NorCal Issue 180, May 2020

MAY 2020

NORCAL EDITION VOL. 11 ISSUE 180

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5.30.2015 Elk Grove senior Ty Madrigal points at SportStars’ cameraman James K. Leash during the Thundering Herd’s celebration of its 5-2 win over St. Mary’s-Stockton in the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. I baseball final. Madrigal tossed a two-hit shutout the night before in Game 1 of the three-game series. Madrigal was set to conclude his collegiate career at Saint Mary’s College this spring before the COVID-19 cancellation of all NCAA spring sports.

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arch 12, 2020. That Thursday is one I’ll never forget, as a sports fan, a writer, a dad and even a coach.

Emmanuel Callas, our cover athlete for this issue, spent that morning waiting for the same news that I was: What was the California Interscholastic Federation going to decide about the playing of its state championships set to tip-off at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Arena in just 24 hours?

And every refresh of Twitter brought more jaw-dropping updates from the world of sports. March Madness was going to be played without fans; the NBA was suspending all operations for at least 30 days. All of us know the tidal waves of postponements and cancellations that followed in the coming days.

Callas and his Campolindo High teammates likely learned the news regarding the state championships around the same time the media did. And as I worked on sharing the news of their cancellation, I began my own waiting game for an announcement on the scheduled Opening Day of my sons’ Little League season. It was only the evening before when my older son’s team, which I manage, closed out a strong practice and talked about our first game coming the following Monday.

That team hasn’t been together since. As I write this on May 7, we’re still hoping for some sort of mid- to late-summer season. I guess as long as there’s limbo, there’s hope.

As sports quickly disappeared from our everyday lives in March, I wanted to find a way for NorCal’s players and coaches to vent. Writing has always been a therapeutic process for myself, and I wanted to offer that to others. That was the impetus for the #NeverStop Series, the first 14 submissions of which are compiled here for our May issue. I couldn’t be happier with what this project produced.

We offered writing prompts, but didn’t require their use. Mainly, we just wanted players and coaches to share passionate thoughts about sports: Memories, relationships, moments and more.

Our contributors range from a basketball team manager for St. Francis-Sacramento, to the starting quarterback for the University of Notre Dame football team, to the commissioner of the North Coast Section.

Callas wrote about the ups and downs of his last year and a half in basketball. Madi Mays, who spent March 12 throwing a no-hitter (just one baserunner allowed) for Concord High softball, wrote about the travel coach she credits as helping her land a spot with Harvard Softball in the fall. De La Salle football coach Justin Alumbaugh wrote about the rare moment that a Spartans effort caught him by surprise.

Every single contributor thanked us for the opportunity, many citing how much they enjoyed connecting with that sports world that they missed so dearly.

As we wait out another month of shelter-in-place orders throughout the Bay Area and Greater Sacramento Area, I hope reading some of these insider tales help many of you connect to those sports passions and inspire you to #NeverStop. #NeverStop supporting teammates. #NeverStop lifting up youth. #NeverStop recalling moments of inspiration. #NeverStop believing you can make a difference for your team or players. #NeverStop striving for what sports compels us to exhibit. ✪

YOUR TICKET TO CALIFORNIA SPORTS ADMIT ONE; RAIN OR SHINE This Vol. #11, May 2020 Whole No. 180 is published by Caliente! Communications, LLC, PO Box 741, Clayton, CA 94517. SportStars™© 20102014 by Caliente! Communications, LLC. All rights reserved. Receive FREE Digital Subscription in your inbox. Subscribe at SportStarsMag.com. To receive sample issues, please send $3 per copy, or $8 total for bulk. 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.

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seatedSENSA Upp A National Standout In Sitting Volleyball When people watch sitting volleyball for the first time, some assume it is easier than the standing version.

Zach Upp is here to inform them that it is not — at least not for him.

Upp, who was born without part of his right arm, has been playing both sitting and standing volleyball since he was 13.

He joined the U.S. Men’s Sitting National Team in 2017, helping it qualify for the 2018 Sitting World Championships with a second-place finish at the Para Pan American Games.

He plays with an impressive black prosthetic arm. In the standing game, he can move to his spot on the court and then use the arm to block or pass.

But in the sitting game, he uses both 8

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his arms to push himself into position, then quickly lift them to block or pass, which can be a clumsy process.

“Blocking is such a big part of the game and I’m at a huge disadvantage,” he said. “But I am working on it.”

It has been a year of transition for Upp, who graduated from high school and then moved from his home near Chicago to Edmond, Oklahoma, to attend University of Central Oklahoma.

“It is definitely different practicing every day,” he said. “The toll on my body is a lot different. To wake up every morning to go to practice is different. I also have to get stronger mentally. Playing all the time after the three weeks of being overseas for Worlds, it definitely took its toll.”

This story first appeared in the November 2017 edition of SportStars.

We’re re-running it because Zach Upp’s story fits perfectly with the #NeverStop theme of this issue.

The staffs at both SportStars and the NCVA have our fingers crossed that we can bring new volleyball content to you as soon as our next issue.

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ATION The U.S. Men’s Sitting Team finished eighth at the 2018 World Championships. It was the team’s best finish to date, but not as good as it had hoped.

“We are still an improving team,” Upp said. “We still need to improve together as a team. Not necessarily each individual.”

It has also been a year of personal transition for Upp, the last of three brothers to move away from home. “I moved out and a couple months later my parents put our old house on the market,” Upp said. “They are moving into an R.V. and they are going to travel around the U.S. They are definitely happy about that.”

Living by himself has been an adjustment for Upp, but he does not regret his decision to join the Sitting National Team full-time.

“I’ve settled in,” he said. “It was just odd, not having anyone to have dinner with. But living on my own, I have definitely matured. I’m not such a little kid anymore.” ✪ — Copy and photos provided by USA Volleyball, NCVA Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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Meet the Author Emmanuel Callas is a member of the Campolindo High (Moraga) 2021 Class. He just completed his second year of varsity basketball for the Cougars.

Campolindo is 9-0 in state playoff games over those two seasons.

He and Aidan Mahaney will be key leaders on the 2020-21 Cougars team.

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After 16 Months Of Life On A Basketball Roller Coaster, Campolindo Junior Emmanuel Callas Has A Refined Perspective

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y name is Emmanuel Callas. I play basketball for the Campolindo Cougars in Moraga. This is a story about disappointment, hard work, perseverance and winning a state title.

After my freshman year in high school, my future for Campolindo basketball looked bright. The fall workouts with the team began my sophomore season, and I was playing better than ever. However, after several weeks of working out with the team, I noticed that my knees would hurt and swell up near my growth plate.

Every time I ran, the swelling got worse. I went to the doctor and got an MRI, which showed an unprecedented amount of inflammation in my knee.

Through a connection, the Golden State Warriors orthopedist took a look at my MRI and could’t believe I was able to run at all.

He told me that if I kept working out as hard as I had been, the inflammation would get much worse — and so would the pain. He said I would have to stop playing at some point, and that the sooner I took care of my knee, the better.

I was down on myself, and desperate to return to playing again. I couldn’t run or put any strain on my knee. No weights, no running, no shooting. I pretty much wasn’t allowed to workout. My coach told me when I do come back, don’t expect to be the player I was. He said I would need to earn my starting position, and it would take some time.

I was out for three months, and when I came back to practice for the first time, I felt like I had forgotten how to run.

We were halfway into the season. The team was just starting league play, but for me it was Day One. If I wanted to have any impact on the team, I would have to put in extra time to get up to speed. My main priority was getting on the court and helping us win games. I didn’t care about anything at that point but winning.

I ran a lot, and tried my best to get back to being the player I was. After struggling to get up to speed with the rest of the guys, I finally cracked the starting lineup. I started scoring more, getting more rebounds, and making a greater impact on the team. From where I started, the only way I could go was up.

The 2019 CIF playoffs arrived and we were seeded #2 in Division II, and we got to play all of our NorCal playoff games at home. We made it to the state final, and our team was playing our best basketball of the year. I scored 19 points and had nine rebounds in the final, and was interviewed as the player of the game afterwards.

I learned that you can change things if you just put in the work. Coming into this season, I needed to focus on improving my skill set. My sophomore year was all about catching up, but my junior year was about getting ahead.

With the help of a couple teammates and my coaches, I learned how to put quality time into getting better. This past season, I played the best I had in awhile. Credit to the hours spent in the gym. My team and I had a successful regular season. We went undefeated in league, and competed with some of the best teams in Norcal.

This time, we were seeded 7th in the CIF Div. I bracket. We thought that was a little too low given our regular season accomplishments. We went into the playoffs hungrier than ever, looking to repeat a state title. Our first and only home game of the state playoffs was against Serra, who we beat. After that, we went on the road for three games against the 2, 3, and 4th seeded teams in Norcal.

We beat Capital Christian, a game where I had 33 points. Then we beat Salesian, a game where Aidan Mahaney had 24 points in the second half. Then we beat De La Salle, at De La Salle, for the NorCal Championship.

I will remember the De La Salle game as the last game I got to play with all my brothers in the 2020 graduate class. Due to COVID-19, the state cham-

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pionship game was cancelled.

Looking back on it, I am proud that we sent our seniors out on a win, and gave them all we could in our last game together. Our seniors, Peter (O’Donnell), Tyler (Smith), Rex (Curtis) and Carter (Mahaney), gave their all for the whole season. We would not have accomplished our goals if it weren’t for the sacrifices they made, and everyone else on the team.

People only get to watch the games, but they don’t get to see the team grind together behind closed doors. When our team has success, it is because of everyone, not just the players on the court.

It is important to understand your role on a team, and do what the team needs to win. My sophomore season, after coming back in the middle of the season, I knew that I would play any role I had to for us to win. My junior year, I had the same motto, but I was just a better player.

In times like these, it’s important to know your role. If that means taking care of your family, or doing the shopping for your grandparents, then you have to accept that role. As a community we can overcome this rough time if we work together as a team. However, for a team to be successful, every single individual has to be all in and do their part.

I want to thank my teammates, my coaches, and my family for being all in, all the time. Like I said, when a team succeeds, it is because every person on that team is performing their role to their best ability.

My team is my brothers, my coaches, my family, and everyone involved with our group.

Individual hard work does pay off, but you need the whole team to win games. ✪

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St. PatrickSt. Vincent Basketball Standout, Tameiya Sadler, Writes An Open Letter To Bruins Coach Nadine Walker 14

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’ve had a number of amazing coaches throughout my years of playing basketball, but there will never be one as special as Coach Nadine Walker.

Since I stepped foot on the campus of St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School in Vallejo, Coach Walker was my number one supporter; whether it was school, life or basketball she was always there.

Because to her, I was more than just her player; I was her family. She saw so much potential in me that I never saw in myself. She pushed me and molded me year after year because she knew what I was capable of.

Walker is one of those coaches that are truly your mother/ best friend, and I am extremely grateful that she was a part of my journey. So here’s my letter to her

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Meet the Author Tameiya Sadler was a four-year varsity player for St. Patrick-St. Vincent High in Vallejo. She was recently named 2nd Team All-NorCal

by SportStars Magazine. She will continue her playing career at the University of Washington in the fall.

always there Dear Coach Walker, Thank you for truly being the best coach I’ve ever had. You were my best friend.

I knew I could count on you for anything, whether it was rides, food, or just someone to talk to. You’ve always been honest with me and have been there for me since Day One. Over the last four years, we built a bond that I will cherish forever.

You were like my second mom outside of basketball. I just want to thank you for putting up with me all four years of my high school career. If it wasn’t for you, I would not be the player that I am today.

You pushed me to the best of my abilities and never turned your back on me. You believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself, and always had my best interest in mind. I appreciate everything that you have done for me, not only in basketball, but also life in general.

You and the program you’ve created provided me a home outside of my home. We were a family, and I am grateful for every bond that I’ve created. But unfortunately, all good things come to an end. And although I am not happy with the way it ended, I’m glad I ended it with you.

Thank you for allowing me to wear a Lady Bruins jersey and write my story with you. I love you, Walker, and I am eternally grateful to call you my coach and myself a Lady Bruin.

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Meet the Author Justin Alumbaugh succeeded legendary De La Salle High football coach Bob Ladouceur and just completed his seventh season running the nationally revered program. The De La Salle ‘98 graduate played for Ladouceur and served as an assistant for several seasons before taking over the program in 2013.

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t is always difficult for me to describe moments where I’ve been truly surprised during my coaching career.

Teenagers are capable of some incredible things, and I’ve been a part of such a rich tradition with De La Salle Football, that I’ve come to expect something unique and extraordinary will happen. What happened on December 18, 2010, in the CIF Open State Championship Bowl game, however, was something that caught me by surprise.

Don’t get me wrong. That team is one of the finest I’ve had the pleasure of being around. And their success that year, and the fact that we won the state championship was not surprising in any way. What WAS surprising (and gratifying) was the WAY that we won that game.

Servite (of Anaheim) came into that night as a nationally topranked 14-0 team. It was fresh off of a Trinity League championship and a run through the top playoff division in Southern California that included wins over previously-undefeated Mission Viejo and Alemany-Mission Hills. They were disciplined, well-coached, big, fast and physical.

After watching their game tape leading up to the final night, we knew that the 2010 Spartans were going to need an unmatched and inspiring effort. It would have to include playing nearly mistake free.

When we first walked out onto the field for pregame, we were met with a field that was legitimately under water. As coaches, any uncontrollable variable always puts us on edge. Once our warm-ups started, however, a sense of excitement and anticipation began to arise.

Our line was completely focused and silent during our pregame. What noise they DID make was the result of a physical — even brutal — pregame session that we cut short because their intensity was so high. As we progressed through full team warmups, the aura of excitement and confidence continued to

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Dylan Wynn

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rise.

None of this came from coaches. The great leadership provided by the likes of Dylan Wynn, Blake Renaud, Lucas Dunne, and many, many more created a team that seemed intent on greatness that night. Once the opening kickoff happened, it took two series for us to see what the night would hold.

Servite lost four yards on its first three plays and punted, which we promptly returned to the Servite 29 yard line. Three bruising running plays later, Dunne excitedly found his way into the end zone.

This beginning only proved to be a harbinger of things to come.

By halftime, we held a 35-0 lead by scoring on all five of our firsthalf possessions. Servite had been completely stifled and managed zero first downs and only 22 yards on its 18 first-half plays. By game’s end, the 2010 Spartan team found itself a 48-8 victor and walked off the field having dominated a game against an incredible opponent in a way that still inspires me.

The play of such top-level guys like Renaud, Wynn, Dunne, Lucas Shapiro, Bart Houston, Michael Hutchings, among others, was awesome to behold. What was even more awesome was, the common, gritty Spartans that helped us rule that night. There was our 185-pound center, Josh Cabral, leading a “diminutive” offensive line (as they were once called). There was Kyle Miller, our gritty, tough and, if we are honest, athletically challenged nose guard (he was famous for spraining his ankle — twice — during off-season backpedal drills) leading a stifling and disciplined defense.

Those are just to name a few. The beauty of that team and the effort it put forth that night is that they could ALL bask in the reward they received: California State Champions. The way that they did it left me in inspired awe.

One college coach present who was recruiting a high-level player from the opposing team grabbed us after the game and mentioned that he had never seen kids play as hard and disciplined as ours had that night. ✪

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Meet the Author Mark DeLuca has coached in the Bay Area for more than two decades.

His stops have included Pinole Valley, De Anza, Salesian (not as a coach), Berkeley and currently Valley Christian-San Jose. He has a 1-1 career record vs.

Don Lippi.

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Valley ChristianSan Jose Basketball Coach Mark DeLuca Shares About The Impact Of His Own High School Basketball Coach — NorCal Legend, Don Lippi

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s a kid growing up in Indiana, I was like every other Hoosier in the state. I loved basketball. Well — let me make a correction — I absolutely worshipped Bobby Knight. He and Pete Rose were hands down my first heroes.

From the time I can remember my days were filled playing football, basketball and baseball. However, Knight, Bobby “Slick” Leonard, Isiah Thomas and Larry Bird made me love the game of basketball. It’s in my Hoosier DNA. Therefore, in 1979, I became very concerned when we moved out of the Midwest to Vallejo, CA. I asked myself if the schools and coaches out west love basketball the way I did? Would the players sleep, eat and breath basketball? It was that year that I was enrolled at St. Patrick High (which became St. Patrick-St. Vincent in 1983). The head coach was Danny Dion, a Vallejo legend, and I was asked to meet him in July before my freshman year.

In the gym that day was Dion and his mentor Neil McCarthy (Weber State, New Mexico State). I immediately thought I was lucky just to be around Dion and McCarthy. I played varsity basketball that year in the Catholic Athletic League.

The best Catholic schools were in the league and Tony Jackson (Bishop O’Dowd High, DePaul University) was the league MVP. Things seemed to be going well.

I got my lunch handed to me as a freshman in the CAL, but we had a good team. Suddenly out of nowhere, Dion left in the middle of the spring to coach in college for McCarthy. I was devastated. Who was going to get the job? Who would be my high school basketball coach?

That following July, a funny looking guy with high top converse walked into the gym. He was our new coach. Further, he was my new coach. His name was Don Lippi.

We started playing open gym and Lippi — a lefty — was pretty darn good. I remember thinking I wanted to test him early so I fouled him. It was an 80’s Celtics-Lakers type of foul.

Lippi just laughed and kept making jumpers all day.

After open gym he said, “You’re DeLuca. I want you as my T.A. second period.” For the next three years I was his teacher assistant and we talked everyday. Every single day for three years.

Lippi knew I had it rough growing up. Real rough. He knew I was raised by a single mom in the south side of Beech Grove.

He was the first coach to show a genuine interest about me aside from athletics. That year I scored a few touchdowns against Moreau Catholic one night. After each TD I was showboating, dancing and acting like an immature idiot (I was well ahead of my time in terms of showboating).

The following Monday, Lippi ripped into me like there was no tomorrow. Full throttle. He said I embarrassed myself, the school, and him because I was like his son. He was the first male in my life to actually care about me. From that moment on I knew I was playing for a great man — not just a great basketball coach. Then it hit me, I wanted to be a coach, a basAfter his 2019-20 St. Joseph Notre Dameketball coach like Don Lippi.

Alameda team won 23 games, Don Lippi holds Playing for Lippi was like playing for a comedian, teacher, 895 career wins. He is NorCal’s winningest high coach and activist all in one. You’d never know what he was goschool boys basketball coach. His teams have ing to do or say next. He’d take charges with us, then lecture us won 16 section championships and four state on Vietnam and then tell us wild stories. He is to this day the titles. best — bar none — storyteller on the planet. Legendary stories about growing up, umpiring, teaching, coaching, driving a bus, anything really. He missed his calling: He should have been a comedian. I watched him closely and I wanted to be him.

After high school and college, I naturally got into coaching. Early on Lippi called me after big wins, or called to tell me to stop screaming at the refs or players so much. As the years went by I started to cherish our conversations. After competing against so many dedicated and talented high school coaches, I started to truly understand just how good Lippi was all those years. As a player, he was a father figure to me. As a young coach, he was a mentor. Now, as a veteran coach I can see he’s in the elite class of high school coaches regardless of the sport.

Frank Allocco and Mike Phelps were easily the best in the business, and in a one-big-shot-to-win moment, I’d pick either of them. However, when it comes to shaping the lives of so many students, athletes and coaches; Don Lippi is far and away the best.

He was, and still is my father figure. He is the reason why I chose to coach and more importantly help kids. He’s everything to me.

My blessings started the day he became my coach and continue to this very day because he’s influenced everything I am as a coach, father, husband and educator. ✪

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Meet the Author Hannah Malek just completed her senior year at St. Francis High in Sacramento where she served as a girls basketball playermanager for four years.

Hannah’s love for basketball has helped her endure through a variety of physical ailments that included Idiopathic Toewalking stemming from overly-tight muscles, Femoral Anteversion which causes an irregular gait, and Gross and Fine Motor Delays which can result in delayed reactions and low spatial awareness. She will continue her education at Saint Mary’s College as an English major and hopes to stay involved in basketball some way or another.

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Hannah Malek, left, goes over some stats with Troubadours player Jasmine Lee. The two have known one another since they were 3-years old.

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Nothing Was Going To Keep Hannah Malek Away From The Game Of Basketball — And The St. FrancisSacramento Program Was Made Richer Because Of It

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f you’d told me I was going to be a varsity athlete when I was a kid, my family and I, my grandparents, my dog, and anyone or anything else in the general vicinity would have looked at you like you had five heads. Not that gangly, awkward kid who’d just finished treatment at Shriners’ Hospital and couldn’t tie her own shoes or hold her pencil without help.

Every year, my mom would ask me if I wanted to try a sport: volleyball, soccer, swimming, absolutely anything that would get me moving and trying something new besides hiding behind a book. The answer, of course, was always no.

Then one of the boys in my middle school class spent a couple of recesses teaching me how to shoot a free throw — which, let me tell you, took some patience — and I decided to give this basketball thing a shot. Make no mistake, I was the worst person on the team, and I don’t say that self-deprecatingly. When your first basket is celebrated with balloons and cupcakes, you most likely aren’t going to be the next Breanna Stewart, and that’s OK. But I couldn’t believe how much I loved the sport.

Even as my middle school career progressed and my minutes shortened, I loved the sport as much as breathing.

However much time I got on that court would be worth the pain and tears later when I had to treat my already tight muscles and the silver dollar-sized bruises that seemed a permanent addition to my arms and legs. There were moments when I wanted to sit down and cry because I still couldn’t tell my right from my left, let alone remember that one set of footwork I’d been trying for a week.

However, every hour of frustration in practice was worth the single second of joy when I would finally get it right. I am still grateful for my coaches who were willing to stay with me and walk me through the same drill over and over again — and even more for my teammates. They supported me even when it meant having to learn a second version of a set of plays to help me out, or nudged me in the right direction during a game.

I knew that I wasn’t going to play in high school, though. There’s a bit of a tip-off when you’re 17th off the bench in the summer try-out season. When my coach told me I was being cut, she teared up. Even though I knew it was coming, I did too. However, I’d talked to my mom and I was prepared.

I wasn’t going to lose something I loved without a fight. So, I did the only realistic thing left for me: I asked her if the team had ever had a team manager, and if I could be one.

I was nervous and had no experience managing — so I couldn’t believe it when she said yes. I walked out of the meeting and immediately looked up how to do basketball stats. I read articles, checked different charts, and put together a kit. During the jersey ceremony, I received a coaching jacket, and I would wear it to every game. Until the day my coach told me to get a jersey. Then I wore that, even when I knew I wasn’t going to play. I was still the manager, but now I was a player-manager.

My number was 25, and I wore it with pride. I had earned it, even if it wasn’t in the same way everyone else did. For the rest of my freshman and JV season, I was last off the bench, playing approximately 15 to 60 seconds each time.

Listening to my teammates on the bench when I got to go in, one would think an all-star had stepped up to the scorer’s table. Their reaction to any of my awkward two-pointers sounded like I’d made a buzzard-beating half-court shot. They never tore me down, and that is something I

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will always look back on with wonder.

Going into my varsity season, I knew I wasn’t going to get a jersey, and I was OK with that.

My freshman coach, the same one who had started me on this journey of statistics, was going to be my coach again. I still had my teammates and the manager job that kept me with the game I loved. While I knew that the statisticians for varsity teams didn’t get varsity letters, I still felt like an important part of the team.

That’s why I couldn’t believe it when my coach handed me one at the end of the season. For my 17th birthday, I got my letterman jacket, proudly embroidered with “Manager” where my teammates put their jersey numbers. I was ready for one last season doing my job, whatever challenges lay ahead — and there were challenges, but the team rallied together.

The team was a family, and I loved it. It didn’t matter if I had the occasional late night trying to evaluate the stats of another team, writing up a game breakdown for my coach, or updating my own team’s stats. This was how I earned my letter, and I wasn’t going to let my coach down now. That varsity jacket was more than a piece of clothing: It was a promise to my team, my superhero cape, and a gift that I never thought I’d get. I couldn’t let it go to waste.

When my senior season started, I couldn’t believe that there was anything that could make it better. I loved the team and I loved my work. So, when my coach asked me to come in and work an extra shift at the tournament my high school was hosting, I put on my varsity jacket and got ready for work. When I got there, my whole team was in the locker room for an impromptu team meeting. I sat down to listen with them.

My coach told them that we needed a refresher on what a good teammate was. I wondered what they’d done in the one practice I missed to earn a lecture about that. She said a good teammate was committed, devoted, selfless, passionate, supportive, had an incredibly high basketball IQ, and “a massive amount of heart to overcome anything that comes their way.” She said something had been missing from our team, and that she and our assistant coach had decided that there was one piece missing that would make our team whole: Having me in a jersey.

I couldn’t believe what she had said. I truly thought I was still dreaming in my bed until I was holding my jersey (No. 20), sobbing, and hugging my coach and teammates. I made my varsity debut on Senior Night that following Monday. The time on the court was, obviously, very brief.

I was out of shape and, I admit, more than a little lost, but I got one last chance to step onto a court in uniform. That meant the world to me. Even more than that, I got one last chance to share the court with my teammates, one of whom I’d known since I was three years old.

When our season finally ended, I didn’t want to take that jersey off. I’m not sure why. Maybe some part of me felt that if I kept it on, nothing would end.

But, as I’ve realized in my life, the end isn’t always the end. Sometimes it just means starting a new chapter. I’m not going to play on a court again, most likely, but my passion for the game isn’t going anywhere. It’s a part of me, just like these memories and lessons are — all of which were worth the struggle.

I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my teammates, my coaches and the game that brought me to them. I cannot believe how far I’ve come. I know I can’t wait to see where basketball takes me next. ✪ Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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a decade Oak Ridge High Grad And Notre Dame Quarterback Ian Book Delivers Tip Of The Helmet To Teammates Past And Present 30

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have had the opportunity and privilege to play with teammates at Notre Dame that have gone on to play in the National Football League and done great things in college football. Ever since I arrived in South Bend, the bond that was formed with the entire offense was special.

Notre Dame has a great offensive line culture and have sent more than a few great linemen to the NFL. It’s obvious to think that a quarterback’s best friends are his linemen. They fight to protect you and keep you upright, but they are also some of the best friends that I have made in college.

I also have had the chance to throw to some outstanding receivers in my time at Notre Dame. I’ve had guys like Miles Boykin, who made the gamewinning catch in the 2018 Citrus Bowl. He made more the following season before he was drafted by the Ravens. And this past year, I was able to throw to Cole Kmet, Chase Claypool and Chris Finke. I believe all of them can and will make an impact in the NFL. Those guys make great catches and great plays, and have been great friends and teammates.

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Meet the Author Ian Book is a 2016 Oak Ridge High graduate and the current starting quarterback for the University of Notre Dame.

He has 57 career passing TDs after assuming the starting job for the Fighting Irish midway through the 2018 season. Last year he was one of just two FBS quarterbacks with at least 2,500 passing yards, 500 rushing yards and 30 TD passes.

Roy K. Miller/Icon SMI via ZUMA Press

Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book embrases receiver Chase Claypool following the team’s win in the 2019 Camping World Bowl.

e of bonds Probably the best friend I made in college was my fellow quarterback and main competition for the starting job, Brandon Wimbush. We pushed each other every day to become the best that we could be and became best friends. We had a quarterback competition, and when things went the way they did, he could have quit. But he showed the kind of guy he is, and always supported me and the team. Our friendship remains strong even now, and he will be a friend of mine for the rest of my life.

Those bonds are special and have made my time at Notre Dame an amazing experience. One beyond what I could have ever imagined. College football and my experience at Notre Dame has exceeded my expectations and grown my love for the game.

While I am excited to continue to build friendships with my brothers at Notre Dame, there is nothing like the bonds and experiences of high school football. There is nothing like the Friday night lights. Nothing like the experience of playing high school football with some of the best friends Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

that you’ve had growing up. College football is great, but when it comes to just the pure joy of playing with childhood friends in the fall, nothing beats high school football.

I was lucky to have my three best friends as my wide receivers at Oak Ridge. Kevin Kassis, Brock Martin, and Tommy Dunnigan were my best friends in high school and remain my best friends to this day. Any time I’ve been home from school, they are here for me to hang out with or throw to.

With the COVID-19 situation I have to stay in California until we are allowed to return to South Bend. Yet, I still have these same teammates to help me train and make it fun. We have a whole El Dorado Hills-Folsom crew working out now. Jake Browning and Josiah Deguara from Folsom High are working with us, too.

But it’s still the guys that have been by my side longer than anyone outside of my family. They mean the most to me in my life and football journey, and they will forever be my go-to guys on and off the field. ✪

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A Section Commissioner Marvels At The Various Efforts To Honor The StudentAthletes Who Were Denied Their Seasons

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he past few months have spun our world into a crazy and unprecedented time. Quarantine, sickness and deaths have been the focal point of this global pandemic. But beneath it all has risen a spirit. A spirit of kindness and helpfulness. A spirit of caring and consideration.

This spirit can be witnessed on the news and in social media, where we see people helping the elderly, caring for the sick and sacrificing personal resources for those in need. It is genuinely heartwarming to see this type of behavior for our fellow citizens, sometimes done by total strangers. These are the ideals that our society was and should be based on.

In our world of interscholastic sports, which I have been a part of for the better part of 50 years dating back to my own high school experiences, the outpouring of love and gratitude for our studentathletes has been astonishing. Schools, communities, coaches, and athletic directors have come together to honor their spring teams, athletes — and more importantly the Class of 2020.

The amazing displays of recognition for these students who prepared for their season like every other sport, but have very little to show for it in terms of competition, has been truly amazing. Some of the ones that have stood out to me: >> The Humboldt Del Norte Athletic League communities turned on their stadium lights for 20 minutes last month to honor the Class of 2020. >> There have been Drive-by Senior Nights for those graduating players who never got to have their own ceremony at school, in front of their friends and family. >> Schools have hosted virtual National Letter of Intent signing ceremonies, where not only the school and student’s friends and family got to experience it, but all those in the social media world had a chance to be part of it as well! >> Schools have adjusted uniform pick-up procedures to include awards ceremonies where block letters were delivered along with certificates and other awards. >> Even ESPN got in on the action by having its own “Senior Nights.” Two of which featured NCS member schools San Domenico-San Anselmo boys basketball and Tamalpais-Mill Valley swimming and water polo.

There were others, however this space doesn’t allow me to mention them all. But suffice it to say, schools have outdone themselves. They have thought outside the box and figured out ways to honor those people who made a difference at their school and in their community.

Coaches and ADs have done what coaches and ADs do best: adapt! No profession that I have ever witnessed is better at adapting and being flexible than coaching. Most good coaches must make instant decisions during tough, tight games to give their teams an edge. Those decisions come from hours of practice, careful planning and years of experience. Those qualities have led to this outpouring of support for our students during this very difficult time. And unlike some of those game-time decisions, all these displays were winners.

Soon we will once again hear the crack of the bat, the whipping of the twine, and the roar of the crowd. Until that time, we must continue to lean on each other with the spirit of hope that lies in all of us. We must focus our energy and emotions on those things that we have control over.

Calmness and composure are words from coach John Wooden that ring so true during this time for our coaches, ADs and school leaders. Coach Wooden described leaders as people who meet all events, whether favorable or unfavorable, with calmness and composure. It is with those qualities, and with our spirit, that we will come out of this time closer and stronger! We will rise again!

Be safe. ✪

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Meet the Author Pat Cruickshank is completing his first year as North Coast Section commissioner, after serving the previous school year as assistant commissioner.

He was at Heritage HighBrentwood since the school’s inception in 2005, serving as a teacher, athletic director and boys basketball coach. He was also an athletic director at San Leandro and a basketball coach at LibertyBrentwood.

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Meet the Author Vince Bianchina is a member of the 2020 class at De La Salle High. He played both varsity football and baseball for the Spartans and will continue his baseball career at Northwestern University. He’s a big fan of Charles McAdoo, who’s headed for San Jose State.

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Vince Bianchina Has Shared Football And Baseball Fields, Weight Rooms And Classrooms With Charles McAdoo — And He Knows He’s Better For It

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hroughout my four years at De La Salle, I have built many relationships with coaches, teammates and friends that will last forever. And there have been plenty of ups and downs that have taught me how to perform on and off the field.

Yet there is one person especially who has helped me become the player and friend I am today — and that is Charles McAdoo.

I would not have been able to balance the workload of football and baseball without him. We have been by each other’s side since freshman year. Charles and I shared the same position in football and we both play on the left side of the infield in baseball.

We would always help motivate each other to work, like making up a lift, watching film, running extra routes or getting extra swings in the cage.

McAdoo’s work ethic and commitment inspired me in many ways. He lives 45 minutes away from school and still manages to show up 30 minutes early to everything. Every practice and game he would make sure to give his full effort on every rep. While he’s not much of a talker, he makes sure to hold his teammates accountable. He leads by example.

McAdoo is a great leader not only because of his work ethic, but also because of the way he treats others. No matter how he plays, he always treats his teammates the same.

Whenever myself or others were on the field, we could always hear McAdoo’s positive energy from the sideline or dugout. If someone, including myself, was having a bad game, he would help us focus on the positive side of the situation. He is always willing to do something as long as it helps the team win. No matter what the role is, he will do his best to execute it.

I am devastated that our final baseball season together got cut short. But that is not going to stop us from getting after it together. I will always have his back, and I know he will always have mine.

He is the best teammate I could ask for, and an even better friend.

The ups and downs we have gone through are memories that I will never forget. I can not wait to see him succeed at San Jose State. Although Northwestern (my next stop) already swept San Jose in a three-game series in 2019, I hope we get another chance to do it when McAdoo is on the team. ✪

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May 2020

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Salesian High 2002 Grad Richard Fernando Has Worked For Multiple NBA Franchises — This Is The Story Of His Single Varsity Point

Meet the Author Bill Mellis just completed his 22nd as Salesian High’s boys varsity basketball coach. He’s logged 558 career wins at the Richmond school. His teams have won nine North Coast Section championships as well as CIF Div. IV state titles in 2009 and 2012.

Top: Richard Fernando takes a selfie with Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra (right) and then assistants Keith Smart (middle) and David Fizdale.

Bottom: Fernando is surrounded by a throng of Heat personnel, including Heat general manager Pat Riley (center)

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arly on in my time as head coach at Salesian, I decided that we needed to have a student manager.

I was teaching PE, a job that has been very rewarding. That’s when I met Richard Fernando, one of my students, who was an avid sports fan — especially basketball. Richard came from a wonderful family. He was a very smart kid who had terrific grades, made lots of friends, and was well-loved by classmates and teachers. He had a lot going for him, but athleticism wasn’t one of them! He knew we were looking for a student manager and expressed interest in the job.

I hired him immediately.

To this day, I joke with Richard about how he didn’t have an athletic bone in his body. Seeing him in PE was a spectacle, but he was a great student manager and took his responsibilities seriously. To reward his years of service to our program, we suited him up on Senior Night and played him in the fourth quarter — something we have continued to do with all of our senior managers throughout the years.

I knew it was unlikely Richard would score, but the fans were hyped to see him try, especially the students.

We were playing Albany, who was then coached by one of my favorite people ever, Doug Kagawa. Late in the game, we put Richard in, and the fans were going crazy. He proceeded to miss about five shots, most of them not even close.

With 10 seconds left in the game, Albany was shooting free throws and Coach Kagawa called one of his players over to speak to him. Then Coach Kagawa said something to the official. We told Richard to go downcourt and stand at our end of the floor. The free throw was missed and there was a mad scramble for the ball in the middle of the key.

Time was disappearing and I realized that poor Richard wouldn’t score that night. However, one of our guards dove on the floor and came up with the ball. From his back, he tossed it to a teammate who threw the ball down court to Richard.

Standing three feet inside the 3-point line, he let it fly and was fouled by the player who had spoken to Coach Kagawa. It was obvious that he was instructed to foul Richard and that Coach Kagawa had also tipped off the official as to what they had planned to do. When the official came to the scorer’s table to report the foul, Coach Kagawa said, “Excuse me sir, but that was clearly a 3-point shot.”

The official looked at him, smiled and replied, “Yes, you are correct. That’s three free throws.”

There was only 0.2 seconds left on the clock. You could literally hear a pin drop when Richard was handed the ball to shoot his free throws. As he tells the story, his knees were shaking so hard in nervousness that they were banging against each other.

The rest of the story is history. He made one of the free throws and I’m not sure I’ve ever heard our tiny gym that loud before. Richard was mobbed by the students and his teammates when time ran out, and he admits that he slept in his uniform that night.

Richard went on to achieve way bigger and better things. He became a student manager at the University of San Francisco, and after graduating, he was hired as the Dons’ film coordinator. It was a job he held for several years, until the NBA’s Miami Heat contacted him and hired him for the same position. He quickly moved up the ranks, becoming Heat coach Erik Spoelstra’s right-hand man.

His true moment in the spotlight probably came when he was on national television standing on stage next to LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh at a trophy presentation during one of their championship seasons. Or I suppose it was when he took a picture with Serena Williams at Chris Bosh’s wedding.

Last year, he left the Heat and was hired for a front office position with the Philadelphia 76ers. It’s not a surprise that he has led a successful career in the NBA. It makes me proud I was able to help him get his start, and it’s a great reminder that certain jobs can open doors to future opportunities.

In this day and age, we see moments like Richard’s all over social media. At Salesian, we have had 11 senior managers play on Senior Night during my 22 years as coach. All 11 have scored!

In each of the past two seasons, we had a senior manager make a 3-pointer, from the same magical spot. Both moments went viral. Richard’s spotlight moment was in 2002, before social media existed, but certainly would have been seen by everyone.

His moment reminds me that it is important to reward the people who don’t ever get the recognition they deserve, such as student managers who often work hard behind the scenes.

It also reminds me that Coach Kagawa is one of the classiest people I’ve ever come across, and there are more important things in high school athletics than winning games. ✪

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salute to the Every Successful Team Has A Player Who Isn’t A Star, But Makes Everyone Better Simply By Will And Effort — Liberty Football’s Brock Hammer Was One Of Them 42

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ll ball coaches are looking for scrappers, high school coaches especially. It doesn’t matter their size. We want tough dudes who just get to work and have a motor that doesn’t stop. Brock Hammer was one of those dudes.

Scrappers are usually fighting for something. They’re wired differently; they’re dogs. It’s not rocket science: It starts in the weight room, and usually scrappers outwork people in every aspect of their life.

The scrapper we had at Liberty wasn’t a physical specimen. AT ALL. He wasn’t a superstar. Our scrapper was a leader in all aspects. He cared for his teammates, and was a leader by example who turned into a vocal leader because of the growth of confidence.

Let’s talk about that for a second. How does one gain confidence? If you trust yourself, and the work you are putting in, the confidence comes. And that is exactly what happened with this young man. He worked so hard at his craft that he gained confidence, and he knew he was going to win every rep and earn the respect of his teammates.

Brock Hammer stood 5-foot-1, 130 pounds his freshman year. He was a 5th-quarter player (which means he didn’t get into the regular game). If you can find a better name for a scrapper than BROCK HAMMER, I will buy you lunch.

He committed himself to the weightroom over the next few years. By his junior year, he earned a starting position.

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Meet the Author Ryan Partridge just completed his third season coaching the Liberty High football program in Brentwood.

His Lions teams have combined for a record of 34-5 and won the program’s first North Coast Section championship in 2017 and first CIF State Bowl Championship in 2018.

e scrappers

TOP: Brock Hammer (32) leads the Lions onto the field at Cerritos College prior to the 2018 CIF Div. I State Championship Bowl game.

BOTTOM: Liberty celebrates its state championship victory after a 19-17 win over Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth.

By then he was 5-5, 180 pounds.

What position did our 5-5, 180-pound Hammer play? Defensive tackle. Brock Hammer was an all league player and an integral part of our 2017 North Coast Section championship team and 2018 CIF state championship team.

Brock’s life wasn’t easy.

He was an orphan who battled many family problems as a child surrounded by drugs and violence.

He grew up as a small kid in a rough neighborhood in Vallejo where he didn’t look like everyone else.

Brock Hammer fought, scratched and clawed his way through childhood, just like he did in football.

He was then adopted by a family in the Brentwood area and found a new life.

It was certainly an adjustment. Once he reached high school, he plugged himself into football and the school’s leadership class.

He was a leader on campus and a leader on the field — a true scrapper.

Brock is now in the fire academy and actively fighting fires as a reserve. There is no one I would want to serve our community more than Brock Hammer. ✪ Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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Meet the Author Madi Mays is a senior pitcher and infielder for the Concord High softball team. She helped the Minutemen win a 2017 NCS Div. II title as a freshman (going 3-for-3 with 4 RBI in the final), and pitched a no-hitter against Monte Vista in her final high school game on March 12. She’ll continue her career at Harvard.

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To Concord High Senior Madi Mays, Brandi Macias Is More Than Just Her Travel Softball Coach

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ithout a doubt, one of the most influential coaches I have ever played for is former All-American Division I softball player and coach, Brandi Macias.

I started playing for Coach Brandi in the summer of 2018 on her All-American Sports Academy 18U Gold travel softball team. When I first joined her team, I was one of the youngest players and the only playing time I got was an occasional opportunity to pinch hit. However, I made sure to take advantage of any at bat I got and slowly earned myself a starting spot on the team.

As time passed, Coach Brandi got to know me more as a person and player, and I grew to understand the incredible atmosphere she had built within her team. After five seasons of playing for her, I have seen the countless amount of players she has devoted her all to.

Coach Brandi believes in every single one of her players. She has a deep love for the game of softball and wants to cultivate that same passion in all of her players. In addition to this, Coach Brandi herself has dealt with the challenges most athletes face, and she’s always ready to lift her players past them. I learned this at one of the lowest points of my softball career.

When I first joined her team, I was already committed to Saint Mary’s College. But later that season, I received a call from the Saint Mary’s coach and learned she had been released from her job. As a result, my scholarship offer was no longer guaranteed. That same year, new recruiting rules were put into place which left me unable to speak to the incoming coach of Saint Mary’s.

Eventually, the new coach called and told me the program was starting fresh and not honoring any of the previous scholarships.

I was on a path for success, but within an instant it was all stripped away. I was left without a clue as to what my future would hold. This experience was devastating, but Coach Brandi quickly reignited my love for the game. She reassured me that I would end up somewhere I belonged.

Later that season, our team travelled to Southern California to play in a tournament that would be rained out. Instead of calling it quits and going back home, Coach Brandi helped set up a workout for us that could be attended by college coaches. Following the workout, Coach Brandi told me some life changing news: A coach from Harvard University was watching and wanted

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to reach out to me.

I went on a visit to the campus and was offered assistance in the admission process by the Harvard coach shortly after. Something far beyond anything I had ever imagined had become a reality, and Coach Brandi was there for me every step of the way. The future ahead of me would never have been possible if it weren’t for her willingness to always go the extra mile for her players.

Coach Brandi puts everything she can into building a successful future for her girls, not only as softball players but also as respectable members of society. Something she greatly values is teaching her players the importance of giving back to others.

Along with her 18U Gold team, she also coaches a 12U team. On occasion, the older team will lead drills and practices for the younger team, spreading our knowledge of the game to the next generation of players. Coach Brandi has seen how much the younger players look up to her 18U players and always encourages us to be role models for them. Besides leading workouts, we also connect with the younger team through a buddy system.

In hard times, especially like that of today, it is important for people of all ages to have someone to reach out to as an outlet. Coach Brandi always reminds us that our ability to play the game we love is a privilege that should not be taken for granted.

Softball, along with many other sports, is so much more than a competition or way to get exercise. It teaches you teamwork, resilience, dedication, confidence, and many other skills that all elevate one’s character. Coaches like Coach Brandi make sure to highlight these elements of sports and truly understand what makes up a successful team.

I will forever be indebted to Coach Brandi for everything she has done for me. Playing for her has further developed my skills as a player, grown my confidence and helped set me up for a bright future. She not only made me a better softball player, but also left me more prepared for any challenge I may face up ahead.

Thank you, Coach Brandi. ✪

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triumph through tragedy Meet the Author Dino Kahaulelio was a decorated three-sport athlete at Cardinal Newman High in Santa Rosa. He was an All-State and All-NorCal selection in football. He graduated in 2019 and now plays football for City College of San Francisco.

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y name’s Dino Kahaulelio and I graduated from Cardinal Newman High in Santa Rosa in 2019. This is a story about pushing through hardships. And what I believe was my best game.

I have been a part of some of the greatest teams in our school’s history, and some of the greatest teams in North Bay history. I was blessed with opportunities to play with some amazing players, and to play against some extraordinary players.

In my high school career I witnessed both greatness and unimaginable horrors for some people. Sports have been something that’s always helped me cope with those horrors.

When I was a sophomore in high school, my cousin passed away shortly after one of my games. Suddenly it was extremely hard for me to stay focused, because he was like an older brother to me. He lived with my family and was always around.

At the end of my sophomore year and going into my junior summer, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. I spent that whole summer Always More To Read at SportStarsMag.com

working to be the best I could be. So I could win for my Momma.

Tragedy struck my entire community on October 8, 2017, when a devastating fire burnt down half of my town and three quarters of my school. We were separated among classes, and football had to be played and practiced at neighboring schools. Just a few months later, my mom passed away from cancer in January 2018.

Finally, my senior season ended when another Northern California wildfire caused major postseason cancellations. The North Coast Section forced teams to decide: Either play the section championship but forfeit a chance at state, or take the risk of a coin toss to determine a state playoff berth. We opted for the coin toss, and we lost.

All of those things pushed me to be the best I could possibly be.

When people think of someone’s best game, they usually think of statistics. They think of a four-sack, 20-tackle or multiple-touchdown game. I never really focused on stats. Stats are misleading. I focused on doing anything and everything in my power to be the best player, best Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

teammate and best person I could be.

I think about the games I will never forget, the games that will always be a part of my history. There were many games I could have chosen. However, for every player who was part of the team during my junior season, I believe we can all say our greatest game was a 59-56 NCS championship loss to a very good Marin Catholic team.

It wasn’t because of the stats we had, and obviously had nothing to do with the outcome of the game. It was the fact that we were there.

That season was considered a “down” year for our program, and we had so many factors that could have made it easy to give up. Our school had burnt down. Many players and their families almost died, and some lost their homes. Yet we prevailed.

We fought for life, and football was everything to us and our community. Not only did we as a football team grow closer and become a brotherhood, but the community rallied behind us and became stronger with every win. That championship game may not have been our best game statistically, but in the hearts of everyone in our community it was one of the greatest games in our school’s history.

It was a show of character, determination and pure heart. ✪ Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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‘you owe me one year’ Meet the Author Kevin Brannan took over the Heritage High baseball program in 2010. He compiled a record of 189-65 and won seven Bay Valley Athletic League titles over his first 10 seasons at the Brentwood school.

The Patriots opened the now-cancelled 2020 season ranked No. 5 in SportStars’ NorCal Top 20 Rankings.

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Kevin Brannan Has Won 189 Games In His First 10 Seasons Coaching HeritageBrentwood Baseball — It’s A Career He Owes To Two Men

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s several players have thanked their coaches as part of this project, sometimes coaches need to do the same.

There are two people who have played a huge part in the coach I am today.

First is Mike Callero. He was my coach when I was 11-12. My parents were divorced and my mom worked, which made it difficult for her to get me to and from practices. Mike was there every practice or game day picking me up and dropping me back off.

I was a pretty good player, so it was first thought he did it to have me there to help win games. But that was the farthest thing from the truth. I found that out in a playoff game when he didn’t play me because of something I said to a teammate after he’d made a mistake. Coach Callero taught me right then and there: No one player was bigger than the team. He was the first coach to ever do that to me, and it has stuck with me to this day.

Mike worked at a sporting goods store in South San Francisco called Doherty and Dunne. It was a place where you can find baseball players and coaches just hanging out and talking baseball. Over the years, I was in and out of that place at least once a week.

When my oldest son decided he wanted to try out for our local Pee Wee baseball league, I brought him down to Orange Park in South San Francisco and took my seat in the bleachers with the rest of the parents watching the tryout. Mike spotted me and waved me over. After some quick catching up, he tell me I’m going to coach a team.

I was giving him all the excuses as to why I couldn’t. His reply hit me straight in the gut, “You owe me one year.

That’s it.”

I can go on for an eternity of other things he taught me, but he knew once I started coaching, I’d enjoy it. Here we are some 35 years later and I’m still doing it.

Lou Zuardo is the other coach who left a significant impact on me. He was my varsity coach at El Camino High in South S.F.. El Camino was hugely successful during Coach Zuardo’s tenure. The Colts won multiple Central Coast

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TOP: Lou Zuardo, left, had his number retired by El Camino High in 2016.

BOTTOM: The 1991 South S.F. Pony League team coached by Mike Callero and Kevin Brannan Section championships on his watch, and had a handful of players reach the big leagues.

He was also not your traditional coach — especially in an era where “Yes, coach” or “Yes, sir” was the norm.

To his players he was Lou. He was part coach and part Dr. Phil, especially with me. When things were not going my way, he knew what to say and when to say it. But more importantly, he knew when to say nothing.He had a sixth sense of knowing when my frustration subsided and I was ready for instruction.

He treated us like men. He wasn’t a screamer, but we all would run through a brick wall for him. We felt comfortable around him, and weren’t shy about playing a few elaborate practical jokes on him.

He retired in the 80’s, but there isn’t a day that he isn’t at my practices still coaching. Not in the physical sense, but in the things he taught me and I continue to use. I feel he’s the reason for some of our success at Heritage, but he would be the first to say you’re only as good as your players.

He would be right, but he taught me that there is more than one way to coach. He showed me that every player has to be treated a little differently. I know that flies in the face of some experts, but no kid is exactly the same. And getting the most out of each kid may take many different approaches.

Both Coach Callero and Coach Zuardo got the most out of me. And I’m proud to bring their efforts full circle each season with the Patriots. Thanks, Coaches. ✪ Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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Tom Costello just completed his 14th season leading the Dublin boys basketball program.

He coached TennysonHayward for six seasons before that. Costello has 280 wins in his 14 years with the Gaels and his teams have posted 25 wins or more in each of the last four seasons. The 201920 Gaels finished No. 4 in our final NorCal Top 20 Rankings.

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A Coaching Legend’s Brief Remark Helped Dublin High Basketball Coach Tom Costello Crystalize His Philosophy And Career Goals

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W

hat is it about sports that shapes you?

There’s a hot, summer day in July 1998 that will forever be etched in my brain. I had recently completed my college playing career and was now a young, aspiring basketball coach trying to soak up as much knowledge as I could. I was fortunate to be chosen again to be a coach/counselor at the Lavin Basketball Camps, a sleepover camp at Pacific Union College in Angwin.

More than 250 eager campers and 30 enthusiastic, passionate coaches made it a basketball junkie’s heaven. This was my second summer with the Lavin Camp. One Tuesday, the camp was treated to a special guest, the legendary John Wooden. After 30 minutes in a gym full of about 500 campers, coaches and parents hanging on coach Wooden’s every word, he allowed a question/answer session.

Toward the end of the session, and against the advice of some of my coaching friends, I nervously raised my hand from the back of the audience. Stuttering over every syllable, I asked the legend, “Coach Wooden, how would you handle a player like Dennis Rodman?”

His response will stay with me forever. In the most polite, eloquent, grandfatherly voice imaginable coach Wooden said ”Well, young man, I truly believe that players should be worked with and not handled.”

That was it. That was the response.

After my initial devastated feeling of being absolutely roasted in front of 500 people had subsided, it occurred to me that his words were gold. As coaches, regardless of the sport, we are so lucky to get to “work with” kids everyday.

Teenagers have an innate ability to keep you on your toes, as most parents can attest. Coaching is never boring.

It is not a 9-to-5 job. Helping kids improve and reach po-

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tential within the team concept is a 24/7 responsibility. Caring about your basketball family as much as your own family is not as much of a “job” as it is a lifestyle. It is much more than what spectators view on game days. It’s all of the “unseen” hours off the court.

Coach Wooden taught me that building relationships and working with people are the most important things a coach/teacher can do. This time away from the game has given me pause to think about what I love most about sports — specifically, what I love about coaching.

It’s the purity of the game. It’s the practice. It’s the day-to-day grind. It’s the “real life” conversations away from the court. It’s listening to them talk with one another. It’s the strategy sessions with my coaching staff. It’s the film sessions. It’s the team meals. It’s the challenge of sifting through all of the other static to find that one nugget of a life lesson that one “thinks” will help shape these boys into men who will become capable husbands and fathers. It’s celebrating their success and listening to them and being a support system when they are at their lowest point.

Everyone loves to be part of a winner — that’s easy. It’s the attitude during the low points that a coach earns his/her keep. Can you motivate a kid that just had the worst game of his life? Can you motivate a team that just lost its 4th game in a row? It’s all of those and more.

It’s been a blessing to play for some phenomenal coaches, to compete with teammates that are lifelong friends, to work with outstanding teachers of the game and to coach some outstanding young men. I’ve also been fortunate to compete against some brilliant coaches that force me to work hard. Each of these experiences have shaped me.

Don Underwood, my coach at Amador Valley High, taught me the importance of defense, controlling tempo and sheer, fierce competitiveness. I worked for coach Gerry Freitas at the College of Notre Dame. He was a master organizer and a wizard at game management. My oldest brother Tony, who I played for at Chabot College, was the best at pushing his players to achieve their potential. He would do anything he could to light that fire.

Tony’s players loved him because he cared so much. He was like a second father to me. When I got into coaching, we were each other’s go-to call after games. Sadly, he passed away from pancreatic cancer on Aug. 25, 2013.

When my former players come by, send me a text, or a picture of their family it fires me up.

There are so many examples of experiences that shape the way one teaches. All I know is that, during this particular time in history I miss being around my guys. It’s as simple as that.

So, to answer my question that started this piece? My simple answer would be “What about sports hasn’t shaped me?” ✪ Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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