Issue 3, 07.08.2010 by Sport Stars Magazine

Decelerate with ‘training time’

vol. 1. issue 3

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Walnut Creek Junior American Legion squad welcomes challenge

starring contra costa county athletes • July 8, 2010

They may be at greater risk, but stories such as Kim Lisiak’s show there’s life and athletic success after surgery. Page 14

LOVE AGAIN

Tennis makes a stirring comeback page

get into it They might be more likely to suffer knee injuries, but female athletes aren’t slowing down. 14

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tennis is making quite a return, with players such as Shivani Doraiswami. 22

First Pitch..................................6 SportStar of the Week...........7 Locker Room...........................8 Wally’s World........................ 10 Training Time......................... 19 Advertiser Index.................. 25 Health Watch........................ 26 Twenty-Four7........................ 27 What’s Next.......................... 29 4

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July 8, 2010

ON THE COVER Piedmont High School senior Tyler Gadbois by Bob Larson. Contact Bob at larsonpic.@aol.com

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It’s just a flesh wound: Meet three girls who won’t be defined by their injuries A fter more than 10 years of reporting on high school athletics, I’ve done my fair share of reporting on injuries.

Approximately one month after her surgery, Levy is all smiles, too. She plans on swimming for Las Lomas next spring, and is already working out in the water. With her physical therapist listening in on the interview, she makes a quick point to say she’s not using her legs yet.

Injuries happen. Especially to athletes. And yet, I’ve always been able to marvel at the way athletes tend to respond to injuries.

The therapist smiles, and Levy grins back. Levy then notes that she took a positive turn with her emotional recovery when she realized that she had to prove some people wrong.

After learning about the story of Kim Lisiak, a 2009 Carondelet graduate who we feature later in this issue, I felt it was time for SportStars to shake off that new-magazine smell and dig our hands into a story about an issue facing some of today’s young athletes.

“Everyone hears ‘ACL’ and basically just write you off,” she said. “I think people see or hear about a professional athlete tearing an ACL and then missing an entire season. They thinks it’s so horrible, when really it’s not that bad... Nine months, that’s all.”

And because of what Lisiak endured, our focus became a story about girls and how they are more susceptible to serious knee injuries than ever before. What didn’t quite make it into the story which begins on page 14, was the way these young girls — some of which haven’t even taken their first class in high school yet — manage to react so positively to such a destructive injury.

Rowley and Levy still have an entire high school athletic career to look ahead to, which is definitely something they can focus on during their hours of therapy and rehabilitation.

Wait. Check that. Ok, so it’s not exactly a joy ride from the very beginning “I was mortified,” said Madeleine Levy, a soon-to-be freshman at Las Lomas High who tore her ACL while skiing in late March. “I’m such an active person. I can’t stay still for longer than a minute...(The diagnosis) was like someone coming to you to tell you that someone had died. My life had died for one year.” Baylee Rowley, another recently graduated eighth-grader, also had her moment of devastation. “It was terrible,” said the future Benicia High soccer player. “Yeah, it was all over Facebook,” added her dad, David Rowley. And yet, just days removed from her diagnosis, Rowley has moved past the bitterness. There are no plans to sulk. “I’m planning on going to all my games and practices,” she said. “It’s going to be tough, but I can help coach and be a part of things.” 6

SportStars™

July 8, 2010

FIRST PITCH Chace Bryson Editor

Chace@ SportStarsMag.com (925) 566-8503

Melanie White doesn’t have that luxury — a fact which made her outlook perhaps the most impressive of all the girls interviewed for our story. She’s the one who should’ve been the most depressed. Five months after having her ACL repaired, she tore it again after an ill-advised decision to play in a powder puff football game. She had planned on playing on the club soccer team at San Diego State in the fall, but has come to a full realization that intramurals is probably the only soccer opportunity she has ahead of her. Her goal now seems intent on passing along what she’s learned to other female athletes female athletes recovering from the same injury. “I just tell them to be smart with it all,” White said. “It’s not worth it to go out early, because you think you’re OK, and you have a brace on. It’s not worth it to play just for the fun of that one game.” As White says this, Levy sits just a few feet away. She’s taking in every word.

PHONE 925.566.8500 FAX 925.566.8507 Editorial Editor@SportStarsMag.com Editor Chace Bryson. Ext. 104 • Chace@SportStarsMag.com Contributors Bill Kolb, Erik Stordahl, Mike Wolcott, Dave DeLong, Mitch Stephens Photography Butch Noble, Bob Larson Creative Department Art@SportStarsMag.com Production Manager Mike DeCicco. Ext. 103 • MikeD@SportStarsMag.com Publisher/President Mike Calamusa. Ext. 106 • Mike@SportStarsMag.com Advertising & Calendar/Classified Sales Sales@SportStarsMag.com Account Executives Mike Wolcott Ext. 109 • MikeW@SportStarsMag.com; Patrick McCormick Ext. 102 • Patrick@SportStarsMag.com; Erik Stordahl • EStordahl@ SportStarsMag.com (Calendar, Marketplace sales) Hometeam network Mary Stewart, Peter Trekteris and Michelle McEuen, 925.827.4686 • hometeam@sportstarsmag.com Reader Resources/Administration Ad Traffic, Subscription, Calendar & Classified Listings info@SportStarsMag.com • Deb Hollinger. Ext. 101 • Distribution/Delivery Mags@SportStarsMag.com Distribution Manager Butch Noble. Ext. 107 • Butch@SportStarsMag.com Information technology John Bonilla CFO Sharon Calamusa • Sharon@SportStarsMag.com Office Manager/Credit Services Deb Hollinger. Ext. 101 • Deb@SportStarsMag.com Board of Directors Dennis Erokan, CEO, Placemaking Group Roland Roos, CPA, Roland Roos & Co Susan Bonilla, Contra Costa County Supervisor Drew Lawler, Managing Director, AJ Lawler Partners community SportStars™ Magazine A division of Caliente! Communications, LLC 5356 Clayton Rd., Ste. 222 • Concord, CA • 94521 info@SportStarsMag.com www.SportStarsMag.com

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your ticket to bay area sports admit one; rain or shine This Vol. #1, June 2010 Whole No. 3 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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of the week

Donovan henderson

pinole valley . football

nominate your star at editor@sportstarsmag.com

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In your hands is our third issue. In our second issue, on June 24, we highlighted the Alameda/Contra Costa All-Star Classic football game. In it, we pegged Donovan Henderson as one of five players to watch. What’d he do? He scored three touchdowns. He caught two TD passes and was the Contra Costa Defensive MVP after returning an interception for a TD. It was a fitting wrap to an excellent senior year for the Pinole Valley High grad. He will continue his playing career at Arizona Western College, a junior college located in Yuma, Ariz. SportStars: So what led you to Arizona Western? Donovan Henderson: I had a teacher at my school who knew one of the coaches (at AWC). I went to check out the school in March and discovered it was a pretty good program. SportStars: Which do you enjoy more, playing offense or defense? DH: I like playing defense more. When you play on defense it’s more of a team effort...I’ll be playing cornerback (at AWC). SportStars: What are your thoughts about your high school coach, Steve Alameda, comparing you to former Pinole Valley standout (and current Atlanta Falcon), Thomas DeCoud? DH: I actually met Thomas when he came out to one of our practices. We raced in the 40-yard dash and I beat him. He was a really good guy, and told me that college would be tough, but to stick with it. Donovan’s Quick Hits (Better burger) Nation’s or Red Onion: Nation’s Best place to relax: Home Toughest player you’ve faced so far: Oakland Tech’s DiAndre Campbell

honorable mention

Nicolo Galletti After missing qualifying for the U.S. Junior Amateur Tournament by just two strokes, Clayton’s Galletti shot a 4-under 68 at Las Positas Golf Course to win his NCGA Junior Championship Qualifier. He will compete in the Junior Championship on Aug. 2.

Ryan Walker One of the talented strikers on Danville’s Mustang Blast 15U soccer team, Walker was key in the team’s effort to repeat as the Far West Regional champs. The Blast went undefeated until losing in the finals 3-2 to a Colorado team.

Kevin Sullivan Pitching for the Walnut Creek Crimson, a Junior American Legion team , Sullivan picked up the victory in a 3-2 win over Deer Valley on July 3. He allowed one run on two hits while striking out seven. July 8, 2010

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where’d she go?

Boosting the CIF bowl games

Ashley Edwards, Deer Valley, Golf, 2008

The California Interscholastic Federation recently tweaked its selection parameters for the State Football Championship Bowl Games so that the teams representing the north and south are more accurately placed based on both competitive equity and enrollment size. Formerly, enrollment was the sole determining factor. We think this is an idea whose time has long since come. Here are some other ideas the CIF might entertain to make the Bowls even more compelling: XXxxxxx 1. Move De La Salle to the Southern Section every other year. Because who, besides maybe Pittsburg coach Vic Galli, wouldn’t want to see the Pirates play the Spartans three times in a season? 2. Frisbee dogs. Seriously. Who doesn’t love a good Frisbee dog? 3. Instant replay. Because five games in two days in one stadium leaves us wanting more football. With replay, we could easily draw this thing out over a fortnight like Wimbledon. 4. Speaking of drawing things out, how about 10 games? We could have the North and South runners-up in each division play for third place, like the Olympics. Then the teams could all stand on ginormous podiums while the winner’s alma mater plays over the Home Depot Center PA system. 5. Play the games in Vegas. Sure, sure. Vegas isn’t in California. Nitpick all you want. But c’mon. It’s Vegas. What could possibly go wrong with close to 500 teenage football players in Vegas? — By Bill Kolb

Geoff Thurner/University of Oregon

When she beat Albany High golfer Joy Kim in a sudden-death playoff at the 2007 North Coast Section Championship tournament, Deer Valley’s Ashley Edwards became the Wolverines’ first and only NCS girls golf champion. Now, two years later, Edwards is helping the University of Oregon women’s golf team attain heights it’s previously never reached before. “We took third in the Pac-10 for the first time in Oregon history,” the 2008 Deer Valley graduate said by phone on July 1. “Our team made it (NCAA) nationals this season for the first time in 10 years.” Edwards jumped right into collegiate golf, helping to make an immediate impact for the Ducks during her freshman year. She had Oregon’s lowest round on six different occasions during her first year. And this season she was the Ducks’ top performer in the Peg Barnard Invitational, held at Stanford Golf Course. She currently is carrying a career 18-hole scoring average of 76.8 with the Ducks. “When I came in I was just a little fish in a big pond,” Edwards said. “I had to get used to it. It’s definitely what I expected, and probably harder. I absolutely love it, though.” Edwards’ summer plans include summer school, which she is close to wrapping up. Then she’ll return to her home state and compete in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship Qualifying tournament July 19 at Brookside Country Club in Stockton. She’ll also travel to Lincoln, Neb., at the end of the month to compete in the TRANS National Amateur Championship. When she returns to Oregon she expects the Ducks to be ready to scale even greater heights during her junior campaign. “We have four starters coming back and a really good freshman coming in from England,” Edwards said. In the meantime, like every good golfer, Edwards is tinkering with her game and trying to get better. “I’m really happy with my putting right now,” she said. “I’d like to get on the green a little more regularly, so I’m working on that.” — By Chace Bryson 8

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random acts of factness

Chris Shipe, hired in late June to be the new football coach at Los Medanos College, was the last Northern California high school quarterback to beat De La Salle. Shipe was the signal-caller for the 1991 Pittsburg team that defeated the Spartans 35-27 in the North Coast Section Class 3A Championship. De La Salle has gone 197-0-2 against Northern California teams since.

? ! ? at h w he said n’t scout id d y e h t s s “I gue plays.” us on trick

twig, ach, Kevin Har co l al tb o fo h ig Freedom H eda/Contra alf of the Alam h t rs fi e th g n duri which he Star Game in llA ic ss la C a a 31-26 Cost Costa team to a tr n o C e th t-half coached to a pair of firs victory thanks nal plays. n unconventio o s n w o d ch u to

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trying to make sense of: our sudden affinity for the wo rld cu

So. We have a bit of a shameful admission to make (made all the more poignant by a recent Top 5 entry we penned…). We’ve been following the World Cup. What’s more? We’ve been enjoying it. Hey, it’s summer. Baseball is sneaking up on its dog-days. Football is still months away. One thing led to another… Look, let’s just keep that between us, shall we? Here’s the thing. We’re as full of nationalistic pride as the next sports crank, so our U-S-A chant was primed and fully operational for group play (and our pout was in full effect after the preposterously disallowed goals. Offsides, indeed). But when the American side went down in the round of 16, followed promptly by Group-C fellows England, we found we were able to relax into the spectacle of the thing and appreciate it a bit more. Maybe more important than anything for us is that, once teams advanced out of group into the knockout round, we all, the entire world, left behind the most odious element of the whole soccer/football deal. Ties. Blech. We’re Americans. And while we want winners as much as Mike Singletary, we also want losers. The term loveable-loser is a distinctly American phenomenon. Obviously. Otherwise the Cubs wouldn’t have a fan-base, and the Red Sox never would have survived 86 years of sell-out ignominy at the Fen. There’s something noble and forthright about vainly struggling only to fall just short at the end. Ask Andy Roddick. Or the Cincinnati Bengals. Or the Cleveland Cavaliers. We tend to be sort of a black-and-white culture. We want things cut-and dried. Yes or no. On or off. Win. Or lose. To paraphrase Tom Hanks, ‘Are you tying? Is she tying? There’s no tying in baseball…’ We can root hard for a winner. We can root hard and agonize with a perennial loser. This whole tie thing? How are you supposed to react to that? “Hey, congratulations. Or. Er. Um. Condolences? You are no better and/or no worse than that other guy. Whee. Let’s go get ice cream.” We just don’t know how to react to that. So, on with the World Cup! Go Germany! Oh. Was that out loud. Whoops. Just give us winners and losers (and mercifully no more ties). — By Bill Kolb

July 8 , 2010

SportStars™

On killer bees, pizza and strategic use of magazines

summer day’s glance around the wide world of sports, which last appeared as a network TV show in 1998, and if that doesn’t make you feel old, we’re not sure what could: ■ Has anyone else noticed that if a swarm of killer bees approached that soccer stadium in South Africa, the fans would never hear it coming? ■ Last week’s Alameda/Contra Costa/ County All-Star Football Classic was, indeed, a classic. Contra Costa led at halftime 31-6, thanks in part to a couple of perfectly executed trick plays, and held on to win 31-26. Alameda County won the second half 20-0 — and we think we know one of the reasons why. At the start of the third quarter, with their team leading by 25 points, several Contra Costa players were seen flipping through the pages of the second issue of “SportStars.” You can’t blame them, it’s a pretty eye-catching publication. But, little by little, piece by piece, Alameda came roaring back. ■ No truth to the rumor: The magazines were placed on the Contra Costa bench by Alameda coach Jacob Wright. ■ We handed out right around 1,200 copies of our magazine at the game and the reaction was very encouraging. In fact, if you check out our Facebook page, you’ll see a nice picture of several people in the Contra Costa bleachers using our magazine to shield their eyes from the sun. ■ And that’s just a beginning. For next fall’s outdoor events, we’re working on a version that’ll keep the rain off your heads. ■ It really happened: Former Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell was arrested for possession of a controlled substance -- specifically, codeine cough syrup. ■ No truth to the rumor: Authorities considered dismissing the charges after finding out that every time Russell tried to throw down some cough syrup, he missed his target by 5 yards. ■ Pizza wars? Last issue’s “SportStar of the Week,” Kristian Ipsen, is the grandson of Skip Ipsen, owner and founder of Skipolini’s Pizza. Naturally, as part of the prize package awarded by our generous

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July 8, 2010

WALLY’S WORLD Mike Wolcott MikeW@ SportStarsMag.com (925) 566-8500 Ext. 109

sponsors, he received a gift certificate from (drumroll, please) Rocco’s Pizza in Walnut Creek. No word yet on whether he invited his grandpa. ■ The epic 11-hour, 5-minute match between John Isner of the United States and Nicolas Mahut of France captured the imagination of sports fans around the world -- and we’re talking fans of all ages. Dale Miller, tennis director at Valley Vista in Walnut Creek, enjoyed the reaction of some of his young students almost as much as the match itself. “We were running the summer tennis camps when we heard about it, and we brought all the kids in for a break, brought them to a TV and told them to watch it because they were watching history,” Miller said. The kids, most of them ages 9-12, were riveted. And, they came up with some perfectly logical questions. “One boy asked, ‘When do they go to the bathroom?’ “ Miller said. ■ This brings to mind images of Manny Ramirez mysteriously “disappearing” for a couple of minutes behind the Green Monster while playing left field one night at Fenway, but let’s leave that visual right there. ■ LeBron James is sitting at home this summer in anticipation of one suitor after another coming by to offer him hundreds of millions of dollars for a job. Note to LeBron: I tried that for an entire year once. Sorry, but it doesn’t work. ■ Favorite memory of the all-star football game: Sam Manuel, who was one of the famed Manuel twins (along with brother Sean) drafted by the 49ers in 1992, approached our “SportStars” booth, looking as big, strong and menacing as ever. He picked up a copy of our magazine, flipped through the pages and stared us in the eye. It was one of those “brace for impact” moments. “Man,” he said, shaking his head. “I sure wish we had something like this when I was a kid.” Whew. And it makes a good sunscreen, too.

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Crimson king

Kevin Sullivan helps lead younger Walnut Creek squad in Jr. American Legion By erik stordahl | SportStars

Playing with the older kids is something everyone has done at some point. It typically breeds a fair amount of bumps and bruises, maybe even a few tears. And often, quite a bit of losing. For some even, it leads to vowing never to play any kind of game (friendly or competitive) again. But for the Walnut Creek Crimson baseball team, it wants to play against the older kids. It’s all part of the plan. Composed mostly of freshmen and sophomores, the Crimson compete in the Junior American Legion summer league against teams with rosters full of juniors and seniors. While winning just four of its first 15 games, Walnut Creek wants the experience that comes with playing against the “big boys”. And with nothing at stake, it only makes sense. On July 3 at Northgate High, thanks to Kevin Sullivan, the plan looked like it just might be working. Having already lost the first game of a doubleheader to Deer Valley, the host Crimson turned to Sullivan. Sullivan, who just completed his sophomore year at Northgate, took the mound in hopes of silencing the Deer Valley bats that torched Walnut Creek for nine runs just a couple hours beforehand. The right-hander got off to a shaky start in the first inning. Sullivan allowed a hit to the leadoff batter, Michael Lanter, who proceeded to steal second base. After a passed ball, Sullivan got the next hitter to ground out to second base which scored Lanter from third. To say Sullivan calmed down after that would be an understatement. He continued to give up just one more hit and no runs over the next four innings, recording seven strikeouts in his five innings of work. “All my curves were over the plate,” Sullivan said afterward. “The umpire also had a wide (strike) zone so that was good.”

Of course any good pitcher knows he can’t hog all the credit; his catcher, Johnny Bloom, should command equal accolades. And Sullivan made sure to point that out. “I have good chemistry with the him,” Sullivan said. “I’ve been playing with (Johnny) since majors and little league.” But if Sullivan was going to earn the win he was going to need help from his offense. With the game locked at a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fourth, Ryan Ergo singled home Manny Garcia. After another RBI single followed and Walnut Creek took a 3-1 lead. Sullivan finally fell to Earth in the top of the sixth when he allowed a leadoff walk and another single to Lanter. Just like that his day on the mound was finished and he returned to his natural position in centerfield. Wait a second. Natural position? “I just started pitching this summer,” explains Sullivan. “I feel comfortable in the outfield, I’ve been doing that my whole life…but I’m going to try to be a pitcher for varsity.” Sullivan didn’t look like a first-timer on the mound. He never broke from his calm demeanor once, not even when he was yanked in the sixth in favor of Ben Krauth. A left-handed power pitcher, Krauth is the exact opposite of Sullivan. With a fastball reaching the mid-to-upper eighties, Krauth quickly frustrated a Deer Valley lineup that had just begun timing the finesse tosses of Sullivan. Deer Valley managed to stir up some drama in the seventh, however. A leadoff single, a walk and a sacrifice bunt put runners at second and third with one out. However, Krauth buckled down and coerced an RBI groundout to second and a game-ending fly ball to right as the Crimson took home the 3-2 victory. Krauth picked up the save after giving up a hit, two walks and one run while striking out two. And at least for one game, Walnut Creek looked like the big kids. ✪

Contact Erik at Erik@SportStarsMag.com.

Bob Larson photos

Walnut Creek’s Conner Bertuccelli (bottom photo) dives back into first base as Deer Valley’s Jacob Walker receives the ball during the July 3rd game in which Walnut Creek pitcher Kevin Sullivan (top photo) was dominating. 12

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July 8, 2010

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Twistsoffate Kim Lisiak’s story is a ray of sunshine as knee injuries to female athletes remain high By Chace Bryson | Editor

Bob Larson

Kim Lisiak works on her form during a recent practice at Diablo Valley College. After tearing multiple ligaments in her knee during a gymnastics meet, the 2009 graduate of Carondelet High turned to diving and needed just 18 months to earn a walk-on role for the diving team at the University of Notre Dame. “I think I learned so much (from the injury),” she said. “It was a really great, yet terrible, accident.” 14

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July 8, 2010

Back handspring. Back handspring. Gainer. Back layout. It was a balance beam dismount Kim Lisiak had performed several times leading up to her Level 9 meet held at Dougherty Valley High in January 2008. It was also the last dismount Lisiak would perform in competitive gymnastics. ◆◆◆ Eighteen months later, Lisiak is standing still. Nearly 10 feet above the ground, she balances on the balls of her feet; her calf muscles tighten. She raises her arms and extends them in a wing-like fashion, branching out from her shoulders at a 90-degree angle to the rest of her body. She holds this position and stares forward with intense focus. Then, starting with the bending of her knees — one of which features a two-inch scar beginning just below the center of the kneecap — Lisiak springs into action. She jumps. Her body drifts backward momentarily before she immediately begins tilting forward. The descent begins. Front flip. Front flip. Half flip. And then she does something which would have been completely foreign to her prior to the arrival of that aforementioned scar: She lands on her head. Intentionally. The water receives her gently, completing the inward two and a half tuck — a dive Lisiak is learning as she prepares for the second year of her collegiate career at the University of Notre Dame. ◆◆◆ To fully appreciate the diver Lisiak has become, one has to learn the story behind the scar. Which takes us back to the balance beam dismount. “I came off (the beam) really, really crooked,” Lisiak said. “I landed on the corner of one mat with my right foot, and the corner of another mat with my left foot. The two mats then slid apart and my (left) knee buckled inward.” An MRI revealed tears in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and the meUpload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsMag.com

“She was just used to a work ethic in gymnastics that puts everybody else to rest. To sit on a bench and say you can’t do anything anymore (because of an injury), that just wasn’t going to be Kim.” Robin Bousquet, Lisiak’s physical therapist at the Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine Center for Young Athletes in Walnut Creek. niscus. All of which added up to devastating news for the girl who was in the middle of college recruiting season for gymnastics, and was in contact with the likes of Yale and Cornell. But more than losing ground on a potential collegiate gymnastics career, the diagnosis of up to a year’s worth of recovery meant much more to the then-junior at Carondelet High. It meant a void was being created, and something was going to have to fill it. After six months, she had to do something. “I was told that I could start jumping, but I couldn’t land,” Lisiak said. “So my surgeon (Dr. Laura Timmerman) said I should try jumping into water.” Using a specially-designed water-proof brace, Lisiak immediately began diving for the Diablo Divers club team in late August — barely six months after her surgery. Adjustments had to be made. Lisiak had to get used to the feel of the board, which carries a much different feel than a trampoline does for a gymnast. There was also that little thing about landing head-first, and not the other way around. Still, there was more. “The most difficult part (of the transition) for her wasn’t getting a body sense or air sense to figure out diving,” said Kim’s mom, Nancy. “But it was the devastation of giving up gymnastics. It was like her identity was taken away.” But, as she continued with diving, a new identity began to emerge. The passion for gymnastics never went away, but behind the guidance of Diablo Divers coach, Phil Tonne (who is also the diving coach at UC Davis), Lisiak established a confidence that allowed her to believe she could dive at the next level. “Gymnastics was like my first love,” Lisiak said. “I probably could have tried to continue on with gymnastics ... But in my head, I knew it was better for me to do diving.” By May of 2009, Lisiak had taken third place at the North Coast Section Diving championships, becoming the first Carondelet diver in five years to place in the top

three. She walked on at Notre Dame and competed in five meets her during her freshman year. “She was just used to a work ethic in gymnastics that puts everybody else to rest,” said Robin Bousquet, Lisiak’s physical therapist at the Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine Center for Young Athletes in Walnut Creek. “To sit on a bench and say you can’t do anything anymore (because of an injury), that just wasn’t going to be Kim.” ◆◆◆ ACL injuries among young female athletes continue to occur at a disturbingly high rate compared to their male counterparts, and nobody is more aware than Bousquet and the rest of the staff at the Sports Medicine Center for Young Athletes. And while stories like Lisiak’s are a boon to therapists like Bousquet, much of the battle against ACL injuries in young female athletes continues to be dominated by frustration. Frustration that they continue to occur — to girls at younger and younger ages. And frustration that some of the causes are preventable. “Across the board there might not be one component you can point to for the cause of all these ACL tears,” Bousquet said. “But on the other hand, if you go out to any field in the late afternoon and you watch these kids, they are playing and training really, really hard. “We could be focusing — especially for the younger kids — on where their knee position is, how they should be landing when they jump, how they should be cutting (changing direction), and not just on winning.” Multiple studies have shown that as much as 70 percent of ACL tears occur in non-contact situations. All of which can be prevented, according to Bousquet. And it starts with being aware of how hard these girls are training in their particular sports. As competitive athletics continue to expand for girls of all ages, many athletes are competing at a high level for 11

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See KNEE, page 18

July 8, 2010

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16 SportStars™ July 8, 2010 Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsMag.com Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™ July 8, 2010 SportStars™ 17

meniscus

anterior cruciate ligament

patella

Lateral collateral ligament

tibia

FEMUR

posterior cruciate ligament

medial collateral ligament

Articular cartilage

Lindsay Wisely, former Deer Valley girls basketball coach: “We had a player who tore the ACL on one knee her freshman year, and the other knee her sophomore year. It was almost like she was genetically destined to do so. She played for us as a junior and senior and I’d kid with her that she was now the bionic women. Rebuilt by technology.”

Melanie White, 2010 Monte Vista grad: “I had a girl on one of my teams a couple years back who I think tore her ACL four times, two on each knee. During my high school season, we had a girl tear her ACL right before I was supposed to have surgery on mine. I also know another girl who has torn it three times.”

ON WOUNDED KNEES

Chace Bryson

Sports Medicine for Young Athletes’ physical therapist, Robin Bousquet, massages the right leg of Melanie White. White recently had a second surgery on her right knee after re-tearing her recently-repaired ACL in a powder puff football game. KNEE, from page 15

months out of the year. That’s what Melanie White has been doing for a majority of a soccer career that began at a very young age. For the past four years, the recent Monte Vista graduate played year-round, alternating between her high school team and Danville’s Mustang Soccer Club. White doesn’t exactly know the moment her ACL tore. All the training and endless soccer eventually caught up to her until she had so much pain in her right knee that she had to get it checked out. An exploratory arthroscopic surgery to look at her meniscus eventually revealed a torn ACL. White has since re-torn the ligament when she decided to play in a powder puff football game after just five months of rehab. She was wearing a brace, and without any contact, just turned on her knee the wrong way. “It was awful,” White said during a therapy session. “I heard it pop and I knew ex18

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July 8, 2010

actly what I did. I was so angry.” And now, she’s afraid her left knee is headed for the same fate as she battles the same pain she had before the initial diagnosis in the first knee. “When you look at her leg (with the ACL tear), and then you look at her other leg — it (bends) backward,” Bousquet said of White. “She’s over-stretched, and she’s overtrained. It’s very frustrating.” ◆◆◆ A push for prevention of these injuries is making some headway. Websites such as ACLPrevent.com offer a specific warm-up, stretching and strengthening program which incorporates sport-specific movements aimed at improving the strength and coordination of the knee joint’s stabilizing muscles. Also, the reality of the situation has begun to sink in with more and more coaches. “Girls are faster and stronger than ever before,” said new Las Positas College wom-

en’s basketball coach Lindsay Wisely. “And we as coaches are working them and training them harder than ever before, as well.” Wisely is taking over at Las Positas after winning 116 games in five seasons as the varsity girls basketball coach at Deer Valley, where she had more than a few players endure ACL injuries. “One of the biggest things we’re making an emphasis of with our girls now, is trying to teach girls how to jump and land properly,” Wisely said. “Trying to get them to land on the ball of their feet, and not come down flat-footed.” Soccer coaches are picking up on things, too. David Rowley had his daughter, Baylee, tear her ACL — in a non-contact scenario — while playing for the Benicia Arsenal Class I U15 team on June 1. And while it’s too late for Baylee, he’s encouraged over the coaching that his 8-year-old daughter Robyn is getting. “(Robyn) also plays soccer and has a

coach who is pretty heavily-influenced by the training regimen specifically geared toward protecting knee injuries in female athletes,” Rowley said while sitting in on Baylee’s rehab session. “There’s a lot more emphasis on core strengthening and knee positioning.” Some athletes are even taking it upon themselves to protect themselves against the injury. That includes Remi White, Melanie’s younger sister and a goalkeeper on the Mustang Fury Gold team that recently finished as runners-up in the U14 team division of the Far West Regionals in Albuquerque, N.M. While her older sister receives treatment on her recovering knee, Remi White will work through various training exercises under the watchful eye of Bousquet. “After years of this, I finally have coaches calling me and asking about information,” Bousquet said. “We can work together to help these situations.” ✪

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Gaining speed is about slowing down

peed and agility isn’t about running on treadmills, through ladders or cones. It’s about teaching young athletes how to move, accelerate and decelerate properly. There must be an understanding on where to start. Too often speed and agility is taught from an acceleration perspective by getting young athletes to move faster and hit top speed. But in reality, deceleration skills are more important and need to be taught and perfected first. If a young athlete knows how to stop and change direction well, he or she will be the quickest player on the field or court. Young athletes need to be able to get to a position quickly, make a play, decelerate, recover and change directions with lightning-like ability. They cannot develop these skills by simply “learning” to run in a straight line or executing endless ladder or cone drills. Teaching speed and agility is a matter of having a sequence of skills that young athletes can learn, master and perform with great technique. It all starts with learning how to decelerate. There are three basic types of deceleration: Lateral — Moving from side to side Linear — Moving from front to back Angular — Moving in diagonal lines Tennis players move laterally to make a shot. Football players move in a linear way to take on a block. Volleyball players move angularly to dig a ball or make a pass. Before young athletes are put through ladder, cone or treadmill drills, they need to be taught how to decelerate well. Once they have that down, then they can be taught how to accelerate and reach top-end speed. Teaching deceleration is simple if you have a plan that starts with the basics and builds on them over time. Here is a six-step plan on teaching deceleration from a lateral, linear or angular position: 1. Repeat statically — Perform from static stance

2. Repeat dynamically — Add more movement prior to ‘hitting’ a deceleration 3. Repeat randomly — Add faster movements prior to ‘hitting’ a deceleration 4. Predictable specificity — Add randomized cues and signals 5. Random Specificity — Add teammates or opponents 6. Individualization — Add sport-specific situations. Each step builds on the last and adds variables that make the drill more complex and involved. As young athletes gain skill in learning deceleration, it is absolutely critical that challenging ‘additions’ like the ones above be added. This will keep them learning and gaining skill until they have mastered the entire sequence. When young athletes understand the skills necessary for deceleration, they can be taught how to accelerate and reach top speed from any position. Taking time with a proper strategy will produce the fastest and most agile athletes around. ✪

Training Time Tim Rudd

Tim Rudd is an IYCA Youth Conditioning, Speed, Agility, and Nutrition Specialist. You can contact him with questions or feedback at tim@fit2thecore.com.

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July 8, 2010

SportStars™

37thAlameda-Contra Costa

All-StarClassic Photos By Bob Larson

If there were a checklist of items that made for good football theatre, the 37th Alameda/Contra Costa All-Star Classic on June 26 would’ve covered nearly every item. Plenty of offense? Check. Big defensive stands? Check. Lots of playmakers making plays? Check. A dramatic comeback? Check. The game had it all, even a little bit of trickery — which was impressively provided by the Contra Costa All-Stars as it built a 31-6 halftime

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July 8, 2010

on a pair of perfectly-executed trick plays. Alameda, to its credit, scored 20 unanswered points in the second half to make things interesting. However, Contra Costa managed to survive 31-26 and take home its 22nd victory in the Classic. SportStars photographer Bob Larson was there for it all. Following are some of his best images of the evening. Enjoy.

(Clockwise from left) Pinole Valley’s Donovan Henderson (10) shares a laugh on the Contra Costa bench with Antioch lineman Nick Novero; Contra Costa linebacker Corey Pettus (1), of Kennedy High, shows a keen focus as he stares into the Alameda backfield during the first half; Heritage lineman Seth Magalei is able to enjoy a smile after Contra Costa built a 31-6 lead at the half; Berean Christian’s Chris Morgan (2), Acalanes’ Tyler Malley (20) and Heritage’s Carrington Reyes (56) join hands as they head to midfield for the coin toss; Contra Costa head coach, Kevin Hartwig of Freedom, yells for a personnel switch before delivering a play to quarterback Lucas Gorton of Las Lomas; and Contra Costa players Morgan, Edwards and Ygnacio Valley’s Willie Owens (18) focus on a loose ball as Alameda’s Cormac Craigie of Piedmont looks on.

—Chace Bryson, Editor

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July 8, 2010

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Serving Up Numbers Some facts and figures from the United States Tennis Association on the game’s comeback in recent years: ◆ The number of tennis players nationwide grew 43% from 2000-2009, based on a study by the Physical Activity Council. ◆ By comparison, in the same time frame, participation in soccer dropped six percent, golf dropped 6.3 percent and slowpitch softball dropped 37.2 percent. ◆ Tennis participation grew 12 percent in 2009 alone, bringing the total number of players in the nation to 30.1 million -- the largest number in 25 years. ◆ Locally, league participation sectionwide grew more than 50 percent from 2008 (3,068 kids) to 2009 (4,960 kids). Alhambra High’s Evan Shaw, 14, follows through on a forehand during a workout at Club Sport Valley Vista in Walnut Creek on July 1. Photo by Bob Lason

SportStars™

July 8, 2010

11thHour Marathon Wimbledon match is one more chapter in the return of tennis popularity among youth

By mike wolcott | SportStars

or the better part of three days in late June, tennis might have been the most talked about sport in the country. When was the last time that statement would have seemed plausible? One guess might be right around the year 16 B.T. (Before Tiger) — or, the year 4 A.M. (After McEnroe), depending upon your choice of calendar. By the time American John Isner finished off France’s Nicolas Mahut in a 183-game Wimbledon match that lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes spread over three days, tennis had captured the public’s imagination in a way probably not seen

since the legendary John McEnroe-Bjorn Borg battles of the early 1980s. The main difference, of course, was that the most famous of the McEnroe-Borg matches — Borg’s five-set win in the 1980 Wimbledon final — clocked in at a mere three hours, 53 minutes, barely one-third the length of the Isner-Mahut match. But for most of the past 10 years, it would be pretty easy to argue that tennis had barely one-third the interest of that glorious Borg-McEnroe era. But these days, a big-time revival is taking place — and, surprisingly enough, it’s the kids who are Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsMag.com

leading the way. “The tennis industry, thank goodness, saw the writing on the wall quite a while ago,” said Dale Miller, regional tennis director at ClubSport Valley Vista in Walnut Creek. “And what we’ve done since then has paid off.” What they’ve done is find a way to make tennis more fun (and easy) to learn for the beginners. This has helped draw in many talented younger athletes who, in years past, might have concentrated on other sports — and, in future years, could turn into the next McEnroe, Andre Agassi or Pete Sampras. ◆◆◆ The centerpiece of the junior tennis revival is QuickStart tennis, a United States Tennis Association-developed program aimed at kids ages 5-10. By using foam balls, smaller courts and lighter rackets that match the kids’ ages and strength, young players “are having 4-and-5 ball rallies the first time they ever pick up a racket,” said Hunter Gallaway, owner of the Lafayette Tennis Academy. “They get that excitement — they consider themselves tennis players because they are actually playing, instead of just thinking they are taking a class.” Miller has also seen the benefits of QuickStart over at Valley Vista, where the Diablo North Junior League, an all-parentvolunteer-league held for kids ages 8-14, has just wrapped up its fifth season with a record 325 kids participating. Miller credits Jim Coyne, the new director of tennis at Sleepy Hollow in Orinda, with being instrumental in getting that league started and helping recruit more kids into tennis. “There are so many options for kids these days,” Miller said. “If you get a little complacent, the pie just gets cut thinner and thinner. And the other thing is, it’s not really that easy of a sport to play.” Gallaway agreed, saying a big reason for tennis’ “definite downturn” in recent years was the direct competition with other sports. He said that’s why he purposely focuses on premier-position athletes, such as quarterbacks or point guards, because those are the “more athletic-type kids” who excel at tennis. And, in the long run, he said that’s what’s going to be needed for tennis to reach the peak levels of popularity it enjoyed 30 years ago. “We need another McEnroe,” he said flatly. “We need some great American players. Those Borg-McEnroe Wimbledon finals were some of the greatest matches of all time. Everyone was watching those matches; I don’t think we have that now.” “The (Venus and Serena) Williams sisters are great but we need someone on the

Bob Larson

Monte Vista High School senior Shaun Chaudhuri, 17, delivers a backhand while practicing at Lafayette Tennis Club. Chaudhuri is ranked by the USTA as one the top 20 players in the nation for his age group. men’s side to be really dominant.” ◆◆◆ One common theory the past 15 years is that one man — Tiger Woods — had as much to do with tennis’ drop in popularity as anything else. Gallaway buys into that argument, at least to a certain degree. “I remember when Tiger first came onto the scene, I was thinking it’s the same kind of kid who’s going to play golf or tennis. It’s a similar sport,” said Gallaway. “Both take a lot of lessons and money and technique and you need to be trained by a good coach. “That was a real big boon for golf — with PGA stores in airports and all over the places and the Golf Channel — golf had an upturn, and tennis didn’t. It’s not the whole reason tennis has taken a downturn, but there was definitely something to that.” Now, ironically, as Woods has battled some downturns of his own, tennis is very much on the upswing again — and golf may be taking a few cues from tennis. “I’m a big golfer too,” said Miller, who works across the street from Boundary Oak Golf Course. “But rounds of golf are way down and I see them doing some of the same grass-roots things now that we’ve done with tennis.”

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Which leads us back to QuickStart. ◆◆◆ One of the more interesting twists about tennis’ youth revival has been the fact that the kids are pulling families into the sport, whereas for most sports, it’s always been the other way around. One example of this is the Schlagel family of Walnut Creek. Jeff Schlagel, 15, got his first real exposure to tennis through the QuickStart program at Valley Vista. “Tennis started as a side thing,” said Schlagel, a sophomore at De La Salle. “I was into soccer, and swimming in the summer, but over the years it became the main thing for me. “I really enjoy the individuality of the sport. It’s good to have teamwork, but it’s easier to control what’s going on.” Jeff and his younger siblings, brother Christian and sister Katie, each played QuickStart in 2007. Now, they all play pretty much year-round — and they’ve brought their parents, Jeff Sr. and Sharon, into the fold as well. “My dad played when he was younger and stopped for a long time, then got back into it when I started playing,” he said. “And my mom started playing after I did.”

“Mom” has since coached some of the junior tennis teams, and the entire family is active on the court. ◆◆◆ Gallaway’s desire to have “another American superstar” resonates around the country. Every club, and just about every good-sized town, has its own best hope. Gallaway’s is Shaun Chaudhuri. Chaudhuri, a senior at Danville’s Monte Vista High, is the USTA’s No. 1 ranked player for boys-18 in Northern California. He’s also ranked among the top 20 players in the country for his age group, and was the North Coast Section singles champion as a sophomore in 2009. His list of tournament titles — from East Bay Athletic League singles champion to Southern California National Open Boys 16s champion, and nearly a dozen titles in between — reads like something out of an Agassi scrapbook. “He’s one of those kids I just love to coach,” Gallaway said. “I knew at 8 years old he was going to be a consistent performer.” But that’s just half the story, and maybe not even the most impressive half. This week, Chaudhuri is in Newport, Rhode Island to receive the Bill Talbert Junior Sportsmanship Award, which is July 8, 2010

SportStars™

awarded annually by the USTA to four junior players who exemplify that finest qualities of sportsmanship in tournament play. Chaudhuri is just the second player from Northern California to earn the honor in the past 10 years, the other being Tyler Brown, who later played at Cal. Chaudhuri will likely continue his tennis career a bit farther to the East, at a place called Harvard. “It’s just a great representation of the type of person he is,” Gallaway said. He’ll receive the award at the International Tennis Hall of Fame inductions, where the inductees will include Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, the legendary Australian “Woodies” who own a record ATP 61 doubles titles. ◆◆◆ Every story of every business these days includes the economy. The economy always comes down to numbers. If there’s a tennis court attached to the business, chances are the numbers aren’t so bad right now. “This is probably going to be my biggest year financially since I’ve owned the club,” Gallaway said. “Everything is coming back up for tennis in general. (Participation) is up about 15 percent from last year, and last year was my second-biggest year, even during a bad economy. Memberships are up, we’re holding onto our base and everything’s on the uptick.” Gallaway is so busy on the court, he pretty much lives there this time of year. He’s on the surface from 8 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. every day and doesn’t even leave the court for lunch. But, thanks to today’s technology, that doesn’t mean he has to miss a breaking news story — say, for example, like the Isner-Mahut match. “Everyone was on ESPN on their phones,” he said. “Somebody said ‘It’s 35-34!’ and from then on people kept asking ‘what’s going on?’ “That was good for tennis because it showed the kind of athlete today’s tennis player is, that super-strong player with endurance.” Miller agreed, saying the athleticism of today’s players is “not even comparable” to the legendary players of the past. “There’s so much energy and so much power now, and to think those guys were out there for 11 hours is incredible,” Miller said. And that just goes to prove that tennis is on to some-

SportStars™

July 8, 2010

Valley Vista Tennis Club

QuickStart is the youth program developed by the USTA that encourages kids from ages 5-10 to play tennis. The participants get accustomed to the game by using larger foam balls, larger racquets and smaller courts. thing — it’s finally getting the top athletes again. “For a long time, you just saw all of the really good athletes doing something else,” Miller said. “They have choices to make when they’re about 12. Now you see a number of really good athletes going through these programs.” Good enough, perhaps, to someday give tennis the final shot in the arm it needs to recapture its long-lost popularity on the national sporting stage: some more big-name

American superstars. “With better athletes and more players over the next five years, we could see the next Sampras or Agassi,” Gallaway said. “We need some inspiration. That trickles down to everybody else.” Not unlike an 11-hour, 5-minute match that, for three days, captured the imagination of the sports world. ✪

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twenty-four7 June 1-Aug. 31: Concord, Bowling — Summer at Clayton Valley Bowl. Junior Adult Mixed 4’s, 6:30 p.m. Wed.; Junior League for kids 12:30 p.m. Thur.; Junior Scratch, 5:30 p.m. Thur.; “Digital Thunder” for kids, 4-6 p.m. Fri. Fees and registration: 925689-4631, www. claytonvalleybowl.com. June 1-Dec. 31: Berkeley, Golf — JUNIOR ACADEMY. Ages 5U at Tilden Park Golf Course. $159/two hours per week (Core Program); $99/ one hour per week (Try-Out Program. 510-848-7373, doi@tildenparkgc.com; www. thegolflearningcenters.com/ tildenpark. June 7-Aug. 29: Concord, Golf — Summer 2010 Session. A youth development Golf program

for boys and girls ages 5-18. Golfers ages 7-18 start at the PLAYer level and progress through Par, Birdie, and Eagle levels. Target classes available to ages 5-6. Applications on-line at www. thefirstteecontracosta.org or at facility Pro Shops. Schedules/locations/fees: 925-686-6262, angela@ thefirstteeecontracosta.org. June 27: Walnut Creek Cycling — Sunday Mountain Bike Group Rides. Meet in front of Sports Basement for a 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ride. All levels welcome. Info: dhuynh@sportsbasement. com., www.sportsbasement. com.

6:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Building. Learn from coaches, mentors and teammates who train participants in running, walking, cycling and triathlon to help fight cancer. 800-4828326; www.teamintraining. org/mail. July 2-30: Concord, Martial arts — Taekwondo and Kenpo. Course No. 86153, ages 14+, 6:45-7:30 p.m. Mon., Wed., Fri., at Baldwin Park Dance Studio. Offered by City of Concord. $85 residents/$90 nonresidents.

Info: 10 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. weekdays, 925-6713404, www.cityofconcord. org. Registration: www. concordreg.org; by fax or in person drop-off sites available. July 2-30: Concord, Martial arts — Taekwondo and Kenpo-Youth-Beginning. Course No. 86147, ages 5-13, 6-6:45 p.m. Mon., Wed., Fri., at Baldwin Park Dance Studio. Offered by City of Concord. $85 residents/$90 nonresidents. Info: 10 a.m.-noon and 1-3

twenty-four7

p.m. weekdays, 925-6713404, www.cityofconcord. org. Registration: www. concordreg.org; by fax or in person drop-off sites available.

3404, www.cityofconcord. org. Registration: www. concordreg.org; by fax or in person drop-off sites available.

July 2-30: Concord, Martial arts — Taekwondo and Kenpo-Youth-Intermediate. Course No. 86150, ages 5-13, 6:45-7:15 p.m. Fri., Mon., Wed., at Baldwin Park Dance Studio. Offered by City of Concord. $85 residents/$90 nonresidents. Info: 10 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. weekdays, 925-671-

July 3-10: Concord, Basketball — Basketball Camp. Course No. 84902, boys; Course No. 94903, girls. Offered by City of Concord. $540 residents; $570 nonresidents. Info: 10 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. weekdays, 925-6713404, www.campconcord. org. Registration: www. concordreg.org.

June 29: Lafayette, Fitness — The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training. Information Meeting

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July 8, 2010

SportStars™

Eat, drink and play well

here are two basic nutritional variables that can help an athletic performance: proper foods and adequate fluids. What are the proper foods? The food pyramid at mypyramid.gov, designed by the U.S. Department of Agricultural offers a general guide. The USDA Dietary Guidelines describe a healthy diet as one that: ■ Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fatfree or low-fat milk and milk products; ■ Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and ■ Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars. Foods provide energy to the body and account for growth and repair. Broken down, foods are carbohydrate, protein, and fat. On a daily basis, fifty-five to sixty percent of total calories should come from carbohydrates (breads, cereals, fruits, and vegetables). Fifteen to twenty percent should come from proteins (meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products). Twenty-five to thirty percent should come from fats (meats, butter, oils, and sweets). It’s okay to eat small meals three to six times a day rather than large meals less often. Skipping meals compromises performance. Just being well fed is not enough; top performers are also well-hydrated. As little as a 2 percent loss of body weight (three pounds for a 150-pound athlete) from the evaporation of sweat can decrease coordination, strength, endurance, and concentration. When dehydrated, an athlete is susceptible to cramping, fatigue, and heat illness. When re-hydrating, sports drinks are not better than water. They are only needed when exercising in extreme heat or humidity, or when the work lasts longer than one-anda‑half hours. As a rule it’s better to drink before thirst occurs, because thirst is a poor indicator of fluid needs. Thirst is an indicator of dehydration. Alcohol, caffeine, and sugar all contribute to dehydration of the body and should be avoided before workouts. Before, during, and after exercise, remember to drink adequate fluid. ✪

Health Watch Bruce Valentine

Bruce Valentine is a physical therapist assistant for the Sports Medicine For Young Athletes center in Walnut Creek. The center is working in conjunction with its parent company, Children’s Hospital, to host a conference titled Hot Topics in Sports Medicine for the Coach and Young Athlete. To register or get more information, call (510)-428-3558, ext: 3. In the meantime, if you have questions or comments regarding the “Health Watch” column, write the Sports Medicine For Young Athletes staff at Health@SportStarsMag.com. 26

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July 8, 2010

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game day July 10: Brentwood, Baseball — 2nd Annual Father/Child Baseball Skills Event. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at Oak Meadow Park. Parents team up with their sons or daughters, ages 5-14, to compete in pitching, hitting, accuracy, throwing and running. $65. Contact Casey, 510-282-4986sey_c@ alloutsportsleague.com. Online registration: www. alloutsportsleague.com. July 10: Livermore, Race — Club Moto Saturday

Summer Night Series-Round 3. 4 p.m. practice with races to follow at Club Moto. $35 first class; $30 second class/ Peewees; $10 gate fee/$5 ages 12-6; ages 5U free. Hotline: 925-308-4814; www. clubmoto.com. July 10-11: San Francisco, Race — San Francisco Triathlon. 7 a.m.-noon Sat., 5K-10K Run Race; 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., Olympic Distance Triathlon; 7 a.m.noon Sun., Sprint Distance Triathlon. At Treasure Island.

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July 11: Waterford, Recreation — Wargaming at The Paintball Zone. Offered second Sundays monthly by Modesto Airsoft and Combat Enterprises. Info: www. modesto.combatenterprises. com.

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Consumers: Up to 50 words.....................................................................$5 Businesses: Up to 50 words...................................................................$25

Additional words: 50 cents each...................................................._______ Photo: $15.........................................................................................._______ Minus frequency discount (see chart above)..............................._______ Discount: _____%............................................................................._______ TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED...................................................... $_______ July 8, 2010

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game day

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July 17: Pleasanton, Race — Tri For Fun #2. 7 a.m., Shadow Cliffs Regional Park. Lake swim, bike flat loop, run on rolling fire road. 400ydsS-11mB-3mR. For beginners and for more experienced. $65. Info: 209-795-7832, info@ onyourmarkevents.com; www.onyourmarkevents.com. July 18: Brentwood, Golf — Shadow Lakes & Deer Ridge 2010 Junior Tournament. Family Scramble, 3 p.m., with dinner and movie to follow. B.A.Y. Intermediate Junior Program Golf. 925-516-2837. Online registration: www.golfinbrentwood.com. July 18: Dublin, Fundraiser — Jail Break Run 5K, 10K. 8 a.m., Alameda County Sheriff Training Center next to Santa Rita Jail. Event sponsored by the Alameda County Deputy Sheriffs’ Assoc. and benefits the Special Olympics. $35. Info: 209-795-7832, info@onyourmarkevents.com; www. onyourmarkevents.com. July 18: San Francisco, Race — Alcatraz Challenge

GAME DAY

Aquathon & Swim. 8 a.m. A 1.5-mile swim from Alcatraz; 7 mile out/back run across the Golden Gate Bridge. Visit www. tricalifornia.com. July 19-20: Alamo, Golf — Summer Circuit IV Championship. 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Mon., 6 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues. For players 18 and under, at Round Hill Country Club. Gary Xavier, 707-449-4742, gxavier@pgahq.com; www. ncpgajuniortour.com. July 24: Livermore, Race — Lake Del Valle Aqua Challenge. 8:30 a.m. at Lake Del Valle Regional Park Swim Beach. Swim: 1/2m, 1m, 2m; Swim/Run: 1m swim followed by a 3m run. $35 preregistration/$40 race day. Info: 209-795-7832, info@onyourmarkevents.com; www.onyourmarkevents.com. July 25: San Francisco, Race — San Francisco Marathon. Annual event to benefit the American Cancer Society. 5:30 a.m. full marathon, 5:32 1st half marathon, 8:15 a.m. 2nd half marathon, 7:45 a.m. 5K progressive marathon. Registration by 5 p.m. July 20: www.thesfmarathon.com; info@ thesfmarathon.com. July 25: San Francisco, Race — San Francisco Marathon and Run for Burma. The Event includes a 5K run/walk, a progressive marathon, a half marathon and a full marathon. Raise awareness and funds for Burma, Info: www. burmamission.org; sfm@burmamission.org. July 31: Livermore, Race — Club Moto Saturday Summer Night Series-Round 5. 4 p.m. practice with races to follow at Club Moto. $35 first class; $30 second class/Peewees; $10 gate fee/$5 ages 12-6; ages 5U free. Hotline: 925-308-4814; www.clubmoto.com. July 31: Santa Clara, Soccer — Heritage Soccer Club Night! Earthquakes vs. Seattle Sounders, 7 p.m. at Buch Shaw Stadium. $25/$20. Submit orders to Rosana Gastello, 925639-4171, rsagastello@sbcglobal.net. Aug. 1: Union City, Soccer — NorCal Premier Soccer Hosted by Gold Pride FC. Info: www.norcalpremier.com. Aug. 7: Antioch, Community Event — Family Day Sack races, contests, diaper derby and more, 2-4 p.m., at Antioch WaterPark. Sponsored by Antioch Recreation Department and Splash Camp. Info: 925-776-3070, www.ci.antioch.ca.us. Aug. 7: Livermore, Race — Club Moto Saturday Summer Night Series-Final Round 4 p.m. practice with races to follow at Club Moto. $35 first class; $30 second class/Peewees; $10 gate fee/$5 ages 12-6; ages 5U free. Hotline: 925-308-4814; www.clubmoto.com. Aug. 8: Waterford, Recreation — Wargaming at The Paintball Zone Offered second Sundays monthly by Modesto Airsoft and Combat Enterprises. Info: www.modesto. combatenterprises.com.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 4 9 a.m.-3 p.m. For kids ages 7-14!

Cars are provided! ce! No fee to ra 29 y Aug. Register b hirt, e Get fre T-s ! es run two rac

LIMITED TO FIRST 250 CONFIRMED RACERS! Pre-registration required to race, get T-shirt & be eligible for trophy. More information: Doug LaVenture (925) 673-5337, (510) 816-4221, dlav42@yahoo.com.

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July 8, 2010

Aug. 13: Walnut Creek, Community Event — GPS Trivia Night “Road Trip,” California Tourism Trivia, 6-9 p.m. beginning at Sports Basement. Walk about 2 miles. GPS Trivia Hunt; pizza, drinks, raffle prizes; shopping. $18/ person; $15/person with a group of 6 or more. RSVP: 925482-5705, info@moderndaytreasurehunters.com; www. moderndaytreasurehunters.com. Aug. 16-17: Santa Cruz, Golf — Elite Tour Junior PGA Championship For players, ages 12-18, at Pasatiempo Golf Club. Gary Xavier, 707-449-4742, gxavier@pgahq.com; www. ncpgajuniortour.com. Aug. 19-20: Sparks, NV, Golf — Elite Tour Junior PGA Summer Circuit V Championship 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Sun., 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon. For players, ages 12-18, at the Resort at Red Hawk, Lakes Course. Gary Xavier, 707-449-4742, gxavier@pgahq.com; www.ncpgajuniortour.com. Aug. 21: Antioch, Community Event — Sports Day Sports competition, special guest appearances by Oakland Raiders’ GorillaRilla, San Francisco 49er Cheerleaders, Stockton Ports, give-aways, and more. At Antioch WaterPark. Info: 925776-3070, www.ci.antioch.ca.us.

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what’s next

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Raiders’ Williams speaks to youth, parents at CYC: Oakland Raiders linebacker, and former Clayton Valley High football star, Sam Williams knew his audience. Speaking to a group of teenagers, coaches and parents at the Community Youth Center in Concord, as part of a seminar provided by Fit 2 The Core gym, Williams made clear his top injury prevention and nutrition tip: “If you eat junk food, your body is junky.” Williams also shared his personal experience of suffering an ACL tear in his knee. After his surgery he learned that a great workout is not about how heavy you can lift, it’s about lighter weight and more reps. Tim Rudd, the owner of Fit 2 The Core, compared his approach to building athletic skills to that of learning academics. “You can’t expect to go from 3rd grade to high school in a few weeks,” he said. “Just like you shouldn’t expect to achieve athletic mastery without building your skills step by step.” For more news on Fit 2 The Core and upcoming events go to f2cbootcamps.com. — Patrick McCormick Lance Armstrong, Oakley team up: Here’s something that caught the eye of the SportStars staff. Just in time for Tour de France, Oakley has

WHAT’S NEXT

teamed up with the Lance Armstrong Foundation to develop a Livestrong® Collection of sunglasses. With every purchase of a Livestrong® special edition pair of glasses, Oakley will provide $20 to the Lance Armstrong Foundation in support of its mission to unite people in the fight against cancer. Seemed like a good idea to us. For more information, visit www.oakley.com/livestrong. — Staff Hometeam Sports Photography joins the sponsor team: Being a “SportStar of the Week” just got that much cooler. A new sponsor has come on board — Hometeam Sports Photography of Concord. Owned by Mary Stewart, the company will provide our SportStars of the Week with plaques commemorating their accomplishment and including the image from the page. Hometeam joins our other sponsors — Clif Bar, Sports Basement, Rocco’s and The Shirt Girls, each of whom provide prizes that are boxed and shipped to each of our winners every issue. — Mike Wolcott, SportStars

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July 8, 2010

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photo finish

Deer Valley’s Marcus Wise motors around second base as Walnut Creek’s Conner Bertuccelli tries to make a play during the sixth inning of the 18U Junior American Legion baseball game at Northgate High School in Walnut Creek on July 3. Walnut Creek won the game 3-2. Wise reached base in the inning on a walk but never ended up scoring a run. He was caught in a pickle between third and home and tagged out. Photo by Bob Larson 30

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July 8, 2010

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I WILL NOT BE PART OF GENERATION XXL.

To be a champion... Train like a champion. Think like a champion. Grab every entry li ke a champion. Dry off like a champion.

11-3/’

Dries the best

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