it is genetic,” said O’Keeffe, whose parents, Malcolm and Liv, both ran competitively as student-athletes, “but probably what makes me good is how much I love it and the kind of coaching that I have gotten.”

That gradual progress over the years has added up for O’Keeffe to the point that she is literally and figuratively lapping the field of competitors. As a junior, she distanced herself from the competition often, claiming the SJS Cross Country Division I individual championship by setting a course record and finishing nearly a minute and a half ahead of the next runner. In the spring, she sprinted past the field in the 3,200-meter run at the SJS Masters to set a meet record and finish nearly a full minute ahead of the rest of the section’s top distance runners.

“I had an idea that she would be good based on some times she had in the 1500 in middle school, and I could see the potential,” Gregg said. “As her freshman year unfolded, I could see that the potential was real and that she could do some big things.”

O’Keeffe would win the SJS Div. I individual title as a freshman and finish sixth in the Division I race at the state meet, but it was not until she won the Stanford Invitational as a sophomore that she realized just how good she might be. It was then that she believed she could continue the tradition and perhaps raise the profile of the Davis girls cross country program.

With predecessors that include the program’s only other CIF State Cross Country champion and section 3,200-meter record holder Laurynne Chetelat, section track and field champions Sarah West and Sophie Meads, and high school and college stars Chelsea Reilly and Kaitlin Gregg. O’Keeffe had plenty of inspiration and motivation to rise to the top of her field.

“I had always heard about these great runners that had gone through the (Davis) program, and the great coaching,” she said. “Then, when I came into the program as a freshman, I realized what a great, fun community it was.”

“I have met Kaitlin and Chelsea, and they are very inspirational because they have been very consistent over the years and worked steadily toward their Fiona O’Keeffe goals.”

O’Keefe’s goals for her senior runs with her sister year put the team first, but the and teammate Blue Devils’ chances to win secOlivia, right. tion or state team titles begin with her ability to lead the field to the finish line every time out.

“I think that it’s fair to say that a state championship for Fiona is the mission, but our focus is always on the team’s progression and success first,” Gregg said. “We don’t talk about (winning a third consecutive CIF State Division I individual title) or about breaking records because that’s not our focus during the season, but we are aware of those. There are some marks to shoot for, but we are not setting objectives based on history or records.”

A third Division I state title would put O’Keeffe in rare company if she reached the Woodward Park finish line first on November 28 in Fresno. While there have been three fourtime state champions, O’Keefe could become just the third three-time Division I champion, potentially joining Stamps and Deena Drossin from Agoura.

There are still plenty of races to be run in the present and near future, but Gregg understands he is witnessing greatness and believes his star runner may just be getting started.

“I hope that I can help her get to the right college where she can continue to grow as a runner and where they can help her reach her goals,” he said.

“She could be one of the great young female American distance runners in the next 5-10 years.” ✪

BEST OF THE BAY O’Keefe is clearly the Sac-Joaquin’s top girls cross country runner for 2015. However, here are 10 female Bay Area runners to note as November nears.

Chloe Hansel (Las Lomas-Walnut Creek), Sr. — One of two defending state champions from the North Coast Section, Hansel (pictured at right) won the CIF Division III race in a photo finish. She also was Div. III NCS champ.

Rylee bowen (Sonoma Valley-Sonoma), So. — Brown set the bar high for her prep career by winning both NCS and CIF Division V titles as a freshman.

Megan McCandless (Granada-Livermore), Sr. — McCandless won the NCS Div. II title as a junior and finished eighth at state.

Meredith Corda (Monte Vista-Danville), Jr. — She won the NCS Div. I race by 19 seconds and earned a Top 10 finish at state.

Brooke Starn (Monte Vista-Danville), Sr. — The ever-consistent Starn has two NCS Div. I Top 3 finishes.

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Kiera Marshall (St. Joseph Notre DameAlameda), Jr. — Finished as Div. V state runnerup to Rylee Bowen after taking fourth at NCS. Elena Kamas (Homestead-Cupertino), So. — Kamas was the Div. I Central Coast Section champion and followed it with a fifth-place finish in Fresno. gillian Meeks (Gunn-Palo Alto), Jr. — Closed her sophomore year with a Div. I CCS championship and a Top 10 finish at state.

Niki Iyer (Harker-San Jose), Jr. — Iyer finished third in the CCS Div. IV race, and followed it with a fifth-place finish at state.

Lauren Jacob (Los Altos), Sr. — Defending CCS Div. II champ looking to improve on her 26th-place finish at state in 2015.

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Campolindo’s Kari Jensen

After four NCS titles in five years, Campolindo girls water polo is a lot younger but still very dangerous Story by Chace Bryson | Photos by James K. Leash 22

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I

t would’ve been the perfect time for Kim Everist to take a bow and step away from coaching.

The Campolindo High girls water polo program had just won its third consecutive North Coast Section Division II championship and its fourth in five years. The majority of the roster was graduating. Everist was about to take a new full-time job in San Francisco, and her 6-year-old daughter deserved attention too. Thus, no one could have blamed the coach if she dropped the mic and made the ninth year at the Moraga school her last.

She came very close to it, too.

Something told her she should stick around, though. And after making some arrangements and assuring that she could give her full commitment, she returned to the pool to begin a new chapter with the Cougars — and it’s one that she’s found extremely refreshing.

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“We graduated sort of a legacy group that had been around a long time,” Everist said. “Now we’re young in both experience and leadership, and it just makes for an interesting season. It’s a big reason why I came back. I knew it was going to be some rebuilding, but it’s been fun. They’re learning how much they can push themselves.”

As it turns out, that may be pretty far.

For a roster that features just three returning starters with twice as many freshmen and sophomores as seniors, Everist sees signs that the team’s learning curve could accelerate.

“I do just really like the feel of this group,” Everist said.

“They work really hard in the pool, which is a given, and there’s just not a lot of high drama. As soon as we can get a little bit of confidence built in them, they’re really going to take off.”

The three returning starters are junior attackers Olivia Price and Kari Jensen, and sophomore attacker Katie Klein. Jensen and Klein should be familiar names to those with knowledge of Campolindo’s championship runs over the past five seasons as older sisters, Kimmie Klein and Annika Jensen, were both key figures. The Cougars junior goalkeeper, Becca Buck, is a younger sibling of Hannah Buck, who graduated last year after the Cougars completed their NCS three-peat.

“Becca’s new to the varsity level, but man has she come in with an intensity level just ready to go,” Everist said. “She’s also an outstanding goalkeeper. ... Olivia was the leading scorer on the team last year and we’re looking to her to continue that.

She’s sort of going through the stage of knowing how to be a leader, and not just a role-filler. ... Katie is just tenacious. She’s the kid who is going to fight for every inch, and going to be really big for us in the second part of the season. ... Kari is a perfectionist. She wants to do things well and do them right every

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Campo coach Kim Everist

time. She’s one of our big communicators in the pool too.”

Those four players represent the core of the current group, and their familiarity with the program — and obvious talent — are a big reason why this team may grow up faster than expected. They are beginning to play like leaders too.

Playing in the Woodcreek Invitational Tournament in Roseville from Sept. 25-26, Campolindo went 2-2, including a galling 8-7 loss to Clovis that involved four sudden-death periods. Everist came away extremely encouraged with the fight the team showed, especially her core four.

“I sent a text out to the girls after we got back Saturday and it basically said that if I had to pick four people to go to battle with, it would be those three juniors and sophomore,” Everist said. “They just left it all in the pool. And really I feel that way about my whole team. It’s been a fun process to watch.”

The loss to Clovis, which closed the tournament for the Cougars, really could turn out to be a watershed moment for

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the team. Battling through the extra periods together seemed to forge an identity and a greater sense of togetherness between them.

“It’s hard to feel like a team when the only thing you’ve gone through is wins and success,” senior captain Ellen Gerst said.

“Going through a challenge like that was really good for us.

Everyone wanted it at the same time. The whole bench was holding hands and during breaks we’d look in each other’s eyes and see the determination. It brought out how much everyone wanted to be a part of this.”

Campolindo closed the tournament with a 7-3 overall record and prepared to switch gears with the Diablo Foothill Athletic League schedule beginning on Sept. 30. Despite their youth, the Cougars will still be a heavy favorite to win the league crown. They should get strong competition from their district rivals, Miramonte-Orinda and Acalanes-Lafayette.

“It’s back to work,” Everist said. “We definitely learned a lot about our team (in the first month), and we definitely have areas that we need to refine and get focused on. I think it’s just a lot a hard work and growth.”

Following that Woodcreek tournament, Gerst — who is now in her third year of varsity — was confident the team was on the right track. And, like Everist, she made a note to point out how this year’s team feels different than her previous teams at Campolindo. “Freshmen don’t have as much homework to do, so they can bring a lot more enthusiasm and energy to the pool,” the captain said with a laugh. “But I think it’s just a matter of gaining confidence, both in ourselves individually and as a team. Everyone has talent, and we just need to learn to trust each other collectively.”

It would seem Everist made the right choice in staying. ✪

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DIRT TRACK TO A career TRACK J

Avid dirt biker John Cunningham took his passion for Cal State Parks and dirt bikes & shifted it into a career

park. As a ranger, John is now charged with protecting the park where he grew up. John is the consummate professional; his off-highway vehicle (OHV) experience is evident, and the pride of being a ranger is reflected in the interactions with park visitors.

If you are interested in a job that operates or works with off-highway vehicles (OHVs), there are a variety available with the OffHighway Motor Vehicle Recreation (OHMVR) Division of California State Parks. An employee with an OHV background benefits both the park and the public. An added bonus for the employee is working in a scenic setting that supports OHV recreation and environmental stewardship. Shift your passion into high gear; Ranger Cunningham is a perfect example of how following your passion can lead to an exciting career.

For information about being hired for a permanent position with State Parks or to become a State Parks Ranger, check out www. parks.ca.gov and click on the JOBS tab. To inquire about seasonal or part-time employment positions in maintenance, resources, administration, and interpretation at Hungry Valley SVRA, please email recruiter Lisa Zamecki at Lisa.Zamecki@parks.ca.gov.

Visitors to the State Vehicular Recreation Areas bring a variety of off-highway vehicles to explore the trails and enjoy the thrill of the ride. Hungry Valley SVRA is a 20,000 acre OHV park with almost 150 miles of diverse trails, a motocross track, several practice tracks and a 4x4 obstacle course to improve vehicle operating skills. Park information is tweeted, posted on Facebook at Hungry Valley SVRA and on the Hungry Valley website at www.ohv.parks.ca.gov/hungryvalley. Hungry Valley SVRA is located at 5301 Peace Valley Road, Gorman, CA 93243. There is a $5 day use fee and $10 overnight camping fee.

For more information, call (661)248-7007.

Come out and play! ✪ — Content provided by California State Parks

ohn Cunningham took his passion of riding dirt bikes and turned it into a career as a California State Parks Ranger. Ranger Cunningham has been riding his dirt bike at Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) since he was 10 years old and has been working as a ranger at the park for more than two years.

As a youngster living only an hour away in Reseda, John and his family often loaded up dirt bikes and headed to Hungry Valley for the day. Cunningham fondly remembers his frequent trips to the park, “I knew that coming out here would be fun!”

As a child, John also spent time riding and camping in the Jawbone and Dove Springs area, part of the new California State Parks acquisition that he now patrols.

In his early twenties, John raced Enduro and Hare Scrambles at Hungry Valley SVRA. While riding at Hungry Valley one day, he saw a ranger on a dirt bike (John’s Ah-ha! moment) and flagged him down. As he talked with the ranger, John realized that he needed more college credits to meet the requirements for a ranger position.

While finishing his college classes, he joined the volunteer patrol staff at Hungry Valley SVRA, gaining valuable knowledge which made him more competitive for the job.

After graduating from the six-month training academy to become a California State Parks Ranger, John chose to return and work at the park that he knows and loves. Most weekends you might find John out on patrol at Hungry Valley, either on a dirt bike or in an RZR quad vehicle. As an avid dirt bike rider, he still races a few times a year. Now, though, he mostly focuses on Dual Sport rides, which are often multi-day events.

Hungry Valley SVRA became a unit of the California State Parks system in 1980, the same year Ranger Cunningham was born.

Having spent most of his life exploring Hungry Valley, he is a natural ambassador for the

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Najee Harris is congratulated by his teammates.

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Story by Chace Bryson • Photos by Phillip Walton

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Antioch roars to a 5-0 start and sends expectations into new realms If the casual fan showed up late to an Antioch High football game since mid-September, finding national recruit Najee Harris may prove difficult. Unless of course the fan is scanning the Panthers sideline looking for the player constantly smiling, joking with teammates and leading the encouragement toward the players on the field for Antioch.

This is what the most recruited running back in the state does — because he took care of his heavy lifting in the first half. The second half has become about embracing his role as a leader for a Panthers team which has full grabbed the attention of the Bay Area football community.

“That’s what I like most,” said Harris after a 224-yard rushing effort in one-and-a-half quarters of a 54-14 home win over Rancho Cotate-Rohnert Park. “I always tell myself that I’m trying to give it all I got until the second half so I don’t have to play the rest. So other people behind me get to play. I like it when I’m out. Other people don’t probably, but I like it when I’m out because I get to rest for the next game and then the other players behind me get more playing time.”

Harris has certainly done his part to get those teammates their playing time. Through Antioch’s first five games, Harris has rushed for 1,122 yards on just 80 carries. That’s an average of 14 yards per carry, and 224 yards per game. He’s scored 12 touchdowns overall (10 of them rushing) and added 11 two-point conversion runs for 94 points.

“You’ve got to game plan for him. I can’t imagine coaching against this kid,” Antioch coach John Lucido said. “You spend all week trying to stop him, and sometimes you have him and then he breaks a few tackles and does his thing. It’s got to be frustrating.”

Playing against Antioch in general has to be a frustrating experience so far in 2015.

Not only is it tough trying to stop one of the best tailbacks in the country, but the defense has

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Records are through Sept. 26 1. (1)

— De La Salle-Concord 3-1

2. (2)

— Folsom

5-0

3. (3)

— Grant-Sacramento

4-0

4. (4)

— Clayton Valley Charter-Concord

3-1

5. (5)

— Bellarmine-San Jose

3-0

6. (6)

— Valley Christian-San Jose

3-0

7. (7)

— Elk Grove

4-0

8. (8)

— Foothill-Pleasanton

5-0

9. (9)

— Serra-San Mateo

2-1

10. (10) — Del Oro-Loomis

2-2

11. (11) — Pittsburg

3-1

12. (12) — St. Francis-Mountain View

3-0

13. (13) — Central Catholic-Modesto

3-0

14. (14) — Monte Vista-Danville

4-0

15. (16) ▲ Antioch

5-0

16. (17) ▲

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

3-0

17. (15) ▼

Granite Bay

3-1

18. (18) — Napa

4-0

19. (19) — Rocklin

3-1

20. (20) — Miramonte-Orinda 5-0 DROPPED OUT: None 5 TEAMS KNOCKING (alphabetically): Analy-Sebastopol (4-0), California-San Ramon (3-1), Oakdale (4-0), Moreau Catholic (5-0) and Riordan-S.F. (3-0) Teams remaining from Preseason Top 20: 14 Biggest Mover: With more than half of the Top 20 having bye weeks, there was hardly any movement at all after Week 4. Granite Bay was technically the biggest mover, dropping two spots after playing No. 2 Folsom tough despite losing 27-14. With the West Catholic Athletic League opening play on Oct. 2, and five WCAL teams inside the Top 20, the rankings will get a shakeup in a hurry.

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Antioch’s offensive line goes over game film. proven to be better than expected. Following a 52-0 shutout at Pinole Valley on Sept.

25, the Panthers were allowing just 9.2 points per game.

Kobie Beltram leads the way at linebacker for Antioch.

The three-year starter surpassed his brother Markie as the school’s all-time tackles Antioch’s leader during the win over Isaiah Rancho Cotate-Rohnert Park Dunn on Sept. 18. Beltram had 33 tackles through five games, only two of which he played all four quarters. The Panthers’ fly-to-the-ball defense has two other players with 20-plus tackles in Fine Hafoka and Nick Perry. The unit has also posted 14 sacks, six fumble recoveries and two interceptions.

“Right now we have the best linebackers in the league,” Lucido said. “Kobie, I’ve had him since he was a freshman.

Fine Hafoka, two-year starter. Nick Perry, two-year starter.

These guys are really seasoned and they take control of the defense.”

Following the 54-14 win over Rancho Cotate, Beltram said the defense could’ve been even better.

“We take pride in not giving up yards. We want to be as stingy as possible,” the senior said. “We gave up two TDs, even for the backups, that’s inexcusable. We may have to all run for that.”

The fact that the players are 5-0 and still hungry is a good sign. It shows a level of confidence and expectations that hasn’t been reached in the program for quite some time. That includes 2011 and 2012 when those Panthers teams opened

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the year by winning their first five games. Both of those teams mustered just one Bay Valley Athletic League win and were one-and-done in the postseason.

This team is overwhelmingly better than those teams, and the rest of the BVAL and East Bay football community is aware of that by now.

“Yes, I think they are (paying attention),” Harris said after the team improved to 4-0. “If not, then we’re going to show ‘em. We don’t care. We’re hungry right now.”

Antioch will spend the first weekend of October on a bye before opening BVAL play by hosting Heritage-Brentwood (3-2) on Oct. 9. The Panthers will be the only BVAL team to enter league undefeated. Defending-champion Pittsburg is the only other team with less than two losses. The Pirates began October 3-1 and heavy favorites to beat Castlemont-Oakland in their final nonleague game on Oct. 2.

Antioch and Pittsburg remain the longest-standing and most bitter rivals in the BVAL, and it’s been quite some time since their Big Little Game on the last week of the season has had a league title hanging in the balance. This year could be different.

Until then, the Panthers only plan to worry about themselves. “There’s still a lot of things to work on,” Lucido concluded. “We can be better. We still have too many penalties and personal fouls.

“We’re a very aggressive team, and we have to wind it down just a little bit. League is going to be tough.” ✪

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Bay Area: Najee Harris, RB, Antioch — No player has had a larger singular impact on his team’s success than Harris. He’s averaging 224 rushing yards and 18 points a game. The real deal.

Sac-Joaquin: Ryan Robards, RB/DB/K, Elk Grove — The multi-talented multi-sport star has been a workhorse, rushing for 756 yards and 10 TDs to lead Elk Grove to a 4-0 start. He also has a receiving TD, returned both a punt and interception for scores, is averaging 50.6 yards per punt and is 3-for-3 on field goal attempts.

Bay Area: Justin Alumbaugh (below), De La Salle-Concord — Before you spit out your coffee, hear us out. No NorCal team is playing a tougher schedule than the Spartans, and getting them back to dominating form after losing the Texas opener has been impressive.

Sac-Joaquin: Jeff Evans, Granite Bay — The first-year coach has led the Grizzlies to a 3-1 mark, with the lone loss being a narrow defeat to defending state-champion Folsom in the Sierra Foothill League opener. He has kept the Grizzlies rolling after graduating lots of talent and losing his starting QB to injury in Week 2.

Bay Area: Julian Ison, RB/DB, Moreau Catholic — The Mariners blazed to a 5-0 start behind a dominant rushing game led by the 5-8, 185-pound junior. He rushed 88 times for 1,004 yards and 17 TDs over the first half. He also had 21 tackles and two sacks on defense.

Sac-Joaquin: Adam Olsen, QB, Oakdale — While the Mustangs are better known for their running game, the senior QB has been stellar in leading the perennial power to a 4-0 start. Olsen tossed five TD passes in a 54-14 win over defending Valley Oak League co-champion SierraManteca.

The games on Oct. 2 will mark the mid-season point of the high school football season, which means there’s no better time for a look at who is making the grade. Here are the SportStars Midseason Football Honors for both the Sac-Joaquin and Bay Area regions.

Bay Area: Miramonte-Orinda — We believed the Matadors would be improved, but not score40-points-a-week improved. With junior QB Tim Tague, right, (345 passing yards/game) leading the way, Miramonte opened the season 5-0 while averaging 485 yards of total offense.

Sac-Joaquin: Antelope — The Titans opened 4-0 behind a balanced offense that has produced 11 passing touchdowns and 11 rushing touchdowns. The defense is also keeping opponents in check to the tune of 8.75 points per game.

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Bay Area: Ben Wooldridge, QB, Foothill-Pleasanton — For a sophomore replacing a Division-I talent behind center, Wooldridge hasn’t blinked in leading the Falcons to a 5-0 start. The East Bay Athletic League will be a different proving ground, however.

Sac-Joaquin: Derrion Grim, WR, McNair-Stockton — The senior opened the season with a 10-catch, 238-yard, 6-TD performance and has 50 catches for 1,144 yards and 18 TDs through four games. With five more regular season games and one to two playoff games, he could threaten the state record of 34 TD catches in a season set by Folsom’s Cole Thompson last year.

MORE ON GRIM, McNAIR: The Eagles have not qualified for the playoffs since 2012, but firstyear coach Terrance Hampton has the team off to a 4-1 start with its sights set on a San Joaquin Athletic Association title and playoff berth. Key to the fast start has been the connection between Grim and QB Osai Brown. The duo are giving Montana-to-Rice and Young-to-Owens a serious run as the most potent QB-WR connection in NorCal history. Through five games, Brown has completed 65 percent of his passes and thrown for 1,799 yards and 24 TDs with just four interceptions. Grim has been the recipient of more than half of Brown’s 91 completions with 50 catches for 1,144 yards and 18 TDs. The Eagles are averaging 53.2 points per game while the Osia-Grim connection is averaging 10 completions for 229 yards per game. Counting their junior season, the pair has connected for 28 touchdowns and counting. ✪

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Our publisher, Mike Calamusa, with colleague John Pamer, discussed why Mt. Diablo Unified School District didn’t have a functioning interscholastic sports program. To help promote future SportStars and with the assistance of the Diablo Valley Federal Credit Union and a district steering committee, we helped re-ignite middle school athletics. Nine schools and more than 1,600 student athletes expected to compete in four sports: soccer, basketball, flag football and kick ball.

Soccer is already underway, including the Sept. 28 match between Foothill-Walnut Creek and Diablo View-Clayton.

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AMP R p U s g Thin

e: Tim Rudd training tim

Warming up is a key component in preparing athletes to perform their best.

One key strategy we use is The Get Moving RAMP Warm-up. This does several important things. It addresses soft tissue quality, like a massage does, to reduce tension or knots, and improves muscle length/extensibility. It also improves mobility of the joints. It elevates body/core temperature and increases blood flow, by taking the body through multiple planes of movement. It also charges up and excites the nervous system to prepare for the demands of his or her workout, practice or game.

The Get Moving RAMP Workout serves multiple purposes, including diaphragm breathing, range of motion, muscle activation and movement preparation. You start with exercises that are done on or near the floor, done in place and are fairly low intensity. You’ll move to exercises that are done standing and then you’ll start moving, and the movements will become more athletic. Each RAMP has a minimum of 11 exercises, each of which is there for a very specific purpose.

Foam Roller/Ball SMR — Each session starts with foam rolling and lacrosse ball self-massage to address soft tissue quality and help to iron out trigger points, “knots”, or adhesions.

Hip Stretch/Mobilization — The hips are the centerpiece of the body and are an area of focus to improve mobility. The first exercise is a stretch or mobilization for the hips.

Hip Stabilizer Activation Exercise (backside) — This will be some type of hip bridge to wake up the often-dormant gluteus maximus (butt) and develop motor control.

Hip Stabilizer Activation Exercise (side) — You’ll move to an exercise such as a clam shell to wake up the muscles on the outside of the hip, which help to control rotational and lateral movements of the upper leg.

Thoracic Spine Mobility Exercise (upper-back) — This movement improves the extension and rotation capabilities of the upper spine. This is a problematic area in most, and stiffness here can lead to a host of issues in the shoulders and lower back.

Scapular Stabilizer Activation Exercise (upper-back) — We need to innervate some of the small stabilizer muscles such as the lower trapezius and the serratus anterior, which are often dormant and weakened muscles in the shoulder blades.

Ankle Mobility Exercise — This movement helps improve dorsi-flexion, or the ability of the shin to move toward the foot. This is a critical component of walking, running, sprinting, deceleration, lunging, squatting, etc. Poor ankle mobility can also lead to knee pain.

Squat Mobility/Patterning Exercise — The goal is to prepare the body for the demands of squat pattern and integrate several of the key parts that you worked on earlier in the RAMP. Your goal is to develop a range of motion and control to enable you to squat deeply.

Hip Separation Exercise — This exercise will have you spend some time standing on one leg and working on flexing or rotating one of your hips while the hip on your opposite side is extended.

Prepare your body for the demands of the single-leg stance pattern.

Sagittal Plane Lunge Exercise — Next, the athlete performs a lunge variation where your body moves in a more linear motion (straight ahead or straight back). Again, this is integrating several joints and “putting everything together.”

Frontal or Transverse Plane Lunge Exercise — Finally, the athlete performs another lunge variation to the side or with a rotational component of the hips. The hips require movement in multiple planes of motion, which is why they require several drills to properly address this need.

The order of the exercises can be changed to follow the RAMPing principle we discussed earlier.

More than one exercise in a category can be added if needed, but the total amount of exercises should not exceed 8 to 12 (not including the foam rolling/ball self myofascial release). ✪ Tim Rudd is an IYCA specialist in youth conditioning and owner of Fit2TheCore.

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NEXT

get mental: erika carlson

Getting ›››››To

Making mistakes are a valuable mode of learning in sport. Athletes spend a lot of time fearing mistakes and coaches spend a lot of time reprimanding players for making them. Ironically, trying to avoid mistakes is a sure-fire way to perform conservatively (at best) and poorly (most often).

Some of the greatest coaches I have worked with during my career talk about the value of mistakes and they encourage their players to take risks. The idea, of course, is that if a player feels comfortable taking risks, they will acquire new skills faster, but it may cost a “failure” or two in the beginning. A huge component of mental toughness is mistake recovery. That is, when a mistake happens, how quickly can an athlete learn to let go and move on from a mistake. For many athletes, this process is easier said then done.

Here is your go-to list for efficiently managing mistakes during your next practice or competition. ›› Quick Correction — Most high school athletes are experienced enough to know immediately what went wrong. Make a quick “mental correction” (ex. “elbow straight, follow through”). If you don’t know what went wrong, check-in with your coach post game or the next appropriate time. Lack of clarity on corrections will chip away at your confidence. ›› Breathe — A slow deep breath (between points or during stoppage) may be one of the most undervalued mental skills in existence. When we grind away on, “Ugh…I can’t believe I just did that!,” muscle tension goes up, and fine motor skills (accuracy, technical skills) deteriorate … which then lead to more mistakes. A simple breath can bring awareness that you need to make a shift, and then allows your tension to come down a notch or two. ›› Refocus — Shifting away from what just happened on to what will happen next is the final, and most important step. Next point, next shot, next play. Prepare mentally and your body will follow. Refocusing should sound like simple, concise instructions, “Eyes up, stay low.”

Mental toughness is all about doing simple things with tremendous discipline and consistency.

Recovering quickly from mistakes is a skill, and like any other, it needs to be practiced with quality and consistency in order to hold up under the pressure of the game. ✪

Erika Carlson is a certified mental trainer & owner of Excellence in Sports Performance in Pleasanton.

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nutrition: jill daniels

eat like a CHAMP Lunchtime is a crucial time for athletes to eat well. It will help serve as a recovery meal if you had a morning workout, or will contribute to the fuel and fluids your body needs for a great afternoon or evening practice.

The lunches offered at school tend to be high in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, and too low in fiber, fruits and vegetables. A popular choice is to grab a burger or a slice of pizza and wash it down with an energy drink. This will not help your body perform its best.

Bringing your lunches from home will ensure you eat a balanced meal that will energize your muscles, keep you mentally focused and nourish your body. It will take some planning and prep time, but will be worth it when you realize you’re feeling great during practices and competitions. Follow these tips to eat like a champ. ›› Too Busy? Plan Ahead Consider making a weekly lunch menu with your family. It will prevent everyone from choosing last-minute, less healthy lunch foods. Make the week’s lunches on Sunday so there’s no prep time needed in the morning. Package sandwiches and keep them in the freezer.

Use Ziploc bags to make individual servings of snack foods, so you can portion out the right amount for you. ›› Quality Fuel Pack items from at least three different food groups for each lunch.

Include a good source of protein from the meat/bean group or the dairy group (such as Greek yogurt or cottage cheese).

Team it up with energy-rich carbohydrates like whole grain breads, tortillas or crackers. Add some color and lots of nutrients with fruits and vegetables.

Top it off with something fun such as homemade oatmeal cookies, chocolate milk, graham crackers or a peanut-raisin-M&M mix. ✪ Jill Daniels, MS, RD, CSSD is a Registered Dietitian in the Bay Area of Northern California who specializes in sports nutrition and weight management. She works with people of all ages. Visit her at JillDanielsRD.com

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free your FEET training: anthony trucks

Minimal walking shoe/socks must be used in moderation In the last few years there has been a pretty big rise in the “barefoot” shoe concepts by a lot of shoe makers.

There’s the New Balance Minimus, Nike Free’s, Vibram’s, etc. Essentially the idea for these kinds of shoes is for you to be able to wear shoes that allow more of your feet muscles to engage than would typically be engaged when you wear common shoes.

This has been the topic of conversation for a lot of people and leads to a lot of questions being asked of me about whether they are good for you. The answer is yes, but in progressively increasing moderation. Below are a few things to think about when considering purchasing and wearing a pair of these shoes. ›› Stronger feet can, and will, allow you to have better strength and control when lifting weights where your feet are on the ground, like squats for example, as well as when you’re doing sprints in of some sort. ›› You must progress into wearing these shoes more regularly. When you all of a sudden start using feet muscles you’re not used to using, they fatigue quickly and may lead to foot cramps. SO don’t go from never wearing them to wearing them every day. ›› These shows remove any ankle support a typical shoe may provide. Be careful of going into sport-specific situations without having previously built up the ankle musculature you need to be able to support your body’s movement.

I personally own about six pairs of these shoes and they’re great for my ability to keep my functionality. I just have to be aware of how often I wear them because it’s never fun to wake up to a feeling like a dog just bit my foot because it cramps up in the night. ✪ Anthony Trucks is an IYCA-certified trainer who covers weight training for SportStars.

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???

NO PAIN NO GAIN

Knowing the right times to push through pain and when to just let the body heal

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health watch: nirav k. pandya

With sports season in full swing, many athletes begin to feel the aches and pains of competition adding up. The decision to play with nagging injuries can become confusing when attempting to balance multiple different factors: parents, coaches, teammates, and even potential scholarship offers.

When is it OK to “gut it out,” and when do you need to take a break to prevent more serious injury? For many of the athletes that I see, I like to break down the consequences of playing through pain into two main categories: having no/low risk of structural damage but the possibility of pain lasting longer, versus having a moderate/high risk of structural damage with the possibility of long-term injury.

Patients who generally fit into the first category will share many similar characteristics. These include not remembering a discrete traumatic injury, generally having dull discomfort as opposed to sharp/stabbing feelings, having pain that lessens as they progress through their sporting activity (i.e. as one warms up) rather than pain which persists in the heat of the game, and having a diffuse area of pain rather than a specific location.

Although exceptions to these rules exist, the golden question when deciding whether someone is healthy enough to play is, “Do you need to change the way you normally run/ jump/throw in order to make it through the game and/or are you compensating with other parts of your body in order to take pressure off the injured area?” If the answer is yes, more harm than good can arise from playing.

Remember that athletics are PART of a healthy lifestyle not something that should compromise it! ✪ Dr. Nirav K. Pandya is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon specializing in pediatric sports injuries at USF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland. He sees patients and operates in Oakland and our facility at Walnut Creek.

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R

edding has home run venues for your upcoming tournaments, close enough to arrive for a weekend getaway, and far enough to completely change the scenery and competition.

Baseball and softball tournaments are played at Big League Dreams park, which features replica versions of famous Major League Baseball venues such as Wrigley Field and Fenway Park. Many of the soccer and lacrosse tournaments are played at the four-field, all-weather Redding Soccer Park complex. And when it comes to swimming, Redding Aquatic Center hosts all your 50-meter needs.

Coming up, Big League Dreams will be hosting a series of youth baseball and fastpitch tournaments by National Softball Association, Hardball North and USSSA. Which replica field will you be on, Wrigley, Fenway, or maybe Yankee Stadium? You can also keep an eye out for sand volleyball, bocce ball and kickball tournaments at this complex.

The Redding Soccer Park will be home to soccer’s S*M*A*S*H Cup, Oct. 24-25. This event has a mission to bring breast health awareness to all who attend, furthering the “Think Pink” movement in the community while bringing in about 60 competitive teams. The park is a safe, gated facility with indoor restrooms, concessions and a play structure for the little ones. You can also register on the website for the Hunter Troy Clegg Memorial Soccer Tournament in September. Keep a lookout for upcoming dates for lacrosse tournaments too, or find the latest lacrosse information visit

reddinglacrosse.com.

Surrounded by mountains, miles of hiking and biking trails, a river running through town, nine State Park designations and five National Park designations nearby, the excellent tournament destination of Redding is the place to compete. Cradled by Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen, Redding averages 300+ sunny days per year, the sunniest city in California. Have time between games for some other recreation? Time Magazine called Redding the Unofficial Capital of Kayaking for its “weird obsession” with all things paddling. With temperate weather, nearby lakes and that gorgeous river in the middle of town, it would be “weird” to not get out and enjoy it all.

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is one of the few full lakes in California and a great place to kayak, sail or just float on your back. Redding is also home to the famous Sundial Bridge, world-class fishing and 200 miles of hiking and biking trails. Head out on a day-trip to see the bubbling

Big League Dreams 20155 Viking Way 530-223-1177

mud pots and boiling lakes in Lassen Volcanic National Park, or get refreshed by the waterfall at McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park. This 129-foot gusher is considered one of the most beautiful in the state.

Also, be sure to find out what fun events are happening — like the upcoming Give Me Wings Century bicycle ride (one of the most challenging in the state) and the Salmon Festival (Forbes ranks Redding as the only West Coast city among the Top 10 fishing destinations in North America).

To keep up to speed on events, tournaments, things to do or to learn more about Redding, call 530-225-4105 or email Chad@VisitRedding.com. ✪ — Copy and photos provided by Visit Redding

Redding Soccer Park www.ReddingSoccerPark.com

October 24-25: Youth Fastpitch: USSSA Fastpitch

October 24-25: Boys and Girls Competitive Youth Soccer Tournament U12-U19 Charities supported Nor-Cal Think Pink and The Love and Light Foundation.

November 7-8: Youth Fastpitch: NSA Fastpitch

Lacrosse: www.ReddingLacrosse.com

November 21-22: Youth Baseball: Hardball North

February: Lacrosse Opening weekend Redding Boys Jamboree U13-High School.

October 17-18: Youth Baseball: ll World Baseball

March 2016: High School Baseball and Softball: Dates TBD redding.bigleaguedreams.com

Shasta Magic Basketball www.ShastaMagic.com Tournaments (4th-12th graders) March 19-20, 2016: Shasta Magic Elevation Tip-Off April 23-24, 2016: 12th Annual Battle for the North State

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Absorber, The.........................................................................33 All Out Sports League............................................................18 All Sports Training Center.......................................................42 Army National Guard Recruiter.............................................48 Bay Area Golf Show...............................................................21 Bay Area Volleyball Club........................................................29 Big O Tires Northern California/ Nevada..................................2 Blankenship Baseball.............................................................39 California Football Academy..................................................39 California Spirit Elite..............................................................38 Championship Athletic Fundraising........................................28 Club Sport..............................................................................47 Core Performance............................................................40, 42 Core Volleyball Club..............................................................42 De La Salle Basketball Coaches Clinic...................................17 De La Salle High School Street Lacrosse................................39 Diablo Futbol Club................................................................35 Diablo Trophies & Awards......................................................40 Diablo Valley Federal Credit Union........................................34 East Bay Bulldogs Basketball..................................................40 Excellence In Sport Performance............................................46 Garaventa Enterprises.............................................................20 Greenhorn Creek Golf Club...................................................22 Halo Headband.....................................................................46 Jumbo Sunflower Seeds..........................................................23 Ka’anapali & Puakea Golf Courses.........................................24 Kneed-A-Brace.......................................................................29 Modesto Magic......................................................................39 Mother Lode Rugby...............................................................31 Muir Orthopaedic Specialists.................................................41 My Game Ball Photo..............................................................46 National Scouting Report.......................................................40 Next Level College Advisors...................................................46 Off- Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division...................27 Placer Valley Tourism Board.............................................14, 15 Renaissance Club Sport..........................................................12 Rugby Nor Cal.......................................................................23 San Ramon Golf Club............................................................25 San Ramon Slammers Baseball..............................................42 Sports Stars Magazine............................................................34 Stat Med..................................................................................3 Stevens Creek Toyota..............................................................13 Sutter Urgent Care...................................................................5 The First Tee Of Contra Costa................................................ XX Tpc / The Pitching Center.......................................................17 U C Davis Health System.......................................................19 U C S F Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland.........................37 United States Youth Volleyball League....................................43 Visitredding.Com.............................................................44, 45 West Coast Training Center....................................................46 Win Anyway & All For Kids....................................................40

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