NorCal Issue 127, January 2017 by Sport Stars Magazine

FREE

NORCAL EDITION

VOL. 8 ISSUE 127

JANUARY 2017

access

all

10 11

in the magazine

all-NorCal

Offense Dive into our EXClUSIVE all-NorCal Offense, plus our Player of the Year and our Co-Offensive Players of the Year. It all starts on Pg. 20 all-NorCal Defense Coming Feb. 9

26 28 30 31

Chino Boys basketball is in rare territory as win streak hits 53

Cal-Hi Sports’ California Boys & Girls Top 10 Basketball Rankings

If you only look at the Tri-Valley, you’ll miss one of soccer’s best

Sacred Heart Cathedral is getting in the ring with the big punchers

EXClUSIVE: SportStars’ NorCal Girls Hoops Top 20 Rankings

De la Salle boys hoops used MlK Showcase to flex its muscles

EXClUSIVE: SportStars’ NorCal Boys Hoops Top 20 Rankings

in the network

a look at the biggest stories from the Cal-Hi SportStars Network

CalHiSports.com

SportStarsOnline.com

CalHiSports.com

all-State Volleyball Teams and Ms. State Volleyball available Now

New Boys and Girls Basketball Rankings Each Monday & Tuesday

Various all-State Football Selections Released Now Through February

SportStars™

January 2017

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

elishja duplechan SHELDON-SACRAMENTO - BASKETBALL - SENIOR The Huskies’ point guard has Sheldon off to a fast start and atop SportStars’ NorCal Top 20 rankings through the first two weeks of January. At just 5-foot-11, Duplechan guided the Huskies to a 12-1 start that includes a 3-0 record in defense of their Delta League championship. He is a four-year varsity player who averaged 14.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game last year. In the 2016-17 season, Duplechan led Sheldon to the Tarkanian Classic title in Las Vegas as well as a solid effort in the team’s only loss of the season — a 91-82 setback against defending state champion and owners of a 50-plus game winning streak, Chino Hills. With three transfers now eligible to join him on the court, Duplechan will have even more options to dish the ball to as Sheldon seeks to remain the NorCal team to beat in 2017.

honorable mention TIM FALLS: The Dublin basketball senior filled up the stat sheet with 25 points, 6 assists, 5 steals and 4 rebounds in a 71-66 win over Amador Valley-Pleasanton on Jan. 13. The win pushed the Gaels record to 15-1 overall and 4-0 in the East Bay Athletic League.

ARIEL JOHNSON: The junior wing for St. Mary’s-Stockton posted 22 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in a 68-65 loss to Centennial-Las Vegas on Jan. 14 in Day 1 of the Rams’ two-day Martin Luther King Showcase event. St. Mary’s bounced back with a 20-point win over Alemany-Mission Hills on Day 2.

JacketBack Embroidery Official Patch Supplier of SportStars Magazine

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

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

January 2017

Like us on Facebook

SportStars™

Let’s Face It, Cut Day Is

THE WORST

here’s an adage I’ve heard from time to time that claims “Cut Day is harder on the coach than it is the player.” As a high school athlete who had to make the walk through the locker room before school and glance at the list on the coaches office window, I’ve always strenuously objected such a notion. But I also can’t pretend that cuts are easy on the coach. I know they aren’t. I’ve talked to plenty to coaches who struggle with it. When we began naming All-NorCal Football Teams in 2013, we wanted to try something non-traditional and avoid the standard first-team, second-team, etc.. What we decided was to simply select an actual team — a roster of 48 players, which this year expanded to 50. We’d select an equal number of offensive and defensive players, and could use position flexibility for years when a certain position group was especially stacked. We name starters and reserves, but that’s really just to stir conversation. If a player is on the roster, he’s All-NorCal all the way. No other designation is required. It’s a system that has worked really well for us, but it does technically create a Cut Day, with us playing the coaches role. And we can admit, it stinks from the other side too. Getting to the 25 offensive players featured in this issue was brutal, and a lot of really good players were left off. Some who deserve mentioning here, in no particular order: Jake Westphal (Campolindo-Moraga), Jalen McKenzie (Clayton Valley-Concord), Jake Simmons (Rancho Cotate-Rohnert Park), Tyler Reynolds (Sutter), Montaz Thompson and Devon Taylor (Pittsburg), Nick Calzaretta (Redwood-Larkspur), Kalei Aukai (Santa Rosa), Eric Bendyk (Analy-Sebastopol), Patrick Blake (Foothill-Palo Cedro), Joe Curry (Folsom), Taylor Tonda (Granite Bay), Wade Willet (De La Salle-Concord), Ashton Morgan (Pleasant Valley-Chico) and Zay Randle (Monte Vista-Danville). If your name was on that list, feel proud. Each of these players were seriously considered and equally difficult to leave off of our offense. There’s also the matter of the Player of the Year awards that we named this issue. There were supposed to be two awards, we ended up with three, and our overall Player of the Year likely isn’t the player you think it is. We weigh a lot of things when considering our Player of the Year: Complete contribution to the team, versatility, team performance, and player performance in the biggest games. You’ll notice we didn’t list collegiate promise. We aren’t setting out to build the list of the cream of the crop of the NorCal’s top recruits. That’s for others to do. We’re trying to choose the best team based on players’ success during the 2016 high school season. That’s just a little something for you to keep in mind as you start making your list of who we left off. As for us, we will be going through the grind again as we choose our defensive roster to be released in the February issue. Wish us luck. ✪

JOIN OUR TEAM PHONE 925.566.8500 FAX 925.566.8507 EDITORIAL Editor@SportStarsOnline.com Editor Chace Bryson • Chace@SportStarsOnline.com Staff Writer Jim McCue • JimMcCue16@gmail.com Contributors Bill Kolb, Matt Smith, Clay Kallam, Dave Kiefer, Tim Rudd, Trevor Horn Copy Editor Bill Kruissink Photography Bob Larson, Jonathan Hawthorne, James K. Leash, Phillip Walton, Doug Guler, Berry Evans, III Marketing/Events Ryan Arter CREATIVE DEPARTMENT Art@SportStarsOnline.com Production Manager Mike DeCicco • MikeD@SportStarsOnline.com PUBLISHER/PRESIDENT Mike Calamusa • Mike@SportStarsOnline.com ADVERTISING Sales@SportStarsOnline.com, 925.566.8500 Account Executives Camps & Clinics: Ryan Arter • Camps@SportStarsOnline.com Alameda County: Berry Evans • Berry@foto-pros.com Central Valley, World Events: Anthony Grigsby • Area Director anthony.grigsby@worldeventssports.com Darin Wissner • JustAGameEvents@gmail.com READER RESOURCES/ADMINISTRATION Subscription, Calendar, Credit Services Info@SportStarsOnline.com DISTRIBUTION/DELIVERY Phillip Walton • Mags@SportStarsOnline.com INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY John Bonilla CFO Sharon Calamusa • Sharon@SportStarsOnline.com COMMUNITY SPORTSTARS™ MAGAZINE A division of Caliente! Communications, LLC 5356 Clayton Rd., Ste. 222 • Concord, CA 94521 • info@SportStarsOnline.com www.SportStarsOnline.com

Caliente!

LLC

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER IN USA

YOUR TICKET TO CALIFORNIA SPORTS ADMIT ONE; RAIN OR SHINE This Vol. #8, January 2017 Whole No. 127 is published by Caliente! Communications, LLC, 5356 Clayton Rd, Ste. 222, Concord, CA 94521. SportStars™© 2010-2014 by Caliente! Communications, LLC. All rights reserved. Subscription rates: 16 issues, U.S. 3rd class $35 (allow 3 weeks for delivery). 1st class $55. To receive sample issues, please send $3 per copy, or $6 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. 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.

Read Me. Recycle Me. 6

SportStars™

January 2017

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

TOP 5 TO-DO LIST FOR OBAMA’S FIRST 100 DAYS OF RETIREMENT In this, the first year we’ve ever been more worried about Friday the 20th than Friday the 13th, we feel honor-bound to offer to our outgoing POTUS the same guidance, wisdom, and counsel we have shared sagaciously with you, gentle readers, lo these many years. I mean, if anybody needs a life-coach right now it’s that guy, amiright? There might be one other guy... (Get off Twitter! Learn to tie a necktie! Release your taxes! Sorry. Uh. Hiccup. Small seizure. Tourette?) Anyway. Here’s our list of the Top 5 things former President Barack Hussein Obama should do with his first 100 days of retirement. 1. Tweet. Mercilessly. Continuously. Aggressively. What have you got to lose at this point? Somebody give the man his Blackberry back, already! 2. Maybe work on that golf game. Or. You know. Not. Seems like you’re already the leader in the clubhouse there. 306 rounds while in office. Frankly, we’re jealous. 3. Host some stuff. Have a party for the Clemson football team. Maybe the Super Bowl champs. The women’s and men’s Final Four winners. The Warriors (outside of the 100 days, but still... you see what we did there?). You know. All the teams that aren’t going to want to plug 1600 Pennsylvania Ave into the ol’ GPS after winning a title. Because it’s cooler to hang with Barry than with the short-fingered cheese-puff who will probably try to take credit for your field-hockey team’s success. Because he’s the best at field hockeying. 4. Chill. Dude. You rep the South Side. But you’re FROM Hawaii. Maybe just have an umbrella drink and work on your tan. Says here you’ve earned it. 5. Practice saying, “Live, from New York.” Like. A lot. Really belt it out. Because the only thing that’s gonna get us through the next four years is a steady dose of Alec Baldwin pouting and pontificating in orange-face, and we can only imagine what the cold-open would look like with the two of you. Maybe you could bemoan the fact that you’ve gotten a part-time gig at the county law library (you know, for the benefits), and he, intrigued, could ask you to explain this ‘lie-berry’ because it sounds deceitfully delicious. — Bill “Luther’s Anger Translator” Kolb Jonathan Ernst/Reuters via ZUMA Press

SportStars™

January 2017

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

#HASHTAG This issue’s edition of Hashtag is dedicated to the reaction of the breaking news from Jan. 17 that 15-year Del Oro-Loomis football coach Casey Taylor is leaving the program to take the head coaching job at Capital Christian-Sacramento. Taylor had led Del Oro to two straight CIF State Bowl games, winning in 2015 and losing by four to San Clemente this past December. JOE DAVIDSON, Sacramento Bee @SacBee_JoeD “Del Oro will remain a powerhouse. Golden Eagles have two terrific on-campus coaches in the mix: Steve Birch and Bill Sherman.”

MITCH STEPHENS, MaxPreps @MitchMashMax “This is huge news on high school football coaching front. This is a move you hear about in Texas or SoCal, but rarely in NorCal.”

MARK TENNIS, Cal-Hi Sports @CalHiSports “Will be interesting to see if Cap Chr intends to be NorCal version of Oaks Chr in SoCal or Valor Chr in Colo. or just small school titles.”

LUKE SHERIDAN, DE LA SALLE WRESTLING

SAY WHAT? “Especially after seeing the movie (“When The Game Stands Tall”), it’s kind of surreal.”

Sheridan was the first wrestler SportStars ever featured, going way back to Issue #4 in July of 2010. The feature occurred in the summer because Sheridan was just coming off of his first Greco-Roman national championship wrestling for the Community Youth Center of Concord. We’d cover his senior year closely as he finished he took a third-place finish in the 189-pound division of the CIF State Championships. He then had three successful seasons with Indiana University, earning bids to the NCAA Championships in his sophomore and junior seasons. In 2015, he joined the Army and competed in its World Class Athlete Program. And in early January, he was officially promoted to Sergeant.

St. John Bosco-Bellflower junior quarterback Re-al Mitchell immediately following the Braves’ 56-33 win over De La Salle in the CIF Open Division State Football Championship. It was a historic victory for Mitchell and his teammates. Their 56 points were the most ever scored against a De La Salle team since 1979, the year Bob Ladouceur took over the program and began building it into a state and national powerhouse. The previous high was 42.

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

January 2017

SportStars™

Streak Smarts

A 50-plus Game Win Streak Has Chino Hills Boys Hoops In Rare Territory

in streak records are especially fun to keep track of because when challenging teams come along over the years — and there aren’t many — it’s natural to relive those moments and bring those previous teams back into the spotlight. That is what happened when De La Salle-Concord went on its historic march to 151 straight wins in football. As the Spartans approached, and then surpassed, other schools on the all-time state and national list, players at those schools would gather and recall what they did together. Who will ever forget those former players who flew in from Hudson, Mich., in 1997 on a night at Diablo Valley College when De La Salle broke Hudson’s national record with its 73rd straight win? Such is happening now in California basketball with the Chino Hills boys team. Although the Huskies still have a way to go to reach the state record of 66, their first two wins of Baseline League play on January 11 and 13 put their win streak at 53 games, which tied the No. 6 mark on the all-time list of 53 that was set in 1974 by Stagg-Stockton. Based on the totals in the Cal-Hi Sports state records, Stagg’s 53-game win streak will sit at No. 2 in Northern California history no matter what Chino Hills does the rest of this season. Chino Hills eventually may challenge the all-time state record of 66 games set in 1969 by Compton. The all-time NorCal record of 65 was set in 1960 by McClymonds-Oakland. Chino Hills’ last loss was to San Ramon Valley-Danville in the 2015 CIF Division I title game, a contest that went to two overtimes. One Stockton resident who was interested to see what happened in those two Chino Hills league games is retired former Stagg coach Tom Conway. His teams reached 53 straight wins by compiling back-to-back unbeaten seasons of 25-0 and 28-0 in 1972 and 1973. It’s still the best two back-to-back 10

SportStars™

January 2017

La’Melo Ball season records in NorCal history. Stagg’s first unbeaten season concluded with a 79-72 victory over Placer-Auburn in the first-ever CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship. In the second year, the Delta Kings had to get past Elk Grove and its standout sophomore center, Bill Cartwright, in the semifinals and then topped Grace Davis-Modesto 73-61 in the championship. Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

“It was hard to do that twice, especially win the sections two years in a row and when there hadn’t been section playoffs before,” said Conway, who retired in 1997 after a 30-year coaching career that also included stints at Edison-Stockton, St. Mary’s-Stockton and Modesto Junior College. “In the first year, our center was only 6-4. But then in ‘73 the Washington brothers (Carl and David) transferred in from Balboa (San Francisco) as juniors and that made a big difference.” Stagg’s best players during the streak were guard Russ Coleman (who later played at Pacific and USF), John Hurley, Rich Witzke and Craig Minetto. Conway also was loaded on the bench. Two of his assistants during the streak were Bob Thomason and Rob DeWitt. Thomason can joke that the streak left with him since he left the school following the 1973 season for a job at Escalon. He later became the winningest coach ever of Pacific men’s basketball. DeWitt later became a head coach at Tracy and in 1984 guided the Delta College men’s team to its only state title. Even with the Washington brothers both returning, the streak didn’t last long in the 1973-74 season The Delta Kings lost in their opening game to Amador Valley-Pleasanton. Conway said he’s seen Chino Hills on TV several times and calls the accomplishments of the Huskies, who went 35-0 last season and had started 18-0 this season, “simply incredible.” This year’s team has continued to win behind senior guard LiAngelo Ball (who has a 72-point game) and sophomore guard LaMelo Ball. They’re the younger brothers of 2016 Mr. Basketball State Player of the Year Lonzo Ball, who is currently starring at UCLA. And what about the pressure of winning every time on the court for 53 consecutive games? “Actually, it was just a lot of fun,” Conway said. “We did have some close games, but survived all of them.” If Chino Hills’ win streak does reach 65, it would tie the total of McClymonds teams that included Paul Silas, one of the greatest rebounders in NBA history. See what we mean about these kinds of records bringing back memories? ✪ Mark Tennis is the co-founder of Cal-Hi Sports, and publisher of CalHiSports.com. Contact him at markjtennis@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter, @CalHiSports.

TOP 10 STATE BASKETBALL RANKINGS

DJ McDonald of Alemany

Maaeva Dwiggins of Carondelet

Through games of Monday, Jan. 16 BOYS 1. (1)

—

Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth

16-1

They became just the second team to accomplish the “SpringSpringfield Double-Dip,” which is winning the BassPro TOC in Springfield, Mo., and then winning in a high-profile game at the HoopHall Classic in Springfield, Mass., over the MLK weekend. 2. (2)

—

Chino Hills

18-0

Take your pick for rankings criteria because it’s hard to argue between the Huskies and their 53-game win streak and what Sierra Canyon has done. 3. (3)

—

Bishop Montgomery-Torrance

16-2

Team’s second loss was to national-power Montverde Academy of Florida at HoopHall Classic and was close enough not to cause a drop for the Knights. 4. (4)

—

Mater Dei-Santa Ana

19-1

We’ll find out more about the Monarchs on Feb. 3-4 when they host their own Nike Extravaganza. 5. (5)

—

Woodcreek-Roseville

16-2

With Sheldon losing to San Joaquin Memorial over the MLK weekend, the Timberwolves are a more solid No. 1 in the SacJoaquin Section. 6. (6)

—

Birmingham-Lake Balboa

15-3

Decaun Winston had a 43-point game for the Patriots two weeks ago and then last week Devante Doutrive had one of 38. 7. (8)

▲

Foothills Christian-El Cajon

14-2

Newly selected McDonald’s All-American Jaylen Hands had 32 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in win vs. Army-Navy Academy. 8. (11)

▲

Fairfax-Los Angeles

Damien-La Verne

Alemany-Mission Hills

5. (6) ▲ Carondelet-Concord 10-3 Yes, there is a blowout loss to Clovis West and two questionable losses at the Nike TOC in Arizona, but Cougars have a legit win vs. St. Mary’s and play Mitty on Jan. 25. 6. (7) ▲ St. Mary’s-Stockton 13-4 Losing by three points to Centennial of Las Vegas on their home court — in game that could have gone either way — looks a lot better for the Rams after what Centennial did to Clovis West. 7. (5) ▼ Harvard-Westlake-North Hollywood 16-1 Going to overtime against Millikan-Long Beach cost the Wolverines a couple of spots in this week’s rankings.

17-2

and its only other loss was to No. 4 Mater Dei. ▲

4. (4) — Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth 15-1 The Trailblazers suffered their only loss by two points to a South Salem of Oregon team that is led by McDonald’s All-American Evina Westbrook.

9. (15) ▲ Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland 12-3 Yes, we know the Dragons lost to Salesian but that was by one point and is overcome by the big win on MLK weekend over previous No. 8 Cardinal Newman.

This team’s loss last week, however, was to No. 2 Chino Hills 10. (13)

3. (3) — Long Beach Poly-Long Beach 10-3 Looking at their schedule, it doesn’t look like the Jackrabbits are going to have too many tests until the CIF Southern Section Open Division playoffs.

15-1

Damien-La Verne and Centennial-Corona all lost last week. —

2. (1) ▼ Clovis West-Fresno 15-2 The loss to Centennial was especially stunning since it was such a difference in scores from when the Golden Eagles first played the Bulldogs, a 57-42 win at the Nike TOC in Arizona.

8. (10) ▲ Mission Hills-San Marcos 15-2 Before the Grizzlies lost by 20 to Mitty at MLK event in Stockton, posted a solid win over Salesian-Richmond two days earlier.

The Lions move up three spots after Sheldon-Sacramento, 9. (9)

Through games of Monday, Jan. 16 GIRLS 1. (2) ▲ Archbishop Mitty-San Jose 13-2 Head coach Sue Phillips’ squad goes back to the top after previous No. 1 Clovis West lost big 70-44 to Centennial of Las Vegas at the Stockton St. Mary’s MLK Showcase. Besides, the Monarchs also have a head-to-head win over the Golden Eagles.

15-3

Junior transfer Fred “Bambi” Odhiambo is having an impactful season so far for head coach Tray Meeks.

10. (11) ▲ Alemany-Mission Hills 11-4 Loss last week was to St. Mary’s-Stockton, but team also had quality win vs. defending CIF Open Division state champ Chaminade.

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

January 2017

SportStars™

Roseville’s Wine Country Curling Club Debuts Barrel Bonspiel In March Wine Country Curling Club (WCCC) and Placer Valley Tourism (PVT) are thrilled to announce that on March 24-26 they will host a springtime bonspiel at Skatetown Ice Arena in Roseville. The WCCC already has a rich history with The Crush, their signature bonspiel that is held over Labor Day Weekend. And due to the wonderful success they have had with that tournament they have decided to add The Barrel Bonspiel. “We had such a great time hosting The Crush at Labor Day that we decided to host another bonspiel in March,” said Katie Feldman, President of WCCC. “Curling in California is growing so much, and we‘re proud to be the first club to now host two bonspiels in a year.” For those of you wondering what exactly curling is, think of a large shuffleboard on ice and throw in 42-lb curling stones that you literally do throw down a long sheet of ice that is 150 feet long and 15 feet wide and now you’re headed in the right direction. Points in curling are awarded to the team whose stones land closest to the “house,” which refers to the giant bull’s eye at either end of the sheet of ice. WCCC offers Learn-to-Curl clinics frequently. So if this has piqued your interested, attend one of these sessions and not only will you gain a wealth of curling knowledge, but you will also realize that this truly is a sport. For more information, or to register for a clinic, please go to www.winecountrycurlingclub.com. If you’d rather watch a competition before taking a stab at it yourself, then make sure to mark your calendar and come to The Barrel Bonspiel. The first games will start at 7 a.m. on Friday, March 24 and continue through Saturday, March 25 with finals beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 26. Every team that competes is guaranteed at least four games and registration is only $400 per team. We hope to see you there. ✪

SportStars™

January 2017

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Women Wrestlers Rock The West Coast TOC Hardwood Palace in Rocklin was transformed into a wrestling mecca on Dec. 17-18, rolling out the mats for the Women’s West Coast Tournament of Champions. Placer Valley Tourism (PVT), Sacramento Area Wrestling Association (SAWA) and Cliff Keen Wrestling teamed up to host the event which showcased both high school and college female wrestlers. “This was an amazing tournament that has the potential to become one of the biggest girls tournament in the nation,” SAWA Director of Communications Jeremy Arsich said. “And we have something no other tournament has — high school and college girls wrestling under the same roof, at the same time.” Arsich noted that the success of the WWCTOC — which was only in its second year — SAWA is excited to expand it by adding a day to both the high school and college division for December 2017. “Girls wrestling is growing and we are embracing that growth,” he added. Cliff Keen Wrestling as the title sponsor not only enhanced the tournament, but branded it with a dynamic logo that was well-received by wrestlers and spectators alike. They provided exclusive singlets for finalists, which many of the girls donned for their final match. Cliff Keen Custom backpacks were also awarded to the champions, and top placers all received high quality medals. More than 200 female wrestlers competed throughout the two-day event; 42 high school teams and several college teams from California, Oregon and Canada made for incredible matches and intense competition. There were 14 different weight classes in the high school division and 10 in the college rounds. Menlo College from the Bay Area and Simon Fraser University from Vancouver, BC, dominated in many of the college weight divisions. As for the high school divisions, it was a race to first place in points between Del Oro-Loomis and Selma. Selma won out and brought home the gold with 162.5 points and Del Oro finished close behind with 149.5. Congrats to all, and we look forward to hosting again at the end of the year. ✪ — All copy and photos provided by Placer Valley Tourism.

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

January 2017

SportStars™

Rancho Cordova Once Again to Be California Youth Rugby Hub

n the heels of the Rio Summer Games featuring rugby as an Olympic medal sport for the first time since 1924, interest in the sport has never been higher. It’s with great anticipation that the Sacramento Valley Rugby Foundation and Rugby NorCal will kick off the high school rugby season by hosting the 33rd Annual Sacramento Kick-Off Tournament at Cordova High on Jan. 21-22. The KOT, as it’s referred to in rugby circles, is one of the largest youth and high school rugby tournaments in the Western Hemisphere. The event acts not only as a top tournament, but it’s also considered a pre-season development tournament for both players and officials. While first-year players are able to learn on the fly in the forgiving structure of the 30-minute matches, more experienced teams can work on sharpening skills and execution. Aspiring referees can take part in a free Friday night training session with some of the top match officials from the western United States. The KOT is open to several levels of play. There will be boys and girls competitions in the following divisions: U-10, U-12, U-14 (two levels), U-17 (two levels) and U-19 (six levels). The tournament is open to both club teams and single high school teams. Many clubs and schools have been known to travel in from states such as Oregon and Washington, among others. For the high school teams, varsity and JV competition will be available on both days of the event. And tournament directors make every effort to minimize teams from playing in-season rivals. Playing schedules are often not set until one week prior to the tournament. For more information about the event, or to sign up your team. You’re encouraged to check out the KOT website at www.kickofftournament.com. ✪

SportStars™

January 2017

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

From left, Alyssa DeCosta, Robyn McCarthy, Delanie Sheehan, Lauren Sisneros, Haley Bostard & Devyn Gilfoy.

the pursuit of

LIBERTY

SportStarsâ&#x201E;¢

January 2017

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

rankly, you can’t talk about North Coast Section girls soccer without focusing on the East Bay Athletic League. For instance, a tour of NCS champions past will show that 14 of the past 16 Division I champions are EBAL schools. And if you go even further back in time, when there was just one classification, 33 of the 35 champions have been schools currently in the EBAL. And if one has an ability to peek into the future, a look at the state rankings at TopDrawerSoccer.com would predict more of the same. Three of the top five ranked teams in the state hail from the EBAL. Yet, there is one NCS team trying to change the conversation. The Liberty High Lions are one of the two non-EBAL teams to have won a title, doing so just two seasons ago. And the two teams ranked in the top five that aren’t from the EBAL? Yep, the Brentwood school is one of them, ranked No. 2 in the state, behind Carondelet-Concord. The Lions were 8-1-0 as of Jan. 11, with their only loss being a 4-3 defeat at the hands of the No.1-ranked team in the nation, Marcus High of Flower Mound, Texas. Regardless of that loss, the experience at the National Elite Prep Showcase in early January was invaluable to the team and will have it even more prepared for the remainder of 2017. “Texas was fantastic. I felt like we played well especially in our loss to Marcus,” Liberty coach Tony Martins said. “We led 1-0 at half and missed three 1 v. 1’s with the keeper in the first half alone. Playing in the NEPS has been a tremendous experience for our program. It is more than soccer. The players have the opportunity to visit and meet people from another state. It is good for the players to see each other in a different light other than the soccer field.” Since the 2013-2014 season, Liberty has gone an impressive 55-12-10, counting this season’s results. It’s reached the NCS playoffs in each of the three full seasons, winning a title and reaching the semifinals a season ago. Liberty is looking to be a program that performs at this level every year, and Martins understands what it takes to be just that. “I believe it has to do with the entire program and the culture that we have created,” Martins said. “When I say we, I mean the players that dedicate themselves to being the best student athlete they can, their parents who believe in the program, an administration that supports our program and a selfless coaching staff. Ultimately, we can provide parameters, but it is truly up to the student athlete to do the work.” Martins, who has been with the Liberty program since the 1991-1992 season, brings that consistency with him. He understands what his role is and also understands that it takes everybody doing their part in order to be successful. “I feel that there are many factors to the consistency of a program and not just because of a head coach,” Martins said. “I feel that every player, parent, coach and administrator past or present is proud of what we have all done here at Liberty with our soccer program. We have won league championships, been consistent with reaching the NCS tournament and have won an NCS title.” Martins enjoys winning, as any coach would, but a good coach understands what high school sports is supposed to be and doesn’t forget the lasting effect it will have on the student athlete.

Story by Matt Smith | Photos by Phillip Walton

There’s Good Girls Soccer Being Played Outside Of The East Bay’s Tri-Valley Region, And LibertyBrentwood Is Happy To Prove It Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

January 2017

SportStars™

“The concept that we are most proud of is the development of not only student athletes, but productive people of society that are quick to set goals, plan to achieve them and ultimately reach them,” Martin said. “Every player that plays here knows we are committed to them for life. Not for a season or two. We cannot play soccer forever. Our team slogan is, ‘A little bit about soccer and a lot about life.’ Looking back, I believe this philosophy is a contributor to our consistency.” Having good players definitely helps, and Liberty certainly has that. They have seven returning starters, including five committed to play in college with Delanie Sheehan (UCLA), Lauren Sisneros (UNLV), Robyn McCarthy (Fresno State), Devyn Gilfoy (Pepperdine) and Haley Bostard (Azusa Pacific). Gilfoy and Bostard wear the captain armbands for the Lions. It didn’t take Martins long to see what this group could be capable of. “I felt this group was special right away,” Martins said. “The level of talent they brought into this program has been phenomenal and a blessing. The realization took place the first time we took the field together. The camaraderie, the sense of family as well as the focus to get better each day were evident.” With this amount of talent buying into a proper vision, and with an approach that is pragmatic, the Lions appear to have the capability to stay out of their own way and to not take any opponent lightly in the Bay Valley Athletic League. “The ultimate goal is to peak and play your best soccer in February,” Martins said. “We stress the philosophy of one game at a time and respect every opponent that we compete against. The expectation is that they represent them-

SportStars™

January 2017

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

devyn gilfoy selves, their families and their school and to focus on the short term details to attain long-term goals.” This includes the temptation to look forward to a possible No. 1 versus No. 2 matchup in an NCS final. “No one likes looking ahead, and there is a lot of soccer left to be played by many talented teams besides Carondelet and ourselves,” Martins said. “We have the utmost respect for Carondelet, for what they have accomplished and how they are currently playing. The hope is that we take the necessary steps along the way to be able to play in the championship game regardless of opponent.” ✪

CONCORD DOJO KICKS OFF

30TH YEAR USKS Will Host Annual Performance To Celebrate 30th Anniversary This February

artial Arts is a way of life that is steeped in Asian tradition, having evolved over the last 2,000 years from a way of developing discipline and fitness, both mentally and physically, into a wide range of activities that includes self-defense, confidence, respect, and, of course, discipline and exercise. Since February 1987, local families have embraced the benefits of martial arts through classes at United States Karate Systems, a state-of-the-art family training facility Concord. Ron and Joyce Krupa, owners of USKS, offer classes in mixed martial arts to participants from ages 4-104. Their eclectic approach to learning the best of Karate, Judo, Aikido, Jujitsu and Taekwondo showcases a curriculum that is diversified and multi-faceted. Prior to the popularity of martial arts, the Krupas were giving off-site performances, showcasing the talents of their students in an effort to educate and entertain those who weren’t familiar with the arts. They have performed annually for 25 years at Bay Area KidFest, along with performances at Concord Fall Fest, Police Olympics and at local schools in an effort to promote the benefits of martial arts training for all ages. Today, even though martial arts has reached the mainstream, USKS continues its annual performance tradition. On Saturday, Feb. 11, it will host “Just for Kicks,” a martial arts show that celebrates the dojo’s 30 years and features performances by many of its students, including the Performance Team and those who have earned black belts. It takes place at Berean Christian High in Walnut Creek. Proceeds will be donated to charity. “These performances show the value of learning a life skill such as martial arts and what the result of respect, discipline, focus and self-control can bring,” said Ron Krupa. “It is also a unique opportunity for the younger students to see that if they stay committed and on task what they can achieve. “After all, every black belt was a white belt that just never gave up! And, it’s another opportunity for us to give back to the community.” The Krupas, who met in high school and became engaged while attending college, were introduced to martial arts when Ron was attending a police academy in the early 1970s and was encouraged to learn how to defend himself without using a weapon. When he began taking martial arts classes, Joyce joined him and together they developed a love for the art’s philosophy, trained, achieved accolades and eventually decided to teach others. For the first five years, the Krupas operated out of the multi-use room at King’s Valley Christian School, until the need for a larger space prompted a move to their current location in the Dianda Shopping Center, where they’ve remained for 25 years. Today, Shihan (which means “most excellent role model” in Japanese) Ron, a Martial Arts Hall of Fame Master, and Sensei (“teacher,” in Japanese) Joyce, a 5th-degree Black Belt, have raised four sons, all of whom have achieved black belts and are accomplished in martial arts. They also boast five grandchildren who are currently in training. In addition to training students and having awarded an average of three black belts every year over the past 30 years, the Krupas are perhaps the most fulfilled by the impact they’ve had on their pupils. “To watch a young person who grew up here go off to college and now make their way in the world is so rewarding,” Joyce said. “Earning a black belt is a remarkable achievement that, for many, springboards them on to even bigger accomplishments. … We have had children who were afraid to walk in the door, who are now mentoring others. We are very proud of each one. We feel privileged and honored to be a part of this community.” ✪ — Andrea Cardinale for USKS

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

January 2017

SportStars™

Versatile. Humble. Leader. Competitor. Athletic. Mature. Special. The adjectives to describe SportStars Magazine’s NorCal Football Player of the Year Mason Hurst are as plentiful as the skills that he possesses on and off the football field. “He’s just a special player and a special kid,” Del Oro coach Casey Taylor said of his three-year varsity star. “He is the most versatile player that I have had, and he does not come off of the field.” Hurst earned Player of the Year honors by excelling on both sides of the football while leading the Golden Eagles to their second consecutive CIF State Bowl Championship game. The senior hauled in 78 catches for 1,615 yards and 17 touchdowns to become the program’s all-time leading receiver. In his career as a Golden Eagle, Hurst had 159 receptions for 2,863 yards and 25 touchdowns. But offense was not Hurst’s perceived greatest on-field asset heading into his final high school football season. After a junior year in which he made 91 tackles along with nine interceptions for the CIF Division II-A champs, Hurst was viewed as a two-way talent who would eventually get more recruiting interest for his defense. That strength was again on display in 2016 as he made 75 tackles and added two interceptions while most opponents avoided throwing the ball his direction. Del Oro quarterback and longtime friend Stone Smartt looked Hurst’s way often all season. Despite being the primary target in the Golden Eagles’ passing game — and receiving double coverage at times — Hurst still burned opposing defenders, especially with the long ball. And he shined brightest when the stakes were highest. In Del Oro’s six postseason games this season, he had 34 catches and 10 TDs while increasing his yards-per-catch average more than 10 percent to a game-breaking 23.2-yard average for each playoff reception. “He was our main guy and he still put up great receiving numbers,” Taylor added. “He has the best hands that I’ve ever seen.” Hurst’s play on the field was a big reason Del Oro repeated as Sac-Joaquin Section and NorCal champs, but Taylor praised Hurst’s other contributions as a captain and a senior leader. Hurst understood his role with his fellow seniors to help show the next group of Golden Eagles what Del Oro football is about, and pass on a championship legacy by example. “I hope that I am remembered for my attitude and effort,” Hurst said. “I like to think that I have a good attitude toward football and other players, and that I always put forth a great effort.” Recruiters loved Hurst’s effort and his statistics, but at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, he knew that he might not get the offers a prototypical wide receiver might get. Although he was not sought after by Pac-12 programs and other Power 5 conference schools, the mature Hurst had a different perspective when evaluating where he would play and study at the next level. “I looked at it as a 40-year decision and not just a 4-year decision,” he said of evaluating offers. “I still have aspirations to play beyond college, but I was looking for a good fit with academics and athletics.” Hurst settled on Cal Poly San Luis Obispo which he said “checked all of the boxes” for football, academics and location. His versatility was a positive to the Mustangs and Hurst could see time on either side of the ball. “I told him to find a place to get a degree and make it work for you,” Taylor said. “I think it’s a great fit.” ✪ — Jim McCue

SportStars™

January 2017

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

The Hype Machine could have psyched him out. The relentless recruiting process could have distracted him. His team’s early season struggles could have left him with a notion to ease off the gas pedal, protect his body and not sell out on every play. All or some of that could have happened. But it never did. That’s just not how Najee Harris was built. Despite constant attention, a nagging knee injury that surfaced and faded multiple times throughout the season, and being the object of a tug-of-war between the two most recognizable coaches in college football, Najee Harris was always the same player once the ball was snapped. And boy did that player know how to light up a scoreboard. Harris is one of two SportStars’ NorCal Offensive Players of the Year following a season befitting of the nation’s No. 1 recruit. The 6-foot-2, 226-pound tailback rushed for a Bay Area-best 2,776 yards, averaging 9.5 yards per carry and reaching the end zone 34 times. He also caught 15 passes for 260 yards and two scores, and he tacked on 30 two-point conversions for a total of 246 points in 13 games. “It’s amazing with all the attention how he stays focused,” Antioch coach John Lucido said prior to Antioch’s season. “But (to him) it’s about his teammates. He’s not going to hold himself out and say ‘I’m going to save myself.’ … We have to hold him back. We have to stop him from working out. We have to hide the keys and hide the equipment.” Harris scrapped for every inch and willed a young and flawed team to the North Coast Section Division I final where the Panthers finished runners-up to Monte Vista-Danville. And when it was all said and done, and he’d repeated as the Player of the Year for both major Bay Area newspapers, and played in the U.S. Army All-American Game, Harris kept a commitment he’d made nearly 20 months earlier and enrolled early at the University of Alabama. Those who knew him best likely weren’t surprised. “That’s what he’s about,” Lucido said. ✪

An argument in favor of Ronnie Rivers winning any sort of Player of the Year trophy can almost start and end with seven simple words: He was the MVP of his league. Winning the highest honor in one’s league doesn’t always carry the gravitas one might need to win the regional honor as well. Except in Rivers’ case. That’s because the 5-foot-8, 170-pound running back shared the Bay Valley Athletic League with the nation’s No. 1 recruit, Antioch’s Najee Harris, and the back who became storied-Pittsburg’s career rushing leader, Montaz Thompson. But the BVAL coaches voted to anoint Rivers as the MVP after he literally did just about everything for a Falcons team which went 10-0 in the regular season. Rivers was named SportStars NorCal Co-Offensive Player of the Year following a season in which the Fresno State-bound back rushed for 2,239 yards and 33 touchdowns. He also caught 13 passes for 205 yards and two TDs. He completed a touchdown pass, and had three kickoff returns of 90 yards or more (scoring on two of them). Defensively, he made 28 tackles and returned his only interception for a touchdown. “His lateral quickness is so good,” Pittsburg coach Victor Galli said of him. “His speed once he got outside and turned on the jets, wow. He might be the best back I’ve seen (Freedom) have.” Statistically he is. His breakout game of the season came on Oct. 14 when Freedom defeated Antioch 65-28 and Rivers finished with single-game school records in rushing yards (389) and touchdowns (7). He then put together a six-touchdown effort in the NCS Open Div. semifinal — which the Falcons won. “He’s earned everything,” Freedom coach Kevin Hartwig said. “He’s the hardest worker. He’s just Ronnie. He’s the strongest kid to come through Freedom, pound-for-pound.” ✪

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

January 2017

SportStars™

SportStarsâ&#x201E;¢

January 2017

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

WELCOME TO

RUGBY 101 A Brief History And Introduction To One Of America’s New IT Sports

Over the course of the next few editions of SportStars Magazine, we want to introduce you to a sport that many consider the fastest growing team sport in the United States: Rugby. Youth Rugby in particular in Northern California is a force to be reckoned with, and we hope to give you insight into the game and the member clubs of Rugby NorCal, the governing body for youth rugby here in Northern California, in hopes that you might just be enticed to attend an event, or sign your child or yourself up at a local club.

HISTORY In 1823, during a game of football (soccer) at Rugby School in England, 16-year-old William Webb Ellis picked up the ball and ran with it towards his opponents’ goal line. The reaction of his fellow players or any officials is not recorded, but the advantages of playing the game in this natural fashion were obvious to Ellis’s schoolmates who followed his example. And so the game of rugby was born. William Webb Ellis has an official headstone in the grounds of Rugby School with this inscription: “This stone commemorates the exploit of William Webb Ellis who, with a fine disregard for the rules of football, as played in his time, first took the ball in his arms and ran with it, thus originating the distinctive feature of the rugby game. A.D. 1823” Rugby is also the precursor of American football and has been played in the United States since about 1870. American football, as well as basketball, owes many of its characteristics to rugby. In fact, basketball was invented by James Naismith as an indoor alternative to rugby when the New England winters required an indoor game. Some of rugby‘s characteristics such as quick switches between attack and defense, ball handling and committing defenders to attack space are all found in basketball. Some people liken rugby to tackle basketball on grass. Similarly, American football evolved with many of the same principles, strategies and tactics as rugby. In fact, between 1917 and 1919, American football was stopped/postponed because of the large increase and severity of injuries on the field. This prompted many of the heralded college rivalries to substitute rugby for their football games during this time. Eventually the rules of football were modified and football again took center stage.

THE GAME Players & Positions — Rugby has fifteen players on each team. Everyone on the pitch plays offense and defense, and the number of each player signifies that player‘s specific position. Jersey numbers above 15 are worn by substitute players. Players numbered one through eight are forwards —typically the larger, stronger players of the team whose main job is to win possession of the ball. They would be the equivalent to American football linebackers and lineman. Players numbered nine through 15 are backs — the smaller, faster and more agile players. Backs may be equated to running backs, wide receivers and quarterbacks in American football. Time of Match — A match consists of two 40-minute halves (35 minutes for high school and youth) with no time outs. Play stops for infractions, dead balls (when the ball is buried in a ruck or maul), or when the ball goes out of bounds. The clock only stops for injuries. Field of Play — Rugby is played on a field, called a pitch, which is about the size of a soccer field. Additionally, there are 10-meter end zones, called the try zones or in-goal areas, behind the goalposts. The goalposts are the same size as American football goalposts. The Ball — A rugby ball is made of leather or other similar synthetic material and is best described as a large, over-inflated football with no laces. Next month, we will get into the nuances of the game, how it is played, how points are scored, and answer the most burning question of all; What exactly is a scrum anyway? If you have any questions, or would like more information on how to get involved yourself, contact Mark Carney at mcarney@rugbynorcal.org or visit rugbynorcal.org ✪ Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

January 2017

SportStars™

Dunniway

QB — JAKE DUNNIWAY

OL — POPO AUMAVAE

St. Mary’s-Stockton | Sr. | 6-2, 190 Dunniway led the Rams to their first Sac-Joaquin Section championship and CIF State Bowl appearance since 2008 with a section-best 4,066 yards passing to go along with 46 TDs. The senior threw for nearly 1,800 yards and 18 TDs in six postseason games.

St. Mary’s-Stockton | Sr. | 6-4, 315

RB — NAJEE HARRIS Antioch | Sr. | 6-2, 226 He is who the rest of the country thought he was as the nation’s most recruited senior running back. Despite battling a nagging knee injury for much of the season, Harris still rushed for an East Bay-best 2,776 yards with 36 total TDS (34 rushing) and 30 two-point conversions over 13 games. After much speculation, he stuck to his 20 month-old oral commitment to Alabama.

The Oregon commit was a load in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Aumavae protected AllNorCal QB Dunniway and blasted open holes for RB Dusty Frampton to help St. Mary’s reach the CIF State Bowl Championships.

OL — AARON BANKS El Cerrito | Sr. | 6-7, 318 NorCal’s top-recruited offensive lineman chose Notre Dame from a list of more than 30 major universities vying for his talent and athleticism. The two-sport (basketball) standout also helped the Gauchos finish 8-4 and win the Tri-County Athletic League’s Rock Division title.

RB — RONNIE RIVERS

OL — DYLAN MCCREERY

Freedom-Oakley | Sr. | 5-8, 170 Rivers was a big play waiting to happen every time he touched the ball. The Fresno State-commit rushed for 2,239 yards and 33 TDs. He also had two receiving TDs, two kick return TDs and passed for a score. He won the BVAL MVP (over Harris) as Freedom went 10-0 in the regular season and finished as NCS Open Div. runner-up.

Valley Christian-San Jose | Sr. | 6-4, 324

WR — CUTRELL HAYWOOD

He was named the West Catholic Athletic League’s Most Valuable Lineman after helping lead a Warriors offense that averaged more than 260 yards on the ground and had a pair of 1,000-yard rushers. Valley Christian went 13-2 and finished five points shy of a CIF II-AA State Bowl title.

OL — ORLANDO UMANA Grant-Sacramento| Sr. | 6-4, 315

Stagg-Stockton | Sr. | 6-1, 155 The speedy receiver hauled in a SJS-best 100 catches for 1,644 yards and 22 TDs. Haywood had at least one TD reception in every game and recorded 9 games with 100-plus yards receiving, including a 17-catch, 211-yard effort with 4 TDs (all career highs) against Christian Brothers.

WR — MASON HURST Del Oro-Loomis | Sr. | 6-1, 190 The Cal Poly-bound receiver was an offensive force with 78 catches for 1,615 yards to help the Golden Eagles to their second consecutive CIF State Bowl Championship appearance. Hurst was especially clutch in the playoffs with 34 receptions and 10 TDs in six postseason games.

Banks

Krommenhoek

The latest in the Pacers’ long line of D-1 lineman prospects is committed to the University of Utah. The veteran blocker anchored a massive Grant line that helped its backs rush for more than 2,500 yards and 30 TDs.

OL — ALIJAH VERA-TUCKER Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland | Sr. | 6-5, 291 This USC-bound talent was the personal pilot car for sophomore tailback Austin Jones. Jones rushed for just shy of 2,000 yards and 27 TDs for the 15-win, CIF Div. V-AA State Bowl champs.

K — PEYTON HENRY

TE — ERIK KROMMENHOEK

Monte Vista | Sr. | 6-0, 195

Monte Vista-Danville | Sr. | 6-5, 240 The USC-bound talent was instrumental in helping the Mustangs go 12-1 and win the NCS Div. I title. He had 26 catches for 447 yards (17.1 yds/catch) and seven TDs. His blocking skills were also a huge part of running back Shane Perry’s 1,657 rushing yards.

There was a little doubt in Henry having NorCal’s most effective foot in 2016. He had touchbacks

SportStars™

January 2017

on 84 of his 93 kickoffs, was a perfect 69-for-69 PAT kicks, went 8-for-11 on field goal attempts with a long of 47 yards, and had a punting average of 36.7 yards. He’s committed to Virginia as a preferred walk-on.

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

QB — Jake Haener | Monte Vista | Sr. | 6-1, 185 | Washington-commit threw just shy of 3,000 yards with 37 TD & rushed for 6 more. QB — Jack Newman | Analy-Sebastopol | Sr. | 6-1, 180 | Completed 70 percent of his passes for NorCal-best 4,488 yards and 55 TDs with just 5 INTs. RB — Elijah Dotson | Antelope | Sr. | 5-10, 185 | 2,223 yards, 25 TDs, 9.8 yards per carry; 3,031 all-purpose yards and 33 total TDs. RB — Dusty Frampton | St. Mary’s-Stockton | Jr. | 5-11, 215 | SJS-best 2,345 yards rushing and 42 TDs, including 811 yards and 9 TDs in SJS, NorCa & state finals. RB — Kairee Robinson | De La Salle-Concord | Jr. | 5-8, 185 | Rushed for 2,013 yards and 25 TDs; Ran for 202 yards, 2 TD in CIF Open State Bowl loss. RB — Will Semone | Oakdale | Sr. | 5-8, 195 | Stanislaus District record 2,851 yards rushing; 1,684 postseason yards, including 219 yards and 6 TDs in Division III-A CIF State Bowl. WR — Baylei Coston | Freedom | Jr. | 5-10, 160 | Caught 63 passes for 1,337 yards and 15 TD; Also had 30 tackles, 3 INT as DB

Dotson

WR — Isaiah Hodgins | Berean Christian-Walnut Creek | Sr. | 6-4, 200 | Oregon State-bound talent had 94 catches, 1,521 yards and 21 TDs. WR — Drake Stallworth | Folsom | Sr. | 6-2, 190 | 1,224 yards receiving, 19 TDs; averaged 20.1 yards per catch. TE — Jimmy Jaggers | Roseville | Sr. | 6-4, 240 | UCLA commit; 283 yards receiving, 2 TDs; excellent blocker. OL — Cole Norgaard | St. Mary’s-Stockton | Sr. | 6-5, 270 | Multiple D-1 offers, including Washington, Arizona, and Nevada; helped Rams to SJS and NorCal D-1 titles. OL — Drew Dalman | Palma-Salinas | Sr. | 6-3, 265 | Son of former 49ers OL Chris Dalman will move on to Stanford in the fall.

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

January 2017

SportStars™

hea Weathering Perhaps The Most Ambitious Schedule In The State, Sacred Heart Cathedral Wants To Forge A Path To The CIF’s Top State Championship Division

Ilmar’i Thomas

SportStars™

January 2017

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Story by Clay Kallam | Photos by Jim Johnson

artattack L

yRyan Russell’s basketball résumé is already overflowing — but he’s still not satisfied. A McDonald’s All-American when he graduated from Sacred Heart Cathedral-San Francisco in 1997, Russell went on to play for USF and then overseas. He was a playercoach for Chemnitz in the German league, and as a high school coach, he already has a state title to his credit, as well as a NorCal championship. But even though most coaches, and most schools, would be happy with a single state championship banner hanging in their gym, the one Sacred Heart Cathedral can claim is a CIF Division III state title. What Russell wants in order to pad out his resume even further is an Open Division championship. “We want to go Open,” says Russell, of this year’s team. “There wasn’t total satisfaction last year because it wasn’t the Open” – which means the best teams weren’t necessarily in the same bracket with SHC. To try to make the jump, Russell has, as always, lined up a murderer’s row schedule, playing against the top teams in the state on a night-in, night-out basis. So even though the Irish were just 7-5 heading into the MLK Holiday weekend, one shouldn’t be fooled by the record. Two of the losses are to North Bay power Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa, two more are to perennially nationally ranked St. Mary’s-Stockton, and one is to No. 2 in the nation Clovis West-Fresno. Most coaches would schedule one of those games and then look for some wins, but not Russell. “To be the best,” says Russell, echoing an athletic cliché, “you have to beat the best. To

compete with the St. Mary’s of Stocktons and Mittys (San Jose), and get ready for postseason, you have to play a tough schedule.” In fact, Sacred Heart Cathedral lost nine games last year, a large amount for a state champion, but in line with the record one would expect from playing an elite schedule. Of course, it makes it a lot easier when you have one of the top players in California on your roster — that would be IImar’I Thomas, a 6-1 senior who’s committed to the University of Cincinnati. “Her basketball IQ is off the charts,” Russell said. But her skills are also dazzling. Thomas can go inside or out, and she’s the go-to player at both ends of the floor. “The most fun is being able to switch it up,” Thomas said. “If I know someone is smaller, I’ll post them up; if they’re bigger, I’ll take them outside and go around them.” But unlike many of today’s players, Thomas has not nurtured an impassioned love affair with the 3-pointer. “I definitely like to go to the basket,” she said. Of course, she’s a marked woman to begin with, and getting into the paint just gives opponents numerous opportunities to see how tough she is. “I leave with scratches every game,” says Thomas. But the physicality and extra attention doesn’t bother her. “I think it’s fun,” she said. “It’s a compliment. When teams say ‘Oh, we’ll shut her down’ and then they don’t, that’s the best.” Thomas, though, is just one of a long line of outstanding players at Sacred Heart Cathedral, including Russell’s sister, Toni. She graduated in 2001 after playing for Brian Harrigan, now

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

January 2017

SportStars™

“To be the best, you have to beat the best. To compete with the St. Mary’s of Stocktons and Mittys (San Jose), and get ready for postseason, you have to play a tough schedule.” — Coach LyRyan Russell

Records are through Jan. 16 1. (1)

—

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

13-2

2. (2)

—

St. Mary’s-Stockton

13-4

3. (3)

—

Carondelet-Concord

10-3

4. (4)

—

Salesian-Richmond

10-5

5. (8)

▲

Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland

12-3

6. (5)

▼

Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa

13-3

7. (6)

▼

Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F.

8-6

8. (7)

▼

McClatchy-Sacramento

13-2

9. (9)

—

Pinewood-Los Altos Hills

13-2

10. (10)

—

Miramonte-Orinda

14-2

11. (11)

—

Elk Grove

14-3

12. (13)

▲

Heritage-Brentwood

13-1

13. (14)

▲

James Logan-Union City

12-3

14. (12)

▼

St. Ignatius-S.F.

14-2

15. (NR)

▲

Menlo-Atherton-Atherton

13-1

16. (16)

—

Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills

11-8

17. (17)

—

Folsom

15-3

18. (19)

▲

Eastside College Prep-E. Palo Alto

11-5

19. (20)

▲

Lincoln-Stockton

11-4

20. (NR)

▲

West Campus-Sacramento

12-3

DROPPED OUT: No. 15 Brookside Christian-Stockton and No. 18 Campolindo-Moraga. 5 TEAMS KNOCKING (alphabetically): Brookside ChristianStockton (14-4), Campolindo-Moraga (11-5), Del Oro-Loomis (15-4), Modesto Christian (11-3) and Vanden-Fairfield TEAMS REMAINING FROM PRESEASON TOP 20: 16

SportStars™

January 2017

the coach at St. Francis-Mountain View (a league rival of the Irish), and the man in charge at SHC when the team went 32-0 and won the 2008 national championship with a roster stacked with elite players. Toni now sits beside him as an assistant on the Lancers bench. “I try to get Toni to coach with me every year,” LyRyan said, “but she won’t come.” That makes the twice-a-year battles between SHC and St. Francis even more interesting. “We go out to dinner afterward” LyRyan said of how he and his sister deal with the competition. “There’s friendly trash talk — it’s all good. Somebody’s upset for a while.” And it’s not always about basketball, as both want to win the style battle as well. “Who has the better outfit is important too,” says LyRyan. But Sacred Heart Cathedral’s success is more than Russell’s coaching and Thomas’ outstanding play. The Irish are deep and, now that two transfers are eligible, versatile as well. Jayden Benitez and Talo Li-Uperesa completed the mandatory sit-out period for transfers just before Sacred Heart Cathedral played national powerhouse Clovis West. “Their first game was Clovis West,” Russell said. “They got thrown into the fire.” Benitez has taken over the starting point guard role, but that hasn’t caused any resentment or created any issues within the team. Senior Edina del Rosario, who was running the point, happily shifted to the wing. “Jayden is a better point guard,” she said, “and on the wing, I can attack more.” But del Rosario’s specialty is defense. “I do the dirty work,” she says, and she leads the team in steals. Li-Uperesa, a sophomore, is coming off the bench, but Russell is very happy to add her to the rotation. “It puts people back in their more natural positions,” he said. Benitez is another quality ballhandler, a trait Russell thinks is vital for success against the kind of schedule the Irish play. “The more ballhandlers you have, the more dangerous you are as a team.” Still, the key is Thomas. “I ask a lot of her,” Russell said, “but she does it so effortlessly and she gets everyone involved.” “She gives us a lot of credit,” del Rosario said of Thomas. “It doesn’t bother me that she’s the star — my role is different than hers.” How Russell got involved with girls basketball goes back to San Francisco legend Oscar Ruiz, who funneled many of the players who won that 2008 national title through his Mission Rec program. “I had coached boys,” said Russell, “but Oscar asked me to coach with him. I really didn’t want to, but since it was Oscar, I said yes.” And he’s never looked back. “You can see the development and improvement more with girls than with boys,” Russell said. “The girls are more open to getting better, and you see more fundamentals.” You also see state championships and lofty goals. Given the level of play in Northern California this year, it might be a stretch for Sacred Heart Cathedral to be one of the eight teams in the NorCal Open Division. And even if the Irish get there, it will be a battle to reach a second straight state title game — but Russell and his team will be prepared. After the schedule they’ve already played, they’re more than ready to take on any challenge, and maybe add another line to Russell’s résumé. ✪ Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Edina del Rosario

Jayden Benitez

De La Salle Delivers In Showcase Clutch Win At MLK Event Has Spartans Trending Upward MORAGA irst-year coach Justin Argenal knew it was a key moment for his De La Salle High basketball team. Playing Harvard-Westlake-North Hollywood in the 20th Annual MLK Classic showcase event, which the Spartans hosted Jan. 16 at Saint Mary’s College, it was the first chance for Argenal’s team to show its mettle in a spotlight event in the East Bay. And De La Salle showed well — fighting off a sluggish start to come from behind and hold off the Wolverines with a 43-41 win. Argenal knew the importance of the moment, because he’d been there before. “I remember being in that locker room coming out to play in the MLK game,” said Argenal, a 2004 De La Salle grad who played in a pair of marquee MLK matchups at McKeon Pavilion, losing each time to Oakland Tech teams led by future NBA talent, Leon Powe. “It’s just a cool feeling. … Obviously, it’s better after a win. That feeling that we had in the locker room is what I hope they can take with them after we leave here. That’s what it’s all about.” De La Salle, which fell to Chino Hills in the CIF Open Division State Championship game just 10 months ago, opened its first season under Argenal with a 5-1 start. The Spartans then traveled to the I’olani Tournament in Honolulu and promptly lost three of four. The team had won five straight upon returning to the mainland, but was looking at the MLK game as true test of how far its come since its late-December swoon.

De La Salle’s Connor O’Dea

SportStars™

January 2017

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Records are through Jan. 16

Capital Christian’s Zachary Chappel “Hawaii was kind of a growing experience,” Argenal said. “We needed to kind of circle the wagons and get better, and we’ve done that the past few weeks.” The opening four minutes against Harvard-Westlake looked shaky, however. The Spartans fell behind 8-0 and were forced into an early timeout. They then got a boost off the bench from Eric Headley, who scored seven of the team’s nine points in the quarter, and things began to balance. De La Salle led by six heading into the fourth and the Wolverines slowly closed the gap before tying things at 39-39 with under two minutes to go. Justin Pratt, who led the team with 15 points, broke the tie on a layup and then Emeka Udenyi sealed it with a basket inside the final 30 seconds. Udenyi finished with six points, 13 rebounds (six in the fourth) and three assists. “The key for us has been trusting each other,” Spartans senior Connor O’Dea said afterword. “It’s relying on one another to make a play no matter who makes a play. As long as we get the job done.” De La Salle left McKeon with a 12-4 overall record and prepared to go back into East Bay Athletic League play where it was 3-0 with a big showdown looming with Dublin (16-1, 4-0 through Jan. 16) on Jan. 26. “We have to be ready to play because all these teams are well coached. Dublin is obviously really good, Monte Vista. But not just those two, our league has several teams that are tough. Especially on the road.” Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

CAPITAL GAINS

Capital Christian-Sacramento (9-7 through Jan. 16) has had its share of ups and downs over the first half of the season, but the Cougars perhaps put forth their best effort of the season in an 98-81 MLK Classic win over Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland. Bishop O’Dowd led 2-0 and 4-2, and then it was seemingly all Cougars the rest of the way. Capital Christian led by five after the first period, by nine at halftime and by 14 after three. “That was one of our best games,” junior guard Zachary Chappel said. “We have a lot of work to do, but that was one of our better games.” Chappel scored 20 points in the win, but some of the game’s biggest daggers came from 6-1 senior guard Conor Jefferys, who finished with 23. “That’s my guy, Conor,” Chappel said with a big grin. “He shoots the lights out. Every time I pass to him, I just run back because I know it’s going in. Meanwhile, Bishop O’Dowd — which opened its season with a big win over Bishop Montgomery-Torrance, the state’s No. 1-ranked team at the time — dropped to 6-7 and back to square one in a talented team’s search for consistency. “We just have to control what we can control,” Dragons coach Lou Richie said. “We’ve got to become a better rebounding team. We’ve said that from Day One. And then take care of the off-the-court things. Being responsible. Being mature. And our kids as a whole are not doing a good job of that at all.” ✪ — Chace Bryson, Photos by Phillip Walton Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

1. (1)

—

Sheldon-Sacramento

13-2

2. (2)

—

Woodcreek-Roseville

16-2

3. (3)

—

Salesian-Richmond

15-3

4. (4)

—

St. Joseph Notre Dame-Alameda

15-1

5. (6)

▲

Dublin

16-1

6. (7)

▲

Vanden-Fairfield

16-0

7. (8)

▲

Capital Christian-Sacramento

9-7

8. (9)

▲

Oakland Tech

16-3

9. (10)

▲

De La Salle-Concord

12-4

10. (5)

▼

Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland

6-7

11. (11)

—

Freedom-Oakley

13-3

12. (13)

▲

St. Ignatius-S.F.

13-1

13. (15)

▲

St. Patrick-St. Vincent-Vallejo

13-3

14. (16)

▲

Bellarmine-San Jose

13-1

15. (14)

▼

St. Francis-Mountain View

11-3

16. (17)

▲

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

8-6

17. (18)

▲

James Logan-Union City

13-3

18. (19)

▲

Burbank-Sacramento

14-2

19. (12)

▼

Folsom

14-4

20. (NR)

▲

Heritage-Brentwood

15-2

DROPPED OUT: No. 20 Monte Vista-Danville 5 TEAMS KNOCKING (alphabetically): Fremont-Oakland (14-5), Mission-S.F. (16-1), Modesto Christian (11-5), Las Lomas-Walnut Creek (13-4) and Palo Alto (12-2). TEAMS REMAINING FROM PRESEASON TOP 20: 13

January 2017

SportStars™

SportStarsâ&#x201E;¢

January 2017

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Mt. Shasta Ski Park Has Optimum Conditions For A Celebration

s of Jan. 12, Northern California’s drought was declared over thanks to one of the wettest winters in decades. Which also means snow. Lots of snow. All of which leads to perfect timing for Mt. Shasta Ski Park to be celebrating its 31st anniversary. The party will take place on Jan. 28. The park will be open until 8 p.m. with night skiing available on up to 14 trails. The festivities will feature a DJ and live music, along with fireworks. Mt. Shasta, located approximately an hour north of Redding, has California’s fourth highest peak (14,179 feet) and a gem of a ski park. The park features 425 acres of skiable terrain, three chair lifts and 32 trails covering 1,435 vertical feet. If you’re not interested in fighting the Lake Tahoe crowds, there’s much a winter mountain enthusiast can find at the mountain on the southern end of the Cascade Range. Night skiiing and snowboarding isn’t exclusive to the anniversary celebration. It happens every Friday and Saturday through mid-March. Mt. Shasta also has two terrain parks for snowboarders, and a designated tubing area that includes two side-by-side lanes approximately the length of a football field. As for the terrain parks, Revolution Terrain Park can be accessed from both Douglas and Coyote Lifts. This park is more advanced and includes a rail garden loaded with rails, boxes and the like. The snow line features table tops, gaps and spines which are mixed in with down rail and box features. The other terrain park, Silver Tip Terrain Park, can be accessed from the Marmot Lift. It consists of a series of small rails, boxes and a smaller snow feature table tops and roller hits. For the alpine skiing purists — of all levels — Mt. Shasta won’t let you down. The diversity in trail levels break down to 20 percent beginner, 55 percent intermediate and 25 percent advanced. In addition to the three chair lifts, there are also two carpet lifts where novices can learn before hitting the bigger slopes. What else will you find at Mt. Shasta? A comfortable lodge with food and beverage options, a mountain shop to serve all your winter fun needs and free parking. Also, if your adventureous side wants to take you off the beaten path, the park also offers guided back-country skiing tours. Daily hours of operation are 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and when night skiing is offered, it runs until 8 p.m. For more information on the park, or the 31st anniversary event, visit www.visitredding.com. ✪

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

January 2017

SportStars™

Full-Time Club Full-Time Cost I play soccer year-round and some of the better players don’t play for their high schools. Why wouldn’t someone play for their high school? I know the competition isn’t as good during the summer as it is during the school year, but don’t colleges care about what happens in high school? R. J., Vallejo

nother complicated question, with a lot of layers in the answer. First, if an athlete has taken advantage of a high school’s interscholastic program, in any sport at any time during his or her high school career, then he or she, in a very real sense, owes it to the school to play on the varsity. It’s not just a one-way street, where students take advantage of the offerings of a school and don’t give anything back in return. Now, if an athlete has never played an interscholastic sport, and never been taught by an extremely underpaid high school coach, or used equipment from the high school, or taken advantage of high school facilities, then there isn’t an obligation. But for an elite athlete in any sport to play in a program for three years and then say, “I’m done now, even though I can give more back this year than ever before,” just isn’t right. A second point is that club coaches have a serious financial incentive to downgrade the importance of high school sports. They make no money while high school athletes play for their schools, so naturally it’s to their advantage to denigrate high school programs and the importance of high school athlet-

SportStars™

January 2017

ics. Which is why, despite all evidence to the contrary, club coaches insist young players play their sport year-round — even though cross-training is better physically for young athletes, and there is no proof that playing a sport 12 months a year, rather than nine months, leads to a better chance of a scholarship. The more club coaches can discredit high school sports, the more money they will make, plain and simple. Third, in many important ways, a high school team more accurately reflects the realities of college sports than a club team. Yes, the competition level may not be as good in high school, but managing the relationships developed in five- or six-day-a-week practices is a skill that becomes even more critical in college where every player was a star at the youth level. Also, the goals of college teams reflect the goals of high school teams more than they do of club teams. By this I mean that often club teams are viewed as a mechanism for an individual to earn a scholarship or get into a particular college; a high school team, on the other hand, is focused on winning games and accomplishing team goals. There’s nothing wrong with the club system, it’s just different — and showing off individual skills against elite competition is an important facet of recruiting. So, however, is the ability to mesh with teammates on a daily basis, and work for team rather than individual goals, which is why both club and interscholastic play are important. Unfortunately, too many elite athletes are choosing to skip prep sports, especially in soccer, and it’s a shame. They’re missing out, their teammates are missing out, their classmates are missing out and so is the community at large. ✪ Clay Kallam has been an assistant athletic director and coached multiple sports for a handful of high schools throughout the Bay Area. To submit a question for Behind the Clipboard, email him at clayk@fullcourt.com

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Escape The

FOOD POLICE

Reasons Dieting Shouldn’t Be Among Those 2017 Goals

nutrition: jill daniels The beginning of the year brings many new things: New outlook, a fresh start and new year resolutions. Many people set resolutions concerning their weight, eating habits or workout routine. Commercials and advertisements abound for quick fixes, promising excellent results and a thinner body. Family or friends or teammates can also contribute to this temptation to diet, as they flaunt their success with the latest, greatest program. But before you go jumping on the bandwagon, take a look at the facts about dieting and the consequences it brings. Dieting has a 97 percent failure rate. Yes, 97 percent. That’s really high. Dieters usually blame themselves when they can’t stick with their diet, but in reality it’s the diet that has failed them. If your mechanic failed to fix your car 97 percent of the time, would you blame yourself? Or keep going back to the same mechanic? Of course not! We need to stop blaming ourselves, and we need to ditch the diets. They don’t work. Dieting is like holding your breath. You’ll eventually gasp for air. Our bodies are control freaks, so if something dramatically changes in a short period of time (for example, your calorie intake) then your body will fight to maintain balance to prevent drastic weight loss. Your metabolism will slow down, your energy levels will decrease and your cravings will increase. Nobody I know wants to experience these consequences. If that’s true for you too, the solution is simple: don’t diet. Dieting increases the likelihood of eating disorders, disordered eating and body hatred. Some of my clients innocently entered into the world of dieting, only to find themselves years and years later with a continually confusing and rocky relationship with both food and their bodies. Weighing and measuring foods, counting points or calories, or following a restrictive meal plan are not needed for good health or a healthy weight. These are tools of the Food Police, which imposes lots of external rules, restriction and rigidity. Instead of dieting, we can tune in to our bodies and the wisdom we have there. We’ve been born with an intuitive eating system, so that our bodies know how to eat in order for us to reach and maintain a weight that is just right for our bodies. Tune in to your body and note your hunger and fullness levels throughout the day. You can even write down information about your eating experiences, such as what you ate, when you ate, why (hunger, boredom, happiness, stress, etc.), where and how much. Notice how you felt afterwards and make a mental note if you would change anything. Was it satisfying and energizing? Or was it miserable and stressful? Did it leave you comfortable? Or are you still hungry and unsatisfied? Noticing what works and what doesn’t work can help you know where adjustments can be made for next time. This year, make a resolution to NOT diet. Instead, choose to follow your intuitive wisdom, so that you’ll be able to experience a more peaceful relationship with food, improved self-esteem and body image, and better physical and emotional health. Now THAT sounds like it will bring you a much happier new year! ✪ Maximize your performance by seeking out personalized advice from Nutrition Coach Jill Daniels, MS, RD, CSSD, Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. www.JillDanielsRD.com

SportStars™

January 2017

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

NEW year NEW opportunities get mental: erika carlson It’s that time of year again: When we look forward, dreaming about all that we will accomplish. If you dream of having a meaningful and successful journey through sports, investing some time in these areas will help create a foundation of mental strength to help you thrive on and off the playing surface.

HAVING PURPOSE For some, the purpose in sports is simple: Win. For others, the purpose may be to earn a scholarship or push personal limits. What your purpose is, isn’t nearly as important as actually having a clear purpose for your pursuit of sport. Having a reason (your “why”) to work hard, especially on days when you lack motivation, or are in a slump, or are frustrated with your speed of development. ›› Challenges — Without purpose, it’s easy to give in. It’s easy to avoid training when you don’t feel like it. Not go the extra mile. Not get

mentally fit. ›› Advice — Set aside 10 minutes per day for the next five days to write about your purpose. Why are you pursuing your sport? Why have you chosen your goals? Why do you want to work hard this year? Why do you want to feel successful?

STAYING COMMITTED Once purpose is established, it must be matched with commitment. You know that feeling that you should go to training, or do those extra push-ups, or stretch, but you really don’t want to? That’s where commitment comes in. It’s the willingness to keep going. ›› Challenges — We all have time where our motivation doesn’t sustain us. That’s normal. Motivation will always ebb and flow. Commitment is continuing on your path even when motivation ebbs. It’s doing the extra work, pushing for the extra level of intensity, finding ways to get stronger — even when you’re not feeling it. ›› Advice — Identify times when you pushed yourself further than you thought you could. Take some time to relive that experience in your mind. How did you push yourself? How did you feel once you got started? How did you

feel afterwards? As you build experience staying committed, it will get easier. You will build confidence in your ability to stay committed, regardless of motivation or distractions.

EMBRACING THE JOURNEY This can be a tricky thing when you’re a young athlete. As a young athlete, you don’t yet have the life experience to know how special it is to have the time, space and support to pursue your dreams. Embracing the journey means

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

you show up excited about what’s next. You embrace your coaches and are grateful for your support system. ›› Advice — Keep a journal to write about what you’re grateful for in sport experience. It’s nearly impossible to feel anxious and grateful at the same time, so you decide how you want to feel. ✪ Erika Carlson is a CEO and certified mental trainer at Mental Training, Inc. in Pleasanton.

January 2017

SportStars™

getting

SPECIFIC Specialized Sport Training Isn’t A Necessity

training time: tim rudd I’m sure you’ve heard the term “sport-specific training” more than once in your life. Well the cold hard fact is that it doesn’t exist, especially not with young athletes. When working with pre-adolescent and high school athletes, the undeniable truth is that trainers are dealing with an organism that is in the process of growth. This is a fact trainers cannot do anything about, or disrupt — even though many try. What a growing and maturing body needs in order to remain injury-free and develop optimal athletic skill is variety. With respect to training, this amounts to NOT having a hyper-focus on making a young athlete a better football player by only doing exercises in the gym that NFL players would do. The strongest and fastest athletes in any sport are the ones who had the greatest diversity of training while they were young. This means that the training program for a female soccer player shouldn’t be that much different from a male baseball player. In time, more specific training programs will be necessary to maintain or improve upon the strength and power needs for a specific sport or position. So as a general rule, throughout high school, roughly 70 percent of a young athlete’s training program should be based on general fitness and athletic ability. Here is a perfect example of linking general and specific skill together over time: ›› It is important for athletes to develop good general movement ability, so I first introduce lots of linear, lateral, vertical and retreating skills. These skills allow the athletes to gain functional mobility and stability as well as body awareness and control. ›› The next step is to introduce rapid footwork skills that teach athletes to move the feet and hips independent of the upper body. This is called “repositioning.” I begin by using simple line drills, ladder work and Low Box Training. These exercises allow the athletes to understand the concept of staying level and repositioning the feet for greater acceleration and deceleration angles. ›› Finally, an introduction to specific patterns of movement which allow athletes to use the general skill patterns in a more specific pattern. For example; soccer athletes must be able to quickly accelerate forward to close out, decelerate, and quickly whip the feet and hips around in order to defend against a player attempting to get past them with the ball. Forcing players to become very specific before they have developed a foundation will limit their diversity of skills and athleticism. When using a system that focuses on general skill development based on sound principles of movement, young athletes will see a tremendous improvement in speed, quickness, body control and — most importantly — injury reduction. ✪ Tim Rudd is an IYCA specialist in youth conditioning and owner of Fit2TheCore.

SportStars™

January 2017

Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com