SJ Issue 88, Aug. 2014

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vol. 5. issue 88 Sac-Joaquin

August 2014

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are going to happen, and 34 Injuries that usually means a long day waiting at the hospital. But it doesn’t have to be the case.

30

26 4

Outgoing Sac-Joaquin Section commissioner Pete Saco left an impact on high school sports that was felt way beyond the Sac-Joaquin Section.

Woodcreek, De La Salle have their trap shooting teams capturing attention on a national level.

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BREAKDOWN: 10 STATE California. We’re a big state and we’re used to doing things large.

The Little League World Series is no different. The Golden State was won the US or World title more than any other state in the union.

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room: Summer movies 8 locker are, like, the best. Things blow up.

pitch: The 6 First summer doldrums

People get super powers. Plots are set aside so that more things can blow up. At SportStars, we love superheroes (fingers still crossed a radioactive something-or-the -other bites us) and we are geeked for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’.

are anything but boring at SportStars.

Good stories know no season. on the cover Woodcreek Little League.

Photo by James K. Leash

camps & Clinics

Find your sport. Turn to page 41.

Fence: Tryouts, sign-ups, 43 The fund-raisers and more!

45 Advertiser’s index

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Off the beaten path F

or as long as I’ve been writing about high school sports, at least 7-10 times a year, I have had the same question asked of me.

I’ve been asked this question a bit more since we began SportStars, but I’d hear it when I was in the newspaper business as well. What do you guys do during the summer months?

My canned response is usually along the lines of, ‘The days of high schoolers taking a summer off from sports are pretty much over.’ I go on to explain how we still follow many elite athletes and teams at the club levels.

But in truth, we also look at summer as our own little break. Not so much a break from putting out magazines, but a break from the norm. Without the confines of the academic season sporting schedule, we can stretch our legs and find stories about high schoolers whose sports rarely find a spotlight from September to June.

This issue — both the Sac-Joaquin and Bay Area editions — are perfect representations of how we like to spend our summer.

We obviously get a boost from Little League, especially in the Bay Area where hundreds of soon-to-be-freshmen from across the U.S. and throughout the world, come to Livermore for the Intermediate Little League World Series. Those stories are fun, but still somewhat in our wheelhouse. The rest of these issues are a break from the norm.

In the Bay Area we wrote about about a Newark Memorial sophomore who began open -wheel racing in the Formula Car Challenge Series this past March — when he was still just 14 years old. We also took a close look at the sport of synchronized swimming and how the Bay Area practically pioneered the sport behind two clubs who continue to churn out national-level talent.

Seriously, if you didn’t know that half the U.S. National Team roster for synchronized swimming came from Bay Area clubs, well you wouldn’t be alone. It is, and many of them are high schoolers or very recent graduates.

In the Sac-Joaquin edition, writer Jim McCue dives into trap shooting and how it’s taken off as a high school club sport. (De La Salle fans, this is a story worth looking up on SportStarsOnline.com, as the Spartans are featured prominently as a team quickly encroaching on the long-dominant foothill schools.)

McCue also spent an evening with retiring Sac-Joaquin Section Commissioner Pete Saco and put together a solid feature on the man and the lasting legacy he’ll be leaving.

That’s four stories that we just don’t get to stretch our legs on in the fall, winter and spring. But they fit our mindset perfectly these days.

I now look forward to the next person to casually ask me how we spend our summers at the magazine. I’ve got four solid examples to offer up.

And in the meantime, I’ll be plotting out our 64-page football preview due out on Aug. 21. Because, well, you know. ✪

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, Ben Enos, Dave Kiefer, Liz Elliott, Tim Rudd, Trevor Horn Copy Editor Bill Kruissink Photography Bob Larson, Jonathan Hawthorne, James K. Leash, Norbert von der Groeben, Phillip Walton, Doug Guler, Dean Coppola, Berry Evans, III Marketing/Events Ryan Arter Editorial Intern Mike Young 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 Leslie Ellis • Leslie@SportStarsOnline.com 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 • dwissner@wordeventssports.com Reader Resources/Administration Subscription, Calendar, Credit Services Angela Paradise • 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

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your ticket to california sports admit one; rain or shine This Vol. #5, August 2014 Whole No. 88 is published by Caliente!

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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 for $6 total fo 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.

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Rapid Fire

MILES HARRISON Clayton Valley Charter, Football

ian book Oak Ridge, Footbal

talent you wish you had Singing

Trending What’s hot this week in the world of stuff that’s hot Garth Brooks is kicking off his big comeback tour in Chicago. Yeah … we don’t care either. Wait, no.

Maybe we care a little. No. No, it was gas. Apologies.

Jason Biggs was in trouble for shooting off his mouth about Malaysian Air. It’s hard to believe that it’s come to this, but I guess we can’t count on the cast of ‘American Pie’ for cogent news analysis anymore.

A man dressed as Spider-Man was arrested for punching a police officer in Times Square. See? Right there?

Already it’s got a better plot than The Amazing SpiderMan 2.

Football is back as NFL training camps have FINALLY opened.

So, uhhh, have the Raiders been mathematically eliminated yet?

Able to solve a Rubik's Cube

favorite new song 'Lifestyle'

by Young Thug

'Burning Bridges'

by OneRepublic

best way to stay cool on hot summer days

Go swimming

Go to Folsom Lake

favorite food to bbq Ribs

Steak

goal for the coming school year Earn a scholarship, go to college

Good grades, lead team to SJS title

ComicCon is happening. This would be a good time to make fun of them nerds down there in San Diego if we didn’t spend a good chunk of the weekend Googling Batman v. Superman trailer footage. Didn’t find it. Curse you, Luther.

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1

count 'em Number of sets that the Pacific Rim Volleyball Academy’s 17U boys team lost in the Open Division of the USA Volleyball Junior National Championships in Houston from July 2-5.

Pac Rim went 11-0 in the tournament (taking 22 of 23 sets) and earned what is believed to be the Bay Area’s first boys club national title. The roster of the Pleasant Hill-based club includes standouts from CampolindoMoraga, California-San Ramon, Clayton Valley Charter-Concord, Deer Valley-Antioch, Miramonte-Orinda, St. IgnatiusS.F. and St. VincentPetaluma.

Top 5 reasons that we're geeked for 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Well, it’s nearly August. And you know what that means: Not much, in the world of sports. Sure, sure, both local nines are in hot pursuit of the postseason. And, yeah, yeah, training camps are opening up in the blazing summer heat. But really? Not much going on. Which means we get to turn our attention to even more vitally important topics, like politics, global warming, the latest scandalous celebrity pics on TMZ. Or. Wait! Superseding ALL of that! Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy on August 1. And you know what that means?

Exploding stuff. Here are the top five reasons we will be in line early on July 31 for the midnight showing.

1. Groot: What’s not to like about a gigantic tree monster that can only say, “I am Groot?” We think even Vin Diesel will be able to remember his lines in this role. Bonus: the tree’s forehead is way more realistic than Vin’s.

2. Drax: Casting a former professional wrestler (Dave Bautista, aka The Animal) as a muscle-bound knife-wielding psychopath.

Bit of a stretch, huh?

3. Zoe Saldana: Just. Zoe Saldana.

4. Rocket Raccoon: It’s no surprise Marvel tapped Bradley Cooper as the voice of the violently aggressive anthropomorphic smart-ass. They have the same hairstyle.

5. Moneyball: You knew we couldn’t go all five without a sports item. But was anyone else stunned to see Scott Hatteberg as Star-Lord, Peter Quill? Maybe there’s still a chance they can get Art Howe to play Kang the Conqueror. Oh man.

We nerded out for a second there, huh?

— Comic Book Kolb

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The Golden State has long dominated the summer’s game

California in the

Little League World Series Sean Burroughs/CalHi Sports File 1993

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Golden State teams have won the U.S. or world title in Williamsport 20 times, which dwarfs the total from any other state.

Every summer in a Pennsylvania community that is still small enough to have just one high school, tens of thousands gather at Howard J. Lamade Stadium outside Williamsport to watch 12-year-old boys (with a few 11-year-olds thrown in) compete for the crown of Little League World Series champions.

California teams have become a force in the event, which began in 1947 and later became televised on ABC and ESPN. The state’s teams have won the title or reached the final game against an international opponent 20 times. The next highest states are Florida and Pennsylvania with just five similar finishes, although in recent years teams from Georgia and Hawaii have performed strongly.

To qualify for the Little League World Series, a California team first must win the West Regional title, which has been decided at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino since 1971. Both a Northern California and a Southern California champion head to San Bernardino and compete against teams representing Hawaii, Nevada, Utah and Arizona.

Even when a California team does not win the U.S. championship or the Little League World Series itself, it’s very rare for a California team not to be among the best. In 2012, that was the case when the boys from Petaluma (in Northern California) lost in the U.S. final to Goodlettsville (Tenn.) 24-16 in perhaps the wildest game in LLWS history. In that game, Petaluma scored 10 runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to come back from a 15-5 deficit, only to see Goodlettsville score nine in the top of the sixth.

The best player to have starred in the major leagues who played on a championship California Little League World Series team has been Carney Lansford, who was on the 1969 team from Santa Clara as a boy. Lansford went on to appear in a World Series three times for the Oakland A’s, winning once. He also won an American League batting title and was second in batting in another season.

There have been three future NFL quarterbacks who played on California Little League teams that reached the finals in Williamsport. The first was Brian Sipe from El Cajon in 1961. He was followed by Gale Gilbert of Red Bluff (1974) and Matt Cassel of Northridge (1994).

Here is a closer look at the nine teams from California that have won it all or reached the title game (losing to an international opponent) since 1991:

CHULA VISTA (2013)

Four years after Park View Little League of Chula Vista went to Williamsport and won it all, nearby Eastlake Little League won the U.S. title but fell short in a 6-4 loss to Japan in the LLWS championship. Unlike the West Region tournament, when Chula Vista suffered a loss to Belmont-Redwood Shores (the Northern California team) only to bounce back and win 9-0 in the final, the San Diego County squad didn’t lose until reaching the final against the international bracket champion.

HUNTINGTON BEACH (2011)

Nick Pratto came through for the Californians with a basesloaded RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to give them a 2-1 walk-off win over Japan in the championship game. For the series, Huntington Beach outscored its foes by a remarkable 35-3 margin.

CHULA VISTA (2009)

Of all the California teams to have won it all in Williamsport, this one may have to be regarded as the most imposing. Led by 6-foot-2, 212-pound Luke Ramirez, Chula Vista set a record with 19 home runs en route to its world title. In the U.S. championship, Chula Vista (managed by Oscar Castro) scored nine runs in the first inning en route to a mercy-rule 12-2 victory against San Antonio (Texas). In the final, it came from behind to beat Chinese Taipei 6-3.

THOUSAND OAKS (2004)

History wasn’t on the side of the Californians in the championship game as Willemstad of Curacao became the first team from a Caribbean island nation to win the title with a 5-2 triumph.

Thousand Oaks won the U.S. championship with a 3-0 win over Preston (Md.). Sean McIntyre shined in that game with three hits, two RBIs and was the winning pitcher.

MISSION VIEJO (1997)

In the most heartbreaking final for a California team, Mexico scored four times in the bottom of the sixth inning to beat Mission Viejo 5-4. Nick Moore’s third homer of the week helped Mission

Viejo take a 4-1 lead into the sixth, three outs away from the world title. The California squad (managed by Jim Gattis) crushed Bradenton (Fla.) 12-1 in the U.S. championship.

NORTHRIDGE (1994)

This team served as inspiration to a community that had been devastated seven months earlier by a 6.7 magnitude earthquake that left 57 dead. The Northridge boys shut out Springfield (Va.) 3-0 in the U.S. final on a one-hitter by Nathaniel Dunlap and a three-run homer in the first inning by Spencer Gordon. In the final against Venezuela, Gordon homered in the fifth to cut the score to 4-3, but the Californians couldn’t get the tying run across.

LONG BEACH (1993)

Jeremy Hess came through with a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the sixth to give Long Beach a 3-2 triumph in the final over Panama. The win on the field contrasted sharply with the year before when Long Beach lost to the Philippines only to learn one month later of Philippines having used illegal players. In the U.S. final, Sean Burroughs threw his second no-hitter of the week and crushed a pair of homers as Long Beach trounced Bedford (N.H.) 11-0. Burroughs had perhaps the best career of any player in Little League history.

LONG BEACH (1992)

The first of an unprecedented two straight LLWS crowns for Long Beach did not get decided on the field. The California boys had lost 15-4 to the Philippines, but one month later were awarded the title due to ineligible players being used by the international squad. Long Beach earned the U.S. title by defeating Hamilton Square (N.J.) 1-0 with 11-year-old Sean Burroughs throwing the shutout and Ryan Beaver hitting a home run in the sixth inning.

DANVILLE (1991)

Jason Barringer ripped a pair of homers and Kevin Graham had a three-run shot as Danville (representing the San Ramon Valley Little League) cruised past Staten Island (N.Y.) 13-4 to earn a trip to the championship game. The California team (managed by Troy Ward) was shut down in the final 11-0 by Taiwan.

Visit the online version of this column at SportStarsOnline.com to view the other 10 California teams who have reached a Little League World Series final. There you can also learn more about the Cal-Hi Sports e-book “California: The Baseball Capital of the World.” ✪

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Aiden Martinez begins his home run trot after hitting the District 54 Tournament-winning, walk-off home run in extra innings.

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This season was all set up to be one for the ages.

Woodcreek Little League’s 11/12 year-old Majors All-Star team was going to be a stacked lineup of players that knew how to win championships.

The core of the team won NorCal championships at the previous three age levels for the Little League chapter which opened just 19 years ago.

Then a dismissal of a well-known coach by the league rocked the foundation of this team that seemed destined for the biggest stage of them all, the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Seemingly derailed, Woodcreek became a shining example of how the resilience of a group of adolescent athletes is something fantastic.

THE DECISION Woodcreek Little League board denied the approval of Tommy Bryce to coach this season. That sent a ripple effect throughout the league.

A well-liked coach and longtime Roseville resident, many in the community were upset at the decision, so much that two of the best players on the team were removed from the league by their parents.

Daniel Susac and Carson Blatnick were the heart of the batting order for Woodcreek’s first three NorCal championship runs. Susac, the younger brother of newly called-up San Francisco Giants catcher Andrew Susac, was, well, his brother in a younger form. A great catcher with a great eye at the plate with power beyond his years.

Both were removed from the league by their parents. A difficult decision, but one based on principle and emotions stemming from the January 14 decision.

But the manager of the majors team, Eric Gums, and his 16

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“It was a tough night, it really was,” Gums added. “We did this for the kids. We stayed in this league for the kids. We were close to walking, trust me, real close. We sat in my garage and discussed the possibilities. But that night, we looked each other in the eyes and said, ‘We still have a chance.’”

Gums even resigned from the board because of the decision saying “I thought it was wrong.”

“It was personal,” he said. “But we moved on and I am excited to be here.”

THE OUTCOME TOP: Riley Regan looks up after diving back into first base. ABOVE: Woodcreek catcher Cameron Jones looks up the first base line after fielding a ball during the District 54 championship game. assistant coach Mike Watari, a former majors all-star coach in his own right, sat down and talked over the situation.

“No doubt that was a loss for us,” Gums said. “However, Mike and I had a chance to walk, also. But we got a text from a parent that told us to remember how special our 12-year olds’ season could be. So Mike and I stayed in this league for our own kids as well as the kids that played for us over the years. It would have been easy for us to walk.”

Seven months later, the emotions of that decision and the repercussions flowed to the surface for Gums as he reflected while holding back tears.

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Widely considered the top team in the state after a fantastic finish last summer, Woodcreek was ready for the big stage.

Williamsport, Penn. and the bright lights of ESPN seemed perfect for this bunch.

But losing two of the best players became a daunting task.

Once the regular season was over, the all-star team formed.

With captains Zachery Watari and Aiden Martinez on board, the team began the quest.

But an early loss in the District 54 tournament was an eyeopener. It forced the team into the loser’s bracket and required it to play five games in five days for these players to even get a shot at a fourth consecutive district title.

With Watari on the mound, Woodcreek went into extra innings in the “if ” game against Lakeside-Granite Bay/Loomis for the title.

Aiden Martinez, the leadoff hitter who was 0-for-3 coming into his at-bat to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning, was told by Gums that he would have one pitch to swing away. If that chance passed, he was to utilize his bunting prowess and speed to get on base and produce a run.

Martinez listened, then slugged a solo home run over the Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

right-field fence on the first pitch of extra innings for the walk off, propelling Woodcreek back to the Section 4 tournament.

“Aiden is a special kid,” Gums said. “I’ve had Aiden on my regular season team. We told him we were going to give him that one chance to swing away. Boy did he get a hold of that.”

After the game, Martinez, who goes by the nickname “Big Cat” spoke like a captain. “That was a lifetime of memories that just happened, and that’s great,” Martinez said.

Woodcreek rolled through the section tournament, beating North Natomas-Sacramento 14-4 in six innings for the championship.

There, Andrew Paolini, the lone 11-year old on the squad, slugged a home run in the championship game. James Courshon, a newcomer to Woodcreek this season, pitched a gem on the mound for the win. In the early-round games, Paolini also slugged two solo shots while Watari led the team with two home runs in the title game.

The team was still stacked from top to bottom. Things looked up for Woodcreek.

“We were just trying to do our best without them,” Watari said. “Losing those two (players) was hard. At the beginning, I was thinking of quitting. But I stuck with it. It was my last year and I wanted to finish my 12-year-old year.”

But the minefield that is a Little League all-star summer is long and daunting. Those teams that do advance to the World Series play throughout the summer, with upwards of 30-plus games under their belts in a matter of five to six weeks after playing through the regular season.

Woodcreek’s season came to a close as a runner-up at the Division 2 tournament in San Jose, just one game away from capturing a fourth state title in as many years. Their two losses in the tournament came to the same team, eventual champion Pacifica American.

Woodcreek first baseman Alec Gums.

Pacifica defeated Woodcreek 14-6 in the teams’ first meeting, a winner’s bracket semifinal. Woodcreek then went to the loser’s bracket and won three straight games in order to gain its rematch. Scraping and fighting until the end, Woodcreek nearly forced a third and final game. Pacifica escaped 17-15 to advance to the West Regionals in San Bernardino.

“Seeing these kids grow and seeing them succeed is great,”

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Gums said. “We keep reiterating with these kids that it’s a game of failure and that you’re not going to go up there and hit the ball out of the park every time. You got to expect that part of the game.

“We believed in these kids. I think that’s what kept us here.

We have camaraderie and a special rapport with these kids.

This isn’t just on the field. These kids are special.” ✪

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Some of the best 13- and 14-year-old Little Leaguers in the world will take Max Baer Field in Livermore from July 29-Aug. 4. This year it can truly be advertised as bigger and better as the tournament will feature one more international team than the inaugural series did a year ago. The Europe/Africa Region will have its first representative in the form of South Moravia from the Czech Republic.

We’re thrilled to be a part of the event once again. And we’ll bring something new this year as well. In addition to previewing the event here, and covering it through SportStarsOnline.com and our social media sites, this year we’ll also be holding our own event in conjunction with the series.

Our SportsJam Field of Dreams event presented by Kaiser Permanente will take place Aug. 2-3 on an adjacent field to Max Baer. It will feature a variety of fun activities and clinics for fans of all sports, not just baseball.

Once you’ve flipped through this primer, make sure to check out our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram sites for plenty of updates throughout the week of competition. Enjoy the games!

— Chace Bryson, Editor

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#20

JORDAN NEVAREZ Favorite Baseball Team: San Francisco Giants Favorite Baseball Player: Troy Tulowitzki

Favorite Baseball Moment: “Whenever we’re winning a game.”

Favorite Non-Baseball Hobby: Hanging out with friends or swimming Why He’s Excited About the LLWS: “We’re having fun and have the chance to go to the championship.”

Favorite Superhero: My Dad Biggest Inspiration: My Dad

Favorite TV Show: Shark Tank

#28

brian kang

Favorite Baseball Team: San Francisco Giants Favorite Baseball Player: Buster Posey Favorite Baseball Moment: Winning the District 54 title (to qualify for LLWS) Favorite Non-Baseball Hobby: Watching movies with friends Why He’s Excited About the LLWS: “Having the experience with all the other kids.”

Favorite Superhero: Iron Man Favorite TV Show: The Walking Dead

#17 ryan kang

Favorite Baseball Team: San Francisco Giants Favorite Baseball Player: Derek Jeter Favorite Baseball Moment: Hitting a home run last year Favorite Non-Baseball Hobby: Hanging out with friends Why He’s Excited About the LLWS: “Meeting all the top teams around the world and facing them.”

Favorite Superhero: Superman Favorite Movie: World War Z

meet more of the team!

Meet more of the Canyon Creek LL team at

SportStarsOnline.com and Facebook.com/SportStars

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U.S. TEAMS CALIFORNIA: CANYON CREEK LL Home: San Ramon. Miles To Livermore: 13 Quick Facts: The District 54 host team should feel pretty good about its chances to compete after the team it beat in the District 54 final lost in the Divisional championship to El Dorado Hills.

That ED Hills team lost to Nogales National (Ariz.) in the West Region final.

CENTRAL: TAYLOR LL Home: Taylor, Michigan. Miles To Livermore: 2,047 Quick Facts: Michigan represents the Central for the second straight year. Georgetown LL of Jenison, MI., went 1-2 a year ago. Taylor is the hometown of former Atlanta Braves pitcher, Steve Avery.

EAST: BERLIN LL Home: Berlin, Maryland. Miles To Livermore: 2,510 Quick Facts: The Berlin All-Stars blasted their way through the East Regional, going 6-0 and outscoring opponents 86-20. Berlin’s historic downtown was used as the film location for movies “The Runaway Bride” and “Tuck Everlasting.”

SOUTHEAST: BARBOURSVILLE LL Home: Barboursville, West Virginia. Miles To Livermore: 2,134 Quick Facts: Barboursville scored in double digits in every game of the Southeast Regional. The team won the regional final 18-7 over Fort Myers American LL (Florida). Barboursville’s town motto is “The Best Little Village In the State” SOUTHWEST: MID CITY LL Home: Midland, Texas. Miles To Livermore: 1,182 Quick Facts: The boys of Midland are the second Texas representative for the Southwest. Post Oak LL of Houston was undefeated before losing the 2013 U.S. final. Midland is the home city for the Oakland A’s double-A affiliate, the Rockhounds.

WEST: NOGALES NATIONAL LL Home: Nogales, Arizona. Miles To Livermore: 756 Quick Fact: Nogales National, which hosts the West Regional tournament, is making its second straight trip to Livermore. Nogales had a rough go last year, finishing 1-2 overall.

INTERNATIONAL TEAMS ASIA-PACIFIC: GYEONGGI LL Home: Gyeonggi, South Korea. Miles To Livermore: 5,632 Quick Fact: It will be up to the boys of Gyeonggi LL to defend the World Series title for the Asia-Pacific Region. Izumisano LL of Osaka, Japan, won it all a year ago. This team defeated Japan’s representative 4-2 in the Asian-Pacific Region final.

CANADA: WHALLEY LL Home: Surrey, British Columbia. Miles To Livermore: 797 Quick Fact: The team from Whalley will be hoping to give Canada its first Intermediate World Series victory after a winless trip for last year’s Northern representative from Lethbridge, Alberta.

Whalley went 6-0 at in its regional tournament.

EUROPE-AFRICA: SOUTH MORAVIA LL Home: Brno, Czech Republic. Miles To Livermore: 5,923 Quick Fact: South Moravia is the first team to represent the Europe-Africa region at the Intermediate World Series. Coincidentally, South Moravia’s 12 year-old Majors All-Stars will be the representative in Williamsport, Penn., too.

LATIN AMERICAN: PABAO LL Home: Willemstad, Curaçao. Miles To Livermore: 3,698 Quick Fact: Pabao LL has sent five 12 year-old Majors All-Star teams to Willamsport. The 2004 was the first Caribbean nation team to win it. That team featured current MLB players Jurickson Profar (Rangers) and Jonathan Schoop (Orioles).

PUERTO RICO: SAMARITANA LL Home: San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico. Miles To Livermore: 3,609 Quick Fact: The Samaritana All-Stars will be trying to build upon the strong showing their country’s representative delivered a year ago. The team from Yabucoba, PR, lost just twice in its trip to Livermore — both to eventual-champion Japan.

Note: Distances to Livermore calculated at www.distancefromto.net

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California

Central

Walk the Walk

Latin America

Livermore held its second annual parade welcoming the teams of the Intermediate Little League World Series. Here’s a few of our Photos by favorite shots. For more shots of the parade and action throughout Phillip Walton the tournament, be sure to LIKE us at Facebook.com/SportStars

West

Europe-Africa

Canada 24

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De La Salle, Woodcreek lead NorCal’s trap-shooting dominance at state- and national-level events

N

ot every high school athlete is built to soar above the rim, run over linebackers or race to victory. But that doesn’t mean students must abandon sports and its rewards in high school.

The growing sport of trap shooting — along with skeet shooting and sporting clays — provides an athletic outlet for students in which they can literally shoot for success and camaraderie on the range.

“This is the great equalizer,” De La Salle Trap Club head coach Wade Haley said of the shooting sports. “You don’t have to be a certain size to succeed. Instead, every kid on campus has an opportunity to excel at something.

“Not everyone can play football at De La Salle or basketball at Carondelet and have the opportunity to succeed.”

That has not kept the Spartans’ shooters (De La Salle and neighboring sister school Carondelet combine to make up the De La Salle Trap Club) from finding success in high school shooting sports. In its first year competing against the largest programs in Northern California, De La Salle won the Division I High Five varsity championship, beating out more established programs like Woodcreek, Granite Bay, and Del Oro. The Spartans edged Woodcreek by a total of six targets over the entire season, but proved they could compete against the best despite shooting in just their fifth season in the California Youth Shooting Sports Association (CYSSA) competition and first in Division I. “We have gone from being an upstart school to one of the bigger high school teams in the CYSSA,” Haley said of the program that started with just 10 shooters in 2010.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Amidst all of the glory and success of De La Salle’s athletic teams, including the nation26

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Woodcreek’s Jack Mojica Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

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De La Salle’s Sam Dyer 28

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Woodcreek’s Andrew Ripley ally-renowned football program, the Spartans’ trap club was formed as a club by senior Chris Swasey, a longtime shooter and junior champion with the Livermore Gun Club.

The team finished third in state competition with several experienced shooters, but 2011 saw the graduation of many participants and the arrival of brand new shooters, including Brent Haley. Haley approached his parents about joining the club and, after lengthy discussion, the junior became a part of the young team and recruited his father to help out with the coaching duties.

Wade Haley oversaw the team that won the 2011 High Five junior varsity state title (the Spartans did not have enough experienced shooters to participate at the varsity level) and has been the head coach ever since.

The club has grown in numbers from 10 in its first year to 50 paid members in 2014. The team’s success, including the success of female participants from Carondelet, has attracted more shooters each year. Haley expects that the numbers will continue to rise in step with the rise in popularity of the shooting sports in the region.

When the club was formed, De La Salle was the lone East Bay high school to compete with the Sacramento area schools and Northern California gun clubs, including the Martinez and Livermore clubs from which the Spartans have attracted participants. The interest in shooting clubs at the high school level has relatively boomed in the area, so that teams from Clayton Valley Charter, Berean Christian, and Justin-Siena will round out a larger Bay Area contingent in CYSSA competitions in 2015.

STEADY AIM Sac-Joaquin Section schools, especially those east of Sacramento toward the foothills, have the longest history in CYSSA competitions as well as steady numbers and success at the varsity level. Nearly 10 years ago, Woodcreek and Del Oro started trap clubs and the two schools, along with relative newcomer Granite Bay, have dominated the high school scene to make the area from Roseville to Loomis the center of the high school trap shooting world.

Woodcreek was the first official high school to join the CYSSA. The organization that oversees club and high school

De La Salle’s Emmanuel Rovirosa competitions was started in 2001 as the Scholastic Clay Target Program with just five kids, but now has more than 25 high schools and 1,000 participants.

The Timberwolves concluded the 2014 season with a State Trap Division I varsity team championship when they edged out Del Oro and De La Salle at the state competition in Stockton in late June. On the strength of solid shooting from seniors Andrew Ripley and Jack Mojica, Woodcreek put together an excellent weekend to claim the prize and head to Las Vegas as a favorite at the US Open Youth Clay Shooting Championships.

“We were very motivated to take De La Salle off of its podium at state,” Mojica said. “We were very confident that we could do it and focused on getting back on top.”

Woodcreek finished second to De La Salle in the High Five varsity division, but captured the US Open varsity skeet and sporting clays competition at the Clark County Shooting Park. Ripley, Matthew Milligan, Vince Howe and Mojica all shined in Vegas with Milligan claiming an individual sporting clays title and Ripley finishing as the highest high school finisher in skeet shooting with a sixth-place individual finish.

Del Oro was led by Zach Brandt’s sixth-place individual finish in sporting clays for a third-place varsity team finish while Granite Bay posted its best results in the trap shooting competition. Chandler Dale shot a 196 to lead the Grizzlies to a seventh-place squad finish and third-place varsity team standing.

BREAKING THROUGH Upstart De La Salle had a breakthrough performance at the US Open in the trap shooting competition. Senior Sam Dyer hit a perfect 200 out of 200 targets before recording a 24 in the shoot-off to finish second in the overall individual standings while Jeremy Connelly approached perfection with a 199 to finish fourth.

The Spartans were second overall in the Varsity Squad competition with a 972, and won the High Five varsity championship with an impressive 988. Dyer and Connelly were supported by Bianca Delfabro (198), Michael Marymee (196) and Emmanuel Rovirosa (195) to finish 15 targets better than second-place Woodcreek.

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Rovirosa and Delfabro were top shooters for De La Salle all season long and both took unlikely paths to success. Rovirosa, a recent graduate who will attend UC Irvine in the fall to pursue a Computer Engineering degree, joined the club as a freshman in 2011 and served as an inspiration as he rose through the ranks to become a top shot.

Rovirosa was born with spina bifida, a developmental congenital disorder that limits his movement and requires him to wear ankle foot orthotics (AFOs) for mobility and stability, but he never let any physical limitations — he has endured more than a dozen surgeries and has no feeling below his knees — slow his progress as a shooter. His first time at the range, he had to rest after just two shots, but he worked to become a key member of the Spartans’ championship team.

“He is on our top squad,” Haley said. “He is one of those kids that has gone from rags-to-riches and is a quiet leader on the team.”

Rovirosa recently reached goals that he wrote as a freshman in which he aimed to record one perfect round of 25 before he finished his senior season. Looking back after he concluded his high school shooting career, he regularly shot 25s and even hit a personal-best 125 consecutive targets last year.

“I am inspired by his dedication,” Delfabro said. “Even if he is hurting or down, he still goes about his business and works hard to the finish.”

Delfabro worked hard to finish as one of the team’s top shooters and possibly the top returner for next year. Just a sophomore, she has grown as a shooter while also growing the program. Delfabro consistently recruits other female shooters from Carondelet despite having to be recruited herself to join the club.

“I joined the team because a friend asked me to join with her,” she said. “She didn’t want to be the only girl on the team.

“Now, we are getting more girls from Carondelet, but I would like to see girls from all of the schools getting involved.”

As Delfabro, Rovirosa and others are testament, involvement in trap shooting is possible regardless of any perceived physical standards. ✪

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THE SACO LEGACY Here’s just a few reasons why Pete Saco’s retirement as SJS Commissioner should constitute more than a blip on the state’s high school sports radar. ›› He designed, proposed and championed the CIF State Football Bowl Games system that now crowns five state football champions each season.

In retirement, he will continue to work on expanding and refining the games. ›› He was a driving force behind the CIF’s Open Division state championship games in both football and basketball. ›› He established several awards and scholarship programs to benefit studentathletes of the Sac-Joaquin Section. ›› He instituted the SJS Hall of Fame, which inducts its third class Aug. 24.

QUOTEABLE: “Say what you will about the lack of state playoffs in football, but the bowl games have been the best thing to happen to the CIF statewide since the boys and girls basketball playoffs began in 1980.” — CalHiSports.com editor, Mark Tennis, from his January 2014 story on Saco’s retirement announcement.

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P

ete Saco wanted to look out for high school student-athletes even before he became one.

Influenced by a father who stressed fairness, and inspired by a high school coach who validated the lessons taught at home, Saco was seemingly made to shape the lives of young students on playing fields.

“I had a great education, great coaches, great teachers and loved going to school,” Saco said. “From 8 years old, I wanted to be a high school coach.”

Shortly after graduating from Cal State Hayward (now East Bay) in 1974, Saco began his coaching career as an assistant varsity basketball coach at Oceana High in Pacifica. That job preceded a stint at Tokay-Lodi, where he would lay the groundwork for becoming a major influence on high school sports well beyond the quiet Central Valley town. Saco’s coaching career moved from Tokay to Lodi High where he eventually became athletic director at the young age of 29. In 1993, he became the third Sac-Joaquin Section Commissioner since the section formed in 1942.

After 21 years, Saco will retire from his commissioner post in August. During his tenure, he oversaw tremendous growth—the section expanded from 115 schools to 195 schools and from three divisions to the current seven-division format—and played a significant role in the advancement of playoff formats in the section as well as the state.

With all of Saco’s decisions as commissioner, he strived to work with the section’s leagues, athletic directors, principals and coaches for the good of every student-athlete within his boundaries.

“I tried to look out for our student-athletes,” Saco said of his goal as commissioner and how he wanted to be remembered for his time leading the section. “I wanted to make as fair of a level playing field as possible and give the kids the best experience we could.”

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Access this article online at SportStarsOnline.com/PeteSaco for video of our full-length interview of the retiring commissioner.

In more than two decades as commissioner, Saco’s contributions to the SJS were numerous. The accomplishments are many and wellknown — ranging from the institution and funding of scholarship programs, to the creation of awards recognizing the accomplishment of athletes and programs for actions on the field and in their communities, to the formation of a bi-annual conference to bring together female athletes for education and fellowship — but his personal favorite may be the establishment of the SJS Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame honors the greatest athletes, coaches, officials, administrators and even media members from the section. Saco’s last official act as section commissioner will be inducting the 2014 Hall of Fame class at Sleep Train Arena on Aug. 24. The latest 32 inductees will join the existing 98 members from the inaugural Class of 2010 and the Class of 2012.

There is little doubt Saco will enter the same Hall for his contributions, but the section’s visionary leader has never put himself first in the business of the section. Saco’s SJS vision has always been to advance and recognize its student-athletes regardless of the attention — often negative — it brought on him. The outgoing commissioner clearly understood his role was not to be popular with athletes, coaches, administrators and parents, but to be a fair enforcer of rules and policies.

“You better have a thick skin because no matter what decision you make, some people are going to be unhappy,” Saco said. “You have to understand from the very start that you are not going to make a lot of people happy.”

Saco stated that he always wanted to rule every athlete eligible whenever he could, but knew that the section’s constitution and bylaws were more important than the goodwill of schools and supporters involved in transfer requests and other rulings.

“My dad had a tremendous effect on my life and he told me early on ‘You make sure that you always do what is right, not what is popular,’” Saco said. “You have to make tough decisions and you have to do what is right.”

That lesson was confirmed and further emphasized by another great influence in Saco’s life, his El Camino-South San Francisco basketball coach, Rene Herrerias.

Herrerias was an assistant to Cal’s Pete Newell and later coached the Golden Bears into the 1960s before leaving the college ranks for El Camino. It was as the Colts’ varsity coach that Herrerias validated the lessons learned by an impressionable teenager eager to pass along that knowledge to future generations of student-athletes.

“He enforced the same things in the classroom and playing field that was enforced in my house,” said Saco. “He emphasized the importance of doing what is right.”

Those lessons guided Saco through difficult rulings and provided him the solace of sticking to his principles.

“What has impressed me the most is his leadership and his constant pursuit of doing things the right way,” said Brad Gunter, Jr., athletic director and baseball coach at Valley Christian Academy-Roseville.

“Pete has proven his shoulders are big enough to take the heat and make the tough calls.

“Pete, without a doubt, is the best commissioner in the state and will be a tough act to follow. I feel his accomplishments will be valued even more as his retirement is in full swing.”

The greatest legacy that Saco leaves for future generations of student-athletes in California is the creation of the CIF State Bowl Games that have determined state football champions since 2006. But even that proposal was not always the most popular decision.

“In 2002 or so, someone said we can never have state football championships,” Saco said of the challenge that he took on with SJS Assistant Commissioner John Williams. “It took us a year to write the Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

Central Catholic-Modesto football coach Roger Canepa holds up the 2013 CIF Div. IV State Bowl Championship trophy. SJS schools have won at least one bowl in five of the seven years since the games debuted in 2006 behind Saco’s leadership. proposal up, and once it got put on the table, there were some people who laughed at it.”

But Saco and Williams held the line and eventually received enough backing to make the dream a reality.

“It didn’t have every section’s support, but it had enough support to pass,” Saco said.

Saco has since led the CIF in adding regional playoff games to qualify the section championship teams for the state bowl games, and also added an Open Division — for championship games between the state’s top NorCal and SoCal programs regardless of division and enrollment — in both football and basketball.

The concepts have grown in popularity, but Saco has always worked to improve the system with tweaks and new concepts. After Saco retires from the section, he will work with the CIF State Office on various projects, including further changes to the football playoff formats that could see all section champions with an opportunity to advance to one of potentially 12 state football championship games played at venues spread throughout the state (the CIF State Bowl Games have been held at the Home Depot Center in Carson since their inception).

Despite moving on from the section, Saco knows that he cannot quit high school sports cold turkey.

“People are kidding themselves who think you can just walk away from high school sports,” he said. “Other options will avail themselves with CIF to stay involved.”

So, Pete Saco’s decision to continue to look out for high school student-athletes feels right.

It might even be a popular decision, too. ✪ Score Digital Content: Scan SSM With LAYAR

Meet the new guy Mike Garrison technically becomes the fourth commissioner of the Sac-Joaquin Section on Aug. 1.

Garrison was most recently the Assistant Superintendent for the Rocklin Unified School District, a position he’d held since 2011.

Before then, he’d been at Rocklin High. He was an athletic director from 1999-2005 and the school’s principal from 2005 until he left for the district office.

He’s not new to the CIF, either. Prior to moving to Rocklin, he was an AD at Princeton High where he sat on the Northern Section Board of Managers as well as multiple committees.

“I am honored to be hired as the new commissioner,” Garrison said. “I look forward to continuing on what Mr. Saco has accomplished. I don’t have any big changes in store, but things will come up and we will be prepared.”

Garrison isn’t naive to think he won’t face challenges. And he has a pretty good guess as to what the biggest ones will be.

“It really has always been, and will continue to be, student transfers,” he said. “Students requesting a transfer to another school is what (Saco) spent a good portion of his time on, and certainly, it will be no different with me. I just have to make sure we follow our bylaws. Students and parents can get very emotional when seeking a transfer. It can be tough.”

He certainly has the vote of his predecessor.

“Mike will be fine,” Saco said. “He comes from a strong administrative background. He has been through all of the chairs and seen it all from the outside. ... He needs to go in and get his feet on the ground, stay focused, get advice from people, and live with the decisions.

Because he will be tested. He will have to find his comfort zone and do what is best for him.”

— Darin Wissner and Jim McCue

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getting treated: hunter greene, m.d.

Many common sports injuries can be treated at urgent orthopedic care facilities with much less hassle than a hospital Broken bones, sprains and other injuries happen when we least expect them: on the playing field, on the job and even in our own backyards. When an injury occurs, we often turn to the nearest emergency room or urgent care clinic for treatment. However, these are not always the best options.

In a hospital emergency room, you run the risk of a long wait time, exposure to others’ conditions, and a costly medical bill. And a traditional urgent care clinic, while convenient for many medical problems, usually lacks the expertise of an orthopedic professional.

For an urgent orthopedic problem or injury, an orthopedic urgent care clinic can offer a less expensive, less stressful alternative to the ER, with the orthopedic expertise you may not find at a standard urgent care clinic. At an orthopedic urgent care clinic, patients access care from orthopedic specialists during and after normal business hours. Patients are accepted on a walk-in basis and typically are seen in less than an hour.

Orthopedic urgent care clinics are staffed with trained orthopedic professionals who provide a complete array of treatments for conditions such as: Complex fractures

Sports injuries

Cuts and abrasions

Painful or swollen joints

Injuries resulting from an accident or fall

Sprains and strains

Musculoskeletal pain or injuries Concussion evaluation

Sudden or acute pain

Most orthopedic urgent care clinics have on-site digital X-ray facilities, casting/splinting capabilities, and the ability to repair lacerations. The specialists at an orthopedic urgent care clinic will follow you from diagnosis and treatment through your rehabilitation and recovery, while a general practitioner or emergency room physician may refer you to an orthopedic specialist for follow-up care.

Typically, urgent care centers contract with most major health plans and patients’ insurance is verified at the time of service. As with any medical appointment, be sure to bring your current valid insurance ID with you. Knowledge of medical history and medications you’re currently taking is also helpful.

Unlike an emergency room, orthopedic urgent care clinics are not equipped to care for severe injuries or non-orthopedic problems, such as chest pain, and are typically not open 24-hours-a-day. In addition, orthopedic urgent care clinics are not designed to treat life-threatening medical emergencies. If you do experience a life-threatening emergency, you should always call 911.

Due to the smaller scale and lower volume of patients, orthopedic urgent care clinics can provide efficient care, saving you time and money. The next time you’re injured, remember that an orthopedic urgent care clinic offers a convenient alternative for receiving high quality care. ✪ Hunter Greene, M.D., is a board certified orthopedic surgeon with Summit Orthopedic Specialists in Carmichael, CA. He specializes in adult and pediatric sports medicine. Summit offers comprehensive orthopedic care and an orthopedic urgent care clinic.

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get mental: erika carltson

?

Do you fear

success

Believe it or not, many athletes may not reach their goals because they fear the pressure success might create

As athletes, we dream of one day cashing in on all the blood, sweat and tears for the glory of our sport. We imagine winning the championship, earning the scholarship and even winning the gold medal. Ironically, many of us also fear success.

Surprisingly, at times we actively sabotage our chances of success. Why on earth would we purposely diminish our chances for the glory we dream of?

Intuitively we fear that a fully executed commitment also sets us up for a complete failure. A failure that comes without excuses and may bring truths that we don’t want to face.

Success can also bring the crushing weight of pressure. Pressure to continue to be successful. Pressure to meet the expectations that your success established. It can be a lot to live up to.

What does fear of success look like? ›› Not completing your workouts for the week. ›› Not eating proper nutrition/poor timing with eating ›› Not getting proper sleep and recovery needed to manage your training load. ›› Getting frustrated and deciding that you just can’t get better, stronger or faster. ›› Spending a lot of time thinking in the future about “what ifs” (“What if I win the sprint and now I’m expected to always win the sprint? What if I win the tournament and now everyone is watching me and expecting me to win?”)

Fear of success is subtle and often hard to detect, but it deviously undermines our best performance. Here are some tips to help minimize and overcome fear of success. ›› Set up a weekly goal plan with everything you need to do in order to be prepared for game day. Update and execute this plan every week with 100 percent commitment. ›› Share your goal plan with your coaches, trainers and/or your sport psychology professional to review for additional accountability. ›› Manage your self-talk to be sure you are staying focused and not giving yourself permission to let down. ›› Manage emotions that can lead to irrational behavior which may make us feel “justified” in not staying committed. ›› Discuss your fears out loud with your coach, trainer or sport psychology professional to give them a voice and to help get some strategies to overcome.

I often say, it’s your mental game that controls your physical game. Being mentally strong allows you to prepare and perform your best. Performing your best is nothing to be afraid of. ✪ Erika Carlson is a certified mental trainer and owner of Excellence in Sports Performance in Pleasanton.w

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training time: tim rudd for iyca

FIVE RULES for athlete nutrition Following these simple eating guidelines could dramatically improve your health and performance

Do you know the types of things athletes must do to improve their health, body composition and performance? As a Precision Nutrition Level 1 coach, I have the most up-to-date, scientific-based researched and practical nutrition strategies at my fingertips.

Everything I teach my athletes is based on the 3S criteria, developed by Precision Nutrition.

SIMPLE: Are the rules easy to follow?

SCIENCE-BASED: Are the rules based on sound scientific principles?

SUCCESSFUL: Have the rules produced success in others like your athletes?

A system based on those three things is absolutely critical.

To help you out, here are the exact rules I’ve used with my athletes for years.

1. EAT EVERY FEW (3-4) HOURS: Now, the athletes don’t need to eat a full meal every few hours — some of them can be smaller snacks. But every few hours they should be getting a dose of good food that follows the other rules below.

2. INCLUDE PROTEIN-DENSE FOODS IN EACH MEAL AND SNACK: The most proteindense and high-quality proteins come from animal foods (chicken, beef, fish, dairy etc.)

3. INCLUDE VEGETABLES IN EACH MEAL OR SNACK: One of the best and easiest things athletes can do to improve their health and performance is to include veggies in each meal or snack.

4. EAT MOSTLY UNPROCESSED CARBOHYDRATES: This includes things like rice, pasta, potatoes, etc. These should come from whole food sources that contain no more than three ingredients if packaged. Athletes should control their portions, limiting them to a cupped palm size with each meal.

5. INCLUDE A GOOD BALANCE OF HEALTHY FAT IN YOUR DIET (There are three types of fat): ■ Monounsaturated fat should come from mixed nuts, olives, and olive oil.

■ Polyunsaturated fat should from flax seed oil, fish oil, and mixed nuts.

■ Saturated fat come from animal proteins, butter and coconut oil.

Eating all three kinds in a healthy balance can dramatically improve one’s health, performance and body composition.

Those five rules alone will have athletes eating better — and performing better — than 85-90 percent of their competition. ✪ Tim Rudd is an IYCA specialist in youth conditioning and owner of Fit2TheCore.

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tri steps: liz elliott

Beat The Heat Summer tips for outdoor endurance training Woohoo, it’s summer! Bring on the summer heat and training.

Most endurance athletes — especially triathletes — spend a lot of our time

training and racing in the heat of the day.

For summer training and competitions, cover your skin and hydrate. Hydra-

tion is not just water. It’s having a balance of water and electrolytes. In lay terms electrolytes keep the water working in your body where needed.

Electrolytes include calcium, potassium, magnesium and other minerals, and

can be found in the foods you eat everyday including tomatoes, oranges, leafy

greens and other foods found in nature. Many fruits and vegetables containing electrolytes also add

liquid to your system. Watermelon and watermelon juice is high in water content, and the amino acids have been shown to help prevent post-workout muscle soreness.

If you are a heavy sweater, add some salt to your fruit. Salt helps water stay in your body in general.

Here’s a list of some summer essentials:

★ Full bottle of water.

★ Electrolytes. On an on-going basis, through everyday foods, and with supplements. ★ Sunscreen.

★ Hat or visor.

★ Sun glasses.

★ Arm sleeves/coolers. For biking and running. Some help block uv rays and cool skin.

Have fun, and be safe. ✪

Liz Elliott was an All-American collegiate swimmer and is the head coach at Tri-Valley Triathlon Club.

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health watch: jamie faison

Don’t fear the static While dynamic warm-ups are taught more and more, static stretching can still be very effective I was working at an Elementary School Field Day last week, teaching the students about the importance of warm-up and stretching before exercises. When teaching the kids about our “Dynamic Warm-up,” a little voice came from the front saying, “My mom says that stretching is bad for you!”

Sometimes a little information used without proper understanding and context can be dangerous. While static stretching before activity has been shown to decrease muscular strength and power, that does not mean that stretching is bad for you. Actually, I feel that static stretching actually has received a bad rap.

Static stretching, if used properly, is a critical part of our flexibility programs. It helps to decrease soreness after a hard workout, and helps to increase flexibility by relaxing into a good stretch. >>Implementation of a Static Stretching program: Stretching should always be done on a muscle that has been properly warmed-up. We use dynamic stretching to increase mobility and flexibility before athletics. Static stretching is usually performed after practice and games. >>Top 3 areas to Static Stretch after practice: HAMSTRINGS (Doorway stretch): Lie on your back with your legs straight. Lift both legs up and prop one up on a doorway. Slowly lower the other leg down toward the floor, feeling a gentle stretch in your hamstring. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

PEC MAJOR (Lying on a foam roller): Lie on your back on a foam roller and drop your arms straight out to your sides. Keep your palms up and let gravity stretch your pecs.

CALF/GASTROC STRETCHING (Standing against a wall): Place both hands flat on a wall, step both feet back so your body is leaning forward. Step one foot toward the wall and stretch your back calf. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Remember, Static Stretching is your friend. If done correctly, it can really help you stay flexible throughout your season. ✪

Jamie Faison is a physical therapist assistant at UCSF Benioff’s Children’s Hospital Oakland and its Sports Medicine Center for Young Athletes in Walnut Creek. He is also a certified athletic trainer who specializes in treating, rehabilitating and educating injured high school athletes.

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even more camps + clinics at sportstarsonline.com BASEBALL/SOFTBALL Cal Club Baseball CCB is one of the premier college development baseball programs in California. We have hitting sessions on Saturdays and Sundays. Times for these hitting sessions will be sent out at the beginning of each week and will be listed on our website. In these hitting sessions we set up stations for players to work on hitting for power, gap-to-gap, two strikes, balance and opposite field. Pitching sessions are set up with stations to get specific work on certain mechanics for pitching. Info: erick@calclubbaseball.com; (408) 204-8771 Fieldhouse Baseball Camps/Clinics The Fieldhouse is an indoor baseball facility providing baseball-related developmental and training services for teams and organizations.

These services include baseball classes for hitting, pitching, catching, base running, infield and outfield defense, speed/agility/strength training, and teaching the mental aspect of baseball.

Along with the class instruction, our services also include developing a long term training and development program for baseball organizations interested in developing a sustainable and successful program. Info: Don Gieseke; don@ thefieldhouse.net Got ‘Em Baseball College Development The College Development Camp is a camp geared toward those elite high school student athletes that have aspirations of playing at the next level. We have teamed up with numerous colleges, professional instructors, current MLB scouts, motivational speakers and life skills coaches to bring to you an unforgettable 4-day/3-night baseball and life skills experience.

The College Development Camp for grades: 9-11 takes place at University of the Pacific & Delta College in Stockton. Max Number of Campers: 60. Info: baseball@gotembaseball. com Gregg Jefferies Sports Academy Former first-round draft pick for the New York Mets, Gregg Jefferies put together an amazing 14-year career at the Major League level. Now he can train you! Enlist in camps and specialty clinics like hitting and pitching classes; onsight rehab and arm care, speed and agility, srength/ core classes, team programs or join our monthly Baseball Membership. We even offer Family Membership Plans so all your children can be involved and share our 12,000 square foot indoor facility. Info: (510) 209-6194; (925) 4841036; tarynalexander13@gmail.com Headfirst Baseball Academy Though many people have heard about Headfirst, few understand the HF network, especially in the Upper Division. The basic principle is that we want to train young players who are willing to work hard to make the next level. We are proven in the area of recruiting talented players and developing them. Most importantly (and this is the most overlooked concept by young players) Headfirst is proven in having the relationships with colleges that will result in players being connected with their desired school. Info: MJi0209@aol.com; Mario74iglesias@aol.com

Total Player Center In an effort to develop baseball players to their full potential, The Pitching Center has become the Total Player Center (TPC), a full-service baseball/softball training academy.

We provide comprehensive, fully-integrated training programs that evolve based on the best research and information available in areas from health/safety, peak performance, education techniques and more. Age- and skill-specific programs are available for students aged 8-18.

Info: 925-416-1600, www.thepitchingcenter.com.

South Bay Sports Training Baseball/Softball These one-of-a-kind camps are a great opportunity for any young player to obtain the skills, knowledge, and resources needed to become a better player. Camps serve players aged 6-14. Info: (408) 283-0643; southbaytraining@aol.com BASKETBALL CalStars The Stars Basketball Academy (SBA) is a fundamental-based skills development camp for kids in 3rd-11th grade. It’s suitable for all skill levels and open players not involved with the Cal Stars’ program. All camps are held at Bentley High in Lafayette. Info: www.calstars.org.

East Bay Bulldogs The Bulldogs are pleased to bring back our hugely popular Week Night Skills Workouts.

The program focuses on fundamental skills that are tough to spend much time on in practice.

We do three 2-hour long skills workouts, that are open to boys and girls from 2nd-12th grade.

This is a complete workout touching on all skills needed to play the game. You don’t have to be a Bulldogs player to attend. We are based in Martinez. Info: PGLeClaire@comcast.net; 925-570-1334 FastBreak Basketball Margaret Gartner, the highly-decorated girls basketball coach for Carondelet High in Concord, leads this girls basketball camp focused on fundamentals. Three week-long sessions are offered, two for grades 5-9, one for grades 1-5. Info: www.FastBreakBball.com; or email Fastbreak_club@yahoo.com CHEER/DANCE California Spirit Elite Cheer Camp CSE Cheer Camp, based at our facility in Dublin, is four days of fun-filled activities. Learn cheers, make crafts and make friends! Learn more about our club at csecheer.com. Info: (925) 556-1095 CheerGyms.com Customize your clinic to fit your needs! Let us teach the clinic you need to take your team to the next level! We offer residential overnight camps that include many awards, team bonding ideas and an experience of a lifetime. We also offer Two-Day Camps for a less-pricey overnight experience. Finally, there are Private Camps in which your cheerleaders get all the attention.

You pick the hours and decide what they will learn. Cheergyms.com facilities in Concord, San Jose and Petaluma! Info: morton@cheergyms. com, 925-685-8176

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even more camps + clinics at sportstarsonline.com ENRICHMENT Dianne Adair Programs Come join any of our eight Dianne Adair summer sites for our fun and exciting summer program. Each week campers will be able to choose from several camps, including sports, fashion, drama, CSI, science and so many more. We take weekly field trips to places like an A’s or Giants game, museums, the Jelly Belly Factory, Six Flags, the pool, the movies, parks and the zoo. Field trips and camps vary by site.

Offers and rates may vary at any of our nine locations. Info: www.dianneadair.org.

FENCING Stanford Fencing Camp For the beginning fencer, this camp at Stanford University teaches the elegant sport of Fencing from experienced staff. You will learn how to thrust, parry, and lunge like the musketeers!

This camp is open to anyone who wants to learn how to fence and is 8-18 years old. The average age of the camper ranges from 8 -13. Fencing camp runs half day from 9am -noon We provide all equipment. Info: Cdarcey@stanford.edu; 650.725.3001; www.stanfordfencingcamp.com FITNESS Children’s Hospital Sports Speed Camps Learn and put into practice the five pillars of SPEED training. Emphasizing flexibility, stability, strength, power, and speed. We’ll give you the training secrets that will make you faster than you’ve ever been before. The 2-week program is

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best suited for athletes (ages 12-19) who play soccer, football, basketball, lacrosse, and track & field. Space is limited to 15 athletes per session with 3 sessions offered. Camps are held in Walnut Creek and Berkeley. Info: (510) 428-3558 Fit 2 The Core As a youth conditioning, speed/agility and nutrition specialist with the International Youth Conditioning Association, Fit-2-The-Core Training Systems offers an innovative approach to getting your young athletes back on the field of play post-rehabilitation, continuing the process by progressing their bodies to handle what they must endure on the field or court. Athletes are closely supervised while being coached through the workout, with attention on proper technique and safety. For our Back to Sports programs we offer training weekdays, with 2 or 3 days/week options. Info: www.fasteryoungathletes.com, 925-639-0907.

Renaissance ClubSport We offers sports and speciality camps for kids ages 5-12. Participants have fun-filled, active breaks as they receive instruction in a variety of sports, activities, and projects. For families with multiple children, we offer a 10% discount on each additional sibling. Info: Kids World at 925.942.6344.

Trucks Training We know exactly what it takes to achieve the next level of sports & fitness safely and effectively. A true hometown feel from true hometown

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even more camps + clinics at sportstarsonline.com people. We offer 1-on-1, group and small group training for fitness and sport-specific needs.

Info: truckstraining.com; 925-756-7321 FOOTBALL AG Evaluations Artie Gigantino, a former NFL coach with the Rams and Raiders, and college coach at USC and Cal, offers players evaluations and consultations. Its guidance for your football future. Info: artiesports@yahoo.com, 925-209-9465 All Out Sports League Our football camps are held in Antioch and Clayton. The four-day non-contact camp teaches every position on the football field and are geared toward the fundamentals. Every aspect of the game is covered. Camps are open to boys and girls ages 6-16. Info: 925-203-5636 or www.alloutsportsleague.com Cascade Football Team Camp The purpose of the Cascade Team Camp is to provide a fundamental camp for high school athletes to learn the game of football from their own coaching staffs and to allow teams to meld together and spend quality team time for activities. The 5-day, full-contact camp is held at the beautiful campus of McCloud High at the base of Mt. Shasta. It’s attended by 7 teams and features facilities for both 11-and 8-man teams.

Info: Matt Hunsaker 530-233-0333; m61hunsaker@gmail.com Coach Cotter Football Camp This Moreau Catholic High camp is designed for

everyone to have fun while learning essential football skills in a non-contact environment.

Each camper will have the opportunity to learn the skills for all offensive and defensive positions. Campers will also tour the campus, weight room and team room areas. Each day of camp will conclude with “Mariner Ball,” a fun touch football game giving everyone an equal opportunity to participate. Info: (510)-881-4333 or acotter@moreaucatholic.org Walnut Creek Marauders The Walnut Creek Marauders are part of the Diablo Valley Youth Football Conference. This division represents 18 cities across Contra Costa, Solano, Napa and Alameda counties.

The Marauder tackle football program is led by trained volunteer coaches who strive for the personal and athletic growth of each athlete. Info: (925) 941-4745; ldavenport41@gmail.com GOLF The First Tee The First Tee Summer Camp is a youth development Golf program for boys and girls ages 7-18. Participants learn about golf and the life skills and values inherent to the game.

Check with local chapters, Oakland, Contra Costa, Tri-Valley, Silicon Valley or find another at thefirsttee.org GYMNASTICS East Bay Sports Academy Summer Day Camps at East Bay Sports Academy offer the best gymnastics, cheer-

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leading, and tumbling SUMMER CAMP FUN anywhere! We offer four AMAZING WEEKS of half-day and full-day camps for girls and boys ages 5 and up. Recreational and competitive athletes will benefit from training with mostcommitted coaches in the Bay Area. Our 13,000 square foot facility is clean, bright, and has the newest equipment around. We host private mini-camps and clinics. We gladly welcome all high school, middle school and youth football teams. Info: www.eastbaysportsacademy.com, 925-680-9999.

Encore Gymnastics, Dance and Climbing Our facility in Concord offers sessions for kids ages 5-12. These camps are packed full of activities such as gymnastics, rock climbing, dance, cool crafts, games, water balloons, team building activities and more. Info: 925-932-1033, office@encoregym.com Nor Cal Elite All-Stars Cheer Camp Join the fun at Nor Cal! We have classes for everyone at every level: Summer cheer clinics, group and individual camps, private tumbling lessons, recreational cheer classes and more.

Info: www.nceallstars.com LACROSSE Atherton Lacrosse Our lacrosse camps are specifically designed for boys and girls ages 5-14, who are beginner or intermediate players. Beginner campers use soft sponge balls and no pads are required. This allows every camper to learn the fundamentals

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of the sport in a safe and fun atmosphere. Our intermediate camps are designed for players with 1-3 years experience. Atherton has been introducing both boys and girls to the sport in the Bay Area since 2005. Our group of coaches are leaders in the lacrosse community. Info: 888-526-3330, athertonlacrosse.com ENCORE Lacrosse Our camps are for those players looking to take their game to the next level. Jonathan Christmas is present at every camp where the focus is on developing each and every player according to the S.T.R.I.V.E. model (Sustainable, Training, Reactive coaching, Innovative, Video, Energy).

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even more camps + clinics at sportstarsonline.com Beginners, check out our introductory and intermediate camps.

All camps offer goalie training and there are a limited number of goalie discounts available. Camp locations include Walnut Creek, Belmont, Marin, Sacramento and San Francisco. Info: info@ EncoreLacrosse.com MARTIAL ARTS Hanabi Judo & Japanese Culture Camp Hanabi’s Judo and Japanese Culture Summer Camp is a fun, active introduction to the traditions of Japan. Every themed session will have children learning judo (a requirement in Japanese schools), Japanese songs, Japanese stories as well as the main artistic, linguistic or culinary activity. Info: (510) 530-8312; dan@ hanabijudo.com OUTDOOR/ADVENTURE SPORTS Diablo Rock Gym We offer kids summer camps every week starting in June and ending in August. Sign up for a week at a time or multiple weeks.

Ages 6-17; multiple kid and/or week discounts. Call for pricing, 925-602-1000.

Tri-Valley Triathlon Club We will train you for a sprint, Olympic or half-ironman triathlon.

Join us at one of our free practices occurring 3-5 times a week.

Located in the East Bay with practices in Fremont, Newark, Union City, Pleasanton, Dublin, Livermore and San Ramon. Info: liz@ trivalleytriclub.com Umigo Indoor Kart Race Camp Imagine driving a high-performance go kart at breathtaking speed.

Race camp teaches you cornering and passing techniques and a solid understanding of the racing experience. Come to our indoor track in Livermore & experience the thrill. Info: 925-373-7223; umigoracing.com RUGBY Diablo Rugby Based in Clayton, our club is dedicated to providing a positive

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rugby experience for boys at high school, jr. high and youth levels.

Info: 925-381-5143, diablorugby.com SOCCER Dublin United Soccer Camps Dublin United Soccer is pleased to offer their excellent program in a day camp format. Our camps feature a fun & friendly atmosphere with challenging curriculum. We take an educational approach to coaching that focuses on being inclusive & welcoming of all players. Participants are not required to play for DUSL. Interested community members are invited and encouraged to attend.

Info: td@dublinsoccer.org Impact Soccer Club We are a community-based organization dedicated to the development of the soccer culture in Brentwood, Oakley, Antioch, Knightsen, Byron and Discovery Bay. Our summer camps are run by Impact Coaching Director Rick Morin. Rick has 30 years of coaching experience and coaches at Carondelet High and the Univ. of California. Impact’s Junior Academy Program, for under-6 is designed to provide age-appropriate soccer training and the proper foundation for young players in our club. Info: richardmorin1@comcast.net, (925) 323-1410 West Coast Soccer Lead by nationally-recognized coach and former SJ Earthquake, Troy Dayak, the WCSC’s programs are designed to bring professional experience and guidance to youth soccer players across Northern California. West Coast Soccer camps create an environment that encourages experimentation and a passion for the game. Info: www.westcoastsoccerclub.com West Contra Costa Youth Soccer League Our program caters to competitive youth players ages 8-9. The main focus of our program is not on winning, but on the development of the total soccer player within the framework of a team. We also offer specialized training for strikers and goalkeepers. Info: 510-758-5288, http://wccysl.com.

SWIMMING/DIVING Santa Clara Aquamaids Jump in with the Santa Clara Aquamaids and learn the basics of synchronized swimming! The Aquamaids are looking for swimmers ages 7-12, who are eager to learn, attentive, able to follow directions and work cooperatively in a group setting. Basic synchro skills are taught such as sculling, ballet legs, simple figures, arm strokes, land drilling, and more. The Santa Clara Aquamaids has been producing world-class synchronized swimmers and Olympic athletes since 1964. We have programs designed for beginning through elite levels. Info: 877 722-4630; 408 988-9936; info@aquamaids.org Sherman Swim School Located in Lafayette, our year-round schedule allows children and adults to learn, retain and improve their swim skills with little interruption. Lessons are offered on M-W-F’s and T-Th’s over 3-4 weeks. We teach from age 9-months to adults and non-swimmers to competitive levels. Our private or semi-private lessons allow you to progress at YOUR pace. We also offer beginning and competitive diving. Classes (30 min. long) are taught in three-week sessions. Either on M-W-F or T-Th. Info: 925-283-2100, www.

ShermanSwim.com.

VOLLEYBALL Bay Area Blast Summer Clinics Bay Area Blast Volleyball Club (BABVC) is a volleyball organization in Martinez. Our primary goal is to build character and develop sportsmanship. BABVC offers personalized 1:1, 2:1 and 3:1 lessons and skills clinics designed for beginner and intermediate players. The clinics focus on player development in the fundamental skills. BABVC holds two summer skills clinics for boys and girls of all levels, each running three nights a week for two consecutive weeks from 7-9 pm at NorCal Courts in Martinez. Sessions cost $125. Info: tracyfeldmann@gmail.com Core Volleyball Club We offer a competitive, fun environment where your daughter

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A G: Guidance For Your Football Future.......................................................................42, 43 Antioch Sports Legends....................................................................................................43 Big O Tires Northern California/ Nevada.............................................................................2 Borge U S A Indoor Soccer League....................................................................................32 Cal Athletic Camps......................................................................................................... 44 Carnegie S V R A...............................................................................................................22 Cassidy Turley Real Estate.................................................................................................37 Championship Athletic Fundraising.................................................................................12 Cheergyms.Com...............................................................................................................29 Club Sport..........................................................................................................................7 Club Sport Renaissance....................................................................................................38 Community Youth Center................................................................................................ 44 Concord Youth Football & Cheerleading...........................................................................42 Core Performance.......................................................................................................16, 42 Core Volleyball Club..........................................................................................................43 Diablo Futbol Club............................................................................................................27 Diablo Rock Gym..............................................................................................................16 Diablo Trophies & Awards.................................................................................................42 East Bay Parks..................................................................................................................44 Excellence In Sport Performance......................................................................................38 Garaventa Enterprises......................................................................................................19 Gregg Jefferies Sports Academy ......................................................................................36 Halo Headband................................................................................................................45 Heavenly Greens..............................................................................................................26 Home Team Sports Photography......................................................................................30 Kaiser Permanente...........................................................................................................48 Kangazoom......................................................................................................................30 Little League Intermediate World Series..........................................................................47 Livermore Downtown Assn................................................................................................5 M L B Scout Online...........................................................................................................43 Mountain Mike’s Pizza......................................................................................................13 Muir Orthopaedic Specialists............................................................................................37 Passthaball.......................................................................................................................45 Rhino Sports Of Northern California.................................................................................32 Rocco’s Pizza.....................................................................................................................42 Scottish Highland Gathering & Games.............................................................................40 Sky High Sports ...............................................................................................................43 Sport Clips........................................................................................................................17 Sport Performance Institute.............................................................................................18 Sports Stars Magazine......................................................................................................12 Stevens Creek Toyota........................................................................................................31 Sutter Health East Bay........................................................................................................3 Taking The World By Storm Soccer....................................................................................33 Tpc / The Pitching Center..................................................................................................23 U C S F Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland......................................................................35 U S A Elite.........................................................................................................................41 U S Air Force.....................................................................................................................25 Umigo Indoor Kart Racing................................................................................................16 United States Youth Volleyball League.............................................................................46 Walnut Creek Aquanuts....................................................................................................44 West Coast Soccer Club.....................................................................................................41 Wingstop.........................................................................................................................13

will enjoy competing at a high level not only in games, but in practices as well.Our goal is to prepare your daughter for the next level; whether that is her middle school, high school, or college program. Clinics are held at Velocity Sports Performance in Dublin. If you are looking for some extra touches prior to tryouts this is an excellent clinic for you. We work on all skill development and fundamentals. Info: info@teamcvc.com; Ph: 925-925230-9795 Pacific Rim Volleyball Pacific Rim Volleyball Academy in Pleasant Hill is dedicated to providing athletes with the technical, tactical and physical training, to reach their highest potential. Pacific Rim will assist each athlete in reaching maximum performance through proper training and nutrition education. Our advanced training for junior levels (12th grade & below), will provide the opportunity to become elite players at the high school and/or collegiate level.

Clinics are available for beginners, girls fall ball and skills-specific, boys skills-specific, open play and private lessons. Info: (585) 313-2215; rworsley@pacificrimvolleyball.com U.S. Youth Volleyball League The United States Youth Volleyball League is hosting a series of volleyball camps this summer in several Northern and Southern California locations. The USYVL is the leader in developing and maintaining youth volleyball leagues for boys and girls ages 7-15. Its motto “Volleyball starts here,” clearly represents its commitment to the development of the sport. Each camp is taught by instructors who have played or coached at the club, high school or college level. Registration fee includes a t-shirt, certificate, snacks and water. Info: 1-888-988-7985, www.USYVL.org.

WRESTLING Community Youth Center The Concord-based CYC wrestling program trains and challenges wrestlers at all age groups from kindergarten through high school, and all experience levels from beginner to champion. The program offers three types of week-long (July & Augu st) wrestling camps. The Elementary Camp for ages 5-10 and The All Corners Camp for ages 11-18, and the Advanced Camp serves the same age group and runs in August. Each camp runs from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. daily at the CYC. Camp fees vary slightly.

Info: 925-671-7070, Ext. 229, www.communityyouthcenter.com.

MULTI-SPORT Cal Camps Enrollment for Cal Athletic Camps are now open. Space is limited, so please make sure you reserve a place now. Camps are offered for girls and boys ages 5-19, with week-long, half-day, full-day and overnight options. Most camps take place on campus in Berkeley and are held from June through August. Among the sports offered are: Baseball, Basketball, Rowing/Crew, Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Rugby, Soccer, Strength & Conditioning, Swimming, Tennis, Volleyball and Water Polo. Enrollment is based on a first-come, first-served basis. Info: CalBears.com/ camps.

De La Salle Camps De La Salle High School will host athletic summer camps to provide a fun, skill-building week for kids. Camps appeal to local youth with a variety of athletic interests. De La Salle will offer the following sessions: Football, Track & Field, Lacrosse, Wrestling, Quarterback & Wide Receiver, Lineman, Volleyball, Baseball, Soccer, Water Polo and Strength & Conditioning. In addition to serving local athletes, the camps also benefit De La Salle students by contributing to The Bishop John S. Cummins Scholarship Program. Info: summercamps@dlshs.org; 925-288-8144.

Livermore Area Rec and Park Sports Camps LARPD offers a variety of sports for all ages. The popular Sports Camp (ages 5-12), Pee-Wee Sports Camps (ages 3-5) and Flag Football return to complement year-round traditional Baseball/T-Ball, Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball, Golf and Tennis programs from youth to teens. New sports have taken off with

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the introduction of Frisbee Golf, Gymnastics and Martial Arts.

Most of our sport-specific camps accommodate ages 8-14. Info: (925) 373-5733; zsilva@larpd.dst.ca.us Saint Mary’s College Camps We have camps available for ages 6-18. Dates are posted and registration is open. Our various camp offerings include: All-sports, baseball, basketball, rugby, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball. Each clinic features the head coach of the respective Gaels’ program along with a hand-picked staff of trained professionals. Each athlete will have the opportunity to develop their skills through individual instruction, group instruction and game experience. Click “camps” at www.smcgaels.com for detailed information and to register on line. Info: smccamps@ stmarys-ca.edu, 925-631-4386.

USA Elite Camps We offer camps with superior instruction from professional athletes and top Division I collegiate coaches. Sports served by USA Elite Camps include boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, girls volleyball and baseball. See our ad in this issue for more info. ✪

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