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feel the need, odds are it’s 31 Ifforyou more speed. And even if you’re not Goose (look it up, kids) speed training is vital.
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We are close to two-thirds of the way through the SportStars Cup and it’s looking as if this one will go right down to the wire.
Blackwell of Woodcreek 26 Noah knows how to score. But not just score. How to score in bunches and in dramatic, earth-shattering ways. 4
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February 2014
BREAKDOWN: Exclusive 10 STATE boys & girls statewide basketball rankings Get Digital extras: Use layar & scan pages 1, 11, 16, 18, 26, 40, 45
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pitch: Basketball is awe6 First some. You got these small gyms and the crowds are right on top of the action. Yeah, basketball is awesome. And what makes basketball even better are the rivalries. So in summary, things that are awesome: basketball and rivalries.
of the week: 7 Sportstar Sydney Porter, Nevada Union
8 locker room: Betting isn’t legal
in California. We’re not saying that it is. But what we ARE saying was that if it were legal, we’d totally be rich and you’d be reading SportStars Platinum like a boss.
Track and field as 12 Clipboard: a second sport is great, if you’re doing it for the right reasons. on the cover: Destiney Lee, Gigi Garcia of McClatchySacramento. Photo by JAMES K. LEASH
Fence: Tryouts, sign-ups, 40 The fund-raisers and more!
44 Advertiser’s index
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Let High School Hoops Cure Your NFL Blues
A
s much as I’ve always enjoyed covering a good high school football rivalry game, I was reminded recently that no sport was better built for rivalries than basketball. The smaller enclosed venue provides an intimate setting where the noise level can make your ears ring and the bleachers literally shake following the game’s biggest plays. And when the teams are good, and the games are good, the constant back and forth of emotion as leads and fortunes change can be truly captivating. Northern California has no shortage of strong rivalries, and those rivalries have delivered some epic games in recents weeks. I witnessed a phenomenal overtime battle between Danville rivals, Monte Vista and San Ramon Valley on Jan. 28. The host Wolves won the game on a 3-pointer with four seconds left. It marked the first loss of the season for the Mustangs. Not to be outdone, just four days later, longtime rivals Miramonte-Orinda and Campolindo-Moraga clashed. That game would be decided by one point, 69-68, on a shot from Miramonte’s Drew Anderson with just two seconds left. And while Folsom and Jesuit-Carmichael technically aren’t rivals, there is certainly no love lost between the two schools after their overtime battle on Jan. 31. It was Folsom who survived with a 58-55 victory. Each of these teams is set to meet again over the next two weeks. And if you live anywhere nearby, enjoy basketball and the raw emotion of sport, you should definitely go. But go EARLY. These games almost always reach capacity before the scheduled tipoff. Campolindo and Jesuit host their games on Feb. 18. San Ramon Valley travels to Monte Vista on Feb. 21. And while we’re at it, here are four more basketball games you may want to think about catching when you’re trying to kill those three hours before the live curling coverage begins from Sochi. (Oh yeah, we’re curling fans. SWEEP! SWEEP!) ›› FEB. 8 — BOYS HOOPS: St. Ignatius-S.F. at Archbishop Mitty-San Jose, 6:30 p.m. — As of Feb. 3, St. Ignatius had handed the Monarchs their only loss of West Catholic Athletic League action with a 48-40 win on Jan. 18. The WCAL has been a blood bath all season, but these two teams along with Serra-San Mateo, have seemed to establish themselves on the top tier. ›› FEB. 8 — GIRLS HOOPS: Salesian-Richmond vs. St. Mary’s-Berkeley at Albany High, noon — This rivalry game will feature three McDonald’s All-Americans and is likely just the second of four times they’ll square off this season. The first one saw Salesian win 64-63. ›› FEB. 11 — BOYS HOOPS: Cosumnes Oaks-Elk Grove at Analy-Sebastapol, 7 p.m. — This nonleague game became a lot more fascinating last week when Cosumnes Oaks was forced to forfeit 16 wins from earlier this year. Now the Wolfpack is literally playing for its playoff life every night. Analy was 15-6 through the end of January and had won nine straight. ›› FEB. 13 —GIRLS HOOPS: St. Mary’s-Stockton at McNair-Stockton, 7 p.m. — St. Mary’s isn’t used to somebody pushing them for an SJS title, let alone the Tri-City Athletic League crown. McNair knows it’s good enough to beat the Rams now, especially after losing by just five (71-66) at St. Mary’s on Jan. 28. Between those seven games and the Winter Olympics, you should have plenty of sporting drama to get you through to the better days of March. ✪
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, Mitch Stephens, 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 Ivans, III Marketing/Events Intern Ryan Arter Creative Department Art@SportStarsOnline.com Production Manager Mike DeCicco • MikeD@SportStarsOnline.com Publisher/President Mike Calamusa • Mike@SportStarsOnline.com Advertising Sales@SportStarsOnline.com, 925.566.8500 Account Executives Leslie Ellis • Leslie@SportStarsOnline.com Camps & Clinics: Ryan ArterCamps@SportStarsOnline.com Alameda County: Berry Evans • Berry@foto-pros.com Central Valley, World Events: Anthony Grigsby • anthony.grigsby@worldeventssports.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. #4, February 2014 Whole No. 80 is published by Caliente! Communications, LLC, 5356 Clayton Rd, Ste. 222, Concord, CA 94521. SportStars™© 2010-2014 by Caliente! Communications, LLC. All rights reserved. Subscription rates: 24 issues, U.S. 3rd class $42 (allow 3 weeks for delivery). 1st class $55. To receive sample issues, please send $3 to cover postage. Back issues are $4 each. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of Publisher is strictly prohibited. The staff and management, including Board of Directors, of SportStars™© does not advocate or encourage the use of any product or service advertised herein for illegal purposes. Editorial contributions, photos and letters to the editor are welcome and should be addressed to the Editor. All material should be typed, double-spaced on disk or email and will be handled with reasonable care. For materials return, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope. SportStars™© and STARS!™© Clinics are registered trademarks of Caliente! Communications, LLC.
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Sydney
Got Send your nominations to: Next? Editor@SportStarsOnline.com or tweet us using #SSOTW
Porter Nevada Union-Grass Valley - Basketball - Senior ›› Porter led the Miners (17-4 through January) to a 6-0 start in Sierra Foothill League play. She is averaging 19 points per game for the season and has averaged more than 22 points per game in league play. A lethal shooter, she has caught fire from beyond the arc in SFL action, making 57 percent of her 3-point shots in the first five league victories. A captain for Nevada Union, Porter leads her team on the court as an accomplished shooting guard and off the court as a unifying force to bond veteran players with underclassmen. ›› IN HER OWN WORDS: “I have been trying to step up on defense this season to help the team. Everyone knows that scoring is what I do, so I want to be a better player at both ends of the floor.” ›› WHAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW: The Miners’ sharp-shooter has had some magical moments on the court, and she is a huge Harry Potter fan. Nevada Union’s homecoming this school year was Harry Potter-themed, which gave Porter the opportunity to indulge her Hogwarts side without revealing her deep passion for the fictional icon. Well, until now.
honorable mention Jordan Roberson: The CordovaRancho Cordova junior guard is averaging 28.7 points per game, which included a season-high 34 in a 75-50 victory over two-time defending league champ Antelope.
Daeja Black: In recent back-toback league wins for the Granite Bay basketball team, the sophomore tallied a combined 45 points, 24 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 steals, and three blocks.
Jake Minshew: The Casa Roble-Orangevale junior wrestler won his sixth tournament of the season by defeating Clovis’s Hexton Coronado at 285 pounds at the Tim Brown Memorial Tournament.
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Rapid Fire
jackson wegener Miramonte basketball
Josiah Degaura Folsom football/ basketball
Favorite Phillip Seymour Hoffman movie Moneyball
Moneyball
Pick to win the next super bowl 49ers Raiders if you invented an app, what would it do
Tell you where the party's at
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That’s the number of girls basketball players JUST from the Tri-Counties Athletic League-Rock Division who were named McDonald’s All-Americans last week. They were Salesian-Richmond’s Mariya Moore and St. Mary’s-Berkeley duo Gabby Green and Mikayla Cowling. It will be the second straight year in which the Bay Area will have three players representing the West in the prestigious All-Star event. Last year, it was the boys game, though, as Jabari Bird (Salesian), Marcus Lee (Deer Valley) and Aaron Gordon (Archbishop Mitty) all got the call. There will still be some Bay Area representation in the boys game this year as De La Salle coach Frank Allocco was chosen to lead the West roster.
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next pop star/teen idol to have a meltdown Selena Gomez
Justin Beiber
favorite television show Breaking Bad
Criminal Minds
thumbs up
thumbs down
count 'em
Take a pic of someone, tells you how they are feeling
Where we toss in our two cents on recent events and topics. THUMBS UP — Jimmy Fallon taking over The Tonight Show. Come Feb. 17, the Tonight Show might once again be appealing to viewers under the age of 40. We believe the chair should still belong to Conan, but Fallon will bring the funny. And that’s all we care about. THUMBS DOWN — To the 200,000-plus who signed the petition to deport Justin Bieber back to Canada. Go sign a petition that matters. Try to make a real difference in your own community. Seriously.
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Top 5 prop bets for a long nfl offseason So. That’s that. Football season is over. The Super Bowl, pitting that team we hate against that other team we don’t really like so much (pick your poison, people) resulted in a resounding “Dang. This coulda been our year.” Still. One thing we DID enjoy was the preponderance of prop bets flying around like Dick Sherman’s hair. With that, we offer our Top 5 Prop Bets before Football Returns next September. 1. Michael Crabtree arrested on misdemeanor assault for sneaking into Dick Sherman’s apartment and shaving his head while he sleeps: Even money. 2. Peyton Manning breaks neck/reveals he is a robot sent back through time to destroy all passing records/opens 14 Papa John’s franchises/tries to kiss Suzy Kolber/marries a Kardashian. 25: 1. But, frankly, he could do any of those and it wouldn’t surprise us, nor would it taint his “legacy.” Parlay of all five pays 20,000. 3. Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh make a “buddy” pic. 1,000,000: 1 4. The Raiders nail their first-round draft pick. Off the board. 5. Bruno Mars gets a pet monkey, has a nose job, bleaches his skin, buys the remains of the Elephant Man, starts sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber, and reveals his last name is really “Jackson.” 2: 1. — Bill “The Greek” Kolb
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“I was just screaming at the top of my lungs, and everybody was going nuts. I couldn’t hear anything.” San Ramon Valley-Danville boys basketball guard, Jerry Karczewksi, on what he remembers in the moments after hitting a game-winning 3-pointer with 4.1 seconds left in overtime.The shot handed state-ranked rival Monte Vista its first loss of the season.You can read more about the Wolves’ big win in our Digital Weekly at SportStarsOnline.com
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Bay Area Rivalry Still Alive in NBA
Northern California has had some great high school basketball rivalries over the years, and it’s hard to beat it when San Francisco’s Sacred Heart Cathedral and St. Ignatius meet up for their annual boys-girls doubleheader each year at USF. The best one, though, was when both Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland and St. Joseph-Alameda were in their prime in the 1980s, 1990s and into the early 2000s. It was when the Dragons were being coached by Mike Phelps and the Pilots were led by Frank LaPorte. They are still two of the winningest prep coaches in state history. Both coaches also once led the program at the other school. Before Phelps took over at O’Dowd in 1979, he had begun at St. Joe in 1971. LaPorte coached at O’Dowd from 1960 to 1970. He didn’t return to high school coaching until 1982. Both programs also won CIF state titles during the height of the rivalry. O’Dowd won the first CIF Division I title with a win over Castlemont-Oakland in 1981, although that was before some sections in the state were part of the basketball playoffs. St. Joe won back-to-back CIF Division I state titles in 1991 and 1992. Those two state-title teams at St. Joe’s in the 1990s, of course, were led by point guard Jason Kidd, who is arguably still the best California high school player ever. O’Dowd’s title team included sixth-man Brian Shaw, who went on to play 14 years in the NBA. On February 27, the O’Dowd-St. Joe rivalry, in a sense, will continue when the Brooklyn Nets (now coached by Kidd) play in Denver against the Nuggets (a team now coached by Shaw). Earlier this year, the Nuggets played at Brooklyn and beat the Nets 111-87. In recent years, the rivalry isn’t the same since O’Dowd is now in the Hayward Area Athletic League and St. Joseph is now more known by its consolidated boys-girls name of St. Joseph Notre Dame. And while St. Joseph has become an annual contender for CIF Division V state titles, O’Dowd has been pushing more toward Open Division accomplishments. When it was at its peak, though, games were sellouts, frequently came down to the final minutes and included some of the most talented players in the Bay Area. ✪ Mark Tennis is the co-founder of Cal-Hi Sports, and publisher of CalHiSports.com. Cal-Hi Sports is the authority in state rankings for football, basketball, baseball and softball, as well as the recognized state record keeper for all high school sports. Contact him at markjtennis@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter, @CalHiSports.
norcal girls McDouble Up Some people in other parts of the country might go nuts if two players from one school were chosen to the McDonald’s All-American Game for girls basketball. In Northern California, though, no big deal. St. Mary’s-Berkeley is the latest school to have two named for the prestigious game when both Gabby Green and Mikayla Cowling earned berths as the teams were announced on Jan. 29. Despite the seemingly impossible task, it’s the fourth time since 2005 that it has happened. The previous three were Courtney and Ashley Paris of Piedmont in 2005, Alexis Gray-Lawson and Devenai Hampton of Oakland Tech in 2005 and Chelsea Gray and Afure Jemerigbe of St. Mary’s-Stockton in 2010. With Mariya Moore of Salesian-Richmond also getting invited to this year’s game, that’s also 17 girls from Northern California to be chosen since the event began in 2002. By contrast, there have only been 12 boys to play in the game, and the McDonald’s boys’ games have been going on since 1977.
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girls basketball Rankings boys basketball Rankings Previous ranking in parentheses; through Saturday, Feb. 1 1. (1)
—
Mater Dei-Santa Ana
20-1
Barring huge upset, will be top seed for first CIFSS Open Division. 2. (2)
—
Windward-L.A.
20-1
After 2-0 trip to St. Mary’s of Stockton MLK event, team then beat Long Beach Poly. 3. (3)
—
Long Beach Poly
20-2
Lajahna Drummer will represent Poly at McDonald’s A-A game. 4. (4)
—
Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland
17-3
Is there a better guard combo in the state than Asha Thomas and Aisha Robertson? 5. (5)
—
St. Mary’s-Berkeley
19-5
Panthers could play Salesian four times once it’s all said & done. 6. (6)
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St. Mary’s-Stockton
14-4
Rams could pass state record of 183 straight league wins next season. 7. (7)
— Carondelet-Concord
17-3
Cougars probably won’t lose until after CIF NCS D2 playoffs. 8. (8)
—
Salesian-Richmond
18-5
Heading into February, Mariya Moore is probably your NorCal Player of the Year. 9. (9)
—
Serra-Gardena
20-2
Cavaliers have a win over Windward, lost to O’Dowd by just six. 10. (10)
—
Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth
19-2
Previous ranking in parentheses; through Saturday, Feb. 1 1. (1)
—
Mater Dei-Santa Ana
23-0
McDonald’s A-A Stanley Johnson led team past Whitney YoungChicago on Feb. 1. 2. (2)
—
Loyola-Los Angeles
21-1
Cubs could play Mater Dei twice in postseason, starting in new CIFSS Open Div. 3. (3)
—
Centennial-Corona
20-2
Backcourt of Deonte North, Sedrick Barefield among best in nation. 4. (4)
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Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland
15-4
After recent showings, will take major effort for any NorCal team to beat the Dragons. 5. (5)
—
Etiwanda
21-3
Coaches should take defense lessons from coach Dave Kleckner. 6. (7)
▲
Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth
21-2
This young team just beat Redondo and topped Bishop O’Dowd early in the season. 7. (6)
▼
Redondo Union-Redondo Beach
18-4
D2 state champs may get chance to repeat since only 4 CIFSS teams go to Open Div. 8. (11)
▲
Chino Hills
19-4
Victories over Damien-La Verne,Windward-L.A. were by 32, 40. 9. (12)
▲
Capital Christian-Sacramento
19-3
O’Dowd loss was pretty bad, but Cougars know they may get another shot
Head coach Alicia Komaki is a former player and assistant of
10. (9)
Mater Dei’s Kevin Kiernan.
Fifth loss was to nationally-ranked DeMatha of Maryland by just
11. (11)
—
Etiwanda
15-5
Most recent loss to St. Mary’s-Stockton, came after win over St. Mary’s-Berkeley. 12. (12)
—
Miramonte-Orinda
19-1
Kelly Sopak’s team bounced back from loss to Salesian with solid win over Berkeley. 13. (13)
—
Camarillo
19-3
Recent win over Chaminade-West Hills elevated the Scorpions. 14. (14)
—
Chaminade-West Hills
19-3
Eagles topped No. 17 Alemany by one in first league showdown. 15. (15)
—
Clovis West-Fresno
17-3
Golden Eagles and Hanford should once again play for Central Section D1 crown. 16 .(16)
—
Enterprise-Redding
19-1
Hornets may be ticketed for CIF NorCal Open Division. 17. (17)
—
Alemany-Mission Hills
18-5
Top returnee from last year’s CIF D3 state champ is 6-foot-2 Hannah Johnson. 18. (18)
—
Bishop’s School-La Jolla
19-5
Frosh phenom Destiny Littleton didn’t play in loss to Serra-Gardena 19. (19)
—
Troy-Fullerton
18-5
PG Barbara Sitanggan one of the top sophomores in the state. 20 (NR)
▲
Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F.
13-5
▼
Westchester-Los Angeles
19-5
five points. 11. (13)
▲
Long Beach Poly
17-6
Beating De La Salle at its own MLK event is never easy. 12. (14)
▲
Compton
18-4
Tarbabes forced Loyola to OT, but have league loss to L.B. Poly. 13. (15)
▲
J.W. North-Riverside
20-0
Team officially is 19-1 with loss by forfeit (20-0 on the court). 14. (8)
▼ Monte Vista-Danville
19-1
Mustangs were No. 8 and rising until falling in OT thriller to rival San Ramon Valley. 15. (10)
▼
Chaminade-West Hills
16-4
Eagles are 1-2 against Loyola and could be CIF D3 state team to watch. 16. (16)
—
Serra-Gardena
17-6
Earlier this season, coach Dwan Hurt notched 500th career win. 17. (17)
—
Bishop Montgomery-Torrance
19-4
Knights were as high as No. 8 before tough stretch. 18. (18)
—
Cantwell Sacred Heart-Montebello 12-2
Team seems to be bouncing back after recent three-game slide. 19. (20)
▲
St. Augustine-San Diego
20-2
Trey Kell back with Saints after leading them to a D3 state championship in 2013. 20. (NR)
▲
Folsom
20-2
Big win over Jesuit lands the Bulldogs in the Top 20 for first time
WCAL has had a revolving door at No. 19, No. 20 range all season.
in many years.
Dropped Out: No. 20 St. Ignatius-San Francisco.
Dropped Out: No. 19 El Cerrito
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Using track and field as a second sport can be a good idea — if it’s for the right reasons I’m thinking of going out for track but my basketball coach wants me to focus on basketball. I think track is great, because running and jumping better will help me be a better basketball player. Should I do what the coach wants? M.M., Santa Rosa ou should always do what the coach wants … Sorry, that just slipped out — and you’ve asked an interesting question, for a variety of reasons. First, a lot of athletic directors would not be happy with a coach in one sport discouraging athletes from playing a second high school sport. There are only so many athletes to go around, and to hog them for yourself isn’t what’s best for the school. So if you went up the organizational ladder, you’d get support to do track — but of course you’d annoy your basketball coach, which isn’t necessarily a good plan. On the other hand, I can understand the coach’s trepidation (just trying to help you out on your SATs). Track can be a high school sport that makes athletes better in other sports as well as being a positive for the school, but it also can quickly devolve into advanced mingling. In other words, if you’re going to spend 30 minutes every day flirting with that cute sprinter, then your
Y
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February 2014
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basketball coach is right. If you’re going to coast through workouts and not ever push yourself, then your basketball coach is right. And if you have much natural ability in whatever event you choose, without a demanding track coach, it’s not that hard to just ease right through the season. If you’re naturally fast, you can do pretty well in the sprints without putting out a lot of effort each day in practice, and the same with weights or jumping events — and that’s a danger. But if your track team is strong enough and has a culture of hard work, then there’s no reason not to take a break from basketball and work on your speed, strength and jumping ability. And If your track team doesn’t have that culture, are you mentally tough enough to work hard every day even if everyone else is just enjoying the spring weather? Finally, there is a real danger in just doing one sport. Overuse injuries are always an issue with athletes (stress fractures, etc.) and a high-impact, twisting, cutting sport like basketball can lead to serious leg injuries — and obviously, the more you play, the higher the chances of something bad happening. Track is a sport that will build you up, done properly, rather than break you down, and could set you up for a very good summer. But only if you take it seriously. ✪
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Taylor Nelson of Granite Bay. Photo by James K. Leash
Points Accolades 1. Granite Bay
2,950
League Titles: G Volleyball, B Soccer, B Water Polo. All-State Athletes: Taylor Nelson (G Volleyball). Section Titles: G Volleyball, B Soccer. NorCal Title: G Volleyball. State Title: G Volleyball.
2. Davis
2,700
League Titles: B Soccer, B Water Polo, G Water Polo, G Tennis, B XC, G XC. Section Titles: B Water Polo, G Water Polo, G XC, B XC, Fiona O’Keefe (G XC).
3. Central Catholic
2,200
League titles: Football, G Golf. Section Titles: Football. NorCal Title: Football. State Title: Football.
4. Del Oro
2,100
League Titles: Football, G Tennis. Section Titles: G Tennis, Football, Abby Bacharach (G Tennis), Moses Polgar (B XC). NorCal Title: Football.
5. Bella Vista
1,700
League Titles: B WP, G WP, G Tennis, G XC. Section Titles: G Tennis, G XC, Kendall Derry (G XC).
6. (tie) Riverbank
1,500 1,500
Vista del Lago 8. Jesuit*
1,400
9. Placer
1,300
10. Christian Brothers
1,200
Runners-up 14
SportStars™
11. St. Mary’s-Stockton................ 1,000 12. Rio Americano........................ 900 13. (tie) St. Francis*..................... 800 Vintage.................................... 800 Los Banos................................. 800 16. Folsom................................... 750
February 2014
17. (tie) Capital Christian............. 700 Cosumnes Oaks........................ 700 Inderkum................................. 700 Millennium.............................. 700 Oakdale.................................... 700 Manteca................................... 700
Leage Title: B Soccer, B XC, G XC. Section Titles: B XC, G XC, Mikayla Florez (G XC).
League Titles: G Volleyball, G Golf, G XC. Section Titles: G XC, Sarah Anderson (G XC), Emilee Hoffman (G Golf).
League titles: B Soccer, B XC. Section Title: B XC.
League Titles: Football, G Volleyball, B Soccer, B XC, G XC. Section Title: B XC.
League titles: G Volleyball, B Soccer, G Golf. Section Title: G Volleyball, B Soccer.
23. (tie) Merced............................ 600 McClatchey............................... 600 Lincoln-Stockton...................... 600 Lodi.......................................... 600 Benicia..................................... 600 28. Roseville................................. 550
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29. (tie) Rocklin............................ 500 Sonora..................................... 500 Golden Sierra........................... 500 * Points are doubled for single-sex schools
The SportStars Cup is back to recognize the top athletic programs in the SacJoaquin Section. We will again highlight the best players and teams to determine the top schools on the playing fields. Based on a formula that determines the best high school athletics program in the section. We will track the top schools throughout the academic year. After graduation day, we will crown the SportStars Cup champion. The SportStars Cup awards points for league titles, section championships, and regional and state performance to recognize the most successful program. The following programs are out front after the fall sports season, but it is still anyone’s honor to win with winter and spring sports titles yet to be determined. Points are awarded as follows: 100 — Have an athlete named SportStars of the Year (Fall, Winter or Spring) 200 — Win a team league championship 250 — Have an athlete be named AllState (First-team overall only) 300 — Win a section championship (team or individual) 350 — Win a scholastic section championship for highest team GPA 400 — Win an individual NorCal title 500 — Win a team NorCal title 700 — Win an individual state title 1,000 — Win a team state championship With the winter sports moving toward league titles and postseason play, we reflect on the best of the best through the fall. With a state title and all-state setter, Granite Bay’s girls volleyball lifted the Grizzlies to the top of our charts with Davis on their heels on the strength of the Blue Devils’ dominant cross country and water polo programs. Football is the spotlight sport in the fall, and Central Catholic’s second consecutive state title — Northern California’s lone CIF State Bowl win in 2013 — boosted the Raiders in the standings. The Modesto powerhouse came in at No. 3 in our rankings while Del Oro-Loomis is in the fourth slot thanks to its second football state bowl berth in three years. ✪
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THE NEXT STEP
Freedom-Oakley’s Joe Mixon is the Bay Area’s top recruit. Photo by Phillip Walton.
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SportStars™
February 2014
SportStars’ coverage of National Signing Day on Feb. 5 began a little less than a week earlier with the release of our third SportStars Digital Weekly on Jan. 30. It was there that we took a look at the athletes who don’t get the scholarship offer, but still believe they can compete at the Division-I level. Our senior contributor for the Sac-Joaquin edition connected with author Tim Lavin to talk about his recent book, “Walk-On U.” The following is an excerpt of the article, which can still be found by clicking on our Digital Weekly cover at SportStarsOnline.com The University of Southern California campus is not far from Hollywood, and the school has placed a fair share of graduates in the film industry. But, for Tim Lavin, a walk-on to the Trojans’ football program in the late 1980’s, the big-screen glamour of being a walk-on was nowhere near his real-life experience. “The general misconception by the public is that walk-ons are low on talent and big on heart,” Lavin said. “There are a lot of guys that are very good players that just did not get offered a Division-I scholarship because (scholarships) are very rare.
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“Not every walk-on is ‘Rudy.’” In his recently self-published book, “Walk-On U,” Lavin recounts his story of beating the odds and earning a scholarship at USC. Along the way, he dealt more with heartbreak than he did with praise. The book is more than just an inspirational tale. It serves as an educational tool and sounding board as well. Our coverage of the kids who actually faxed in letters of intent on Sept. 5 can be found at SportStarsOnline.com/SigningDay2014. There you can find a list of all the players who signed in the Bay Area and Sac-Joaquin regions, what colleges they’ve chosen to attend, as well as a number of extras — including exclusive video interviews and story links. So click away.
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A young and talented roster has finally clicked for McClatchy — and the Metro Conference balance of power could be shifting The young McClatchy nucleus doesn’t lack in talent or playfulness (from L to R): Kristi Wong (sophomore), Jordan Cruz (freshman), Destiney Lee (junior), Gigi Garcia (sophomore), Lauren Nubla (junior) and Kelsey Wong (sophomore).
Story by Trevor Horn • Photos by James K .Leash
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It all started with a preseason conversation three years ago. After 40 years, legendary McClatchy High coach Harvey Tahara was ready to hang it up. With him on the bench was former Lions standout guard Jessica Kunisaki, to whom Tahara was ready to hand over the reins of the storied Sacramento program. Kunisaki was just four years removed from her collegiate playing days at Chapman University in Orange when Tahara pulled her aside and gave her an offer she balked at, for no reason other than her own uncertainty, but one she couldn’t refuse. Kunisaki spent the previous two seasons as the junior varsity coach for the Lions. Before the 201011 season began, Tahara informed Kunisaki that she was his choice to be the next head coach at her alma mater. “I told him, ‘I don’t know, I’m too young. I can’t do it.’” Kunisaki, a 2004 McClatchy graduate, said. “But he said, ‘There’s never going to be a point in your life where you feel ready. So if there’s an opportunity, you’ve got to take it.’ And everything coach Tahara says, I’m all in.” With that, the legend stepped away. Much like his coaching days, it was with a quiet and gentlemanly grace out of the world of coaching, only to witness first hand his understudy do something this season that he, and every other coach in the Metropolitan Conference, couldn’t do for nearly six seasons. The Lions beat the Sacramento High Dragons. For 92 games, a span of eight years and three days to be exact, Sacramento held reign over the Metro. Then on Jan. 23, McClatchy — a team that has just one senior — outplayed the Dragons in every sense of the game, winning 54-29 and placing themselves at the top of the pecking order in their league and throughout the region. “We believed in ourselves and believed that night we were going to get the win,” McClatchy junior point guard Lauren Nubla said. The Lions perimeter defense held Sacramento’s shooters in check in large part to Nubla’s defense. Unheralded in the box score, Nubla has been the nucleus for the young group. “When she gets going, everyone gets going,” McClatchy junior forward Destiney Lee said. “She’s the center of this team. I always say we (post players) do the physical work and she does the mental work. She
McClatchy coach Jessica Kunisaki 20
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may not be in the stat box as much, but she does the dirty work that normal players don’t do.” Lee led the way with 17 points and 11 rebounds while freshman wing Jordan Cruz hit two 3-pointers and had 16 points in the monumental win for the 77-year-old school from the Land Park neighborhood just south of downtown Sacramento.
BUILDING UP In her first two seasons as head coach, the Lions went a respectable 38-19 under Kunisaki. In 2011-12, McClatchy finished fourth in league and missed the playoffs. Last season, the Lions finished tied with Florin-Sacramento with a 9-5 league record, but fell in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. I playoffs to Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove. “The loss sucked, but it made us want it that much more,” Nubla said. Kunisaki knew there was still something special with the players she had returning, which included five of the top seven returning scorers. “After that loss, I watched film and we took the girls in all summer and we just worked on them individually,” Kunisaki said. “We looked at their weakness and their strengths and what they were and tried to build upon that.” The result, with just a couple weeks before the playoffs begin, has been near perfection. A loss to state powerhouse St. Mary’s-Stockton in a season-opening tournament has been the only blemish. McClatchy entered February on a 18-game win streak, sporting an overall record of 21-1. The product on the court is a direct result of the tireless hours the players put in during the offseason. For Lee, it has also been a welcomed sense of accomplishment after her first two seasons were not a “good experience” for her. Lee said she didn’t feel a sense of togetherness with the team as a freshmen and the leadership hadn’t formulated for her and Nubla. Both were on varsity as freshmen two seasons ago. Now they are the elder statesmen and are joined by three sophomores and two freshmen who have provided the main scoring threats this season. “Now it’s a shared, equal responsibility,” Lee said. “Everyone shares and does their part because we all want it.” The addition of freshmen Cruz and Ka’Maree Donald have added to the mix for a solid core of young players. Cruz and sophomore Gigi Garcia are the next leading scorers on the team behind Lee.
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Destiney Lee boxes out and awaits a rebound in a game against KennedySacramento last season.
Kayla Coloyan, Sacred Heart Cathedral All records through Feb. 1, according to MaxPreps
Of the top seven scorers on this season’s team, all have the chance to be four-year varsity players.
SISTERS IN ARMS Lee, Nubla, Garcia and twin sisters Kelsey and Kristi Wong were all varsity players as freshman. The bond built early for the group has turned into a family environment for the team. “We are super close,” Garcia said. “I call them my sisters. We talk every day. We text 24-7.” Added Nubla: “I’ve played on countless teams since I was five-years old and I’ve never been on a team that was so close knit. We go to each other for everything, on and off the court.” For Kunisaki, that togetherness has also brought an unselfishness that has become what the coach believes is the defining factor for the great success to this season. “It’s crazy because we are probably two-deep at each position,” Kunisaki said. “Then we can have different types of games going. It doesn’t matter if anyone is having an off day. We just put someone else in that position and they’ll perform. Everyone knows their roles. Whatever type of game we need, we can have.” Beating the Dragons was “amazing,” Garcia said. But the sophomore forward and daughter of long time Arena League
quarterback Aaron Garcia and former Sacramento State women’s basketball standout Shelby Boudreaux, the season culmination will come with what they do the second time around against Sacramento, and how they perform in the playoffs. “Now we are ready to move on and get to the next step,” Garcia said. “We still have to play them again and they will play ten-times harder.” McClatchy’s only section title came in 2007. Tahara was in attendance when McClatchy beat Sacramento last month. His advice to Kunisaki was “to enjoy the journey.” A superstitious person, Kunisaki spends a lot of time visualizing performances and is a student of repetitive rituals during the season, which she has instilled into her players. “It’s been so fun,” Kunisaki said of the season. “I tell the girls, ‘I’m so lucky.’ I have a good group. Everything has been really special.” The success of the team will be determined its depth and the character of the players as the postseason begins, something Nubla feels gives the Lions a competitive advantage for a run at a title. “I know there are incredible teams out there,” Nubla said. “But regardless of talent, they don’t always get along. That’s what’s so special. We are one unit.” ✪
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1. (1)
— Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland
17-3
2. (2)
— St. Mary’s-Stockton
16-4
3. (3)
— Salesian-Richmond
18-5
4. (4)
— St. Mary’s-Berkeley
19-5
5. (5)
— Carondelet-Concord
17-3
6. (6)
— McClatchy-Sacramento
20-1
7. (7)
— Miramonte-Orinda
19-1
8. (8)
— Enterprise-Redding
19-1
9. (10)
▲
Pinewood-Los Altos Hills
19-1
10. (17) ▲
Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F.
13-5
11. (9)
▼
St. Ignatius-S.F.
17-3
12. (11) ▼
Vanden-Fairfield
16-5
13. (12) ▼
Brookside Christian-Stockton
20-4
14. (13) ▼
Napa
20-1
15. (14) ▼
Santa Rosa
20-1
16. (15) ▼
McNair-Stockton
19-3
17. (16) ▼
Monte Vista-Danville
18-2
18. (17) ▼
Nevada Union-Grass Valley
17-4
19. (19) — Berkeley
14-6
20. (20) — Deer Valley-Antioch
15-5
DROPPED OUT No. 17 Archbishop Mitty-San Jose
BIGGEST MOVER Sacred Heart Cathedral avenged one of its losses with a convincing 57-42 win over league rival St. Ignatius. That bumped the Gators eight spots to No. 10, and dropped a bunch of other teams by one.
TEAMS STILL RANKED FROM PRESEASON TOP 20: 12
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Photos by James K. Leash
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Noah Blackwell has developed into an elite scorer and has Woodcreek in the thick of a title hunt By trevor horn | Contributor Noah Blackwell is well known around the internet these days. The junior guard for Woodcreek High has over 4,000 followers on his Twitter account thanks in part to three videos on YouTube that have all garnered over 100,000 page views. That instant celebrity-like status can get to a teenager’s head faster than a Kardashian or Chumlee from “Pawn Stars” can make a mockery of the English language. But not Blackwell, who is leading the way for the revamped Timberwolves, which were 17-6 on Feb. 5. They are primed for a playoff run for the first time since the team advanced to the CIF Division II Northern Regional championships in 2010-11. Blackwell enjoys the spotlight, but knows that the fame from basketball is not everything. “I like it a lot. You just have to keep a level head,” Blackwell said. “Some people take it a little too far. But I feel like I’ve been doing a pretty good job at it.” The leading scorer this season for the Roseville-based Woodcreek at 19 points a game, Blackwell has impressed Timberwolves coach Paul Hayes since the day he saw him practice before his freshman year. “We were five minutes into practice and I was like, ‘Wow. He’s going to play for us,’” Hayes said of the thenincoming freshman. “He was a freshman in the first practice with varsity and did more than hold his own.” Hayes was even more surprised with Blackwell’s recovery from a break of the tibia bone near his right knee, which he suffered the season before his eighth-grade year. Blackwell said that the injury led him to a chance in perspective. “It made me realize that there’s more than just basketball,” Blackwell said. “There’s family that cares for me a lot. And my friends, they helped pick me up.” Blackwell did the same for friend Malik Pope. The highly-recruited player for Laguna CreekElk Grove is out for his senior season because of an injury suffered in June during a tournament. Blackwell was there when Pope, headed to San Diego State, fell to the floor in pain. He comforted his friend, staying by his side. A quiet and humble young man off the court, Blackwell sometimes becomes too much of a facilitator on the court. And that may be the only knock on his ever-rising resumé as a player. Hayes told Blackwell a month ago that he wanted more aggression from him on the court. The result has been a higher rebounding average and highlight-reel dunks have become the norm for fans to see in his mix tapes.
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All records through Feb. 1, according to MaxPreps 1. (1)
— Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland
2. (3)
▲
Capital Christian-Sacramento
19-3
3. (5)
▲
St. Mary’s-Stockton
20-2
4. (2)
▼
Monte Vista- Danville
19-1
5. (4)
▼
El Cerrito
22-2
6. (9)
▲
Archbishop Mitty-San Jose
16-3
7. (10)
▲
Folsom
20-2
8. (6)
▼
Sacramento
18-4
9. (12)
▲
St. Ignatius-S.F.
15-4
10. (7)
▼
Jesuit-Carmichael
20-2
11. (13) ▲
De La Salle-Concord
15-5
12. (15) ▲
Freedom-Oakley
16-4
13. (17) ▲
Newark Memorial
14-7
14. (NR) ▲
San Ramon Valley-Danville
17-3
15. (8)
Cosumnes Oaks-Elk Grove
5-17*
16. (18) ▲
Rodriguez-Fairfield
19-1
17. (20) ▲
Moreau Catholic-Hayward
16-4
18. (11) ▼
Serra-San Mateo
14-5
19. (14) ▼
Campolindo-Moraga
13-5
20. (NR) ▲
St. Joseph Notre Dame-Alameda
19-5
▼
15-4
*—Forfeited 16 wins due to ineligible player
DROPPED OUT No. 16 Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F. and No. 19 Montgomery-Santa Rosa
BIGGEST MOVER The deck definitely got re-shuffled this week. There were a number of teams which jumped three spots, but the only team to improve four spots was Newark Memorial. The Cougars were bumped up to No. 13 after extending their winning streak to 11 games with two league wins last week. The biggest drop happened to Cosumnes Oaks after it was announced they had forfeit 16 wins. We kept the Wolfpack ranked for what they’ve accomplished on the floor this season so far. However, they will need to win out to stay playoff eligible and remain ranked.
TEAMS STILL RANKED FROM PRESEASON TOP: 15
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Case in point was a Twitter explosion from Woodcreek students, dubbed “The Black Mob,” of a two-handed alley-oop that put an exclamation point on a 25-point performance over rival Roseville last month. Natomas-Sacramento coach Brian Hamilton is quite familiar with Blackwell. He also coaches in the AAU circuit for Play Hard, Play Smart and watched first hand as Woodcreek defeated Natomas 73-69 on Dec. 6. “He has elite talent and a very high skill level,” Hamilton said. “He’s a solid athlete. With his potential, he just has to stay focused and play hard all of the time.” Blackwell has offers from Sacramento State and Loyola Marymount and says he is in contact with San Diego, Washington and USC. Blackwell knows that a junior season is paramount for a player’s recruiting process saying “I just need to perform at my highest level. I am looking forward for what’s to come.”
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The Timberwolves are right in the thick of the Sierra Foothill League playoff race. Playing for his hometown team is a treasure for Blackwell, who has been a starter for the last three seasons at Woodcreek. Through all of the turmoil surrounding local programs getting penalized because of transfers, Blackwell is fine at home. “I love playing here,” he said. “A lot of my middle school friends play here or at Roseville. I don’t see the point in going to a school that’s farther away. I like being around my friends.” Hayes is more than pleased having a possible four-year starter. Blackwell is shooting 51 percent this season on two-point shots and 44 percent on 3s. His rebounds are a solid 4.9 average. “He’s now trying to lead by example,” Hayes said. “There’s not a thing you can ask Noah that he’s not going to respond with a ‘Yes, coach.’” ✪
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tri steps: liz elliott
Getting Up to Speed Proper speed work is essential to endurance training — and it’s probably not what you think it is What is “speed work”? How do we know what speed we should be holding, on what sets, and on during which part of the season? Speed work for endurance athletes, or really for anyone just wanting to be fit and get faster, is not “work out at top speed for as long as you can every day.” It’s also not, “run a long distance and that same distance at the same pace everyday.” Neither of those helps your fitness or performance over the long haul. Speed work is about finding your different speeds, and varying your speeds in every workout, every phase, and every season. Speed work refers to finding and working within your speeds. Like a car has different speeds, so do you — for swim, bike and run. How you get faster overall is by: 1) finding your “speeds”, and 2) working at every speed through your training program. Each “speed” works a different “system.” As a swimming example, say you are doing 12 sets of 100-yard lengths and the time frame you’re working under is 1 minute, 30 seconds. Do you do a 1:15 each 100, or a 1:20, or just try to get two second rest? A good training program will have test sets that help you find your threshold. The test sets will help set the times you should hold for repeats at different distances. The test sets are only as good as how fast and hard you do them. If speed work is new to you, you will have to do a test set several times before it
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is accurate. Based on a test set, you may find that consistently swimming 1:01s is your “threshold.” A 12x100 set can have a very different purpose early in a workout, early in a season, as opposed to later in a season or later in a workout. Working above or at your threshold should be done later in a workout and later in the season. It should also be done while alternating with with other speeds in every workout. So in that same 12x100 set, you would do four at an easy speed for you, four at a fast speed, four at a moderate speed and then four at your threshold. Although you will be swimming slower or faster, all will be on the same interval time. Wait to do your hardest effort at the end of a set and/or practice. Your body (lungs and muscles) are fully warmed up, and you will be slightly fatigued, so you will get the most benefit. Confused? This is the biggest reason to join a club or train with a coach. Coaches know what speed, when and why. Mix strength exercises into your aerobic workouts for the best results. A few, focused strength exercises each day is better for your body and overall performance than doing a couple days a week in the gym. ✪ Liz Elliott was an All-American collegiate swimmer and is the head coach at Tri-Valley Triathlon Club.
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hip injuries: hunter greene, m.d.
Hip labral tears are being diagnosed more than ever before. Are you at risk? Sports that rely on cutting and twisting such as ice hockey, soccer, football and basketball, put the hip at risk for labral tears. Structural abnormalities of the hip can also lead to a hip labral tear.
ANATOMY OF THE HIP
A hip labral tear involves the ring of soft elastic tissue, called the labrum, that follows the outside rim of the socket of your hip joint (much like a bumper around a pool table). The labrum acts like a socket to hold the ball at the top of your thighbone (femur) in place. Labral tears are diagnosed much more often than in the past. Thanks to advancements in MRI capabilities and arthroscopic surgery, we can now identify these causes of hip and groin pain early, often before long-term degeneration of the hip occurs.
SIGNS OF A TEAR
Some labral tears cause no signs or symptoms. When symptoms are present, they include: ›› Pain in the hip or groin ›› A catching or locking sensation in the hip joint ›› Stiffness in the joint ›› Limited range of motion
TREATING HIP PAIN
Some patients recover in only a few weeks with conservative treatments, such as rest, anti-inflammatory medication, cortisone injections and physical therapy. If surgery is needed, most cases of hip labral tears can be treated with arthroscopic surgery rather than an open procedure. Depending on the severity of the tear, the orthopedic surgeon may cut out and remove the torn piece of labrum, or repair the torn tissue by sewing it back together, which typically takes anywhere from six-to-12 weeks to recover after surgery and another four-to-six months to return to sports.
PREVENTION
A common cause of hip labral tears is athletic trauma or repetitive stress from athletic activity. Proper training and conditioning of commonly used muscles and those that support them may help reduce the risk of a hip labral tear. ✪ Hunter Greene, M.D., is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with Summit Orthopedic Specialists in Carmichael.
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Foul Ball arm/shoulder care: dr. Mo mortazavi
Don’t let Little Leaguer’s Shoulder and Elbow hurt your pitch Throwing injuries in young athletes are one of the most common pediatric overuse injuries, with 30 to 50 percent of all youth baseball players suffering from throwing injuries in their career. The incidences continue to rise as organized youth sports grow and intensify. Since the adolescent athlete is still skeletally immature, these injuries most commonly involve growth plates of the shoulder and elbow. These growth centers are made of cartilage that is growing into bone, and are fragile and vulnerable to recurrent traction forces of overhead throwing. Although these injuries are most common in baseball pitchers, they are also seen in infielders, catchers and outfielders, as well as football quarterbacks and tennis players. Little Leaguer’s Shoulder (LLS) and Little Leaguer’s Elbow (LLE) are the most common injuries seen in kids ages 9 to 14. Other injures from throwing overuse include labral tears in the shoulder joint, rotator cuff strains and sprains, osteochondritis dissecans of the lateral elbow, tears of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), and ulnar nerve injuries, which are more commonly seen in athletes 14 and older. Affected athletes report a gradual onset of pain in the shoulder or elbow, a history of weaker or less-accurate throws and sports participation history consistent with overuse. The number of teams and seasons per year, throwing history (including pitch count, number of practices and games) and any recent changes in throwing techniques are important risk factors for injury.
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
Diagnosis is usually based on clinical exam. Athletes complain of focal pain in the area of injury and can exhibit limited range of motion. Radiographs are useful for ruling out abnormalities such as fractures, growth-plate irregularities, tumors and infections. In the early stages, radiographs typically look normal, but widening of the growth plate and even an avulsion are not uncommon with higher-grade injuries. MRI is rarely necessary to confirm the diagnosis of LLE or LLS unless there are concerns for other injuries. Treatment of LLE and LLS consists of restricting all throwing activities and controlling symptoms with ice and anti-inflammatories. Most will greatly benefit from initiating physical therapy early, and this is highly recommended. The initial treatment phase involves initiation of range-of-motion exercises and joint mobilizations as necessary to prevent joint contractures. General conditioning is encouraged and core strengthening is usually started right away. When tolerated, gradual strengthening is then used. Physical therapy should also address the athlete’s throwing mechanics to decrease load forces on the growth plate and vulnerable structures of the shoulder and elbow. When athletes are pain-free with full range of motion and near full strength, athletes should begin an interval-throwing program, gradually increasing their throwing distance, velocity and repetitions. One critical component of rehabilitation is that return to play is conservative and gradual. Potential complications of early return to play include worsening symptoms, abnormal bone development, or an avulsion injury. Surgical treatment is rarely needed if treatment starts early and there are no associated injuries. ✪
WHAT’S THE COUNT?
These are the generally-accepted maximum pitch count recommendations for youth baseball. Age Pitches Per Game 7-8
50
9-10
75
11-12
85
13-16
95
17-18
105
Dr. Mo Mortazavi is pediatric sports medicine physician for the UC Davis Children’s Hospital.
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GIVE IT A REST
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concussions: matthew pecci, md
Just like a sprained ankle, a concussed brain needs rest too It has long been accepted that a period of rest from physical activity aids in the recovery from concussion. The reason why is unknown, but it is believed that brain recovery requires some degree of energy expenditure, and if energy is being used elsewhere, such as with physical exertion, this may delay brain recovery. The concept of cognitive rest, limiting one’s thinking, has also gained traction over the past 10 years. It seems to make empiric sense that if one continues to use an injured body part, in this case the brain, this can delay healing and recovery. The international consensus guidelines for concussion management recommend cognitive rest as an essential part of concussion treatment. And an article in the January 2014 issue of Pediatrics provides evidence that cognitive rest can in fact decrease the duration of post-concussive symptoms. The challenge I often face in my practice is how to implement cognitive rest for concussed high school and college athletes who are engaged in regular classwork and study. I recommend that cognitive rest should be individualized based on a patient’s symptoms — and his or her threshold for provoking these symptoms — while taking into account the patient’s daily and weekly cognitive workload. I find it’s often helpful to get some sense of a concussed patient’s cognitive deficits by performing a neurocognitive assessment, either using a standard written concussion assessment tool, or one of the many computer-based assessment tools. Testing assesses cognitive function and can also provide some measure of the extent to which cognitive work stimulates concus-
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sion symptoms. I also have my patients provide information on their daily cognitive workload, including their perceived difficulty for each type of thinking task. All this information can be very useful in developing an individualized cognitive recovery plan. Some general strategies regarding cognitive rest may include: ›› An initial 3-5 day period of complete cognitive rest ›› Avoiding all non-essential cognitive tasks such as texting, web browsing, television and video games ›› Academic accommodations, which may include extended time for class assignments, and no test taking while symptomatic ›› Shortened school days. These strategies require clear communication with the school as to the plan and the rationale. It is essential to follow-up with the concussed patient regularly, often weekly at first to assess recovery and to begin to advance cognitive workload as symptoms improve. As is the case with physical rest, it is important to gradually introduce cognitive work in a stepwise fashion as symptoms improve. Prior to returning to any strenuous physical activity a patient should be asymptomatic at rest and should have returned to all cognitive tasks without any return of symptoms. ✪ Dr. Pecci is a family physician and a sports medicine specialist at Muir Orthopaedic Specialists, focusing on non-operative treatment of sports injuries and medical issues in athletes, including advanced concussion management.
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SlowMotion training time: tim rudd for iyca
Speed training is just as much about deceleration as it is acceleration I believe too many coaches and programs put way too much emphasis on acceleration. They spend the majority of their training focusing on sprinting, jumping, Olympic lifting, etc.; basically the main focus is on force production. This is a huge mistake. Your athlete’s health and performance will suffer if he or she develops a quality (speed) and then can’t slow down (deceleration). The fact is that most non-contact injuries occur as a result of poor deceleration ability. Also athletes who can’t decelerate effectively struggle to create or close space between them and their competition. This is what separates players who make plays from players who get played. Deceleration is important in getting ready for re-acceleration. And it’s imperative that coaches teach their athletes how to slow down by emphasizing multi-directional development (lateral speed and agility). Components of lateral speed and agility include: ›› Change of direction angles (deceleration to acceleration) ›› Cutting, pivoting, turning ›› Landing, resisting ›› Deceleration/stabilization emphasis Let’s look at the steps in teaching the first component above (change of direction angles): 1) As athletes prepare to stop and change direction, they must lower their center of gravity; the stopping foot must strike outside the shoulders. 2) The foot must be flat and perpendicular to the line of movement (lateral). 3) The knees bend (minimum 20 degrees) and shoulders drive forward simultaneously while the hips push back. 4) The stopping foot and leg must quickly extend out of the knee bend as the shoulders simultaneously lean in the opposite direction. All these steps happen simultaneously. These steps, along with all other components of lateral speed and agility, are key in the ability of the athlete to quickly stop (deceleration) and redirect forces in the opposite direction (acceleration). These components are all skills that can and should be learned and improved. No matter what component is being developed, it must be progressed over time from static to dynamic, low-intensity to high-intensity and predictable to chaotic. This is key in optimizing an athlete’s ability to slow down the speed she creates. ✪ Tim Rudd is an IYCA specialist in youth conditioning and owner of Fit2TheCore.
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bone fractures: dr. nirav k. pandya
Scalpel or Treating fractured clavicles in young athletes is a point of debate
Aaron Rodgers, Jason Campbell, Marques Colston, Tony Romo, and Charles Woodson. What do all of these NFL players share in common? They have all suffered clavicle fractures at some point in their careers. But why do some athletes require surgery whereas others need several weeks to get back on the field? The clavicle (also known as the ‘collarbone’) is one of the long bones in the body that essentially connects the shoulder to the body. It can be easily injured in young, active individuals. In the young population, it is extremely rare for a clavicle fracture to not mend itself. So why fix a clavicle fracture with surgery? This is a great area of controversy (particularly in patients under 18) but there is research which suggests patients may have improved shoulder function in the long-term and/or return to vigorous activities sooner with surgery. Yet, it is important to remember that even these points are still debated. Several factors the physician and patients must consider together include the location of the fracture, how much the bone ends are separated and/or over-lapped, whether the injury involves the dominant or non-dominant hand, and the functional goals/sports of the patient. If the decision is to treat a fracture without surgery, this can generally entail several weeks in a sling followed by physical therapy. If surgery is chosen, the fracture will generally be fixed with plates and screws. The most important thing to remember is that all not all clavicle fractures are the same, and the optimal treatment needs to be catered to each patient. ✪
Sling?
Dr. Nirav K. Pandya is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon specializing in pediatric sports medicine at the Children’s Hospital in Oakland. He sees patients and operates in Oakland and the CHO’s facility in Walnut Creek.
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powered by trucks: anthony trucks
The best weight training and fitness program for you boils down to how you want to use your muscles With so many ways now to train your body, from DVD programs, phone apps, crossfit, gym classes, personal training, bootcamps, the big gym, bodybuilding, figure competing, etc., how do you know which one is right for you? How do you know the type of training you are participating in is going to help you reach your goals? Many people spend years training in ways they either don’t need, or that don’t help them work towards their goal. I am going to break down three common types of training goals and list the one that may fit you best when it comes to starting your weight/fitness training journey. ›› Someone who needs to strengthen his or her body for very individualized reasons such as an injury, or a specific illness: Personal Training: It allows for a specific individualized program to be created just for your own personal needs ›› Someone who simply wants to look good in a bathing suit and/or just look good in their skin: Bodybuilding, Figure Competing, Dvd Programs Or Crossfit: These options have a great focus on the aesthetic realm of training along with just trying to get the absolute best possible physique. If you like taking selfies, these options serve you best. ›› Someone who cares less how they look and just wants to feel healthier, fitter, and more athletic: The Big Gym, Gym Classes, Dvd Programs Or Crossfit: These options are for people who are in it to keep on top of their health but don’t have a massive goal outside of just not being out of shape. Most people fall into one of these three categories. If you are looking to get started on a healthier lifestyle find out which option best suits you and trudge ahead. ✪ Anthony Trucks is the owner of Trucks Training facility in Brentwood and covers weight training for SportStars.
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All Star Sports..................................................................................................................40 Big O Tires Northern California/ Nevada.............................................................................2 Bigfoot Hoops............................................................................................................22, 48 Cascade Sports Camp.......................................................................................................40 Championship Athletic Fundraising.................................................................................16 Cheergyms.Com...............................................................................................................20 Children’s Hospital And Research Center...........................................................................35 Club Sport........................................................................................................................17 Club Sport Renaissance....................................................................................................37 Community Youth Center.................................................................................................37 Contra Costa & Tri Valley Camp & School Fairs...................................................................43 Core Performance.......................................................................................................41, 42 Core Volleyball Club..........................................................................................................40 Diablo Futbol Club............................................................................................................29 Diablo Rock Gym..............................................................................................................42 Diablo Trophies & Awards.................................................................................................42 Dianne Adair Enrichment Programs...................................................................................5 East Bay Bulldogs Basketball............................................................................................40 East Bay Sports Academy.................................................................................................12 Excellence In Sport Performance......................................................................................36 Fit 2 The Core....................................................................................................................33 Foundry Sport..................................................................................................................30 Franklin Canyon Golf Course.............................................................................................44 Gregg Jefferies Sports Academy ......................................................................................32 Halo Headband................................................................................................................44 Heritage Soccer Club........................................................................................................24 Home Team Sports Photography......................................................................................38 Impact Soccer Club...........................................................................................................42 Kangazoom......................................................................................................................27 M L B Scout......................................................................................................................41 Modesto Magic................................................................................................................41 Mountain Mike’s Pizza......................................................................................................13 Muir Orthopaedic Specialists............................................................................................34 National Scouting Report.................................................................................................42 Passthaball.......................................................................................................................44 Pro Hammer Bat...............................................................................................................27 Rhino Sports Of Northern California.................................................................................20 Rocco’s Pizza.....................................................................................................................42 Saint Mary’s Athletic Summer Camps...............................................................................39 Sky High Sports................................................................................................................42 Special Olympics Northern California...............................................................................41 Sport Clips........................................................................................................................21 Sports And Orthopedic Leaders........................................................................................33 Sports Stars Magazine......................................................................................................45 Stevens Creek Toyota........................................................................................................15 Summit Orthopedic Specialists..........................................................................................3 Sutter Health East Bay......................................................................................................25 T D P Sports.....................................................................................................................42 The First Tee Of Contra Costa.............................................................................................44 Tpc / The Pitching Center..................................................................................................38 United States Youth Volleyball League.............................................................................47 West Coast Soccer Club.....................................................................................................42 World Events....................................................................................................................42
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St. Mary’s-Stockton senior Charise Holloway finds her way to the hoop for an easy basket during the Rams’ Jan. 18 game against Windward-L.A. Photo by James K. Leash
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