SoCal Issue, October 2017 by Sport Stars Magazine

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ISSUE 11 OCTOBER 2017 SOCAL EDITION

Matt Masin/Orange County Register/ZumaPress

Tanner McKee FOOTBALL - CENTENNIAL-CORONA - SENIOR The 6-foot-6, heavily-recruited-yet-undecided quarterback amassed nearly 500 yards of offense during the Huskies’ 72-33 win at Roosevelt-Eastvale. McKee completed 17 of 29 passes for 286 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He did an equal amount of damage with his legs, rushing 10 times for 209 yards and another TD. In four starts this season, McKee has passed for 859 yards, seven scores and just one interception. He’s rushed for another 312 yards and four more scores. Centennial moved to 4-1 overall with the victory. The team’s only loss was a 4020 defeat to IMG Academy-Bradenton (Fla.), the No. 2-ranked team in the nation as of Oct. 9.

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Open The Turnstiles A Look At How CIF May Tweak Venue Selections For Its Football Bowl Championships

his season will mark the third time that the CIF has had the top five games of its state football championships hosted at Sacramento State’s Alex G. Spanos Stadium. It remains to be seen whether Sac State will be awarded the next bid to host football finals and we also don’t know what other sites from around the state may be interested in submitting bids. If it does go to Sac State, one possibility that could actually help bring more fans to the games there would be to have the Open Division split away from the other divisions and be held at a venue in Southern California. The Open Division is always presented by the CIF as an attempt to match the best of the best from Northern California against the best of the best from Southern California regardless of school enrollment. In football, however, that’s just one team for each region and not eight from the north and eight from the south as in other sports. And as anyone who has even casually followed California football for the last 25 years, that means De La Salle of Concord for the north and the best team from the CIF Southern Section for the south. Sure, maybe this is the year that De La Salle finally loses in the CIF North Coast Section, but realistically even after only half of the regular season, it’s probably only San Ramon Valley of Danville that has a chance. In the south, the way that top teams this year in the CIF L.A. City and San Diego Sections have been throttled by CIFSS Division I teams it’s even more hard to see a scenario in which the CIFSS Div. I champion isn’t a slam dunk for the CIF Open for many years to come. Contrast that Open Division reality with the possibilities of teams looking how they may land in some of the other divisions — we’re thinking of schools like Folsom, Valley ChristianSan Jose, Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland, Central Catholic-Modesto, Oakdale, even Half Moon Bay (will they go CCS Open III or not?) — and the sense of a two-tiered CIF Bowl system becomes easier to comprehend. If the Open Division continues to be De La Salle vs. the CIFSS Division I champion, the biggest crowds for those games are certainly not going to be at Sac State. Folks in Sacramento, just like a big majority of all high school fans, frankly don’t care much about seeing the super teams in person and care much more about their own schools. Having an extra divisional game there basically strengthens the odds of more local CIF Sac-Joaquin Section teams being in that event. The CIFSS super teams, on the other hand, have all been able to draw big crowds when they’re in big games nearby. We’re thinking of the St. John Bosco-Bellflower crowd in 2013 at StubHub Center, the Centennial-Corona crowds in the same place, and Mater Dei-Santa Ana’s crowds when it plays in big games at Anaheim Stadium. If the CIF is looking at it simply as to which format may bring the most attendance, having an Open Division final at a place like Cerritos College in Southern California with the other

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Empty bleachers are seen in the background as St. John Bosco-Bellflower battles De La Salle in the 2016 CIF Open Division State Bowl Championship. five highest divisional games in the north (like at Sac State) then that may be the best of both worlds. The extra week off between the section finals and state final for the Open Division teams also could be eliminated if the Open Division state final were broken away from the other games. That would further distance the Open Division from the other games, but we may be headed in that direction regardless. Sac State attendance in 2015, the first year the five divisional state finals were held there, were hurt by pouring rain on Friday. Then last year it was freezing cold. There’s also been only one local Sacramento area team to have played in a state final at Sac State and that’s Del OroLoomis twice. The Golden Eagles lost last year in the D1-A final to San Clemente, but in 2015 they knocked off unbeaten Camarillo in the the D2-AA final. If Folsom could ever get into the Open Division or make it in D1-AA, then attendance could even be great for Sac State. But if the Open Division were held in Southern California and then the next five divisional games were held at Sac State, that seems like a much higher probability for large crowds instead of hoping for unseasonably warm weather or for De La Salle to lose. ✪

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Section Tennis Championships Set For Roseville

On Nov. 2-3 the top girls high school tennis players in the Sac-Joaquin Section will arrive at Johnson Ranch Racquet Club in Roseville with hopes of securing section championship medals. The SJS Girls Championships will showcase nearly 100 players from Merced to Nevada City and from Napa to Yuba City with seven leagues out of Division I and seven leagues from Division II. Tournament director and Rocklin High coach Dale Eckenburg explained that each league sends its top two players in singles and top two doubles teams to this tournament. It is single-elimination with a draw of 16 for each division and all matches are best-of-three sets. “Basically there are four tournaments being run at the same time with Division I singles and doubles and Division II singles and doubles,” Eckenburg said. “Johnson Ranch is a wonderful spot for this event as it is a first-class facility and a great supporter of high school tennis, having hosted the tournament since 2006. “I really enjoy watching kids come together from all walks of life who can all enjoy the sport of tennis. We have USTA tournament players, but we also have girls who started playing tennis as freshmen who make the tournament. It gives them a huge reward for their hard work.” Several local Placer Valley girls out of the Sierra Foothill League are vying for spots at these sectionals and will know in late October if they made the cut. Canela Luna (2015 doubles champion) and Bailey Greenwell, both from Rocklin, have a great shot. Ali Isaac from Del Oro-Loomis, Olivia Treement and Kat Skrbec of Granite Bay are also ones to watch. Good luck to all! ✪

William Jessup Invitational Turns 3 On Saturday, Oct. 21 the William Jessup University (WJU) cross country team will host the third annual Warrior Invitational at Johnson-Springview Park in Rocklin. Placer Valley Tourism is thrilled to partner with WJU in welcoming several teams from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to this extremely competitive cross country invitational. The WJU Warriors will have three meets under their belts going into this invitational on their home turf in October. Parker Daniells, head coach for both the men’s and women’s teams, is excited that on both sides they have nine returning runners and four incoming freshmen runners this season, making for very strong Warrior teams. “We have received a lot of support from the local community in putting this event on and the meet brings in some of the best NAIA teams from around the country with 12 teams traveling from Idaho, Washington, Oregon, the Bay Area and Southern California,” explained Daniells. He added that it also gives the local high schools a chance to experience a college-level race, “There are not many opportunities for high school student-athletes to watch a collegiate race in the area and this is a great opportunity to get exposure to a collegiate race but more importantly, to meet some great coaches from wonderful colleges and universities in the West.” After this meet, the Warriors will head to Irvine for the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) Championships on Nov. 4 with their sights set on making it to the NAIA National Championship on Nov. 18 in Vancouver, Washington. ✪ — All photos and copy provided by Placer Valley Tourism

Story by MARK TENNIS | Photos by SAMUEL STRINGER

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Junior QB JT Daniels Is On Record Pace For National No. 1 Mater Dei

t’s rare to see a junior in high school talk like a seasoned veteran, but Mater Dei-Santa Ana quarterback J.T. Daniels isn’t your normal junior in high school. Daniels became Mater Dei’s starter in his freshman season, put up jawdropping totals as a sophomore for a team that was ranked No. 1 in the state and nation for many weeks and is now trying to help prepare the Monarchs for a stronger finish than the one they had last year. After leading Mater Dei to a 70-35 Trinity League-opening win over Santa Margarita-Rancho Santa Margarita on Oct. 6, Daniels had added six more touchdown passes to his season total to put it at 22 as well as pushed his total passing yards on the season to 1,593 yards. He also has 153 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Mater Dei also improved its record to 6-0, which includes a 35-21 win over the same Bishop Gorman-Las Vegas team that later beat seven-time CIF state champion De La Salle-Concord 34-7. The Gaels also had a 55game win streak snapped when they lost to Daniels and company, which is why many had the Monarchs No. 1 in the nation heading into October. Daniels’ season totals actually are at a lower pace than they were last season when he finished with 4,849 yards passing and 67 TD passes. The touchdown total was an all-time record for the CIF Southern Section and both are in the top five on the Cal-Hi Sports all-time state list. Of course, JT and the Monarchs could care less about passing stats and record lists because their focus has been developing the chemistry and toughness they’ll need to go all the way and win the CIF Open Division state bowl title. Last year’s team didn’t do that after it lost to Trinity League rival St. John Bosco-Bellflower 42-28 in the CIF Southern Section Division I championship despite beating the Braves 26-21 during the regular season. “It’s been unfinished business,” Daniels said while walking off the field following a Sept. 23 win over defending CIF Division I-A state bowl runnerup St. Mary’s-Stockton at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. “I haven’t thought much about it to be honest since January. We haven’t been worried about last year. It’s just been about taking the mistakes we’ve made and how we

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learned from them.” In fact, for as storied a program as it is, Mater Dei is still seeking its first appearance in any CIF bowl game. If they get there, Daniels will be driving the bus, so to speak. “In subtle ways, it’s his leadership that has been increased from last year,” said Mater Dei head coach Bruce Rollinson, who with longtime offensive coordinator Dave Money has worked with several high-profile quarterbacks, including Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart and Matt Barkley. “His knowledge already was superior and he’s taken that part of his game to the next level. We’ve talked about certain routes and certain plays and what he’s comfortable with. We already know about his throwing. It’s all about him becoming a field general.” Perhaps because of the stats he put up as a sophomore, it’s easy to compare Daniels to recent Folsom High standout — and current Heisman candidate for the University of Washington — Jake Browning. Browning didn’t start as a freshman, but his teams at Folsom played 1512

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game seasons twice and had a 16-0 season in 2014. With him throwing for 91 touchdowns and more than 5,700 yards as a senior (both state records), Browning ended his career with 16,775 yards and 229 TD passes. Both obliterated the state records in those categories and the 229 TDs also is a national record. Despite being a freshman, Daniels still came up big for Mater Dei in the 2015 season with 3,042 yards and 33 TDs. Adding up all his totals after the six-game mark from 2017 and he’s already up to 9,484 career yards and 122 TDs. If the Monarchs play 16 games this season and 16 more next season, a healthy Daniels would certainly seem to have more than a chance to surpass Browning’s career totals set in 2014, which at the time seemed so outlandish that no one could ever come close. “I love Jake,” Daniels said. “I know how he plays and I’d like to think (that we’re similar).” People who evaluated the two during their sophomore seasons also had

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a similar concern: That they needed to become more athletic in the pocket, escaping pressure more effectively and improving their speed. “Personally, I have tried to make a big step in pocket presence, awareness and mobility,” Daniels said. “If people have watched me this year, they know that I’m not as much of a statue.” Browning’s coaches also raved about his abilities to quickly scan the defense and get the ball to receivers in space equally as quickly. It’s the same with Daniels. “He’s a special mental kid in that way,” Rollinson said. “It really complements with his God-given talent.” On one play during Mater Dei’s victory over St. Mary’s-Stockton, Daniels rolled to his left from the 15-yard line. He had a lot of extra time to look over the defense, but out of the corner of his eye spotted sophomore Chris Steele on the far right sideline in the end zone. The ball was in the air at almost the same instant Steele got open and Daniels delivered a high pass that only Steele could catch. Most quarterbacks on that play would have simply focused in on those receivers running routes more directly in front of them. “I can definitely relate to that,” Daniels said when asked about those skills. “I’ve gotten to know Coach Money since I was a sixth grader, and he’s a genius. I’ve got a game plan given to me early in the week every week, and I’ve got to get it down so I’m not thinking about it but reacting to what’s going on.” Rollinson had never had a freshman start at quarterback before, but in that 2015 season he was planning to alternate Daniels with junior Matt McDonald. In the second game, however, McDonald suffered an injury that gave Daniels an opportunity. He threw for six touchdowns in a win over La Mirada and was on his way. McDonald was the starting quarterback last season at Mission Viejo. All of the recruiting attention on Daniels soon followed, and before this season he ended the speculation by committing to USC, where so many other Orange County quarterbacks seem to land, including Leinart, Barkley, former Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer (Santa Margarita) and current Trojans standout Sam Darnold (San Clemente). This Mater Dei team, however, has so much other surrounding talent around Daniels that he’s not the only one to get media attention. “I don’t even think I get the most,” said Daniels, mentioning senior teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown, a receiver who along with his brothers was recently featured in Sports Illustrated and is considered the consensus top senior recruit in the state. “But we’re all fine with that and try not to pay attention to it.” Browning’s last game of his junior season was a loss to De La Salle on the turf at Sacramento State. Daniels certainly hopes the final game of his junior season also happens at the same place, but with a different result. ✪ Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

One of JT Daniels’ top receiver targets, Amon-Ra St. Brown, is considered by most recruiting sites as the top senior recruit in the state. He’s played in just three games this season but still has 16 catches for 256 yards and six touchdowns.

Bruce Rollinson is in his 29th season as the coach of the Monarchs. He enters Mater Dei’s Oct. 13 game against St. John Bosco-Bellflower with 288 career victories. Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

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Redding Is Rich In Outdoors Options There’s something about a scenic trail that invigorates and revives your soul. This fall, discover a mosaic of crisp yellow, burnt orange and deep red, canopied corridors and riverbank paths in Redding, California, where 225-plus miles of trails within a 15-mile radius are waiting to be explored. Whether you hike, bike, walk, run or ride, Redding offers a trail for everyone. Journey from Shasta Dam to the worldfamous Sundial Bridge — the hub of the nationally acclaimed Sacramento River National Recreation Trail. Or, pack some dirt in your mountain bike tires at the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. If you’re craving more, trek to any of the nearby 50 waterfalls that reach up to 220 feet in height. With Redding boasting 300 days of sunshine per year as the sunniest city in California, there’s always a great chance to get out and embark on a trail for the first time. The opportunities for adventure are vast, and even the San Francisco Chronicle took note by labeling Redding’s extensive paths as the “gem of the U.S. trail system.” For the more daring enthusiasts, another 250-plus miles of trails are waiting to be conquered with your off-highway vehicles in the Chappie-Shasta OHV Area, navigating through BLM land and the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Shred the wide jeep trails in any vehicle or find the smaller tracks for ATVs and dirt bikes. The terrain takes you through dozens of creek crossings and steep hill climbs, and includes a large staging area on the river with new facilities. To top it off, stunning scenic views of Shasta Dam, Shasta Lake, Mt. Shasta and the Sacramento River accompany your entire ride. If you’re looking for easy paved paths for all kinds of recreation, or dirt trails for the daring enthusiasts, visit Redding – Where Fun meets Adventure! ✪ — All copy and photos provided by VisitRedding.com

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Led By Oklahoma Native Grace Frohling, Marymount-L.A. Is A Legitimate Southern Section Title Threat

f the improved Oklahoma City Thunder with Paul George and Carmelo Anthony joining MVP Russell Westbrook is able to win the 2018 NBA championship, there is going to be at least one person in Los Angeles jumping for joy. That would be junior Grace Frohling of Marymount High. Frohling has such a fondness for teams from her hometown that her Marymount teammates and coaches even call her “Okie.” Frohling’s primary jumps for joy these days, however, have little to do with pro sports. She does it on the volleyball court as a 6-foot-6 setter and outside hitter for a Marymount team that has been in the top 10 of the state rankings all season. With Frohling leading the way, the Sailors finished as a semifinalist at the 32-team California Challenge tournament on Oct. 6-7 at Torrey Pines-San Diego. They also were at the Nike Tournament of Champions the previous weekend in Phoenix and had three league matches during the week in between, including a 3-1 win over previously unbeaten Alemany-Mission Hills. “Yeah, we’re pretty tired,” said Frohling on the Sunday Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

after playing in San Diego. “Is that the most matches I’ve played in a week? No weeks that I can think of (with more).” A win in a nonleague match against Redondo-Redondo Beach after that team placed second at the nationally recognized Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas has also contributed to Marymount’s 22-7 record and fairly high state ranking through Oct. 7. There have been some tough losses, like one to Corona del Mar-Newport Beach and two to Arizona teams at the Nike TOC, but considering top middle blocker Emma Moffat has been out with a concussion and others have been banged and bruised, the Sailors at full strength could still be a huge factor in the upcoming CIF Southern Southern Division I playoffs. “She and everyone else has been playing through the schedule,” said Marymount head coach Cari Klein of Frohling. “She hasn’t missed a game or a practice, and since August 1 she’s even grown another inch.” Setters who are that tall can cause obvious matchup nightmares, and Frohling’s stats show that. Heading into the San

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Diego event, she had 87 kills and 313 assists. Last year as a sophomore, Frohling was first on the team with 55 aces, ranked second in kills with 256 and had 620 assists. “Grace not only sets and hits, but her serve is incredibly hard,” Klein said. “It’s a big problem for everyone we play.” As a freshman, Frohling attended Edmond North of Edmond, Oklahoma, where she was a key player on a state championship team led by her sister, Hannah, the Gatorade State Player of the Year. She moved to California following that season. Playing against the incredibly tough competition that Marymount goes up against was one of the reasons for the move, but family was another. Hannah already was planning to play at Pepperdine and there had been trips to the area during her recruitment and for club tournaments. “When my sister came here, it just seemed to us to be a good idea to move,” Frohling said. “I already knew I wasn’t going to go to college in Oklahoma and I just didn’t want to have the same life as everyone else back there.” Grace’s father, Ralph, also has the type of job selling granite products that allows him to work just as easily from home in Edmond to home in Los Angeles. Having had previous experience with Klein on the club circuit, and already knowing about some of the girls on the Marymount team, made Grace’s transition on the volleyball side rather easy. “By the second day here we already had had a beach practice,” Frohling said. “I had met Cari at a camp several times, and when we started coming out to California for my sister we’d stay at their house.” Klein, who is married to former California state record-breaking quarterback Perry Klein (who played at Palisades-Pacific Palisades and Carson), said that the more difficult aspect of the move was academics and school culture. “She loves it all and is one of the most easy going kids you’ll ever 18

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meet,” Klein said. “But it was a big adjustment for her going from a large public school to a small private school. When you have just 14 in your class there’s nowhere to hide.” And since Marymount is an all-girls school and doesn’t have football, Frohling said she still maintains connections to her former Oklahoma school by being a follower of its football team. It’s also helped her to form a special bond with teammate and UCLA beach volleyball commit Devon Newberry, who is another of Marymount’s top players. “I’ve tried beach, but I’m not that good,” Frohling said. “We just connect so well on the court and she brings such positive energy. It’s great to be friends both on and off the court.” “They can be opposites, but definitely both have a passion for the game,” said Klein of Newberry and Frohling. “Okie sets her really well and they’re both great passers.” Although Frohling still has her senior season to play next year, she has already committed to the University of San Diego. By the time she’ll be playing for the Torreros, Hannah will be in her senior year at Pepperdine (both schools belong to the West Coast Conference) so there will be at least a couple Frohling vs. Frohling matches that may require Ralph and Michelle (their mother) to sit on opposite sides of the court or wear mismatched caps and t-shirts. “At USD, they run a 6-2 offense and that’s what made me first interested in that school,” said Frohling, who also is leaning toward being a business major. “I also liked the coaches and players.” Transitioning from high school to college will offer the same challenges for Frohling as it does to any student or student-athlete. At least for her, she’s already had one transition she’s made in a rather spectacular fashion. ✪

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Get your step counter on; it’s time to get ready for the eighth running of the Diablo Summit Stump, a 30K marathon where the Mount Diablo summit is just the halfway point. The event, which is staged out of Castle Rock Park in Walnut Creek, takes place on Nov. 4. Runners of the 30K will run from Castle Rock Park, all the way to the summit of Mount Diablo and back. Those not quite ready for the 18 miles of running can still participate in the 5K, 10K or half marathon. Runners who sign-on for the 30K also get a chance to “make a deal with El Diablo” at about Mile 9. At that point, if the runner isn’t feeling ready to make it to the summit that day, they can switch to the half marathon and be counted as an official half marathon finisher (except they go in the “surrendered” division for that race so aren’t eligible for any special awards). Finishers are awarded a special finisher medal. Those who finish in the top three of their age/gender division receive special awards. The event helps raise funds for Save Mount Diablo (via participant donations), but the main goal is to build community and support for our parks and outdoor activity.

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Concord Helps Host A Pair Of Fitness Forward Events In October, November Entry fees are as follows: ›› 5K: $48 until 9/18, $53 until 10/16, $58 after 10/16 ›› 10K: $53 until 9/18, $58 until 10/16, $63 after 10/16 ›› Half Marathon: $74 until 9/18, $79 until 10/16, $84 after 10/16 ›› 30K: $79 until 9/18, $84 until 10/16, $89 after 10/16 Registration fees will include all parking and shuttles fees, however each participant will also be charged a mandatory $7 fee to go to Mt Diablo State Park. Find out more about the Diablo Summit Stomp at brazenracing.com/r/summit stompmain.html#

International Functional Fitness Championships Now if you want to get yourself psyched for the Diablo Stomp, get to Concord Pavilion Oct. 21-22 to see some of the world’s most fit athletes compete in the 2017 International Functional Fitness Federation Championships. The pinnacle event of iF3 competition features world-class functional fitness athletes representing a variety of nations in a two-day competition. The event holds Team Medley and Individual Medley competitions. The Individual Medley features the iF3 standard six tests over two days, one in each categories: aerobic capacity, strength, bodyweight endurance, bodyweight skill, mixed modal, and power.

A quick description of each skill: Aerobic Capacity — This test contains repeatable cyclical work. It tests the athlete’s ability to pace, perform work, and recover quickly. Strength — This test contains strength work with a barbell. It tests the athlete’s timing, coordination and athleticism while working under a heavy load. Bodyweight Endurance — This test contains bodyweight movements paired with cyclical movements. It tests relative muscle endurance. Bodyweight Skill — This test pairs advanced gymnastics skill work. It tests the athlete’s pacing ability, range of motion, skill and core control. Mixed Model — This tests contains a variety of tasks and challenges. It tests the athlete’s ability to transition between movements, perform movement variations, control pacing and handle load variations. Power — This test contains a high demand of work to be performed for a short time frame. It tests the athlete’s ability to execute movements quickly with a proper strategy in order to display speed and pure power. The list of participating countries for the championships include the USA, Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, Ireland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster for $13.75 plus fees. To purchase tickets, or to learn more about the event, visit functionalfitnessfederation.org/if3-championship/ ✪

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smartLIFTING Examining The Rights And Wrongs With Weights health watch: carleen baldwin, pt, dpt, cscs In recent years, Olympic lifting has become more identifiable and accessible to the general public, and strength training has become more integrated in sports and rehabilitation programs. The question that remains on many parents’ minds is, is strength training safe for young athletes? The answer is yes. With proper coaching, muscular strength gains have been proven without any increase in risk of injury when using weightlifting movements (snatch, clean and jerk, cleans, pulls, and presses). Strength training is not limited to just lifting weights, it can include weight machines, elastic tubing or body weight exercises. It is important to understand prior to starting the risks and benefits. Two main concerns with strength training are based on reports of growth plate injuries and soft tissue injuries, specifically back injuries. Sports and activities that have repetitive movements are more likely to have growth plate injuries because of the increased torque on muscle tendons. In many injuries, the contributing factors were misuse of equipment, inappropriate weight, improper technique, lack of qualified supervision, poorly designed equipment and progressing too aggressively. Poor technique faults can include ballistic (fast, repetitive, quick motions), compensations patterns, inadequate warm up, poor spotting and improper form. Supervised coaching can correct these and does not pose any higher risk for growth plate injuries than any other sport or activity. The American Academy of Pediatrics, Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, and National Strength and Conditioning Association have approved the safety of supervised strength training in adolescents that follows guidelines. The AAP recommends avoiding competitive Olympicstyle weightlifting until the athlete reaches physical and skeletal maturity (typically after puberty). There is no minimal age requirement for general strength training, but it is recommended the athlete can demonstrate maturity following directions and has adequate balance (developmentally usually at ages 7-8). An athlete should have physical exam prior to starting a program. Strength training can improve bone density, balance, cardiovascular risk profile, lean body mass and the psychological benefit of increasing an athlete’s self-esteem. Strength and power can improve 30 to 50 percent after 8-12 weeks of training twice a week. In addition, strength training can help prevent injuries. Several research studies have shown preseason conditioning programs that include plyometrics, weight training and education on jumping mechanics decrease the risk for knee injuries significantly, especially in adolescent female athletes. How to get started? Teaching an athlete how to properly lift requires advanced knowledge on technique and form as well as a considerable amount of time to teach the mechanics. It requires an understanding of how to progress these exercises from basic lifts such as a bodyweight squat to Olympic lifts like the snatch. An athlete should start with bodyweight exercises for form and advance to machines or free weights once proper mechanics are achieved. A physical therapist or athletic trainer at the Sports Medicine Center for Young Athletes can help offer a thorough assessment and training. ✪ Carleen Baldwin is a physical therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital and its Sports Medicine For Young Athletes staff.

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good eating On The Run Here’s How To Achieve Balance In A Time Crunch nutrition: jill daniels As an athlete, you can run into some challenging food situations. Sometimes the dinner stop on the way home from an away game is at the mini-mart at the closest gas station. Win or lose, athletes need some post-game calories, and may even want some comfort foods. Even at a convenience store, you’ll be able to find healthy choices that can bring nourishment to both your body and soul. For a balanced meal, include a carbohydrate, from either the fruit or grain group, and a protein. This will give your body some great nutrients for recovery, and help you feel more satisfied after eating. Here are some ideas to get you started: Fruit: Banana or other fresh fruit, orange juice, 100 percent fruit juice/smoothie, raisins or other dried fruit, applesauce, dried apple chips, fruit leather. Grain: Triscuits, Wheat Thins, Belvita, graham crackers, popcorn, pretzels, cereal cups, biscotti, granola bar, whole wheat fig bars Protein: Milk, hard-boiled eggs, cheese stick, beef jerky, nuts, seeds, trail mix, canned tuna, yogurt, Greek yogurt, individual peanut butter or almond butter packs, cottage cheese, energy bars with 10-20 grams of protein. If you’re looking to save money, or you want to have even healthier options, you could always pack food ahead of time and bring it in a cooler. Here are some nutritious foods that might sound good after the game: turkey and avocado sandwich, carrots and hummus, peanut butter on graham crackers, yogurt with granola and fruit, cheese and crackers, egg salad and pita chips, pasta salad with veggies and chicken, tortilla with almond butter and banana. One meal from a gas station mini-mart won’t make or break your overall diet. If you know that you’ll be eating dinner at a convenience store, plan on eating healthier foods during your other meals and snacks throughout the day. Make the best choices you can, and follow it up with lots of water and a good night’s rest. These strategies will help your body recover well, and you’ll be set for a fresh start when you wake up. ✪ Maximize your athletic performance by seeking personalized advice from Nutrition Coach Jill Daniels, MS, RD, CSSD, Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. www.JillDanielsRD.com

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Behind the Clipboard by Clay Kallam

College, Money & Shoes! Oh My! What’s going on with all of these FBI charges and arrests for bribery? What do these things have to do with basketball? And should I be worried if my club team gets free stuff from adidas? — D.C., Palo Alto

here’s an old saying in journalism: Follow the money — and in this case, it leads you right to the heart of the issue. First, college athletics are a billion-dollar industry, and what’s important to remember is that the key workers — the players — do not get paid anywhere near what they make for their employers. Yes, a scholarship is worth quite a bit, and some college athletes get stipends and, yes, all college sports except football and men’s basketball lose buckets of money. But men’s basketball generates hundreds of millions of dollars for schools and TV networks, and pretty much zero cash for players, and as families have become more and more aware of that disparity, they feel they deserve to get their share. After all, if the coach is making $5 million because he can bring Sebastian Slasher to Enormous State University, shouldn’t Sebastian get more than a year’s worth of free classes and some dorm food? Of course he should, but the NCAA (who many consider one of the most inherently corrupt and inefficient organizations in the country) wants to keep the golden eggs away from the geese, and wants to preserve the maximum amount of profit for its members. So the players don’t get anywhere near the amount of money they deserve for the revenue their skills generate. Meanwhile, the shoe companies sell more than just shoes, and their apparel is another huge industry. If star players wear their gear, especially

SportStars™

October 2017

young stars, other young players will want to as well, and so adidas and Nike are eager to get players like Lonzo Ball under contract. To make that happen, the apparel companies make deals with club coaches not just for their top teams, but for all the teams in one club (which can go down to fourth grade). To recap: Coaches and schools get rich when star young players decide to play at a particular university. Apparel companies get rich when star young players wear their shoes. Star young players don’t get rich, but would like to. Oh, and don’t forget the NCAA is not only uninterested in eliminating corruption, it doesn’t have the resources to do so with any efficiency. It is, after all, an organization consisting of the very institutions that break its rules on a daily basis, so you can add an essentially lawless landscape to the equation. Now, however, the FBI is involved — and expect the IRS to be right behind — and barring a miracle, the hammer is about to fall. Don’t worry, it won’t fall on you or any club or high school team that has a deal with Nike or adidas. And it won’t fall on the shoe companies, who are just doing business in a fairly open and aboveboard way. I would expect, however, the NCAA to either disappear or be radically restructured when all is said and done, and I’m hopeful that any athlete of any age will be allowed to hire an agent or get professional advice to negotiate how his or her college experience will be handled — but you never know. There’s a lot of money involved, and there are a lot of people who have a lot to lose, so it’s possible that inertia will win out. Maybe the existing sham of “student-athletes” will somehow survive for another century. But with the FBI and IRS in the hunt, I’ll bet my vintage Air Jordans that a seismic shift in the intercollegiate landscape is just over the horizon. ✪

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