Issue 36, Nov. 24, 2011

NCS football breakdown. Pg. 26

vol. 2. issue 36

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November 24, 2011

early returns

endure | excel | achieve

RED zone

Albany volleyball’s strategy pays off.

salesian loves bull’s-eye on its backs.

Pg. 14

Pg. 24

Las Lomas water polo nets two titles Pg. 20

served!

NCS crowns girls tennis champions.

Pg. 18

all access

red dawn

Albany started its practices before the sun came up. But when the sun sets on the season, it’ll be reaping the rewards. Pg. 14

Albany’s Jenny Wu Photo by: Bob Larson

First Pitch.................................................... 6

Red Zone: Salesian coach Chad Nightingale (talking with quarterback Nick Boyett) knows that being the top seed isn’t always all that it’s cracked up to be. Pg. 24

Locker Room............................................. 8 AAA SportStars of the Week...............11 Behind the Clipboard.............................12 Training Time............................................23 Health Watch...........................................28 Tee2Green................................................30 Camps + Clinics......................................32 Impulse......................................................36 Reader Survey..........................................37 Game Day.................................................38

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Darryl Henick

ncs football: It’s playoff time & we have an inside source dishing. Pg. 26

top 10: NorCal golfers crowd the leaderboard at state championships. Pg. 30

ON THE COVER: Mitch Pilgrim, Las Lomas water polo. Photo by Jonathan Hawthorne

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Coming to a gymnasium near you this December

Y

ou may have noticed I like to use we’ll admit to being absorbed in all the this space to often rank or predict fall sports which are coming to dramatic things. finishes.

Honestly, I’m surprised nobody’s called In no particular order, here’s some me on it as of yet. Primarily I do it for things that caught or eye or came to two reasons: 1) It’s fun. 2) I hope that it mind over the past two weeks. generates conversation among the several ■ It’s time for just a touch of transparthousands of people I assume read this ency in the North Coast Section closedcolumn every week. door tournament seeding process. Three Even if that readership number isn’t years ago, the NCS transitioned from entirely accurate. We have a feeling it open seeding meetings that allowed could be very soon. Why? Because we’re coaches and media to view the process, feeling like it’s time to break out a bit. I to closed-door sessions where the selecmean, we’ve already broken out — that’s tion committee is chosen before the why you’re holding this magazine and season begins and remains anonymous reading this column (you’re one of the throughout the process. The first two several thousands). Now we’re flexing our years of football seedings in this manner muscles, so to speak. We’ve taken on a went mostly without much outcry. This small campaign to get our name associyear, not so much. ated with some of the events that ought to We can’t blame Freedom coach Kevin sound familiar to many of you. And so far Hartwig for wondering how he ended we’ve been fairly successful. up with the No. 8 seed (out of 12) after a We’re pretty excited about it and felt it 9-1 season in which he beat six eventual was time to spread the word. playoff teams. Or how San Leandro, a Among the places you’ll be seeing and 6-4 team (3 wins against playoff teams) hearing our name in the coming month earned the No. 3 seed. will be the 24th Annual Chris Vontoure The CIF chooses its state championClassic Tournament hosted by De La Salle ship bowl games behind close doors, but from Dec. 8-10. That’s always a classy and then immediately holds a press confercompetitive tournament — even if its ence to announce the games and answer championship game tends to conflict with questions on its decision-making prosection or state championship football cess. It wouldn’t kill the NCS to offer up games.

This year’s tournament has many of the something like this. Even if the coaches usual suspects, but features one new team don’t get the answer they want to hear. this year by welcoming Damien High of They at least get to hear something.

La Verne. Damien went 26-4 a year ago “Whatever it may be, however you before losing to Havard-Westlake 59-56 in reasoned, just explain it to me,” Hartwig the Southern Section Division 3A playoffs. said. “That’s all I want. I just want to be They return in 2012 with notable recruit able to explain it to my kids.”

Chris Reyes, a 6-foot-7 power forward Chace@ ■ Holy moly, Carrie Verdon can run! who averaged 17 points, 10 rebounds and Campolindo’s cross country queen is SportStarsOnline.com nearly five blocks a game last season. proving exactly why we made her the Now, two weeks after the Vontoure (925) 566-8503 first athlete from that sport to grace the comes to a close, another tournament hits cover of SportStars (Issue #32, Sept. 22).

Contra Costa County. It’s a tad bigger. Like Her NCS-championship winning time 150 more teams and 12 more gyms bigger. on Nov. 19 was 16 minutes, 57 seconds.

Yep, the West Coast Jamboree. Girls hoops It was more than a minute faster (65 secout your ears. onds, to be precise) than the next closest Attend any of the various sites hosting competitor. It was also 22 seconds faster WCJ action during the last week of December (the 27ththan the time she ran on the same course one year earlier — 30th, to be specific) and you’ll find our magazine. And you when she also won the championship. might even stumble across one of our smiling faces, spread■ Whoa water polo! If this year’s NCS water polo tournaing SportStars and Holiday cheer. Unless it’s before noon. ments were any indication, the level of competition and Not all of us are morning people. parity in this sport is skyrocketing.

We’re working on some other partnerships as well, and Of the four championship matches held on Nov. 12, we’ll alert you as they come about. But the bottom line is three were decided by one goal. Two of these were overtime if you’re in a gym at a key basketball matchup — boys or victories with the San Ramon Valley girls and Miramonte girls — this December, don’t be surprised if you see us. We’re boys each winning on golden goals. A third match included building the several thousands. a historic nine-goal comeback by the Las Lomas boys team which won on a goal with less than 20 seconds remaining in regulation. Read more about that match on page 22. ✪ As fired up as we are about those basketball tournaments,

FIRST PITCH Chace Bryson Editor

OTHER QUICK THOUGHTS

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PHONE 925.566.8500 FAX 925.566.8507 Editorial Editor@SportStarsOnline.com Editor Chace Bryson. Ext. 104 • Chace@SportStarsOnline.com Contributors Bill Kolb, Erik Stordahl, Mitch Stephens, Doug Gardner, Matt Smith, Clay Kallam, Jim McCue, Eric Gilmore, Dave Kiefer, Liz Elliott, Tim Rudd, Jonathan Okanes Photography Butch Noble, Bob Larson, Jonathan Hawthorne, Darryl Henick, Norbert von der Groeben Creative Department Art@SportStarsOnline.com Production Manager Mike DeCicco. Ext. 103 • MikeD@SportStarsOnline.com Publisher/President Mike Calamusa. Ext. 106 • Mike@SportStarsOnline.com Advertising & Calendar/Classified Sales Sales@SportStarsOnline.com Account Executives Erik Stordahl • ErikS@SportStars Online.com (Special Sections, Calendar, Marketplace sales) Reader Resources/Administration Ad Traffic, Subscription, Calendar & Classified Listings info@SportStarsOnline.com • Deb Hollinger. Ext. 101 • Distribution/Delivery Mags@SportStarsOnline.com Distribution Manager Butch Noble. Ext. 107 • Butch@SportStarsOnline.com Information technology John Bonilla CFO Sharon Calamusa • Sharon@SportStarsOnline.com Office Manager/Credit Services Deb Hollinger. Ext. 101 • Deb@SportStarsOnline.com Board of Directors Dennis Erokan, CEO, Placemaking Group Roland Roos, CPA, Roland Roos & Co Susan Bonilla, State Assembly Drew Lawler, Managing Director, AJ Lawler Partners Brad Briegleb, Attorney At Law 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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your ticket to bay area sports admit one; rain or shine This Vol. #2, November 2011 Whole No. 36 is published by Caliente! Communications, LLC, 5356 Clayton Rd, Ste. 222, Concord, CA 94521. 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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370

count’EM

Rushing yards gained by Concord High junior running back Olito Thompson in the Minutemen’s 42-7 win over Newark Memorial in the first round of the North Coast Section Division II playoffs on Nov. 19.

The rushing total, reported by the local newspaper, set the school’s new single-game rushing mark previously set in 2006 by Billy Burmeister (306 yds).

reasons high School hoops shames the NBA

Philip Walton

So, the No Basketball Association might not get its junk together in time for there to be an actual professional hoops season this year. Guess who doesn’t care? Us, that’s who. Wanna know why? Check out our top five reasons that high school basketball trumps the pros.

1. Structured, organized offenses. None of this schoolyard garbage.

Good high school teams run PLAYS. They pass the ball and move without it.

Really. You should check it out. Just don’t get caught watching the paint dry.* 2.High school fans. You just don’t get those, ‘You-can’t-do-that’ or ‘she’sa-fresh-man’ chants at Oracle. And let’s face it, nobody’s really even watching the games at Staples. They’re just there to be seen. The high school fans are there to be HEARD. 3. Defense. Seriously. It happens in high school. Otherwise you’re doing suicides all day in practice the next day.

4. Coaching. How much in-game impact does a coach really have in the NBA? In high school a good coach can make enough adjustments to actually turn the tide of a contest. Students of the game, rejoice.

5. Dunks. In the NBA, everybody can dunk. Kinda takes the shine off the ol’ apple, dunnit? But when somebody throws one down in a high school gym, the fan reaction can blow the roof off the place. *Don’t know what we’re talking about here? You call yourself a hoop fan?

You need to watch Hoosiers about a thousand more times. And maybe start wearing some Chuck Taylors to practice.

— Bill Kolb

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rapidFIRE

Longest you’ve stood in One celebrity who needs to line for go away something 1.5 hours,

to ride X at Six Flags Magic Mountain

an Arctic Monkeys concert

Next movie you hope to see

Best postgame/ race meal

Justin Bieber

Spend time with family

Funny talking animals

Just food.

I’m hungry regardless

Kim Kardashian

Play soccer

Shampoo prank

Nation’s hamburgers

Lindsay Lohan

Eat Christmas Dinner

Mom Stole Your Candy

Spaghetti

Ross Anderson, Miramonte football

5 hours,

One thing you want to do over holiday break

Funniest thing you’ve watched on the internet recently

Evan Molineux, De La Salle, X-country

2 hours,

Nordstrom’s sale

Maddie Quinn, Amador Valley X-country

sayWHAT? “I don’t even know every week who’s wearing it. The kids just do it on their own.”

Throughout the week we poll our Facebook fans on random things that come to our mind here at SportStars HQ. Come ‘Like’ us at www.facebook. com/sportstars to join the conversation. You just might find your comments in this spot next issue.

Quick prediction time: Without picking De La Salle, give us your “lock” for an NCS football champion.

■ “James Logan,” Joanna C. ■ “Las Lomas,” Dawn S.

Bob Larson

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– College Park High School football coach Bill Kepler, speaking of jersey No. 9. Four-year varsity senior Johnny Croft tore his ACL and was ruled out for the season during the Falcons’Week 4 loss to Deer Valley on Sept. 23.

The following week, Croft’s best friend, Falcons quarterback Jordan Louis, asked Kepler if he could wear No. 9 in Croft’s honor. One week later, star tailback Daivon Ballard requested the honor. Since then, a different Falcon has sported No. 9 in each game. All Falcons also boast a No. 9 helmet sticker to carry their team captain with them onto the field every week. College Park rode a 5-game winning streak into the North Coast Section Division II playoffs, and topped American-Fremont 49-34 in the first round. In the game, Rhyan Hughes boasted the coveted No. 9 and rushed seven times for 123 yards and three TDs. November 24, 2011

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Powered by

Stephanie Lin pinole valley . junior . tennis

Butch Noble Like us on Facebook

STEPHANIE’S QUICK HITS Favorite tennis player: Li Na Favorite subject: History Favorite ice cream flavor: Vanilla

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A dominant serve, top-notch footwork and devastating backhand are all traits necessary to win in tennis. Stephanie Lin has each of those attributes while also having a healthy dose of making it look easy. The last trait took center court on Nov. 16, as the Pinole Valley junior mowed down her competition and took home the NCS girls singles title. For a few extra images of the NCS Div. I tennis finals, check out pages 18-19.

SportStars Magazine: This is your first NCS title. How does it feel?

Stephanie Lin: It feels good.

It’s the first time I got to the finals and went through the whole tournament without losing.

SSM: You went up against Amador Valley’s Brooke Irish in the championship. What was running through your mind heading into that match?

SL: The match before, in the semis, I didn’t really have a good match. I started over. I told myself, ‘Play however you want to play and just do it.’

SSM: How do you build on this monumental experience?

SL: I would say this is just one accomplishment. There’s probably more I need to accomplish to possibly win next year, too.

honorable mention

Sarah Board The San Ramon Valley senior posted a gamehigh 42 assists as the Wolves knocked off defending champion Foothill in the NCS Div. I girls volleyball final on Nov. 19.

Jeff Lockie The Oregonbound quarterback lit up the Heritage secondary for 355 yards and five touchdowns as the Mustangs won 42-36 in the opening round of the NCS Div. I playoffs on Nov. 18.

Thomas Joyce The Campolindo senior posted the fastest time of the day at the NCS cross country championships at Hayward High on Nov. 19. He finished with a time of 14 minutes, 58 seconds on the 3.0 mile course.

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JV players make varsity playoff rosters for one big reason: experience If this year’s seniors were in the postseason as sophomores, then a team is well-positioned to succeed; but if this year’s seniors are making their first trip, then it’s going to be a lot harder.

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Soccer practice has started but the varsity football coach pulled up a bunch of JV football players to the varsity for the playoffs.

Those JV guys will never play, and a bunch of them play soccer. Why does the football coach take them away from soccer when they won’t play at all?

A.R., Oakland

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postseason than their talent might indicate: They’re familiar with the process (traveling, playing good teams, the level of intensity), and they’re familiar with the pressure.

This experience can’t be overrated, and if you look at teams that do well in section playoffs, it’s usually after they’ve not done so well. If this year’s seniors were in the postseason as sophomores, then a team is well-positioned to succeed; but if this year’s seniors are making their first trip, then it’s going to be a lot harder.

So even though the JVs won’t be playing, they will participate in the atmosphere, and they’ll see, at least somewhat, how postseason is different — and when they get there on their own, hopefully, they’ll be a little (maybe a lot) more prepared.

The second reason is just one word: Practice. The vast majority of players don’t like practice that much, so they tend to discount its importance, but a good practice is the key

Behind the Clipboard

irst, almost every coach believes his sport is the most important — after all, if he didn’t, why would he be coaching it? And though most coaches do want other teams to do well, their highest priority is their teams and their programs.

So the football coach feels, naturally, that he needs to do what’s best for football, and there are a couple very good reasons to have the JV players hang around during playoffs even if they never get on the field.

First, playoffs are different, and the further you go into the playoffs, the more different they become. That’s why teams that are perennially successful seem to do better in

Clay Kallam

to a player’s and a team’s development. The JVs who are up with the varsity will get four or five days of practice at the varsity level for each week the team stays alive. A team that gets to the section finals will have three weeks of practice, and let’s say that turned into 14 days.

Since a football team usually gets about 60 practices a season (the number can vary), 14 extra practices is 23 percent more — and that’s a lot. Even five extra practices are 8 percent more, and that is a significant number.

So even though the coach knows those JVs won’t play, he also knows having them experience the intensity of postseason, and getting to practice with the varsity, is very important to their growth as players, and the future success of the program.

And if there’s an issue with soccer, the solution is simple: Have the soccer team advance to postseason, and get its own dose of experience and extra practice time.

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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Every championship team carves its own path, the Albany girls volleyball team’s began with a string of practices before sunrise By jonathan oaknes | Contributor

five section titles overall.

Albany has captured 23 league championships since he Albany High girls volleyball team received a 1984 and has won it every year except one since 1994. wake-up call in mid-October.

Worsley, a former NCAA Division III head coach at A very, very early wake-up call. the Rochester Institute of Technology, knew about AlUnhappy with how his team performed during a bany’s tradition when he took the job during the sumtournament in Vallejo, coach Roger Worsley started mer of 2010. Worsley is from Lafayette and attended holding practices at 5 a.m. Once the shock of starting Acalanes High School, but also said he didn’t quite reand ending practice in the dark wore off, a transforma- alize the extent of the Cougars’ success over the years. tion took place.

Upon taking the Albany job, Worsley did some The Cougars became a more focused bunch, playing internet research and saw the program’s accomplishwith an enhanced sense of urgency and passion. Those ments in both the NCS and California Interscholastic new-found traits carried them all the way to the North Federation playoffs. He printed out all of the brackets Coast Section Division III championship, where they of the Cougars’ championship seasons and showed beat Sir Francis Drake-San Anselmo 25-19, 25-19, 22- them to the players and their parents during his first 25, 25-23 in the title meeting as coach. match on Nov. 19 on “I said, ‘I came here their home floor. for this purpose,’” “It gave us a sense of Worsley said. “They urgency,” senior setter needed to understand McKenzie Giblin said. that was my intention.

“I actually thought we It’s something we talk practiced a lot better about all the time.” in the morning than After bowing out we did in the afterin the NCS semifinals noon. We liked it.” last season, Worsley Worsley moved made it clear his team practices back to the should seriously conafternoons after about tend for the crown in a week, even though 2011. The Cougars lost the players actually reonly one starter from quested to keep them the 2010 squad and before sunrise. But returned Bay Shore Worsley’s message had Athletic League most been sent and he had valuable player Kyra achieved the desired Holt, who gave an oral results. commitment to play at The renewed foWashington State just cus and intensity that a week before the NCS took place in the early title game.

Bob Larson mornings continued With Giblin returnABOVE: Albany’s Kari Gastanon-Hill (8) tips the after school, and the ing at setter and a colCougars only lost one ball out of the reach of Sir Francis Drake’s Melanie lection of big and talStoner during the NCS Division III championship more time the rest of ented younger players, match on Nov. 19. RIGHT: Shannon Riggio (5) the regular season, to all the pieces appeared Branson-Ross in the reacts in celebration following the final point of the to be in place. But Northgate Tournachampionship match.

Worsley said it took ment. the major shake-up of “They weren’t rethe Cougars’ sleeping ally focused,” Worsley patterns in October to ultimately reach a championsaid. “They weren’t focused on what they needed to ac- ship level. Albany was still a gawdy 19-3 heading into complish. At that point in time, their intensity needed the tournament in Vallejo, but went just 2-2 during the to be higher. It was just me and them in the gym at 5 event. They’ve gone 12-1 since, including Saturday’s in the morning. They hated it at first, but they actually coronation and the Northern California playoffs to ended up appreciating it. They knew they had turned come. the corner at that point.”

If there was any room left for even more belief in The heightened urgency was needed for a program themselves after the midseason transformation, it was that hadn’t won an NCS title since 2000, considered a filled in the semifinals when Albany knocked off the long drought in Albany. The Cougars hoisted the tro- No. 2 seed and defending state champion Campolindo phy four times between 1996 and 2000 and have won in four sets. The Cougars had lost at Campolindo in a

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nonleague match in September, but returned to Moraga clearly as a different team.

“Words can’t even describe how much that helped us,” Giblin said. “Beating the defending state champion is just something that a lot of people don’t get a chance to do. For us to be able to do that was amazing. It gave us all the hope and pride in the world.”

It was clear confidence was riding high at the outset of the championship match, as the third-seeded Cougars led for almost all of each of the first two sets and pulled away at the end for a comfortable 25-19 victory in each. But there were some nervous moments in the Albany gym after the Cougars’ ball control disintegrated and the Pirates forced a fourth set with a 25-22 win.

Drake jumped out to leads of 4-0 and 8-3, and although the Cougars twice came back to take the advantage, including a 20-19 edge, 16

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they couldn’t overcome their own mistakes.

Albany was also victimized by Drake junior outside hitter Karli Grigsby, who had seven of her match-high 21 kills in the third set.

The Cougars dropped the third set despite inspired play by Holt, who not only had five of her team-best 16 kills but registered a handful of point-saving digs and tough serves. But while Holt and Amber Erhahon (12 kills, 5 blocks) were providing the punch, Worsley wanted more.

While on the bench between the third and fourth set, Worsley pulled aside junior middle blocker Marin Gibson.

Gibson is one of a strong group of tall, athletic complementary players on the Cougars’ roster. She had dominated at times during the regular season, including the Northgate Tournament at the end of October.

“She wasn’t doing much in the early sets,”

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Worsley said. “I pulled her aside and told her she’s not playing as well as she needs to play. At the Northgate Tournament, she was a monster. She wasn’t doing anything tonight. I told her I needed the Marin from the Northgate Tournament.”

Gibson responded.

She had four kills and two blocks in the fourth set, including a key stretch in which she had a kill followed by back-to-back blocks to cut Drake’s advantage to 15-14. Fittingly, she ended the match with a kill on an overpass by the Pirates.

“I just wasn’t on my game in the first and second set,” Gibson said. “I knew I had to step it up. I think hearing it from (Worsley) helped a lot. It showed he believed in me.”

It looked as though the match might be headed to a fifth set, and in the momentum-shifting sport of volleyball, it didn’t look good for the Cougars when they fell behind 21-17 in the fourth game. But Albany reeled off three straight points to close within one, and after a service error by Grigsby, Gibson put down a kill to tie it at 22-22. The teams exchanged points to make it 23-23, but a service error by Drake’s Sophie Merrifield gave Albany match point. Gibson ended the festivities, prompting a celebration with students and talk of a deep run in the NorCal playoffs.

“I feel like our team just expected them to hand it to us in (the third set),” Holt said. “But we came back strong. We got some unexpected serves from them, but we came together.”

When all the trophies had been handed out and pictures had been taken, Giblin reflected on the Cougars’ journey to the top, a road that began when the team went to Hawaii for a tournament in early August.

“Since the day we left for Hawaii, our goal was to win NCS,” she said. “Since then, we have been working as hard as we possibly can to get there. We did everything we needed to do and we got here. I knew my team had it in them. Words can’t describe how it feels. It feels amazing.” ✪

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Bob Larson

LEFT: Albany hitter Maddy Dunn (9) goes up for a kill against Karli Grigsby of Sir Francis Drake.

ABOVE: Cougars setter McKenzie Giblin and the rest of the Albany bench erupt in joy after Marin Gibson scored the match-winning point in the fourth set.

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In Stephanie Lin’s first two appearances in the singles bracket at the North Coast Section Division I Tennis Championships, she couldn’t get out of the quarterfinals. Well, the third time was a charm. Lin didn’t drop a single set on her way to becoming Pinole Valley High’s first NCS singles champion since the section began sanctioning the tournament in 1977.

In the doubles tournament, it was Tamalpais duo Liza Brusman and Lani Tice who grabbed the championship medals. They entered the field as the No. 3 seed, and like Lin, didn’t drop a set at any point during their title march. It was Tamalpais’ first doubles title since 1983.

Here are a few images gathered by SportStars photographer Butch Noble. ✪

ABOVE: Tamalpais’ Liza Brusman serves one up as her partner Lani Price waits at the net during the NCS Division I doubles final. Brusman and Price won the match 6-2, 7-6. RIGHT: Brooke Irish of Amador Valley follows through on a forehand during the singles championship match.

FACING PAGE, MIDDLE: NCS singles champion Stephanie Lin gears up for a backhand during her 6-2, 6-2 championship victory. TOP RIGHT: Dougherty Valley sophomore Rickimae Torres, the 2011 DFAL champ, finished fourth after being ousted by Brooke Irish in the semis. BOTTOM RIGHT: The Monte Vista doubles team of Kaitlyn Haithcock and Betsy Main play a return during the doubles final.

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hey didn’t all enter the pool deck at the same time, something they talked about doing the night before trying out for the varsity team as freshmen in the fall of 2008.

And yet there was no mistaking they had arrived. Upbeat. Smiling. A wave of positivity.

It was the “Fresh Five.”

On this mid-week afternoon, the five seniors who comprised the core of the North Coast Sectionchampion Las Lomas girls water polo team were four days removed from their Division II championship victory over rival Campolindo. It was a win that completed a journey that began even before all five of them made the varsity as freshmen. They had converged upon their home aquatic center to take part in a photo shoot for this very magazine.

Only one detail about the shoot had been left out.

“We’re getting in the pool?!,” one asked with trepidation.

More than 45 minutes later, with the sun having already set behind the buildings of the Las Lomas campus, the two boys players who attended the shoot — the Knights boys team also earned an NCS Division II crown on Nov. 12 — had already been in and out of the pool and were long gone. The Fresh Five were going on at least 15 minutes of treading in the cold water.

And they were still laughing.

For those who know this group of five friends well, this would’ve come as no surprise. In fact, the unmistakable bond they share was seemingly forged through laughter and playful chatter.

“Some of my favorite memories of us were times when we were just laughing so hard that (coach Jon Leach) had to actually stop practice until we stopped laughing,” Erin Donoghue said. “It was usually over something completely trivial and random, too.”

Donoghue was actually the last to come into the fold, joining the other four on the 680 Drivers club team between her seventh and eighth grade year.

“The four of them had been been playing together and I was the new girl,” she said. “But I was instantly welcomed. It seemed like we instantly bonded and never stopped talking. I remember the coaches instantly having to tell the five of us to stay focused.”

Before there were five, there were two.

Already competitive recreation swimmers, Danielle Johnson and Shannon Baer were the first to wade into the water polo world. They attended a beginners camp in sixth grade at the suggestion of Johnson’s dad, Ron, who played the sport collegiately at UC Davis. Later that summer they joined a club and encouraged friends Addie Green and Mackenzie Brokaw to sign up also.

“It was pretty much just for the fun of it,” Baer said of that first summer. “It wasn’t really intense training, but there was a connection early on and we were friends kind of right away. I also remember that we were not very good.”

That wasn’t the case two years later when the five of them were all selected to the Las Lomas varsity team as freshman.

And if one wanted to credit Johnson’s dad for the first nudge toward the sport, then equal credit goes to her mom, Carol, for the actual creation of the “Fresh Five.”

Upon making varsity, the girls decided they wanted their group to have a name. Carol Johnson made the easy connection.

“She said ‘There are five of you, why not call yourselves the Freshman Five,’” Danielle Johnson said. “We went with it, and after that first year we just dropped it to ‘Fresh Five.’”

Only Donoghue and Brokaw were starters in that first year, but all five cracked the lineup as sophomores. The Knights finished that regular season with a record of 17-4, and a second-place finish in the Diablo Foothill Athletic League.

That 2009 season was the last to feature just one NCS playoff bracket, a massive 24-team Division I field. Las Lomas earned a No. 3 seed and a reached the semifinals before being ousted in a 7-5 loss to Campolindo.

Their junior season included a DFAL championship, the No. 1 seed in the new 16-team Division II tournament, and a trip to the finals — where they lost, 8-5, to Campolindo.

“We became too overconfident in that match,” Danielle Johnson said of the 2010 final. “We’d beaten that (Campolindo) team before, and we got too confident. We reminded ourselves of that a lot this year.”

Despite being an NCS runner-up with essentially its entire starting lineup returning, the Knights opened 2011 with little fanfare.

And that was OK with the girls.

“We didn’t feel pressure from the water polo community because people didn’t really have expectations for us,” Donoghue said. “We weren’t on the map yet. When we beat Campolindo and won league, that’s when we finally started to realize we were getting respect. ... That’s when we started getting questions about being the Fresh Five.”

And as the attention grew upon receiving the top seed in Division II again, Leach took the girls aside and delivered some basic advice.

“He just told us to finish what we started,” Donoghue said. “And that was really the best quote we could’ve heard all year.”

So they did just that. The Knights blazed through the first three rounds of the playoffs with wins of 14-0, 17-3 and 13-6. The night before the final the team gathered for a team meal, and the Fresh Five made a point of watching its favorite movie, “Remember the Titans.”

The following day, playing loose and confident — but not overly confident — the Knights never let Campolindo get going. Johnson, showing why she was the defending two-time DFAL MVP, scored four goals.

Donoghue scored twice. Baer scored once and added three assists.

Green had an assist and Brokaw had 13 saves. And Johnson’s younger sister, Kim — a freshman — also had two goals.

Las Lomas led 5-3 at halftime, 8-5 after three quarters, and won 10-5.

“I just kept thinking, ‘Anything can happen,’” Johnson said. “It wasn’t until the last couple minutes of that fourth quarter when I finally let a smile cross my face.”

It’s a smile that seems incapable of disappearing. At least as long as she’s beside her four closest friends and teammates. ✪

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Danielle Johnson (with ball), Erin Donoghue, Addie Green, Shannon Baer and Mackenzie Brokaw closed out their four-year varsity water polo career by earning the Las Lomas girls water polo program its first North Coast Section championship.

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November 24, 2011

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21

Young Knights deliver shocking repeat performance

B

y the time the comeback began, the biggest threat to the Las Lomas boys water polo team was no longer top-seeded Alhambra.

It was time.

With a little less than 11 minutes remaining in the NCS Division II championship match, the Knights trailed the Bulldogs by a seemingly insurmountable 10-2 margin.

“I honestly don’t think we believed we could completely turn the game around at that point,” said Mitch Pilgrim, one of just two seniors to start for the Knights this season. “We just went out and played offense as fast as we could. We knew we had nothing to lose.”

So Pilgrim started firing away, and the goals began to pile up.

And the clock kept ticking down. Before Pilgrim knew it, the game was tied with less than a minute remaining.

“I was practically playing offense the whole time, but I could only do that because our defense really tightened up,” Pilgrim said.

It was a defensive stop that led to a Las Lomas fast break inside the last 30 seconds. Riley Loventhal was leading the charge and was going to have a shot at a game-winning goal.

“All I remember was seeing Riley going for the shot on the other side of the pool,” Pilgrim said. “I knew that if he missed it was going to bounce somewhere around the goalie and I wanted to be there when it did, to see if I could do something with it.”

He got there. The ball landed a few feet in front of him and he corralled it and fired off a shot that found the back of the cage with 15.6 seconds left.

Pilgrim’s goal sealed an 11-10 victory that brought Las Lomas its second NCS Div. II crown in as many seasons. And though the Knights were the No. 2 seed, the repeat championship may have caught a few by surprise.

Las Lomas entered the tournament with a pedestrian-looking 13-11 record through the regular season. A very young roster with many new places, the Knights had only started to find their groove in the few weeks preceding the tournament.

“At the beginning of the season we weren’t playing real well as a team,” Pilgrim noted. “I feel like our (Oct. 13) game against Drake was the defining point in our season. We beat them by one, but played most of that game with a pretty significant lead. They came within one goal of tying it, and we had to play solid defense hold on.

“That was things started to click.”

Pilgrim finished the championship match with six goals, with the remaining five goals each scored by different players — four of whom were underclassmen. ✪ — Chace Bryson 22

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Epic final Jonathan Hawthorne

TOP: Las Lomas junior Connor Thompson gears up for a shot during the championship match. Thompson was one of four underclassmen to score for the Knights. BOTTOM: Dominic Lucido (blue cap) finished his four-year Alhambra water polo career as the program’s all-time leading scorer with more than 200 goals.

Bulldogs hoping to rise from ashes next season

D

eath, it’s been said, is only the beginning.

And though the Alhambra High School boys water polo team’s dream of winning the NCS Div. II championship met its sudden demise thanks to an improbable nine-goal fourth-quarter comeback by eventual champ Las Lomas, it might just be the case that the disappointing loss will mark the beginning of a long-term run of competitiveness for the program.

It’s also been said that water polo isn’t sustainable in blue-collar, football-first Martinez. But the Bulldogs’ run over the past two seasons is rapidly putting that rumor to rest.

“Water polo is gaining more notoriety in Martinez, and in the water polo community,” Alhambra coach Mike Agostino said. “Water polo in Martinez isn’t supposed to work. But it’s working.”

There was a time when Agostino and co-coach Ben Baldwin thought this would be a one-off. They knew early on that the group that just put the finishing touches on its senior season would be special. They knew when they were freshmen that if leading scorer Dominic Lucido, Lucido’s co-captain Sam Randall, hole-set Vince Farley and field player Brandon Simons put in the work, they could achieve something great in the pool. So Agostino — who started the Alhambra program as a club team with some friends in his junior year back in 1993 — and Baldwin set out to do everything in their power to push the group along.

“We noticed that they were pretty talented,” Agostino said. “But water polo, in order to be good at it, you have to put a lot of money into it and play year round on clubs. It’s expensive. ... So we started our own club, almost as a joke, and it kind of took off. Now kids in Martinez are coming into Alhambra with 2-3 years of water polo experience. We’re getting freshmen who have played since the sixth grade, just because water polo is available. Kids who would have played football are now playing water polo.”

And thanks to the success of Lucido — who set the school’s single-season and career scoring records at 99 and 214 goals, respectively, this year — and company, the future looks bright.

In addition to reaching the Div. II final for the second straight year, the Bulldogs finished 22-6 with their only losses coming to water polo royalty: De La Salle, Miramonte, Las Lomas, Acalanes and Campolindo (2). Inspired by what they saw from the seniors, the JV team met with Agostino shortly after the finals loss.

Between that up-and-coming group and returning starters Christian Bumala (goalie) and Michael Bull (field), there is plenty of reason for optimism.

“They are IN,” Agostino said. “We always felt this senior class was special. And after a loss like that, things can go one of two ways: The players can be too hurt and opt out, or they can be hungry. It looks like everybody’s in, everybody’s hungry. Were going to keep getting better. We want more.” ✪ — Bill Kolb

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Three rules to adhere to in the weight room with young athletes T oday I’m going to discuss the importance of a quality-based strength training program for your young athletes. Too often coaches and trainers don’t instruct your young athletes on how to do the lifts correctly; they also don’t have a complete understanding of functional anatomy and how to apply it to training in order to elicit a positive impact on both athletic performance and injury reduction.

So let’s take a look at some key factors of an effective strength program as it relates to your young athletes: Rule No. 1: Quality not quantity Most young athletes’ technique is so bad in the weight room that they are rarely more than a lapse in focus away from a season- or career-ending injury. It’s vital, especially with young athletes, that they start with body weight or very light weights and focus on mastering the technique of the lift first.

At the beginning, young athletes should forget about ‘heavy’ or ‘light’ and just go for good form. Even ‘veteran’ lifters, should continually be re-taught how to lift with perfect form. Effective weight training for sports is dependent on an athlete’s ability to get the most out of the precious few reps they will be doing.

Young athletes should only be allowed to slowly increase

the number of pounds on the bar once they prove that they can do it with good form.

Rule No. 2: Athletes are not bodybuilders It isn’t going to help your young athlete’s performance if they are in the weight room doing single-joint, single-plane lifts that are going to add useless bulk to their bodies.

Athletes should only be doing multi-joint, multi-plane movements that address multiple muscle groups at once to develop functional strength, which has a positive impact on athletic performance.

Here are some popular weight room exercises that have no athletic value and no positive impact on injury reduction: ■ Bicep curls ■ Hamstring curls ■ Leg extensions ■ Triceps extensions ■ Most Machine Based Exercises And let’s not forget machine squats and leg press which are leg exercises for athletes too lazy to do squats and dead lifts, and trainers too lazy to teach them.

Rule No. 3: Stronger = faster As I mentioned in past columns, greater speeds are deter-

Training Time Tim Rudd for IYCA

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mined by an athlete’s ability to apply greater amounts of force to the ground with each stride. So, doing exercises with high rep counts and very little rest between sets will do very little in getting young athletes stronger. It seems this is where most trainers and coaches get confused on the difference between strength and conditioning.

Young athletes must have a motor in which to produce and reduce force. So in order to get faster they must lift in a way that maximizes strength gains. This means appropriate rest periods that will allow maximum effort without any significant decreases in performance in each subsequent lift.

By lifting this way, athletes will recruit and activate more motor units within the muscle with each rep. This develops greater degrees of applicable strength and power, making it much easier for athletes to move and control their bodies while competing.

Weight training isn’t as complicated as it is made out to be. Trainers and coaches should follow the same teaching protocols, as far as technique and progressions that they do for every other skill they teach.

Tim Rudd is an International Youth Conditioning Association specialist in youth conditioning (level 3), speed and agility (level 2), and nutrition specialist (level 1). For more information on anything you read in Training Time, email him at tim@ fit2thecore.com.

November 24 , 2011

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Red Zone

Salesian hoping No. 1 isn’t loneliest number in Div. IV

By Chace Bryson | Editor

Chad Nightingale didn’t just show up to the party.

The distinguished coach has run the show on the Salesian High sidelines for 15 years. Two of those seasons ended with the program hanging a North Coast Section title banner on the gym wall.

It’s safe to say that Nightingale carries an acute attention to detail. And there’s one detail that hasn’t escapled the coach of the Pride when it’s come to the NCS Division IV (and formerly Class A) tournaments.

“Exactly two times has a No. 1 seed won it all. Twice in 15 years,” he said.

We’ll let you take a guess as to what seed Salesian earned in the 2011 Division IV field. Yep, numero uno. A well-deserved seed after the Pride rolled to a 10-0 regular season, with three wins against opponents from larger divisions.

But Nightingale is constantly reminding the team of the necessary history lesson involving the top slot in the tournament.

“I’m trying to emphasize with them ... Being a top seed doesn’t accord you an easy victory in the championship,” Nightingale said.

Plus, there’s still a matter of getting to the final. That

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Salesian hasn’t even happened for a No. 1 seed since 2007, when St. Patrick-St. Vincent rode its 12-0 record into the final before getting beat by No. 2 Ferndale 6-0. For those who are wondering, the last No. 1 seed to win it all was JustinSiena, Napa, in 2004.

One thing the 2011 top seed came with this season was a first-round bye. This meant a week of rest as they awaited to host their playoff opener on Nov. 25 against Bay Football League foe Valley Christian-San Jose. When the two teams faced each other in BFL play on Oct. 29, Salesian cruised to a 54-21 victory.

The current Salesian team hasn’t shown itself to be the type of team that would put much stock in that early victory. In fact, it’s seemed as though this group has been all business since Week 1.

“We had a number of new starters in the skill positions and travelled to Sacramento to play a very good Inderkum team which we had seen no film on,” Nightingale said of his team’s first game in 2011. “We literally went into that

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Red Zone decisively.

“More than anything else. it’s the offensive and defensive line,” the coach said. “That’s where it really starts for us, and defensively we’re pretty good this year.”

Of course, it’s no surprise that All-State lineman Freddie Tagaloa anchors both fronts for the Pride.

“He’s playing the way you expect him to play,” Nightingale said. “And that’s the thing.”

Should the Pride take care of business against Valley Christian, Nightingale says the rest of the field has more than it’s share of threats to Salesian.

It starts with Healdsburg, who enters the quarterfinals with

an 8-3 record and Nightingale’s full attention.

“Healdsburg is a team to be reckoned with,” the coach said of his potential semifinal opponent. “I think the other two teams to watch are (No. 2 seed) Ferndale and (No. 3) Fortuna.”

In the meantime, Salesian will be itching to get things going again and begin their quest to change the trend of No. 1 seeds.

“We just need to continue the same thing we’ve done already,” Nightingale said.

“Take care of the ball and execute. That’s what has made us successful to this point.” ✪

Philip Walton/www.waltonphotography.biz

LEFT: Salesian quarterback Nick Boyett (8) has shone this season after taking over for the graduated Isaiah Woolsey, who now plays at the University of Hawaii. ABOVE: Freddie Tagaloa (78), now in his third year as a standout for Salesian, is among the most recruited linemen in the state.

game blind, and had a lot of very good athletes. That we were able to make such quick adjustments and figure out what they were doing, I thought it really boded well for us.”

The Pride won that game 31-21, which was their closest margin of victory in any game this season. The next closest was 26 points in a 33-7 win over Middletown.

And, like Nightingale said, much of this team consists of guys who had to wait their turn a year ago as the Pride claimed the Division IV championships — as the No. 3 seed.

That 2010 team finished 11-2, and graduated quarterback Isaiah Woolsey (now on scholarship at Hawaii) and running back Aaron Prier (Idaho St.).

If Salesian was going to repeat that success this year, it would need similar contributions from quarterback Nick Boyett and running back Marcial Malic.

Malic had more than 1,000 yards rushing by the halfway point of the season. He closed the regular season with a 134-yard day as the Pride wrapped up the BFL title with a win over host Berean Christian.

“We knew Marcial was going to be pretty good,” Nightingale said. “When he had his brief opportunities last year, he was phenomenal. But, unlike Prier, Marcial is a two way starter. What makes his numbers so impressive, is that he’s going both ways.”

Boyett has been very effective as well. He threw a pair of touchdown passes in the win over Berean Christian. The team is getting other offensive contributions from running back Michael Page and wide receiver Joey Marchini.

But ask Nightingale what his team’s biggest strength is heading into the playoffs, and his answer comes quick and

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November 24, 2011

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25

Red Zone

Sideline View A coach’s take on the NCS football playoffs

With the first round of the North Coast Section football playoffs in the books, we asked an East Bay coach whose season has already ended to give us his breakdown of the top three brackets. Here’s what we got.

Division I

THE FAVORITE: Well, I would like to pick a name out of a hat here, but since we are being realistic, I can’t pick anyone outside of De La Salle. The Spartans have their usual dominant offensive line, but their defense has been really impressive against the top EBAL teams. The bigger the challenge, the more they seem to rise to the occasion. Getting RB Joe Te’o back from injury is a big boost to the offense, and the defense just seems like too much for anyone to overcome.

THE CONTENDER: It wasn’t close the first time around, but I have to go with San Ramon Valley.

The Wolves have enough athletes to show some offensive balance, but will need to step up defensively to get the ball in the hands of their offense enough to Butch Noble make a difference. The San Ramon Valley’s Jordan Weiss (42) team that played DLS and Zach Kline the toughest defensively, Cal, is already out of the playoffs thanks to Freedom, so it will be interesting to see if anyone can slow them down.

THE GAME-CHANGER: If you want to see an amazing talent, get to the De La Salle-Freedom game and take a look at Freedom’s Darrell Daniels. But since they meet in the quarterfinals, he will most likely not have an impact on the bracket. I’m calling out San Ramon Valley’s Jordan Weiss as the player who can really change things in this bracket. He had 185 yards from scrimmage against Castro Valley, and topped 1,000 yards rushing for the season in that game. If he can keep defenses from pinning their ears back against QB Zach Kline, the Wolves can end up in the O.Co Coliseum on Dec. 10.

SEMIFINALS: De La Salle over Pittsburg; San Ramon Valley over Monte Vista FINALS: De La Salle 45, San Ramon Valley 22

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Red Zone Division II

THE FAVORITE: Windsor. The Jaguars did not look pretty against an unimpressive Arroyo team in the first round, but they have an extremely balanced offense, play tough against the run, and protect the football. QB Christian McAlvain is a dual threat (28 total TDs), and has plenty of firepower around him in Darrian Roman, Jarod Leon, and Kameron Richardson. Additionally, coach Rob Gatrell knows what big games feel like from his days with the New England Patriots.

THE CONTENDER: Rancho Cotate-Rohnert Park is looking to make a return trip to the finals after losing a thriller to Concord last season. The Cougars played an extremely tough nonleague slate, and it seems to have rewarded them with the adversity needed for a playoff run. The defense has been very stout. They need to get past a good Casa GrandePetaluma team this week, control the ball, and continue playing great on the defensive end — 14 points allowed over the last three weeks — to have a shot at the title this year.

THE GAME-CHANGER: The aforementioned athletes from Windsor can all lead them to a title, especially McAlvain and the dynamic 6-foot-6 Richardson. But one RB has already turned heads in this division during the post-season — Olito Thompson of Concord, who racked up 370 yards in the Minutemen’s 42-7 rout over Newark Memorial. Concord’s focus has shifted to the running game, and Thompson is the kind of back who could grind out a path to the title game.

SEMIFINALS: Windsor over Dublin; Rancho Cotate over Concord.

FINALS: Windsor 24, Rancho Cotate 21

Division III

THE FAVORITE: Definitely the hardest division to pick a winner, but I’m going with Marin Catholic-Kentfield and standout QB Jared Goff. The only concern for the Wildcats has to be the length of time since they have played a topnotch opponent, but the talent level and early-season wins over Berkeley, Vacaville, Novato, and St. Ignatius give them an edge. The final in this division could be epic, especially if it pits the Wildcats against Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa.

THE CONTENDER: All six of the top seeds have the ability to win it all, but I am saying Cardinal Newman has the best shot. Senior RB Steven Tomasin, can keep the ball out of Goff’s hands. If they play Campolindo in the semifinals, the same holds true against Brett Stephens. The Cardinals can also draw on their early-season tests (Valley Christian-San Jose, Concord, Palma) to give them confidence for a run at the title.

THE GAME-CHANGER: Pick a quarterback: Goff, Stephens, Ross Anderson (Miramonte), Andrew Ve’e (Encinal), or Dominic Miroglio (Bishop O’Dowd) can all make a defensive coordinator lose sleep for a week. But, that is why Bishop O’Dowd LB Hardy Nickerson Jr. can turn the bracket upside down with a big game. With so many good offensive weapons in this bracket, it may very well come down to which defense can provide the big stop.

SEMIFINALS: Marin Catholic over Encinal, Cardinal Newman over Bishop O’Dowd FINALS: Marin Catholic 35, Cardinal Newman 29 ✪

Some Bay Area Sports nostalgia for the holidays Home for the Holidays – that’s the theme for a handful of locals who, just in time for the holidays, have made it into the Vallejo High School Sports Hall of Fame.

They’re called the Big Four and you might not remember the names, but your parents (or grandparents) might. These guys, all Vallejo High School grads 50 years back, became All-Americans — some in multiple sports. Frank Mixon was inducted into the hall for basketball and Bill Himes and Dave Plump (San Diego Chargers and a stint with the Harlem Globtrotters) for baseball, basketball and football. Mike Huyck another member of the Big Four and went on to play professional baseball.

Two more Bay Area notables have been immortalized in paperback by author C.F. Stewart. Check Amazon.com to order in time for gift-giving. In ‘The Dapper Adonis’, Stewart recounts the great golf phenom of the 50s, Al Besselink. An Oakland native, “Besse” as he is known by his friends, won the first Tournament of Champions in 1953. At 88-years-old, you can still see him fine-tuning his swing.

Stewart writes his books as personal accounts of the buddies with whom he grew up. In ‘The Dapper Adonis’, the tale is told of celebrity relationships, girls, gambling and golf. Packed with photos of Besse alongside such notables as Joe DiMaggio, Johnny Bench, Perry Como and even Tiger Woods, the read is a walk down memory lane made all the more intriguing knowing Besselink is a Bay Area boy. Besselink has just been inducted into the Las Vegas Hall of Fame and there’s a movie about his life under way.

Stewart’s, ‘Unflappable, The Life and Times of Whitney Reed’ chronicles another local – this one, a tennis hall-of-famer. By the age of 13, Reed had won his first regional tournament. In 1959, while at San Jose State, he won the NCAA singles championship. During his professional career, Reed had wins over Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Neale Fraser, Chuck McKinley and other International Tennis Hall-of-Famers.

He was named three times to the U.S. Davis Cup team.

In the style of chronicling the top-ranked player in the United States in the early 60s, ‘Unflappable’ lets you experience pro tour life through the eyes of an unabashedly original character. ✪ Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

November 24, 2011

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Three ways to keep athletes out of training room

N

o coach, parent, trainer, or even physical therapist want to see an athlete sidelined for a season.

Worst of all, is seeing it happen due to an injury that happened at practice, or worse, in the backyard. Here are the most frequent mistakes we see when working with young athletes.

1. Pushing through pain. We all know working out isn’t exactly easy. Muscle pain and soreness are expected. By allowing the young athlete to play with joint, bone, or even extreme muscle pain, their body may compensate with movements that may not be to their athletic advantage.

In 2011, a study in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise showed a significant change of mechanics in runners due to knee pain. The race times were compromised due to adaptations at the knee and hip. Adaptations are also seen frequently in swimmers with painful shoulders. Studies show that swimmers with shoulder pain exhibit a wider entry into the water, forcing increased trunk rotation. Both of these athletic compensations can cause excessive force on areas of the young athlete’s body that are not capable of taking on loads, causing stress fractures, sprains, and tendonitis.

2. Overuse. What is overuse? Overuse is defined by the American Academy of Pediatrics as “a micro traumatic injury to a bone, muscle or tendon that has been subjected to repetitive stress without sufficient time to heal or undergo the natural healing process.” Overuse or repetitive trauma injuries represent approximately 50 percent of all pediatric sport-related injuries.

It is speculated that more than half of these injuries may be preventable. The most common studies of youth athletic overuse are in young pitchers. In a 10-year study of 481 youth pitchers aged 9-14, it was found that pitching more than 100 pitches per game made a young pitcher 3.5 times more likely to be injured. If the athlete played catcher, the injuries were even more likely.

Another study in 2005 looked at fatigue and landing mechanics during stop-jump tasks. As the athlete fatigues, more stress was put onto the tibia, shearing the knee at the ACL. The researchers were looking for reasons why there are so many non-contact ACL injuries. The American Academy of

Pediatrics recommendation to avoid overuse for young athletes is: ■ Rest one day of the week away from organized athletes.

■ Limit one sporting activity to a max of five days a week.

■ Take at least 2 to 3 months off per year from their particular sport to rest the principal muscle groups involved.

3. Under stretch/ over stretch. When your young athlete arrives to practice, having a proper warm-up in place is crucial. The warm-up should consist of sport-specific dynamic stretching activities that are age appropriate.

When it comes to stretching with young athletes, you must consider that even the slightest gains in bone growth will tighten up muscles until the athlete adapts. Tears (strains) to the muscle and growth plate disorders, Severe’s Disease (calcaneal apophysitis) to the ankle, and Osgood-Schlatters disease (tibial tubercle apophysitis) to the knee, are common to athletes and may be averted or at least reduced with a proper warm-up and stretching program.

Conversely, over-stretching a pitcher, swimmer, cheerleader or gymnast can have detrimental effects on joints, especially the shoulder. In the Journal of Applied Physiology, D.L. Morgan and colleagues state that overstretched muscles deactivate and lose their ability to contract normally, therefore decreasing joint stability. Overstretched ligaments also create joint instability. With decreases in arm muscle activation and ligament stabilization, we get increased risks of shoulder injuries. An athlete can sprain, sublux or dislocate the joint more easily.

No one wants to injure a young athlete. By monitoring their pain, not over playing, and practicing with proper warm-ups and appropriate stretching techniques, your athletes will stay healthy and in the game! ✪

Health Watch Robin Bousquet

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Robin Bousquet is a senior physical therapist for the Sports Medicine For Young Athletes, a division of Children’s Hospital Oakland with a facility also located in Walnut Creek. If you have questions or comments regarding the “Health Watch” column, write the Sports Medicine For Young Athletes staff at Health@ SportStarsOnline.com.

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tee2green

Seven NorCal golfers crack the Top 10 at the CIF state championships Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach played a most hospitable host to the Southern California teams at the California Interscholastic Federation State Golf Tournament on Nov. 15. The teams for Torrey Pines, Torrance and Palm Desert took the top three spots by each shooting five-golfer scores in the 380’s.

Torrey Pines, led by Sarah Cho — who won the individual title with a 1-under-par 71 and then beating Palm Desert’s Cha Cha Willhoite on the second playoff hole — posted the top mark of 381. Torrance came in two strokes at 383, and Palm Desert closed with a 386. Mission San Jose put up the best NorCal team score, a mere 24 strokes behind Palm Desert.

But it wasn’t all bad for NorCal golfers.

Shawnee Martinez of Enochs-Modesto shot an even-par 72 to tie for for third place and Justin-Siena-Napa’s Kathleen Scavo cracked the Top 5 by carding a 74. The top East Bay golfers were Mission San Jose’s Meredith Hirsch and Alameda’s Carly Childs.

Each shot a 76.

— SportStars

Leaderboard CIF state championships. Poppy Hills Golf Course. Par 72 TOP 20 1 Sarah Cho* Torrey Pines.....................-1 71.

2 Cha Cha Willhoite Palm Desert.....................-1 71.

T3 Shawnee Martinez Enochs-Modesto.............. E 72.

T3 Anne Cheng Torrance........................... E 72.

5 Kathleen Scavo Justin-Siena-Napa..........+2 74.

T6 Anna Zhou Gunn-Palo Alto................+3 75.

T6 Samantha Martin Torrance..........................+3 75.

T8 Diana Kim Torrance..........................+4 76.

T8 Esther Lee Los Alamitos....................+4 76.

T8 Marissa Borja Steele Canyon................+4 76.

T8 Lilia Vu Fountain Valley................+4 76.

T8 Maddy Gedeon Oakmont..........................+4 76.

T8 Paige Lee Granite Bay.....................+4 76.

T8 Carly Childs Alameda..........................+4 76.

T8 Sandy Choi Torrey Pines....................+4 76.

T8 MacKenzie Raim Palm Desert....................+4 76.

T8 Jennifer Peng Torrey Pines....................+4 76.

T8 Meredith Hirsch Mission SJ-Fremont........+4 76.

T8 Nichole Cruz Christian Bros-Sac..........+4 76.

T20 Kimmy Hill Palm Desert....................+5 77.

T20 Sara Scarlett Woodland........................+5 77.

OTHER NORCAL FINISHERS T31 Sadie Strain Christian Brothers...........+9 81.

T33 Sarah Rotter Mission San Jose..........+10 82.

T33 Kelly Shotwell Amador Valley...............+10 82.

T37 Kimberly Liu Amador Valley...............+11 83.

T37 Clare Sorensen Christian Brothers.........+11 83.

T37 Natalie Bodnar Amador Valley...............+11 83.

T42 Sierra Saucier Amador Valley...............+12 84.

T44 Amy Huang Mission San Jose..........+15 87.

T44 Taneesh Sra Mission San Jose..........+15 87.

T46 Madison Hirsch Mission San Jose..........+16 88.

T46 Monique Riley Amador Valley...............+16 88.

49 Lauren Dahl Christian Brothers.........+19 91.

50 Sahar Ali Amador Valley...............+20 92.

52 Emily Achondo Christian Brothers.........+29 101.

54 Lauren Seitz Christian Brothers.........+58 130. * Won medalist honors on second playoff hole.

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71 71 72 72 74 75 75 76 76 76 76 76 76 76 76 76 76 76 76 77 77 81 82 82 83 83 83 84 87 87 88 88 91 92 101 130

Norbert von der Groeben

TOP: Meredith Hirsch of Mission San Jose shot a 4-over-par 76 to help lead the Warriors to the top finish of any NorCal team at the CIF State Championship tournament. BOTTOM: Competing as an individual for EnochsModesto, Shawnee Martinez finished one stroke off the pace by shooting an even-par 72 to tie for third.

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camps + clinics BASEBALL/SOFTBALL Golden Era Baseball Based in the East Bay, we offer several instructionalbased programs as well as 9U thru 18U Club Teams.

We are currently taking signups for our Hitting Classes.

Please see our website for full details: www.GoldenEraBaseball.com.

The Pitching Center We develop baseball players to their full potential. The Pitching Center has grown to become the Total Player Center (TPC), a full service baseball and softball training academy. Age- and skillspecific programs are available for students ages 8-high school. Info: 925-416-1600, www. thepitchingcenter. com.

SportForm Based in Concord, SportForm provides individual and team instruction in baseball, softball, lacrosse. Highly trained professionals provide accelerated and advanced skills clinics.

Prepare to Perform! Info: 925-459-2880.

All American Softball Girls of all ages welcome. Check into our sixweek softball improvement program for all ages. Info: 916-374-1907, www.softballschool. com.

BASKETBALL Bladium Triple Threat Academy Alameda’s Bladium Sports & Fitness Club hosts multiple hoops camps for ages 6-12.

Designed for players of ALL skill levels.

Registration: AlamedaSales@bladium.com, 510-814-4999; www.bladium.com.

Mike Allen Sports Learn the basics of basketball, sharpen your skills and improve daily at the Ballin’ Ambassadors basketball clinics!

Hosted by MIke Allen Sports in the South Bay, registration is easy. Go to www.mikeallensports. com to reserve your spot. 408-279-4123.

CHEER CheerGyms.com

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We offer the best clinics in California! Customize your clinic to fit your needs.

Whether basic stunting techniques or working on twist cradles out of one leg stunts, we take your team to the next level! Info: 866685-7615, www.CheerGyms.com.

East Bay Sports Academy Recreational, competitive athletes benefit from training with the best coaches. Our 10,000-square-foot facility is clean and bright, with the newest equipment.

Info: 925 680-9999, www.EastBaySportsAcademy.com.

EQUESTRIAN Kelly Maddox Riding Academy Develop new friendships with other horse-crazy kids. Weekly activities include learning horse colors, markings and breeds; art and crafts; a farrier demonstration and human horse show; bareback riding and more! Info: 925-575-4818, www.KellyMaddoxTraining.com.

Franklin Canyon Stables Based in Martinez, we provide two covered arenas and easy access to trails. Whether beginning rider or experienced equestrian, we have a place for you. Instruction in horsemanship on the ground and in the saddle, all while having fun. Info: 925-228-1801; www. kimshorsetraining.com/franklin_canyon.html.

Castle Rock Arabians Activities for tweens and teenagers, where we build team spirit through various team activities on horseback. Visit the ranch by appointment.

Info: 925-933-3701, www. castlerockarabians.com.

Earthquake Arabians Fall and Christmas Break camps are around the corner for Earthquake Arabians! Horsin’ Around Fall Camp: Nov. 21-23. Christmas

Break Camps: Dec. 19-23 and Dec. 2630. Registration is OPEN. Log on to www. earthquakearabians.com for more info. 925360-7454.

FITNESS Aspire Pilates Dramatically increase core strength, power, flexibility, balance, focus and joint stability, while preventing injury.

Aspire prides itself on helping propel athletes to the next level by addressing muscular imbalances, helping athletes increase body awareness, correcting faulty body mechanics, and accessing untapped strength. Info: 925680-4400, www.AspirePilatesCenter.com.

Fit 2 The Core As a Youth Conditioning, Speed/Agility and Nutrition Specialist with the IYCA, Fit 2 The Core Training Systems Boot Camps offer an innovative approach to getting young athletes back on the field post-rehabilitation, and continuing the process by progressing their bodies to handle what they must endure on the field or court. Info: 925-639-0907, http:// f2cbootcamps.com.

TransForm FX At TransForm FX Fitness Boot Camp, we believe that parents can take better care of their kids when they take care of their own health and fitness. This is the reason we have designed our adult fitness boot camp workouts to fit your busy lifestyle. Each boot camp workout is carefully designed to help you burn fat and increase your cardiovascular endurance in less time. Info: 925-289-8042; www.transformfxfitness.com.

Walnut Creek Sports & Fitness We offer more than 70 group classes per week.

Members also enjoy our heated pool, sauna, spa and steam room.

Massage, skincare and chiropractic services are available. Call us today for your free one week pass! Info: 925-9326400, www.wcsf.net.

ENRICHMENT Dianne Adair Enrichment Programs We offer a wide variety of enrichment programs

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camps + clinics for your child during the school year. Activities include: Homework help, 4th & Up Club, art and crafts, science, sports and games. Info: www. dianneadair.org.

E.Nopi and Palm Academy Concentration is on early literacy, critical thinking, problem solving, social understanding, physical coordination, creativity, cooperation and self control.

Programs serve children from infancy to preschool, kindergarten, and through 12th grade. Students learn at their own pace. Locations: Fremont, 510-9799794; Newark (E.Nopi), 510-793-6674; Pleasanton, 925-461-6284.

FUZE Fit For A Kid! FUZE is a privately-held, DOJ-certified, youth-only health club and curricula modeled after the principles of the Positive Coaching Alliance.

FUZE enhances athletic development, socialization and self-esteem. Info: 408-358-7529; www.fuzefit.com.

GOLF Dave DeLong Junior Golf Camp For advanced and beginning junior golfers, and designed for golfers 7-15. Camps include a 4 to 1 ratio of students to teachers. Safety is top priority, as are player development and enjoyment. Boundary Oak Golf Course, Walnut Creek. Info: 925-997-3683; www.

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delonggolf.com.

Coach Rick Golf Learn to play on the course, where it matters. Golfers of all ages can sign up. For more info, call 510-917-6442; www.ThePersonalGolfCoach.com.

The First Tee - Contra Costa The First Tee is a youth development program for boys and girls 7-18. Participants learn about golf and life skills and values inherent to the game, rules and etiquette. Instruction occurs at Diablo Creek Golf Course in Concord. Info: 925-686-6262, Ext. 0, angela@thefirstteecontracosta.org; www. thefirstteecontracosta.org.

The First Tee - Oakland The First Tee of Oakland has delivered The First Tee Life Skills Experience to more than 262 participants.

Each receives a minimum of 12 hours of instruction over an 8-week period. Instruction is at three Oakland courses: Metropolitan Golf Links, Lake Chabot GC and Montclair GC. Info: 510-352-2002; www. thefirstteeoakland.org.

The First Tee - San Jose The First Tee of San Jose develops youth throughout Silicon Valley, through the game of golf. Participants learn to appreciate diversity, resolve conflicts, build confidence and set goals. We welcome participants

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camps + clinics

Advertiser Index ❒❒ A A A Northern California, Nevada & Utah..................10 ❒❒ Aabco Printing..........................................................34 ❒❒ Army National Guard Recruiter.....................................7 ❒❒ Aspire Pilates Center..................................................32 ❒❒ Back Forty B B Q.........................................................28 ❒❒ Big O Tires....................................................................2 ❒❒ Cheer Gyms..................................................................4 ❒❒ Children’s Hospital And Research Center.....................38 ❒❒ Club Sport Renaisssance ............................................12 ❒❒ Crowne Plaza.............................................................32 ❒❒ Diablo Car Wash & Detail Center.................................32 ❒❒ Diablo Rock Gym........................................................35 ❒❒ Diablo Trophies & Awards...........................................35 ❒❒ E Teamsponsor...........................................................39 ❒❒ Earthquake Arabians..................................................34 ❒❒ East Bay Sports Academy...........................................16 ❒❒ Excellence In Sport Performance................................25 ❒❒ Fit 2 The Core..............................................................28 ❒❒ Fore 2 Your Door.........................................................31 ❒❒ Heavenly Greens........................................................29

ranging from second to 12th grade. Scholarships available. Info: 408-288-2973; www.thefirstteesanjose. org.

The First Tee - Tri-Valley The First Tee of the Tri-Valley offers The First Tee Life Skills Experience Classes seasonally, for ages 7-17, at the Pleasanton Golf Center on the Alameda County Fairgrounds. Info: 925462-7201, www.TheFirstTeeTriValley.org.

LACROSSE Atherton Lacrosse Our lacrosse camps are designed for boys and girls ages 5-14, who are beginner or intermediate players. Our group of coaches and staff are leaders in the lacrosse community. Info: 888-5263330, www.AthertonLacrosse. com.

Sportform Based in Concord, Sportform provides individual and team instruction in baseball, softball and lacrosse.

Highly trained professionals provide accelerated and advanced skills clinics. Prepare to Perform! Info: 925459-2880, www.sportform.co.

MARTIAL ARTS United States Karate Systems USKS offers adult and children’s programs, kickboxing fitness, mixed martial arts. Providing excellence in martial arts instruction and services for the entire family.

925-682-9517; www. usksmartialarts.com.

MOTORSPORTS Keigwins@theTrack We conduct motorcycle schools and practice events (“track days”) in the West at famous race tracks. For

experienced motorcyclists looking to improve skills and build confidence. Riders provide their own motorcycles and protective gear. Keigwins@theTrack takes care of everything else. Info: www.keigwin.com; 650-9495609.

Umigo You’ll learn passing techniques, cornering techniques, throttle & breaking techniques, advance seat position, kart operation, kart control, real racing, and improving your lap times. Racers must be at least 10 years old and at least four feet, 10 inches tall. Two- and four-day camps are available. Info: www.umigoracing.com.

OUTDOOR SPORTS Bear Valley Mountain Soccer, Archery, Tennis, Climbing, Cycling ... If there’s an outdoor activity you enjoy, there’s a good chance you can do it Bear Valley Mountain. Info: www. bearvalley.com.

SOCCER Heritage Soccer Club The Pleasant Hill/Martinez-based competitive soccer club welcomes players ages 8-18. Top-flight coaching staff with experience spanning years in the high school and college ranks teach new skills and help hone existing ones. Info: www.heritagesc.com.

SWIMMING/DIVING Walnut Creek Swim Club WCSC is a recreational team, celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Led by the experience of coach Brad Hoy, the staff is the finest in the area. WCSC believes in finding

the healthy balance between competition and family fun. Sponsored by the City of Walnut Creek, Info: 925766-5664, www.walnutcreekswimclub.org.

Sherman Swim School We are a Lafayette swimming and diving school celebrating our 50th year.

Our year-round schedule allows children and adults to learn, retain, and improve their swim skills with little interruption. Info: 925-283-2100, www.ShermanSwim. com.

VOLLEYBALL Pacific Rim Volleyball We offer several skill-based camps and clinics, including setting camp, hitting camp and an all-skills camp. Campers will be evaluated and placed in a group that challenges their level of play. Registration for beach volleyball is going on now as well. Info: www. pacificrimvolleyball.com.

U.S. Youth Volleyball League We’re the leader in developing and maintaining youth volleyball leagues for boys and girls ages 7-15.

With an emphasis on positive reinforcement, we seek to build confidence and self-esteem in each child. Info: 1-888-9887985; www.USYVL.org.

MULTI-SPORT City of Concord Skyhawks Sports Skyhawks Sports and the City of Concord have teamed up to provide safe, fun and skills-focused sports camps for ages 4-12. Camps range from soccer to lacrosse to our popular multi-sport camp where kids sample three different sports (Soccer, Basketball, and Baseball) in one camp. Info: 925-6713404; www.concordreg.org.

❒❒ Home Team Sports Photography................................32 ❒❒ Jory’s Flowers.............................................................34 ❒❒ Kaiser Permanente.......................................................5 ❒❒ Kinders B B Q................................................................3 ❒❒ Mc Coveys..................................................................26 ❒❒ Mike Allen Sports.......................................................33 ❒❒ Mountain Mike’s Pizza................................................17 ❒❒ Niles Personal Fitness.................................................35 ❒❒ Rocco’s Pizza...............................................................35 ❒❒ Roddy Ranch..............................................................30 ❒❒ Rockin Jump...............................................................24 ❒❒ Scandia Family Center................................................34 ❒❒ Simply Selling Shirts..................................................35 ❒❒ Sports Stars Magazine................................................37 ❒❒ Star Sports.................................................................27 ❒❒ Sutter Urgent Care......................................................40 ❒❒ The First Tee Of Contra Costa.......................................30 ❒❒ The Mt. Diablo Memory Center Sport Concussion Program.........................................25 ❒❒ Tpc / The Pitching Center............................................26 ❒❒ Unflappable: The Whitney Reed Story........................34 ❒❒ Urban Cutz Barbershop & Clothing.............................25 ❒❒ Usks Concord.............................................................32 ❒❒ Velocity Sports Performance......................................35 ❒❒ Walnut Creek Sports & Fitness....................................23 ❒❒ West Coast Jamboree.................................................13

Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

November 24, 2011

SportStars™

35

impulse

Welcome to Impulse, your one-stop for all the latest and greatest in gadgets, gizmos and gear.

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

This issue we help you fill out your Christmas wish list (say that five times fast) with items flying off store shelves. Ho! Ho! Ho!

Kindle Fire

For those who pine for the iPad, but have somewhat lighter wallets, go with the Kindle Fire.

This is the closest thing to the iPad and it’s not too shabby.

Watch hundreds of thousands of TV shows and movies, listen to more than 17 million songs and read enough books to fill the Library of Congress.

The gift that keeps on giving is back! Wanna be the coolest kid on the block? We knew you did. A SportStars subscription is ideal for the hardcore gamer who needs to keep tabs on all the latest in high school sports. For only $42 you get a year’s worth of SportStars delivered to your front door. You can also find our mag for FREE in more than 1,400 outlets, but you can have one delivered to you every time like clockwork.

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Drive Tees

For all you golfers out there, the Drive Tee makes for the perfect stocking stuffer. For just $5.95, you get seven tees of three different sizes so you can customize your drive. Choose from an array of colors for these tees that can each last up to seven rounds. Get more yardage and more accuracy while not sacrificing height. Take it from us, we at SportStars HQ will do anything to lower our scores.

win an iPad2!

These iPad things are kind of a big deal and we know this is no big surprise to you. It’s really the one item that needs no introduction or explanation so we’ll keep this short. In this issue there are two (TWO, 2!) chances to win an iPad 2. Flip to pages 34 and 37 where you’ll find our Reader Survey presented by Kinder’s and Jory’s Flowers’ ad. So if you’re feeling twice as lucky, hit up Jory’s Flowers and our own Reader Survey, follow the instructions, submit your entry and start crossing those fingers. Of course, you can also, you know, ask Santa for one.

Video games galore In your hands is Issue No. 36. What do you think so far? Pretty cool, huh? We’ll give you a second to run over to your coffee table to pick up Issue No. 35. We’ll wait … C’mon already! OK, you’ll see we covered the smorgasbord of video games soon to occupy gamers’ consoles for months on end so this is just a reminder. Choose from the epic (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Battlefield 3), action-packed (Batman: Arkham City) and adventurous (The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Need for Speed: The Run). We think the reason why Christmas break is really two weeks is so you’ll have ample time to finish all these games. Note: SportStars does not condone ditching school to play video games. You need to have a VERY good reason to do so.

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*Name____________________________________________________________ Address (optional) _____________________________________________________________ *City/State ___________________________ *Zip______________ Phone (optional) __________________ E-mail: _______________________________________________ Check the most appropriate option for each. All information held in confidence Are you: ❏ Female ❏ Male ❏ Married ❏ Single ❏ Age 12 or below ❏ 13 to 19 ❏ 36 to 45 ❏ 20 to 25 ❏ 46 to 55 ❏ 26 to 35 ❏ Over 55 ❏ Student ❏ Full-time employed ❏ Part-time employed ❏ Self-employed ❏ Not employed ❏ Retired Number of people living in your home: Male: Age(s) __ / __ / __ / __ / __ Female: Age(s) __ / __ / __ / __ / __

Home ownership: ❏ I own my home ❏ I rent/lease ❏ I live with my parents Education: ❏ Pre High School ❏ In High School ❏ High School Grad ❏ Some College ❏ College Grad ❏ Post annual household income ❏ Less than $35,000 ❏ $35,001 to $50 000 ❏ $50,001 to $75,000 ❏ $75,001 - $100,000 ❏ $100,001 - $150,000 ❏ above $150,000 Do you own: A mobile/smart phone? ❏ No ❏ One ❏ Two or more A credit card? ❏ No ❏ One ❏ Two or more A laptop/tablet? ❏ No ❏ One ❏ Two or more A car? ❏ No ❏ One ❏ Two or more Social Media Do you use: ❏ Faceboook ❏ Twitter

In which sports do you regularly participate?

Check all that apply ❏ Baseball/Softball ❏ Basketball ❏ Cheer/Gymnastics ❏ Endurance: Swim/ Bike/Run ❏ Equestrian ❏ Football ❏ Golf ❏ Hockey ❏ Lacrosse ❏ Motorsports/BMX/ Skateboarding ❏ Outdoor/Adventure/ Snow board/Ski/ Mountaineering ❏ Rugby ❏ Self Defense/ Wrestling/Fencing ❏ Soccer ❏ Tennis/Racquet sports ❏ Volleyball ❏ Other _____________ Which sports do you watch regularly (check all that apply) High School Sports ❏ In person ❏ On TV Teen League Sports ❏ In person ❏ On TV College Sports ❏ In person ❏ On TV Pro Sports ❏ In person ❏ On TV Jr. Sports (younger than high school) ❏ In person ❏ On TV What other sports publications do you regularly read? ❏ Pro sports magazines ❏ College sports magazines ❏ High School sports magazines ❏ Endurance magazines (swim, bike, run) ❏ Outdoor / Adventure magazines Do you primarily read these magazines: ❏ In print ❏ Online

Do you participate in games or tournaments as a coach? ❏ routinely ❏ somewhat often ❏ occasionally Team Parent? ❏ routinely ❏ somewhat often ❏ occasionally Player? ❏ routinely ❏ somewhat often ❏ occasionally Golf Do you consider yourself an: ❏ avid golfer ❏ Sunday golfer ❏ Occasional golfer How often do you golf? ❏ weekly ❏ monthly ❏ annually How much do you spend per year on Greens Fees $___________ Equipment $___________ Endurance: (Swim, Bike, Run) How often do you participate in Running, Biking &/or Swimming/Diving? ❏ routinely ❏ somewhat often ❏ occasionally Types: ❏ Fun runs (5k/10k) ❏ Marathons ❏ Triathalons About SportStars Magazine Please rank each of the following sections in order with ‘1’ as your favorite, etc...: (rank as many as you can) __ First Pitch (Editors Opening Column) __ Behind the Clipboard (Coaching Advice Column) __ Health Watch (Medical / Health Advice Column) __ Locker Room (Quick & Fun: Rapid Fire/Digits/Top 5) __ Game Day (Breaking Game Coverage) __ AAA SportStars of the Week (Honoring teen athletes) __ Training Time (Training Tips & Techniques) __ Club Scene (News & Coverage of league play) __ Features (In-depth stories on players and teams) __ In the Paint (Basketball Coverage - seasonal) __ Red Zone (Football Coverage - seasonal) __ Extra Bases (Baseball/Softball Coverage - seasonal) __ Tee2Green (Golf) __ TriSTARS (Endurance: Swim/Bike/Run, Outdoor & Adventure) __ Camps & Clinics (Resource) __ Impulse (New Products) __ 24/7 (Events Calendar) __ Photo Finish (Last Page Photo) How often do you read SportStars Magazine? ❏ Every issue ❏ 3 out of every 4 issues ❏ 1 or 2 of every 4 issues How would you classify yourself as a SportStars Magazine reader? ❏ I read it cover to cover ❏ I read most of the articles ❏ I read one or two articles each issue Do you prefer to read SportStars Magazine...

Print Edition ❏ Daily ❏ Every issue ❏ Monthly Internet Edition ❏ Daily ❏ Every issue ❏ Monthly How long do you spend reading each issue: ❏ More than one hour ❏ 30 minutes to one hour ❏ Less than 30 minutes How many others read your copy of SportStars Magazine? ❏ 1 ❏ 2-4 ❏ 5-7 ❏ 8-10 ❏ more than 10

Do you keep your copies for future reference? ❏ Always ❏ Often ❏ Sometimes Where do you pick up your copy of SportStars Magazine? ❏ School ❏ Restaurant ❏ Retail store ❏ Gym/health club ❏ I subscribe ❏ Other Name of location ___________________________________ How often do you visit our website? ❏ Daily ❏ Weekly ❏ Monthly ❏ other Would you say reading SportStars Magazine influences your decision to: ❏ Play sports ❏ Buy sports equipment/goods ❏ Work out/stay healthy ❏ Eat healthy ❏ Watch sports Would you say you use SportStars Magazine to choose: ❏ Where to play sports ❏ Where to watch sports ❏ Where to select a camp or clinic ❏ Other _________________________________________ What subjects do you think there should be more coverage of in SportStars Magazine?

1. _______________________________________________ 2. _______________________________________________ 3. _______________________________________________ Contest ends Dec. 15, 2011. No purchase necessary to win or enter. Return this survey to SportStars Magazine c/o Reader Survey Prize, 5356 Clayton Rd., Ste. 222, Concord, CA 94521 or fax to (925) 566-8507.

game day

BOYS HOOPS girls volleyball

Nov. 26 — Nor Cal Tip-Off Classic, Newark Memorial High It’s the return of the seven-game showcase that caters to those high school hoops fans who could care less about the football playoffs and can’t wait to get their gym fix.

The event turns a healthy 5-years old this year and features eight teams from the North Coast Section teams and six from the SacJoaquin Section. Rodriguez-Fairfield and Freedom will begin the day with an 11 a.m. tip-off, but things will really get rolling at 5:30 p.m. when Berkeley faces Weston RanchStockton. That game will be followed by Deer Valley taking on host Casey Norris (pictured) and Newark Memorial. The finale will feature 2010 NorCal semifinalist Sheldon-Sacramento against a revamped McClymonds team.

Bob Larson/SportStars file

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Dec. 3 — California Interscholastic Federation State Championships, UC Irvine It will certainly be hard for the Northern California schools to top their unprecedented haul of four state titles in 2010 — especially with the matches being played on SoCal soil this year. That won’t stop teams like NCS Div. I champion San Ramon Valley and Emily Reder (pictured) from trying. The East Bay actually sent four teams into the the CIF Northern Regional tournament which began Nov. 22. San Ramon Valley earned a No. 4 seed in Div. I, while Foothill was handed the No. 7 seed. Albany is the highest-seeded East Bay team after grabbing the No. 3 slot in the Div. III field. Salesian rounds it out as a No. 7 in Div. IV.

Bob Larson/SportStars file

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