SJ Edition 47, June 7, 2012

handing out hardware for 2012. Pg. 8

vol. 3. issue 47

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June 7, 2012

sac joaquin

out of nowhere Woodcreek never stopped believin’

best in prep sports

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Gold Medals at State Track for norcal Pg. 14

Pg. 20

world power tourney organizers build an empire

Pg. 28

Batter UP! on deck: bay area world series

Pg. 34

Sheldon softball adds to legacy with another title Pg. 24

PHONE 925.566.8500 FAX 925.566.8507 Editorial Editor@SportStarsOnline.com Editor Chace Bryson. Ext. 104 • Chace@SportStarsOnline.com Contributors Bill Kolb, Erik Stordahl, Mitch Stephens, Doug Gardner, Matt Smith, Clay Kallam, Jim McCue, Eric Gilmore, Dave Kiefer, Liz Elliott, Tim Rudd, Jonathan Okanes Photography Butch Noble, Bob Larson, Jonathan Hawthorne, James K. Leash, Norbert von der Groeben, Phillip Walton, Doug Guler Creative Department Art@SportStarsOnline.com Production Manager Mike DeCicco. Ext. 103 • MikeD@SportStarsOnline.com Publisher/President Mike Calamusa. Ext. 106 • Mike@SportStarsOnline.com

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Advertising & Calendar/Classified Sales Sales@SportStarsOnline.com, (925) 566-8500 Account Executives Erik Stordahl • Erik@SportStars Online.com, Phillip Walton • PWalton@SportStarsOnline.com Sac Joaqin edition: Ron Davis • RonD@SportStarsOnline.com • (916) 564-0111, Dave Rosales • DaveRosales64@gmail.com

Doug Guler

Yes they can

Woodcreek wasn’t supposed to be this good. So what?

If Bass Fishing counts ...

Crazy new high school sports are popping up. You wanna get crazy? Let’s get crazy. Pg. 11

hey frosh: Don’t be a follower, play the sport you want to play. Pg. 11 on the cover MeShalon Moore, Sheldon.

Photo by James K. Leash

All Summer Long

Is softball your thing? Baseball?

Fancy a tournament? We have a few guys you should talk to first. Pg. 28

stunt-ed growth James K. Leash

First Pitch.....................................................8 Locker Room........................................... 10

Coach’s crazy motivational ploy works like a charm for Sheldon softball. Pg. 24

Training Time............................................ 18 Impulse...................................................... 36

Behind the Clipboard............................. 11 AAA SportStars of the Week............... 13

Camps + Clinics...................................... 38

Health Watch........................................... 16 Photo Finish.............................................. 46

Reader Resources/Administration Ad Traffic, Subscription, Calendar & Classified Listings info@SportStarsOnline.com • Deb Hollinger. Ext. 101 • Distribution/Delivery Mags@SportStarsOnline.com Distribution Manager Butch Noble. Ext. 107 • Butch@SportStarsOnline.com Information technology John Bonilla CFO Sharon Calamusa • Sharon@SportStarsOnline.com Office Manager/Credit Services Deb Hollinger. Ext. 101 • Deb@SportStarsOnline.com Board of advisors Dennis Erokan, CEO, Placemaking Group Roland Roos, CPA, Roland Roos & Co Susan Bonilla, State Assembly Drew Lawler, Managing Director, AJ Lawler Partners Brad Briegleb, Attorney At Law 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 bay area sports admit one; rain or shine This Vol. #3, June 2012 Whole No. 47 is published by Caliente! Communications, LLC, 5356 Clayton Rd, Ste. 222, Concord, CA 94521. SportStars™© 2010 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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A new tradition for the end of the school year: The SSMies

O

nce this issue hits the streets the 2011-12 interscholastic sporting year will be done. And typically at this time, I use my column to point out some of our favorite stories that came across our pages from September to June.

This year, I wanted to create a way to look back at the year in a new way.

Thus, we begin a new tradition. We welcome all of Northern California to the red star-patterned carpet and the first annual handing out of the SSMies (pronounced S.S.Emmys).

Let’s begin, shall we? ■ Most Dominant Championship Performance: Aaron Gordon, Archishop Mitty-San Jose basketball — Hard to look anywhere else than Gordon, whose 33 points and 20 rebounds seemed effortless as he lead the Monarchs to a second straight CIF Div. II state title.

■ Best Story of the Year: Campolindo-Moraga football — Chronicling the Little Cougars Who Could was a great deal of fun for us. Campolindo’s unexpected run all the way to the CIF Division III State Bowl game — becoming the East Bay’s first public school to play in the event — was like Cinderella on PEDs. It doesn’t get much better than a team that was picked to finish last in its league by some, essentially builds its offensive line during the first few weeks of August, comes from behind to win multiple playoff games and finishes the year 14-1.

■ Gutsiest Performance of the Year: Carrie Verdon,

this year: The Floor Safe. Vanderdoes (who had 59 tackles and eight sacks last season) has a ridiculous list of football scholarship offers. However, a quick look at his baseball stats (.417 average, 4 HR, 17 RBI; 15 IP, 33 strikeouts, 1.87 ERA) has us thinking he might be the next Toby Gerhart.

■ 2013 Team to Watch: Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland girls basketball — How do you improve on a season in which you win the state championship by 38 points?

You graduate just one starter and you see if you can run the table on the way to a repeat. That’s exactly what we expect the Dragons to attempt to do. It ought to be fun to watch.

■ Coach of the Year: Sue Phillips, Archbishop Mitty girls basketball — Phillips is no stranger to Coach of the Year honors. That tends to happen when you win multiple CIF regional and state championships. But this year’s title run was impressive on multiple levels. Not only did Mitty knock off the defending three-time state champion, St. Mary’sStockton, 53-51 in a thrilling Northern

First Pitch

Regional final, but Phillips had to reshuffle her lineup over the last two games after her starting point game was lost due to injury.

■ Comeback Athlete of the Year: Austin Puckett, De La Salle-Concord baseball — After a freak accident led to a head injury that kept him from playing football in the fall, Puckett was healthy in Chace@ the spring and turned in a stellar pitching SportStarsOnline.com season for a Spartans team which won the CamNCS Division I title. Puckett (8-2) lead poindo (925) 566-8503 the team in wins and posted a 2.42 ERA (twice!) — over 52.1 innings pitched.

Anybody who ■ Breakout Athlete of the Year: Olito Thompson, Consays distance runners aren’t tough cord football — Those who saw him play as a sophomore in hasn’t met Verdon. Only a few hundred 2010 knew he was a talented athlete, but nobody could’ve meters into the CIF Div. III State Cross expected the record-breaking season he posted as a junior.

Country Championships, Verdon began to feel pain in her right foot. With her undefeated season and By setting NorCal rushing records and eclipsing East Bay marks set by the Detroit Lions’ Jahvid Best, Thompson made state title defense on the line, she ignored the pain and came several people take notice in 2011. He has a chance at an from behind to beat Oakmont-Roseville’s Karlie Garcia by encore as well. a mere second. She did the same thing during the track and And we’re down to our last award of the ceremony. field season, fighting through injury to eventually win the ■ School of the Year: Campolindo — Between its football 3200 by two seconds over Julia Maxwell of Branson. team, Verdon, a baseball team which became the first East ■ 2013 Female Athlete to Watch: Sasha Wallace, Holy Bay program to win three straight titles in the modern NCS Names-Oakland — You’ll see her name a few more times in era, and a boys swimming team that won an eighth consecuthis edition, and plenty more as we head toward 2013. Wallace was NorCal’s brightest star at the CIF State Track & Field tive section title, this was simply the Cougars year. Oh, they also repeated as boys volleyball champions.

Championships, winning gold in two events (100 hurdles, Congrats to all the athletes and coaches who made this triple jump) and setting national-best marks in both. school year another memorable one. We’re already count■ 2013 Male Athlete to Watch: Eddie Vanderdoes, ing down the days until we can start working on the 2012 Placer-Auburn — The 6-foot, 4-inch, 285-pound football and baseball standout may have our favorite nickname heard Football Preview. ✪

Chace Bryson Editor

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What actor would portray you in your life story

rapidFIRE TV show you’d make a guest appearence on

Favorite ice cream flavor

Favorite local summer hangout

Fudge w/peanut butter

The Pillars (cliff diving)

Jason Katelyn Statham

Nitro Circus

‘Go for it’

Annadel State Park

Taylor Swift

Monk

No answer

Name parents would have used if you were opposite sex

What would be your personal catchphrase

Matt Tyler, Granada-Livermore track

Cookie Dough

Gordon

sayWHAT

Nicole Lane, El Molino-forestville tracka

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“I don’t want to say “money,” but every time I think of her I go, “cha-ching!”

She is money at shortstop. She’s a team captain, a team leader, and she does it every day out on the field.”

— Concord High softball coach Megan Coddington on her shortstop Mickey Loveridge.The senior made several key defensive plays in the late innings of the Minutemen’s 3-1 upset of No. 1 Newark Memorial-Newark in the NCS Div. II semifinals.

June 7, 2012

Butch Noble

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To all incoming freshmen: Play sport YOU want to play Suggestions for new high school sports suited for California

We read where the state of Kentucky recently announced that, starting next April, it will sanction Bass Fishing as an official high school athletic event. Apparently Noodling for Flatheads and Frog Gigging were dismissed as being “too regional.” Anyway. It got us thinking that there are some activities here in the Great State of California that high schools should seriously consider adding to the roster of competitive events.

Here are the Top 5 high school “sports” we’d like to see.

1. Texting for speed and accuracy. Possibly the first completely gender-neutral high school sport. There is absolutely no male-female disparity when it comes to effective portable electronic device communication. Title IX advocates will LOVE this one, right?

OMG. LOL. 2. Skateboarding. We’ve already agreed that it’s not a crime, right? Why not go ahead and make it a sport? Are you telling us we couldn’t get a couple THOUSAND high school boys and girls from the Bay Area alone to “try out” for their high school varsity skate squads?

Dude. Srsly.

3. Competitive Eating. Wouldn’t it be great to see all those young Joey Chesnuts and Kobayashis scarfing hot dogs and buffalo wings and cubes of butter with wild abandon? We can picture the spittle and food-bits flying already. From a purely selfish standpoint, it’d be cool to point at a kid on the stage at Nathan’s annual Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest and say, ‘See that guy? I covered him when he was eating cocktail weenies in high school…”

4. Timbersports. Look. If sitting in a boat all day drinking, um, soda, and waiting for fish that’re too dumb to disregard that there pointy metal hook is a sport, then so are Log Rolling, Springboard Chop, and the Standing Block Chop. And with other mysteriously named events like “Single Buck” and “Hot Saw,” this one’s sure to be a crowd pleaser.

5. Caber toss. That’s right. Caber toss. Deal with it.

— Bill Kolb, who secretly longs to toss a caber.

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Behind the Clipboard Clay Kallam

James K. Leash

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I’ll be a freshman in the fall, and I want to play basketball, but all my friends are going to play volleyball. I don’t want to play on a team where I don’t know anyone, and I can’t convince any of my friends to play basketball. What should I do?

A.C., Suisun City

oing from middle school to high school is tough, and not just because you’re going from being the queen of everything as an eighth grader to lowly scum as a ninth grader.

Things that seemed really important in middle school will start to seem less important much sooner than you think, and things that didn’t matter much at all — such as college, to name just one — will move up the list of priorities.

But here’s another thing: Your middle school friends are probably not going to be your high school friends. In fact, it’s pretty likely you’ll wind up being much closer to girls you either don’t know or hardly talk to now than to the girls you hang out with this summer.

Of course, no eighth grader believes this, but if you have an older sister, or friends who are seniors in high school or who are in college, they can tell you and maybe you’ll believe them. The point, though, is that basing any decision about high school on what your eighth grade friends are doing really isn’t that smart.

It will take much less time than you think to make a whole new set of friends, and it will take much less time than you think for your middle school crew to drift apart. (Now it’s certainly possible that one or two friends will stick with you through high school and beyond, but ask your parents when was the last time that they talked to their best friend from eighth grade.)

So if you want to play basketball, play basketball. The season doesn’t start until November, and by then you’ll know a lot of people you didn’t know before. And if you go to open gyms and play in the fall, by the first day of practice, you’ll know a bunch of basketball players.

By the same token, don’t try to convince your friends to give up volleyball for basketball. If that’s what they want to do, let them do it — as you get older, you’ll discover that as people mature, they worry less about what others like to do and more about what they like to do. (That’s why almost all teenagers see the same movies; something that is not true of 40-year-olds, who are much more likely to follow their own tastes.)

In the end, it’s your life, not your friends’ life, and what they want to do shouldn’t distract you from what you want to do.

Yes, middle-school friends seem like the most important people in the world, but trust me, many of those very same friends won’t even be in your phone in a couple years — and you’ll still be enjoying basketball. ✪

Clay Kallam is an assistant athletic director and girls varsity basketball coach at Bentley High in Lafayette. To submit a question for Behind the Clipboard, email Coach Kallam at clayk@fullcourt.com.

June 7, 2012

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The Mustangs’ ace pitched a three-hit shutout to defeat El Camino-Sacramento in the SJS Division III baseball championship at Sacramento City College.

Scholtens struck out nine batters to help secure the first-ever baseball title for the Rodriguez program. The shutout was Scholten’s fourth of the year and his sixth complete game. The University of Arizona-bound pitcher compiled a 7-1 record, 1.21 ERA, and struck out 122 batters in 75.1 innings.

SportStars Magazine: How did you feel heading into the biggest game of your high school career?

Jesse Scholtens: I think that everyone on the team was just excited for the game. I definitely felt confident in the team because we had been playing well. I knew what we could do and felt we were the better team.

SSM: What was the key to your performance in the final?

JS: My fastball was my best pitch all game. I was locating the fastball, and when I can locate that pitch and have one of my off-speed pitches working for me, I am usually very effective.

SSM: Were you especially excited that you had the ball to record the final out while covering first base?

JS: That was a great feeling.

Personally, it was a great way for me to end my high school career, making the last out and having the ball in my glove. After the out, though, I threw my glove in the air and ran for the dogpile, so I don’t know where the ball ended up.

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jesse scholtens rodriguez-Fairfield . baseball . senior

honorable mention

stephanie ceo The Bear RiverGrass Valley senior hit a pair of home runs, including a grand slam, to lead the Bruins to a 9-3 victory over Whitney-Rocklin in the Division III Section final on May 28.

kyle von ruden The Franklin-Elk Grove senior recorded the save with two scoreless innings in the Wildcats’ 3-2 victory over Davis to claim the school’s first-ever Division I North title on May 25.

jenna curtan

Contributed

Just a sophomore, Curtan drove in the tying runs and scored the winning run in WoodcreekRoseville’s 3-2 comeback victory over Del Campo in the SJS Division II softball final on May 28. She was 9-for-13 at the plate in the playoffs.

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NorCal nets six gold medals at the CIF State Track and Field finals By mitch stephens | Contributor The gold medals revealed the champions. The waving at the top of the victory stand was another sign, as were the all the paper results handed out to members of the media.

But if all those things weren’t present or visible in the 94th California State Track and Field Championships at Buchanan High, the smiles on the faces of five Northern California track and field athletes told everyone something quite special had occurred.

California-San Ramon senior high jumper Noel Frazier, Aptos junior 1,600-meter runner Nikki Hiltz, Presentation-San Jose sophomore pole vaulter Taylore Jaques, Fairfield senior hurdler Daje Pugh and Holy Names-Oakland junior hurdler and jumper Sasha Wallace all beamed well after their championship performances Wallace was the only Northern Californian to win two events — the 100-meter hurdles (13.33) and the triple jump (41 feet, 5¾ inches). She finished as the national leader in both events, a monumental feat.

She opened the day dominating a deep

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and quality short hurdles field, and this, her second best event. Public address announcer and long time track and field expert Keith Conning told the crowd right before the start of the race that it was probably the best overall field of any event in the entire meet.

Wallace then blew out of the gates and left everyone behind. Runner-up Jordie Munford of Rancho Cucamonga was second at 13.58. Four girls broke 14 seconds.

Two girls, desperately trying to catch up, were disqualified for pushing over hurdles.

“I have to admit, that was awfully impressive,” said Wallace’s personal coach Curtis Taylor. “Sasha has a very good knack of staying focused and relaxed but competitive.”

Coming from Taylor, that’s saying something. He’s trained most of the best from the strong line of East Bay girls who have dominated this race, including previous state champions Trinity Wilson (2011), Julian Purvis (2006), Talia Stewart (2004 and 2002), Davetta Shepard (1994) and Bisa Grant (1993).

Wallace also won the triple jump going away at 41-5¾, off from her national best

mark of 42-4¾.

Here are the other short stories from the other winners.

DAJE PUGH: “BEST PRESENT EVER”

Daje Pugh has been knocking on a state medal door for the last three seasons.

The hurdler from Fairfield slammed it shut with a day she didn’t even fathom.

The senior first set a Sac-Joaquin Section record by finishing the 100 hurdles in 13.69 seconds to place third, then she did even better, not only winning the 300 hurdles but recording the top time in the nation this season at 40.57 seconds.

It was the eighth-fastest time ever run by a high school athlete and it annihilated her own section record of 41.73, set the day before.

“This is the greatest end to my senior year,” she told reporters afterward. “There’s one more week until graduation and this is the best present ever. I don’t even need a birthday present.”

NIKKI HILTZ: “WHAT I WANT…” Before every race, Aptos junior Nikki

Jonathan Hawthorne

California’s Noel Frazier

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Hiltz writes an inspirational note on her left hand. Before the much-anticipated 1,600 showdown with defending champion Cami Chapus of Harvard-Westlake, Hiltz wrote simply: “What I want is to be No. 1.”

Not exactly something you’d expect to read in a book of famous quotes. Until you consider the source.

“Steve Prefontaine,” Hiltz said. “He is my hero.”

Hiltz ran a lot like the late, great Oregon distance star, blew past Chapus with about 300 meters to go and breezed to a scintillating win in 4:42.45, the fastest winning time ever by a Northern California performer.

She won by almost five seconds over runner-up Rebecca Mehra of Palos Verdes who crossed in 4:47.33.

Chapus seemed broken after Hiltz passed her. She finished fifth in 4:53.42.

Hiltz told Julie Jag of the Santa Cruz Sentinel: “When I passed (Chapus) with 300 to go, I though she would be right on my tail. I looked with 100 to go, and there was no one with me.”

And when she crossed the finish line: “That was the best feeling in the world.”

TAYLORE JAQUES: EVERYTHING CLICKED Five girls had cleared 13 feet in the pole vault — an unprecedented number for the state meet — and though Presentation sophomore Jaques was one of them, she had an early miss and sat in third place.

But she cleared 13-4¼ on her second attempt and no one else did, to take the state title. Not bad for a secondyear vaulter, former standout gymnast and two-year field hockey starter.

She’s following the exact path and working with the same private coaches — Bob and Steve Stover — as two-

time state champion Tori Anthony, who just completed her senior year at UCLA. Presentation coach Warren Jaques, also Taylore’s father, was also a pole vaulter under Bob Stover. Anthony helps train Taylore in the summer.

“For the first time since early in the year she had everything clicking,” Steve Stover said. “Her timing was just right.

You could see it was going to happen.”

Said Taylore on her winning vault: “It was amazing. I touched the bar on the way down and I told myself to get off of it. When the bar stayed up, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was just very, very happy. My goal all season was to make 13-4 and to do it at the state finals was a great way to end my season.”

NOEL FRAZIER: OVER THE TOP Noel Frazier has seemed liked a fixture at Veterans Stadium. He placed fifth as a sophomore and second last season. He had just one direction to go — and that was up.

The only question: Would he knock the bar down?

He didn’t.

After resting his a sore knee that had bothered him much of the year, Frazier cleared only two heights — his opening mark of 6-8¾ and his winning clearance of 6-10¼. Two others cleared the latter mark, defending champion Cody Crampton of Canyon-Anaheim and Oakdale’s Manuel Hernandez, but Frazier did it on his first attempt and won on less misses.

A polite, quiet, often expressionless sort, Frazier finally let loose afterward. He couldn’t stop smiling.

“It’s definitely a dream come true,” he told reporters afterward. ✪ Mitch Stephens is a national columnist for MaxPreps.com.

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PODIUM POWER

Northern California held its own at the 2012 CIF State Track and Field Championships on June 2-3 in Clovis. Here are all the athletes who earned Top 5 or better.

GOLD: Noel Frazier (California-San Ramon) HJ, (6-10¼); Nikki Hiltz (Aptos) 1,600 (4:42.45); Taylore Jaques (PresentationSan Jose) PV (13-4¼); Daje Pugh (Fairfield) 300 hurdles (40.57); Sasha Wallace (Holy Names-Oakland) 100 hurdles (13.33), TJ (41-5 3/4).

SILVER: Nia Dorner (Rosemont-Sacramento) 400 (55.28); Andre McBride (San Leandro) 100 (10.60); Jordan MonteiroWilliams (McClatchy-Sacramento) LJ (23-9¾).

BRONZE: EJ Floreal (Palo Alto) 200 (21.38); Ryan Donnahoe (Gridley) SP (61-6), Manuel Hernandez (Oakdale) HJ (6-10¼); Lilla McMillan (Tamalpais) 200 (23.87); Marquis Morris (De La Salle-Concord) 110 hurdles (14.22); Pugh (Fairfield) 100 hurdles (13.69), Nick Ratto (St. Joseph Notre Dame-Alameda) 800 (1:51.57).

FOURTH PLACE: Lovina Akauola (Vallejo) discus (143-0); Ellisa Bryant (Piedmont Hills) 400 (55.38); Floreal (Palo Alto) 100 (10.70); Julia Maxwell (Branson-Ross) 3,200 (10:27.99); Nathaniel Moore (Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland) LJ (23-6¾); Pattriana Perry (Vacaville) 100 hurdles (13.89), 300 hurdles (42.53); Jeffrey Prothro (James Logan-Union City) TJ (48-10¼); Steven Pust (Golden Valley-Merced) PV (15-8¼).

FIFTH PLACE: Kody Atkins (Chico) 800 (2:10.24); Timarya Baynard (Piedmont Hills) 400 (55.50); Daria Cook (Vacaville) 300 hurdles (42.60); Brian Hamilton (Stagg-Stockton) discus (179-11); Kennedy-Richmond boys 400 relay (41.47), Cydney Leath (Mt. Pleasant-San Jose) TJ (38-11¾); Luis Luna (Piner-Santa Rosa) 3,200 (9:08.82); Ricky Strehlow (Wilcox-Santa Clara); TJ (47-8¼, Casey Wheeler (Del Oro-Loomis) 110 hurdles (14.35).

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Kneecap dislocation: Why it happens and how to handle it D islocations of the “knee cap” are a common injury in the pediatric and adolescent population.

Studies estimate the incidence of this injury in children to be as high as 43 per 100,000 kids, with a recurrence rate as high as 60 percent. Most dislocations involve the “kneecap” dislocating laterally (the outside part of the knee).

So what exactly is going on when the “knee-cap” dislocates? The official name for the “kneecap” is the patella, and it rests on top of the femur (thigh bone). The femur has a groove in it called the trochlea which is essentially a track in which the patella glides while you are moving your leg.

It’s easiest to imagine a race car (the patella) gliding down a race-track (the trochlea).

When the patella dislocates, it disengages from the trochlea, and sits outside of it.

The patella experiences tremendous force during daily activity (i.e. eight times your body weight when running), which makes it a common source of pain and also pre-disposes it to easily dislocate. In order to understand why the patella can dislocate, you have to first understand what keeps the patella engaged in the trochlea (i.e. the race car in the racetrack).

There are four main areas your physician will examine to determine what may have caused (or is continuing to cause) your patella to dislocate.

First, your patella may have experienced a direct blow that is so strong that it actually pushes the patella out of the trochlea. This can tear the medial patellofemoral ligament; a soft-tissue restraint that helps keep the patella in the trochlear groove.

Second, particularly if your patella keeps dislocating even during non-sporting activities, your bones may be positioned abnormally and/or have formed abnormally from birth (i.e. either the race car itself is abnormal or the race-track is shaped in such a way that the race car keeps driving off the track). This can be from a variety of factors including having a trochlea which is too shallow, a patella which is malformed or sitting too high, having knock-knees, or having

thigh bones which are too rotated. These are more difficult problems to address as there are not very many effective surgical options.

Third, your tibial tubercle (the bony bump below your knee cap at the top part of your shin bone) may be positioned too laterally. This is a problem since your quadriceps muscles attach to the tibial tubercle, and can pull your patella out of the trochlear groove.

Finally, the structures above your patella may be too tight on the outside (lateral), and very weak on the inside (medial) part of the knee; once again pushing your patella out of its normal position.

If your patella dislocates, your physician will perform a history, physical exam, and xrays to determine the underlying cause. If there is a concern for a piece of your patella having actually sheared off when you dislocated it; your physician may order an MRI to look at the joint more closely. If there is a loose piece of bone in your joint, your surgeon may have to take you to the operating room using a camera (arthroscopy) to re-attach the piece. Otherwise, the main stay of the treatment for patella dislocations is physical therapy, physical therapy, and more physical therapy to strengthen the muscles about your knee and hip to keep the patella in place.

If you continue to have patella dislocations even after physical therapy, your doctor may suggest a variety of different treatment options based on the underlying cause. This could be a simple as reconstructing a ligament, or more involved such as moving your tibial tubercle. Patella dislocations are a common problem which are frustrating and scary; but can be treated with an understanding of the complex nature of the joint. ✪

Health Watch Nirav K. Pandya

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Dr. Nirav K. Pandya is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon specializing in pediatric sports injuries at the Children’s Hospital in Oakland. He sees patients and operates in Oakland and our facility at Walnut Creek.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the “Health Watch” column, write the Sports Medicine for Young Athletes staff at Health@SportsStarsOnline. com.

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strategies for increasing athletes’ strength & power

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here are many different exercises and a bounce before continuous (Plyometric) strategies for improving your athletes’ hops. strength and power. Some of the ones I’m going to share might be something they These are very effective for increasing have already been exposed to. power production. My athletes usually use The actual exercises and strategies listed below can be very effective, but in Barbell or one-arm DB hang the end they are just exercises and snatches and cleans for this the way they are taught, implepurpose. mented and performed will deterThese are complex movements, mine if they will have a positive but learning how to perform impact on your athlete’s strength, them correctly through proper power and performance. progressions is definitely worth The fact is that every athlete your athlete’s time and effort. who is going to be involved in But sometimes there are some a strength and conditioning athletes who just can’t perform program first needs to be assessed these safely due to mobility, injury by a qualified strength coach. This and joint stress concerns. This Tim Rudd for IYCA is where Kettle Bell Swings and is vital not only for the safety of your athlete but also the effectivemedicine balls can be used with ness of the exercises and strategies great benefit to the athlete’s power being implemented. and strength.

If coaches aren’t assessing your athletes, then they’re guessing, and most likely prescribing exercises that are ineffective — and Medicine balls are a great tool for power even worse, strengthening dysfunction and development. The fact is that no other trainincreasing the injury potential of your athlete! ing mode provides the specific strength and The initial emphasis should be to get your power potential of the medicine ball. athletes mobile and stable in the right joints, Medicine balls are a tool similar to so they can properly develop the motor Olympic lifting and Plyometric for the core pattern of the exercise progression being musculature. implemented and coached. This ensures For overhead athletes like pitchers, tennis they can use the strategies below safely and players and swimmers, medicine balls in effectively. throwing motions (chest pass, side throws, The following strategies are incredibly overhead throws) provides great eccentric powerful for increasing strength, power and training for the rotator cuff while developing performance, and are just a piece of building power in the core. an explosive and powerful athlete.

Total body power in all athletes can be developed through throws with heavy balls and should be done in a large open area to Jumps are great for increasing power and simulate the actions of the Olympic lifts (hip speed, as well as improving the ability of hinging and triple extension). your athletes to recruit high threshold motor These are some of my favorite power-buildunits, which will have a positive impact on ing exercises that are great additions to an strength. effective strength program. No one strategy by Trainers will use boxes, vertical, squat and itself is effective, and making sure all the parts broad jumps as well as single-leg forward are effectively implemented in your athletes’ and lateral/medial hops and bounds for training will ensure that your athletes will get this purpose. My athletes do these after an stronger and more powerful. ✪ effective warm up and before any strength Tim Rudd is an International Youth Conditiontraining. ing Association specialist in youth condiAgain, progression is key. The athlete tioning (level 3), speed and agility (level 2), should be taught to properly land first, and and nutrition specialist (level 1). For more then progressively increase the demand information on anything you read in Training by adding hurdles while keeping a focus Time, email him at tim@fit2thecore.com. on landing. Then they should progress to

OLYMPIC LIFTS

Training Time

MED BALL THROWS

JUMPS AND HOPS

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After a mediocre 2011 and a change in coaching staffs, few expected much from Woodcreek.

So they went and won an SJS title

Says

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WHO?!?

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oming off a mediocre 15-14 season, the team welcomed back a handful of seniors and a brand new coach.

To say that no one saw Woodcreek as a potential Sac Joaquin Section Division II contender would be fair. But if one asked the players and rookie coach Eric Valencia if the Timberwolves could finish the 2012 season as section champions, very few if any dissenting votes would be offered.

“From Day One, we talked about how we wanted to be champions and how we believed we could do it,” junior pitcher Stephen Nogosek said. “A lot of people didn’t think that we could even make the playoffs, so we had a ‘Watch us’ mentality to prove that we could win it all.”

Story by Jim McCue Photos by Doug Guler

Valencia and his coaching staff immediately bonded with the players and set a positive tone that cast a hopeful eye toward the postseason.

“When coach came in, he told us, ‘The talent is already here,’” junior catcher George Corp said. “We already believed that we could be very successful and he joined us in that belief right away.”

After Woodcreek (25-7) concluded its season with a 9-2 victory over Sierra Foothill League rival Granite Bay to win the section title, it was easier to look back at the key ingredients that allowed the team to earn the championship it coveted before the first pitch of the season was thrown. The Timberwolves rode dominant pitching, solid defense, and clutch hitting to silence the naysayers and set up the championship dogpile in front of the pitcher’s mound at Sacramento City College.

With a team ERA of 2.48, it was clear that pitching played the largest role for Woodcreek.

Nogosek was undoubtedly the team’s ace, compiling a perfect 8-0 record with a 1.02 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 75.2 innings pitched. Down the stretch, Valencia’s “horse” on the mound raised his game by finishing each of his final six starts — including three complete-game victories in the playoffs. The junior tossed a 4-0 shutout of Bella Vista-Fair Oaks in the playoff opener and followed that with a 5-0 shutout of Rocklin in the first of two must-wins over the Thunder to earn the championship berth.

In the final, Nogosek turned in his least dominant performance of the postseason, but Granite Bay is not likely to share that opinion.

After striking out two in a scoreless first inning, Nogosek struggled with his command, walking three while seemingly willing Grizzlies batters into outs.

Only sophomore Mitch Hart got a hit off of Nogosek, who yielded a double and single to Hart.

“He didn’t have his best stuff out there,” Valencia said of Nogosek’s final performance, “but he is probably the most competitive person I have ever seen.

Unless he told me he needed to come out, there was no way I was taking the ball away from him.”

Woodcreek’s clutch hitting made it easier for Nogosek to hold onto the ball as the Timberwolves took advantage of a pair of early Granite Bay errors to jump out to a

Woodcreek shortstop Shaun Mize (left) and Stephen Nogosek (right) both played integral roles in the team’s title run.

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ABOVE: Woodcreek junior Austin Blatnick slides safely into home during one the team’s rallies in the SJS Div. II final. RIGHT: Junior catcher George Corp shook off a 6-for-41 slump to collect three hits and an RBI in the championship game.

“It seemed like things were going our way and that we were getting the bounces. But we worked our butts off all year and that hard work creates a lot of those breaks.”

— Shaun Mize

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9-0 lead by the fourth inning. All nine runs were charged to Granite Bay senior ace Brendan Keeney, but that may not have been the biggest surprise about the offensive output in the final.

Corp, who finished the season with a .258 batting average, had been in a serious slump for much of the second half of the schedule. Entering the final, Corp, who bats fifth in the Woodcreek order, had just six hits in 41 at-bats (.146 average) and 2 RBI in 15 games. But Nogosek’s battery-mate made life easier for the pitcher by breaking out at the plate.

Corp had hits in each of his first three at-bats and finished the game 3-for-4 with one run scored and another run driven in.

“I’m glad that my bat finally came around,” Corp said. “It had been a struggle and I was working so hard with my coaches. I started batting practice at noon (for a 6 p.m. start to the championship game) and just wanted to come out and perform for my team.”

While Corp’s production was a pleasant surprise, leadoff hitter and senior shortstop Shaun Mize was the team’s steady leader all season long. Mize led the Timberwolves with a .466 batting average, scored 47 runs, and stole 26 bases in 27 attempts during the season. In the month of May, the senior who also quarterbacks the Woodcreek football team, led the charge with 19 hits in 40 at-bats, including a 3-for-5 effort with 2 runs and one RBI in the final.

Mize did not hit the ball hard in the final, but he quickly realized that the game may go Woodcreek’s way when he reached base on a pair of infield singles. In the second inning, Mize drove in the second run of the game when a soft liner between the first and second basemen fell quietly to the dirt. Two innings later, Mize led off with another soft hit off his fists that sailed slowly over Keeney onto the grass where second baseman Vince Esposito could not get the throw to first before the speedy Mize raced across the bag and returned to first base with a sheepish grin.

“It seemed like things were going our way and that we were getting the bounces,” Mize said of his good fortune. “But we worked our butts off all year and that hard work creates a lot of those breaks.”

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The hard work might have seemed to be for naught during the SFL season when Woodcreek finished in third place behind Granite Bay and Rocklin with a 10-5 league record. But, like at the start of the season, Valencia and the Timberwolves believed that the hard work would eventually pay off and the breaks would finally go their way.

“We struggled some through the SFL, but the league really prepared us for this tournament,” Valencia said. “It seemed like everything bounced our way out there, but we knew that if we could get a couple runs early that we would be OK.” Much like their playoff run, momentum proved to be the catalyst in the Timberwolves’ final game. Of course, getting some breaks and a lead is a more welcome sight when the area’s hottest pitcher is on the mound.

“I was nervous and probably overamped at the start of the game,” Nogosek said. “Our hitting came up huge and my team picked me up today. I was able to go right at them and it feels great to be a champion.”

The title was the first in the program’s history and it gave Woodcreek a sweep of the Division II baseball and softball section titles.

Just like they knew it would. ✪

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2012 sjs Champions BASEBALL Div. Champion Runner-up Score I II

St. Mary’s-Stockton Woodcreek

Franklin-Elk Grove Granite Bay

4-2, 8-2* 9-2

III Rodriguez IV Oakdale

El Camino Sonora

3-0 12-2

V Escalon VI Mariposa

Hilmar Bradshaw Christian

2-1 4-3

VII Valley Christian * — Best of 3 series

Millenium

6-0

I Sheldon II Woodcreek

Ponderosa Del Campo

8-1 3-2

III Bear River IV Oakdale

Whitney Sierra

9-3 3-1

V Hughson VI Mariposa

Linden LeGrand

1-0 9-3

VII

Millenium

8-0

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SOFTBALL Div. Champion Runner-up Score

Elliot Christian FINAL RANKINGS Visit us online for our final season rankings.

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ABOVE: Sheldon’s Danielle Wiltz sprints out of the batter’s box during the Div. I final. RIGHT: Huskies longtime coach Mary Jo Truesdale.

James K. Leash photos

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Sheldon softball was stumbling to the finish before a well-timed stunt from its coach ignited a championship fire

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By jim mccue | Contributor

heldon softball coach Mary Jo Truesdale has used lots of tactics to motivate and inspire her teams to league and section titles while building a powerhouse program.

A veteran coach of more than 30 years, Truesdale is an all-business, back-to-basics problem solver for the rare glitches that have surfaced with her teams.

So, it was a surprise to the 2012 Huskies — and even a bit of a surprise to herself — that Truesdale went “outside the box” to choose her motivating tools for Sheldon after an inconsistent regular season resulted in the Huskies backing in to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs on the final day of the season.

Rather than approaching her team with bats, balls, and gloves to prepare her players for their second chance provided by the playoffs, the coach used Slip N’ Slides and toilet paper to start an improbable and impressive playoff run that concluded with the school’s fifth section crown.

“It was surprising to me because coach has always been all business with practices,” said senior pitcher Alexis Cooper. “We understood that it would be the last time to be around each other, so it was nice to enjoy the day with the entire team and realize that it was more important to enjoy our senior season than to win the section title.”

Even the team’s leader in smiles and fun, senior outfielder Danielle Wiltz was caught off guard by the coach’s play day.

“It was a surprise to me,” said Wiltz. “It was not something that any of us expected from coach, but I am glad that she did it.”

After a close 5-3 victory over Tracy in their playoff opener, the

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team’s seniors had a day off before the team was set to regroup on Thursday.

Truesdale considered running a practice stressing fundamentals, but decided instead to break from tradition and her old-school ways to build team chemistry with a “fun day.”

Truesdale had Slip N’ Slide waterslides and water balloons ready for the girls and told her team to take a day off to relax and have fun before they faced Pitman-Turlock Saturday.

After the team bonded with water play, the coach gathered her players to use water once more to signal a new start to the team’s second chance. Truesdale gave each player several squares of toilet paper to write down issues or problems that were encountered by Sheldon during an uncharacteristically inconsistent regular season. Then, one by one, players took their toilet paper to the restroom to “flush away” their problems and start anew.

“I knew this team had the talent to play the kind of softball they needed to play to win a section title,” Truesdale said. “But I think that they didn’t really believe in themselves the way we believed in them. We did not know which team would show up and wanted to do something to bring them together and illustrate the beginning of a new season.”

The Huskies followed up their fun day with a hard practice the day before the Pitman game that sparked a playoff run more dominant than any in recent memory. Sheldon hammered Pitman 16-1, before recording lopsided victories over Tokay (18-1), Elk Grove (10-2), and West-Tracy (18-1) to earn a spot in the section championship game against Delta River League rival Ponderosa.

“The bats, defense, and pitching finally all came together,” Truesdale said of her team’s string of big wins. “You could see the team’s confidence growing each game, and I knew that we were in a really good place.”

Where the team showed only flashes of brilliance during the regular season, success at the plate and in the field became the rule rather than the exception in the postseason.

“We knew that we had to step up our game and play the Sheldon way,” said Wiltz. “We all had faith and never lost it, so when things started clicking, we just kept it going.”

Despite the impressive run, the Huskies still had to click one more time. They had to do so against a Ponderosa team that won two of three against them during league play.

While some doubters remained, the Huskies’ confidence had them believing no team could deny them a second consecutive section title.

“I had such confidence in the team and I felt really good going into that game,” catcher MeShalon Moore said of the championship game. “I wanted so badly to beat them.”

Moore’s excitement and confidence translated into a 4-for-4 performance to lead an 11-hit attack and an 8-1 win for the championship. In the last five games of the playoffs, Moore belted 14 hits in 18 at-bats while driving in 11 runs and scoring nine. In the final, 26

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Senior Alexis Cooper delivered at the plate and in the circle for Sheldon in 2012. She went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the final, and was the winning pitcher. her three-run home run in the fourth broke the game open and left little doubt Sheldon was the powerhouse section champion Truesdale and her players knew they were all along.

In the final five games, the Huskies outscored their opponents 70-6 while hammering 81 hits to cement their legacy.

“We talked all year about leaving behind a legacy,” Truesdale said of her senior class. “I believe that they did not want to leave behind a legacy of inconsistency and wanted instead to leave behind a championship legacy.”

The senior class included tri-captains Cooper, Moore, and Wiltz, who provided much of the team’s identity and leadership. Truesdale will have holes to fill, but believes that what they leave behind will benefit the players who are asked to lead the team in 2013.

“They fought through adversity and came out on top,” Truesdale said of her upperclassmen. “That’s the story that will be told about them and this team. They could have thrown their bats down and quit, but they never gave up. They never stopped working hard and continued to be leaders of this program.”

Cooper, who took over as pitcher after current Cal standout Jolene Henderson graduated, grew into a confident pitcher and will play at Pac-12 power Arizona State next year.

Wiltz, a speedy leadoff hitter who Truesdale called “one of the best outfielders I have ever had the pleasure to coach,” will continue her softball career at the University of Nevada.

Moore will rejoin sister Dejanee, a 2011 Sheldon graduate, at UC Santa Barbara.

Despite the loss of her tri-captains and four more seniors to graduation, Truesdale already has captains selected for next season when Erika Lane, Zamari Hinton, and Anessa Kaylor will be given the reins to determine their own legacy.

Whatever that might be, expect Sheldon and coach Truesdale to leave no tool or tactic unused. ✪

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World Do What began as one man’s goal to put on local softball tournaments has morphed into the Western Region’s premier baseball/softball tournament organizer 28

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Jimmy Kabrich slides home safely as he avoids the tag from catcher Jake Crittenden during an All-World AA 13U tournament in Martinez on June 3.

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By jim mccue | Contributor

ften times, coaches and players say that they can do a better job officiating a game, managing an event, or organizing an athletic tournament. It’s usually just words and typically harmless in the big picture of competitive youth and adult sports.

Jay Zetz was an avid adult slow-pitch softball player in the 1990s — playing in leagues nearly every weeknight and tournaments every weekend they were offered. He had a passion for baseball and softball as well as the intricacies of managing the details of his ballpark addiction.

“We were playing all the time,” Zetz said of his affinity for spending many of his waking hours at ballparks and sports complexes throughout Northern California and beyond.

“Some of my friends and teammates encouraged me to start running tournaments, so that we could have more local tour-

naments and better tournaments to play in.”

That encouragement turned into a career for Zetz as he started AthruZ Softball to coordinate and run adult slow-pitch tournaments out of Elk Grove some 13 years ago. AthruZ started with a handful of tournaments in its first year, but the business grew exponentially to the point that All World Sports — the name change came with the expansion into youth baseball and eventually girls’ fastpitch softball — is an elite tournament promoter/organizer that coordinates and manages hundreds of events and tournaments in more than 11 states nationwide.

All World Sports has staff and directors that, like Zetz, played in, coached, and directed tournaments for years. The All World Sports team features former college and professional baseball players, and veteran tournament directors who have endured and understand the rigors of competitive travel ball, including numerous game-packed weekends.

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ALL WORLD SPORTS ■ Headquarters: Elk Grove, CA ■ What they offer: Youth baseball, girls’ fastpitch softball, and adult slowpitch softball tournaments in Northern California, Northern Nevada, and up to 10 other states nationwide.

■ How to find more info: www.playallworld.com; (855)-7ALLWORLD (1-855725-5967); info@playallworld.com ■ Special events: Midnight Madness: |www.madnessinfo.com Golden Woody: www.goldenwoody.com Exposure Event: www.allworldprospects.com Las Vegas World Series: www.lasvegasworlds.com

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Zetz and his staff of directors offer more than just the basic organization of tournaments and coordination of schedules, fields and officials. All World’s unique offerings include greater access to directors and staff (both office and on-site personnel); merchandise and awards for its directors around the country at All World Sports’ cost; local and regional marketing assistance; a national website that allows any team that signs up for All World events to build a free, hosted team website; and unique events that promote fun and the opportunity to advance to the next levels of play.

The main focus of All World Sports has shifted from its roots in adult slow-pitch softball to youth sports with baseball and fastpitch softball earning the spot at the front of the company’s “rotation” for both competitive tournaments and special events. While All World strives to provide the best competitive tournaments to teams nationwide, it is the fun events that Zetz says “break up the monotony of travel ball,” that most excite the directors and staff.

One of the premier events is All World’s Midnight Madness — an around-theclock series that takes place over three days and two nights filled with game action, skills competitions, tailgating, raffles, live music, vendors and parties. The youth baseball Midnight Madness event, which is in its third year, will take place in Carson City June 22-24. The fastpitch event, which started last year, will have two separate stops — July 28-29 in Carson City, and September 1-3 in Sacramento.

Additionally, youth baseball teams are offered a break from the travel ball grind with the annual Golden Woody event, which will have two separate Northern California offerings this year (July 28-29 in Sacramento; September 29-30 in Fremont).

The Golden Woody is a wooden bat tournament for all ages that features unique twists, such as do-overs, backward innings, triple-point pink jerseys, PA announcers and special effect noises; as well as raffles, prizes and awards for best and worst performances. “The Midnight Madness events are like a Mardi Gras,” said Ed Feldman, All World’s National Baseball Director. “There is no other event like it in the area. We really try to encourage more fun because the travel ball schedule can be a real grind at times.”

Of course, All World, as a national association, offers traditional tournaments and events, including some that act as local or regional qualifiers for national championship events. All World recently formed an alliance with two of the nation’s elite-level baseball organizations (the American Amateur Baseball Congress and the Continental

June 7, 2012

Photos by Phillip Walton

Shortstop Jensen Yamane attempts to turn the double play as he fires a throw toward first base during a June 3 tournament game. Baserunner Conner Capps does the smart thing and ducks.

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TOURNEY TOPPERS

Following are the champions from All-World Tournaments played over the past month.

April 21-22 ELK GROVE — 9U: Backyard (Turlock); 13U Blue: Dirty Dozen (Vacaville); 13U Red: Baseball USA Nationals (Fremont); 14U: West Coast Ballers (Antioch). MARTINEZ — 10U: Concord Patriots; 11U: Nor Cal Black Sox (Livermore); 13U: Champs Aces Baseball Club (Petaluma) April 28-29 MARTINEZ — 11U : Martinez Bulldogs; 12U: Storm Baseball (Yuba City); 13U: Bay Area Black Sox (San Francisco). MATHER/RANCHO CORDOVA — 13U: Yuba Sutter Defenders (Yuba City); 14U: BOBA Silverhawks (Sacramento)1 May 5-6 RENO/SPARKS — 10U: Bret’s Muckdogs (Reno); 11U: BV Bees (San Jose); 12U: Patriots (Elk Grove); 13U: Defenders (Yuba City); 14U: Lamorinda Monarchs (Lafayette).

FREMONT — 11U: Dublin Dawgs; 12U: Nor Cal Titans White (Brentwood); 13U: Nor Cal Grizzlies 12 Black (Livermore) May 19-20 GALT — 9U: Nor Cal Titans (Brentwood); 10U: Elite Baseball (Oakley); 11U: Delta Dawgs (Brentwood). MARTINEZ — 12U: Fremont Reds; 13U: Lafayette Bucks. Sacramento — 13U: Titans (Elk Grove).

May 26-27 ANTIOCH — 9U: Hardcore (Hayward); 11U: Patriots (Concord). FREMONT — 10U: Nor Cal Storm (Belmont). MARTINEZ — 12U: Nor Cal Titans Silver (Brentwood); 13U: Team Rawlings (San Ramon). GALT — 12U: Patriots Baseball Academy (Elk Grove).

ELK GROVE — 11U: Solano Blast (Vacaville); 13U: Nor Cal Rebels (Sacramento)

Amateur Baseball Association) and will cosanction events that yield berths to the organizations’ national championship events.

All World Sports also organizes its own World Series for both youth baseball and fastpitch softball. The baseball All World World Series will take place July 19-22 throughout Northern Nevada with the games being played in Carson City, Sparks and Reno.

The fastpitch World Series will be July 1115 in Sacramento at the Sacramento Softball Complex, Freedom Park, and other local sites.

Both boys’ and girls’ teams can also participate in the All World Winter World Series in Las Vegas, with games slated for December 1-2.

Over the Labor Day weekend, All World will host its longest-running youth baseball event, the King of the Dirt Classic.

More than 200 teams from Northern California and Northern Nevada participated in 2011, and all skill levels get the opportunity to play comparable opponents at the various sites (Sacramento, Martinez, and Woodland in California; Sparks, Carson City in Nevada).

The organization’s growth which has allowed for the expansion of competitive and fun events was made possible by the addition of quality directors and staff, according to Zetz.

When AthruZ was morphing into All World, directors from other organizations took notice and some of All World’s directors were attracted to the organization by its passion for youth sports and its unique offerings.

“We want to give people the chance to run tournaments,” said Zetz. “We welcome people to give it a try and will work with them to get them to the level of quality that we need before we give them the reins.”

With about 20 local staff running things 32

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out of All World’s offices in Elk Grove, Zetz relies on a group of directors that are wellrespected in baseball and softball worlds. Key staff includes Willie Tatum, a former professional in the Red Sox organization; Rudy Rodriguez, a former Long Beach State Dirtbag; Steve “Big Daddy” Graham, a hugely popular local softball figure; Dennis Fong, All World’s National Director for fastpitch softball; Gil Manzanares, Northern Nevada’s baseball director; and Jim Dunn, who runs fastpitch operations for All World in Northern Nevada.

The growth of the staff and increased presence in the baseball community beyond the youth level is what launched All World Sports’ latest venture, an event to give high school baseball players exposure to college and JC coaches as well as pro scouts. Players can sign up for the All World Exposure Event, where seniors, juniors and select sophomores will receive training and evaluation by coaches and scouts while participating in showcase-style games over the course of three days. The event will provide a wonder opportunity for local high school players to get exposure at the next level.

The newest offering is just the latest opportunity for prospective players, coaches, teams and directors to get their shot with All World Sports. New teams can sign up for the AA-level program, the largest AA program in the area, to ease into the rigors of travel ball, while coaches and directors can learn the ropes without having restrictions of extensive past experience as a prequalifier.

“We played it, coached it and sponsored teams,” Zetz said. “Then we finally had the opportunity to do it the right way with quality people, and I am proud of what we are and what we have to offer.” ✪

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RIGHT: Dougherty Valley-San Ramon junior outfielder Draco Roberts is expected to be one of the standouts for the North Bay team during this year’s Bay Area World Series taking place from June 29-July 1.

FAR RIGHT: Alameda High’s David Elzig swings at a pitch during BAWS 2011.

Photos by Phillip Walton, left, and contributed, right.

Bay Area World Series Preview In it’s eighth year, the Bay Area World Series baseball showcase event is slated for the last weekend in June, just a few hours further south than usual.

With field renovations bumping the event from its normal home of Schott Stadium at Santa Clara University, and several other Bay Area venues unavailable, the three-day event had to take a vacation to sunny San Luis Obispo and the campus of Cal Poly.

While it may not be the Bay Area, there are worse places to spend three days than San Luis Obispo. Are we right?

There are six teams at BAWS, representing six different regions. This year those regions/teams are: Contra Costa, Alameda, North Bay, South Bay, West (Peninsula & 831 area code), and Central (Fresno area). Each team plays three games and after two games for each team, the teams are paired up based on their record, with the top two teams squaring off for the Bay Area World Series championship. The players are categorized by their most recent grade completed.

Here’s a preview of some of the talent to expect at this year’s BAWS, straight from the founder and event director himself, 34

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Blaine Clemmens.

ALAMEDA Four players in particular stand out as players to watch.

Austin Piscotty (P/INF) of Amador Valley-Pleasanton is going to get attention for his ability, but he will be on the watch list due to his name too. His older brother Stephen is projected as a 1st round pick out of Stanford, and his other brother Nick just finished his freshman season at Duke. Daniel Slominski (3B/P) of Livermore is a talented hitter who has craft and feel on the mound. He has long been known as one of the better players in his age group, going back to his Little League days.

Ryan Anderson (INF) of Foothill-Pleasanton has the type of body and talents that will earn him a lot of attention. Each of these first three players just completed sophomore seasons.

Foothill junior Dylan Isquirdo is one of the more talented, allaround catcher’s in the 2013 graduating class.

CENTRAL The top talent on the Central team is junior Carlos Salazar Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

(RHP) of Kerman. Salazar is already known by pro scouts due to his ability to get his fastball into the low 90s. A pair of Clovis West juniors are likely to draw attention as well: Marco Pierce (RHP) and teammate Joey Gallegos are big kids with ability. Pierce has a good fastball and Gallegos swings the bat well from the left side, while also showing good ability around the bag at first base. Sophomore Jack Labosky of Clovis North is an advanced body type for his age and has shown projectable ability to hit and play defense.

Lastly, Porterville junior right-hander Tyler Davis is a good pitcher with projectable velocity and bloodlines of interest. His father played some pro ball and was the head coach at Porterville JC for a number of years.

CONTRA COSTA A pair of junior right-handers from De La Salle-Concord are going to draw plenty of interest, A.J. Puckett and Andrew Buckley. Both are athletic pitchers with good body types. CaliforniaSan Ramon junior infielder Daniel DeFazio is a good player who will draw the attention of college coaches due to his hard-nosed style of play, outstanding defensive ability and good hitting ability.

Clayton Valley-Concord junior Jesse Medrano (INF) will also get strong interest from the college coaches. He is a high-level defender and plays the style of game that translates to the Div. I level. He was the Most Outstanding Defensive Player at BAWS 2011.

NORTH bay Each year it seems the North team has a pitcher or two who burst onto the scene. Last year it was Cal Becker (Redwood-Larkspur), Jordan Lazor (Branson-Ross) and Jesse Scholtens (Rodriguez-Faifield). This year Ryan Bohnet, a junior right-hander from Benicia is a good bet to make a name for himself. Casa GrandePetaluma junior southpaw Kevin George will also draw interest thanks to an upper-80s fastball and good athleticism. A hitter to keep an eye on will be another Benicia junior, Tyler Hall (1B). Hall hits from the left side with a strong, compact stroke. He showed well last year and is ready to break out this year. The player who may draw the most interest on this team is Dougherty Valley-San Ramon junior Draco Roberts (OF). Roberts stands out with his body type and tools.

SOUTH BAY This team has had some of the most outstanding talents over the years, including many from St. Francis-Mountain View. This year will be no different. Keep an eye on sophomores John Gavin (LHP) and Tyler Deason (3B/P). Both have already been noticed by pro scouts. Junior right-hander Tanner DiSibio of SobratoMorgan Hill is a very talented pitcher with a complete repertoire and projectable talent. Two Bellarmine Prep-San Jose sophomores are also going to get a lot of interest, catcher Jackson Thoreson and infielder Scott Jarvis.

WEST Yet another Eichhorn is making his way to BAWS, this time it is junior right-hander Steven, the youngest son of former big league pitcher Mark Eichhorn. His older brothers Kevin (now playing in the Arizona Diamondbacks system) and Brian also participated.

Eichhorn plays for Aptos, and his teammate, junior catcher Bryan Bucher is also going to get good attention from college coaches.

He has a nice catch/throw game and swings the bat well. He didn’t get much time for Serra this season but he is a developing talent.

Junior catcher Jacob Tonascia of San Benito-Hollister will emerge as one of the best all-around catching prospects. He has good raw power, a good arm and good size. Also keep an eye on one of the best all-around athletes in the event, St. Ignatius Prep-San Francisco junior OF/LHP Jack Stinn. ✪ Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

BAWS’ talented past In the fall of 2003 the concept of a baseball showcase focused on the different regions of the Bay Area was hatched. Meaningful games between the top teams and players from all over the area are tough to come by because the California high school season ends at the section level and does not have regional or state playoffs.

That is basically how and why Bay Area World Series (BAWS) came about.

BAWS was first held at St. Mary’s College in June 2004. Santa Clara University has been the primary home of the event since then. The name of the event changed for a two year period (2008-2009) before once again becoming the Bay Area World Series.

Since the beginning of the event, there have been nearly 450 participants who have received an opportunity to play collegiately at the Div. I level. Nearly 130 have either been drafted or played professional baseball, including four first-round seletions, seven second-round picks, and 12 others drafted in the top five rounds.

The first former BAWS participant to be selected in the first round is former Miramonte-Orinda and Cal-Berkeley star Brett Jackson. Jackson was a shortstop in high school and was moved to center field at Cal. The Cubs selected Jackson in the first round of the 2009 and he remains ranked among the team’s top prospects. The BAWS Most Outstanding Player Award was renamed the Brett Jackson Award in 2010. In 2011 Joe Ross (Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland) and Robert Stephenson (AlhambraMartinez) were first-round selections while Tyler Goeddel (St. Francis-Mountain View) was taken in the supplemental round.

The first BAWS participant to reach the big leagues was Livermore High and Long Beach State pitcher Bryan Shaw of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Shaw was an infielder/pitcher at Livermore who could really run.

His velocity steadily climbed during his senior year when Long Beach State identified him and signed him as a pitcher. Shaw was selected in the 2nd round of the 2008 draft and was called up to the big leagues on June 10th, 2011, when he also made his big league debut with a scoreless inning against the Marlins. So far he is the only former BAWS participant to reach “The Show” but there will be others.

In the 2012 draft there will be many former participants drafted in the upper rounds, including the potential #1 overall pick, Stanford RHP Mark Appel (Monte Vista-Danville).

His Cardinal teammate, 3B/OF Stephen Piscotty (Amador Valley-Pleasanton) is also projected as a top pick. ✪ — Blaine Clemmens

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De La Salle summer camps

These will be going on throughout the month of June on the De La Salle campus. Come join us at the SSM media tent, where we’ll have a Heavenly Greens putting challenge, Jamba Juice fundraiser, and tons of goodies from our friends at Mountain Mike’s, Children’s Hospital Oakland, and more. Also, come hang out with supporters of De La Salle athletics like Concord Disposal and Rocco’s Ristorante and Pizzeria. Fun will be had.

AAA

We know a ton of you are Giants fans and we just wanted to make sure you’re aware of the deal our friends at AAA have going on right now.

Turn to our SportStars of the Week page and you’ll find that you can win two tix to a luxury suite at an upcoming game. All you have to do is call and get a quote. That’s it!

Just tell ‘em you found ‘em in SportStars Magazine and you’ll be entered to be treated like royalty at AT&T.

Dianne Adair Enrichment Centers

Parents! Send your kids to Dianne Adair for daily summer camps and field trips that feature trips to Giants games, scavenger hunts, the Oakland Zoo, Alcatraz and more! It keeps them busy AND out of the house so you don’t have to hear them complain about how “there’s nothing to dooooo” all summer.

Welcome to Impulse, your one-stop shop for gadgets, gizmos and gear. Compiled by staff writer Erik Stordahl, Impulse provides you with the latest & greatest and what’s currently hot on the market. This week, we continue to look at summer hotspots for your family, friends and bros.

East Bay Summer Camps

If you were unable to get your kid into one of the prestigious DLS camps, send ‘em on over to East Bay Summer Camps. HQ’d in Walnut Creek, they offer everything from sports camps like tackle and flag football, softball, volleyball, basketball; to specialty camps like skateboarding, teen leadership, even television production!

Whatever your kids are passionate about, they can learn more and grow at one of these summer camps.

Big 5 Sporting Goods

Be sure to check out www.SportStarsOnline. and click on their banner ad for cool deals.

Right now they’ve got a coupon that’s good for 15 percent off your entire purchase. And it’s good through the 4th of July! Look, for most of you it’s the offseason and high time to replenish the shoes, cleats, gloves, balls, rackets, etc.

Stevens Creek Toyota

If you really wanna make a splash this summer, head on over to Stevens Creek Toyota and test drive a new Prius V today! This is the bestest and baddest one on the market so get ‘em while they’re hot!

Alameda County Fair

If you’re looking for more rides, games and cotton candy to make your stomach explode, then you gotta hit up the Alameda County Fair. It’s going down June 20 to July 8. There will be tons of live music so you’ll need your dancing shoes to get down to the likes of Salt ‘n’ Pepa, Tower of Power and The Temptations. Booyeah.

Get more impulse!

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Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

BASEBALL/SOFTBALL

All American Sports Academy All American Sports Academy aims to train and educate all student athletes on the correct physical skills and mechanics needed to compete at all levels, as well as understand the proper practice habits and time management skills needed to improve their game. The organization is holding camps at various locations from June 11-July 26. Info: (209) 833-2255, Email: dnelson@ allamericansportsacademy.net Blankenship Baseball We are a year-round competitive baseball program based in Danville. The Camp focuses on teamwork, hustle and sportsmanship. We also offer small group training as well as one-on-one training.

Info: lancerblankenship@ sbcglobal.net or 925-708-3173.

Cabernet Baseball Club The Livermore-based club hosts baseball and softball camps beginning as early as June 12. Camp are for players ages 8-14. Lil’ Baseball also offered for ages 3-7.

925-416-1600, http://cabernet. thepitchingcenter.com.

East Bay Youth Sports Baseball is Fun Beginner Camp. July 25-Aug. 4, 9 a.m.-noon, Mon.-Thur. at Tice Valley Park; Extended day/week available with Deluxe Sport Option. Ages 5-9. $35/$75. Registration: 925952-4450, www.walnutcreeksportsleague.com.

EJ Sports EJ Sports provides individual, group, team, coaching and manager clinics in many levels of

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baseball. Among the numerous different services offered, the Spring Clinic, Summer Clinic and the Fall League for children of Little League age. Contact EJ Sports for a list of upcoming clinics. Info: 925-866-7199, www.ejsports.com.

The Pitching 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. Age- and skill-specific programs available for students age 8-High School.

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

BASKETBALL

CalStars The Stars Basketball Academy (SBA) is pleased to announce our youth and high school summer camps. The SBA is a fundamental based skills development camp for kids in 3rd grade-High School. We offer three youth (3rd-8th) sessions and two high school (9th-12th) sessions. Go to www.calstars.org for more info.

East Bay Youth Sports Basketball is Fun beginner camp. July 11-21, 9 a.m.-noon, Mon.-Thur. at Tice Valley Park; extended day/week available with deluxe sport option. Ages 5-12. $35/$65 per week.

Registration and info: 925-952-4450, www. walnutcreeksportsleague.com.

FastBreak Basketball Margaret Gartner, the highly-decorated girls

basketball coach for Carondelet High in Concord, leads this girls basketball camp focused on fundamentals. Five week-long sessions are available. Session I, June 18-22, is for grades 6-10; Session II, June 25-29, Grades 1-6; Session III, July 9-13, Grades 1-6; Session IV, July 16-20, Grades 6-10; Session V, July 23-27, Grades 4-10. Info: www.FastBreakBball. com; or email Fastbreak_club@yahoo.com

CHEER

CheerGyms.com Six camps are offered from June through July: Coaches Camp, Freedom High School 2-day Cheer and Dance Camp, 2-Day Cheer Camps at ALL Cheergyms. com facilities, Jr. High/High School Cheer Camp-California Session 1, Individual/Group Stunt Cheer Camp, Jr. High/High School Cheer Camp (Elite)-California Session 2. For more info: 925- 685-8176, 866-685-7615, info@ cheergyms.com; www.cheergyms.com.

East Bay Sports Academy East Bay Sports Academy offers the best in gymnastics and cheerleading training. Our top of the line recreational and competitive programs earned us the exclusive “Best in the East Bay” award for Best Gymnastics Classes 2011. All of our team camps are custom-built to complement your coaching needs and team goals. Info: 925-6809999, www.EastBaySportsAcademy.com.

Xtreme Cheer Camps Xtreme is a competitive All-Star Cheerleading, Dance and Recreational Tumbling Gym in

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Antioch. All of our camp classes are fast-paced, fun and geared toward achieving your child’s goals. Info: 925-5655464; xtremetumbleandcheergym@yahoo.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. In addition to our weekly camps, we offer weekly field trips and in-house entertainment. Field trips and camps vary by site. Please consult your site of choice for more details. Bring in this article and receive half off our $40 summer registration fee.

Info: www.dianneadair.org.

FITNESS

Fit 2 The Core As a Youth Conditioning, Speed/Agility and Nutrition Specialist with the International Youth Conditioning Association, Fit-2The-Core Training Systems offers an innovative approach to getting your young athletes back on the field of play post-rehabilitation (which gets your athletes to normal function). For F2C’s Back to Sports programs we offer training weekdays, with 2 days/week or 3 days/week program options. Sign up today for your twoweek free pass at www.fasteryoungathletes. com, or call 925-639-0907 for more information.

Walnut Creek Sports & Fitness Walnut Creek Sports & Fitness is offering a wide range of different sports fitness camps and classes in 2012. Here are three we’re featuring. Pilates for Sports — An ideal form of fitness for athletes to improve performance & prevent injuries. Hardcore Golf Fitness — A fourweek golf-specific fitness camp is the ultimate physical conditioning program for golfers of any age who want to take their game to the next level. TRX Team Fitness —A cutting-edge sixweek small group personal training program is a team-sports inspired program for athletes of all levels who want results in a challenging, motivating environment. For all info: Contact Bob Boos, Personal Training Director. Phone: (925)932-6400 or email: bob@wcsf.net

FOOTBALL

Acalanes Football Dons Camp The Acalanes coaching staff will host players from grades 3-8 on June 18-20. At our camp you will learn skills, techniques, rules and how to perform to the best of your ability. There are daily camp awards. All athletes receive a T-shirt.

This is a non-contact camp focused on having fun while learning the game of football. Staff members are coaches, teachers and parents.

Info: contact Mike Ivankovich at mivankovich@ acalanes.k12.ca.us.

Black Diamond Football Camp Black Diamond Football Camp is a four-day contact team camp from June 18-21 running from 4 p.m.-7:15 p.m. each day. Cost is $1000 per team. This camp is designed to strengthen

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team concepts within YOUR program. Hosted

by Pittsburg and Concord High Schools, it will take place at Pittsburg High. There will be Individual drills and team periods to install your offensive/defensive schemes. There will be a 7-on-7 passing competition, a pass protection/ blitz pickup session, team goal-line challenges, and controlled, full-contact scrimmages. Info: Contact Victor Galli at (925) 473-2390 ext.

7736.

Football University From the creators of the U.S. Army AllAmerican Bowl comes a one-of-a-kind football training experience exclusively for the nation’s most elite youth and high school players. Born out of the appreciation that the most successful and skilled football players have mastered great technique, and that for many younger players this level of coaching is simply not available, the Football University (FBU) experience focuses on intense position-specific technique training taught by our expert faculty of former and current NFL coaches who have a passion for sharing this experience with young athletes.

GOLF

The First Tee-Contra Costa The First Tee Summer Camp is a youth development Golf program for boys and girls ages 7-18.

Participants will learn about golf and the life skills and values inherent to the game.

In addition to golf skills, rules and etiquette, participants are introduced to The First Tee Nine Core Values.

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Our Summer camps are four days a week, 4 hours/day @ Diablo Creek Golf Course, Concord. We have several weeks and facilities from which to choose. Fee assistance available.

Info: Angela Paradise, 925-686-6262, Ext. 0, angela@thefirstteecontracosta.org; www. thefirstteecontracosta.org.

The First Tee-Oakland The First Tee of Oakland participants receive a minimum of 12 hours of instruction over an eight-week period. Instruction is conducted at three City of Oakland affiliate golf courses. Each of the golf courses donates their range, golf course and classroom use. We introduce the game of golf in a way that allows participants to progress with the mechanics required, and that teaches the values of the game, celebrates the fitness aspect of playing, and is offered at little or no cost. Info: 510352-2002, info@thefirstteeoakland.org; www. thefirstteeoakland.org.

The First Tee-Silicon Valley The First Tee of Silicon Valley develops youth through the game of golf throughout Silicon Valley.

We impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices though the game of golf. Seasonal classes are offered at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course (San Jose) and Palo Alto Golf Course. We welcome participants ranging from second to twelfth grade.

Scholarships are available upon request. www. thefirstteesanjose.org.

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The First Tee-Tri-Valley We’re a youth development organization using golf and its etiquette to teach important life skills and core values. We offer seasonal The First Tee Life Skills Experience Classes and Summer Camps for youth ages 7-17, held at the Pleasanton Golf Center on the Alameda County Fairgrounds. Once-a-week Summer Classes will be held Monday-Saturday, beginning the week of June 11. Junior Golf Summer Camps - Summer Camps will be held 8-10 a.m., Tuesday-Friday for seven weeks this summer.

Camps begin on the following Tuesdays: June 11, June 18, June 25, July 9, July 16, July 23 & July 30. Info: Call our office, 925-462-7201; www.TheFirstTeeTriValley.org.

HORSEBACK RIDING

Earthquake Arabians Spring and summer camps are around the corner for Earthquake Arabians! Registration is OPEN. Log on to www. earthquakearabians.com for more info. 925-3607454.

LACROSSE

Atherton/Vitality Lacrosse Join Atherton Lacrosse and learn the basics of the game in their spring, summer and fall camps.

Every camper receives a free t-shirt and access to the best high school, college and professional lacrosse coaches in the

Bay Area in a setting with an extremely low coach to camper ratio. Every camper needs a lacrosse stick - we have partnered with Sling It! Lacrosse to bring the best value possible.

Go to www.athertonlacrosse.com for more info.

Sign up with Vitality Lacrosse to join one of their summer leagues in the Peninsula, Marin, East Bay, Petaluma and San Francisco. We serve the entire Bay Area! Info: www.vitalitylacrosse. com.

MARTIAL ARTS

USKS Adult and children’s programs, kick box fitness, mixed martial arts.

Providing excellence in martial arts instruction and services for the entire family. 925-682-9517; www.usksmartialarts.com.

OUTDOOR/ADVENTURE SPORTS

Bear Valley Mountain Bring the entire family to mountain summer camps. This summer, Bear Valley has residential & day camps for soccer, archery, climbing & a variety of outdoor adventures including kayaking, tennis, cycling, hiking, camp fires & so much more.

Bear Valley’s summer camps offer outdoor recreation programs for the whole family & is a great place to visit. Info: www.bearvalley.com.

Diablo Rock Gym We will be offering kids summer camps every week starting June 19, ending August 18. Sign up for a week at a time or multiple weeks. Ages 6-12; multiple kid and/or week discounts. Call for pricing, 925-602-1000.

Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

RUGBY

Diablo Rugby Youth rugby is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States. Based in Clayton, our club is dedicated to providing a positive rugby experience for boys at High School, Jr. High School and Youth levels. 925-3815143, diabloyouthrugby@gmail. com; http://diabloyouthrugby. clubspaces.com.

SOCCER

Diablo FC With a history that goes back two decades, the Diablo Futbol Club has proved to be the premier training ground for youth soccer players in the area.

Headquartered in Concord, Diablo FC offers training to boys and girls from levels U6 to U23, and has premier, gold, silver and bronze level teams with players from throughout Contra Costa, Solano and Alameda counties.

For complete info, call (925) 798GOAL or visit www.diablofc.org.

Gino’s Soccer Academy Gino’s Soccer Academy is in its 14th season of running summer soccer camps. We are offering eight one-week programs this summer and have programs to challenge and enrich the game of

every soccer player. Half- and fullday sessions available. Ages 4-17.

Info: www.ginossocceracademy. com.

Heritage Soccer Club In 2012, HSC will not only offer a membersonly summer soccer camp, but will offer two separate soccer camps — one for boys, June 25-28, and one for girls, July 9-12 – that will be open to the community. HSC will also conduct their annual 6v6 Blow-Out tournament in June and their second annual Harvest Cup Tournament in October. HSC is based in the Pleasant Hill/Martinez area and serves the surrounding community. Info: www.heritagesc. com.

Walnut Creek Soccer Club The Walnut Creek Soccer Club uses all the resources available to provide the proper coaching and playing environment for all members. Our goal is for every member of our club to learn and grow as a soccer player and person. We will promote a positive learning environment for our players and families as we work to provide the highest level of coaching and coach’s education.

Info: wcsc_info@wcsc.org; www. wcsc.org.

West Contra Costa Youth Soccer League Our program caters to competitive youth players ages 8-9 regardless of race, creed, gender or religion. 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. We desire to promote personal responsibility, fitness, sportsmanship and teamwork. 510-758-5288, http:// wccysl.com.

We teach from age 9-months to adults, from non-swimmers to competitive levels. Since our lessons are private, they are tailored to each student’s age, ability and readiness. We also offer beginning and competitive diving classes. Beginning sessions typically have three students and are 30 minutes long.

Classes are taught in three-week sessions. Info: 925-283-2100, www.ShermanSwim.com.

Walnut Creek Swim Club Summer practice sessions will be offered 7:3010 a.m. daily beginning June 11 @ Las Lomas High School.

Info: www. walnutcreekswimclub.org.

Sherman Swim School Our year-round schedule allows children and adults to learn, retain and improve their swim skills with little interruption. Lessons are usually offered in sessions of 3-4 weeks.

(During the slower months of Fall, Winter and Spring, schedules can be more flexible, such as M-W, W-F, or only one day/week.)

ClubSport Valley Vista ClubSport Valley Vista has successfully been hosting summer tennis camps in Walnut Creek for 33 years, with expert instruction. Tennis pro Dale Miller and his team of seasoned professionals will teach your children the fundamentals of tennis or help them improve their

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SWIMMING-DIVING

skills for recreation or competition.

Camps are designed to touch on every major aspect of the game.

Players will be grouped according to level of play and age. ClubSport Valley Vista members receive discounted rates. Info: 925-9344050.

VOLLEYBALL

Pacific Rim Volleyball Through private lessons, and the opportunity for yearround skills classes, athletes

TENNIS

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of any age or level can learn and improve the skills needed to gain a competitive edge. Our advanced training, for junior levels (12th grade & below), will provide athletes the opportunity to excel at becoming elite players in preparation for high school and/

or collegiate volleyball. Info: www. pacificrimvolleyball.com.

U.S. Youth Volleyball League The USYVL is the leader in developing and maintaining youth volleyball leagues for boys and girls ages 7-15. USYVL summer camps are typically three days,

with each day meeting for three hours.

Camps are for beginner, intermediate and advanced players, and players will

be grouped accordingly, based on age and playing experience. Info: 888-988-7985, www.USYVL.org.

WRESTLING

Community Youth Center The CYC wrestling program offers young athletes the opportunity to participate and excel in one of the

world’s oldest sports.

The program trains and challenges wrestlers at all age groups from kindergarten through high school, and all experience levels from beginner to champion.

The program is nationally recognized under the guidance of Head Coach Mark Halvorson. Info: 925-671-7070, Ext. 229, www. communityyouthcenter.com.

Creighton School of Wrestling CSW was established to provide a successful youth wrestling program in the Palo Alto/ Mid-Peninsula area that serves youth of all ages. Info: 650-219-6383; creightonschoolofwrestling@ yahoo.com.

MULTI-SPORT

De La Salle Camps De La Salle High School will host athletic summer camps to provide a fun, skillbuilding week for kids. They offer the following

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sessions: Football, Track & Field, Lacrosse, Wrestling, Quarterback & Wide Receiver, Lineman, Volleyball, Baseball, Soccer, Water Polo and Strength & Conditioning.

Week-long sessions will run June 9-June 28. Online registration. For more info: summercamps@dlshs. org; 925-288-8100, Ext. 7090.

Velocity Sports Camps Our Sports Specific Summer Camps provide campers with a fun-packed, enjoyable environment where they can increase athleticism, develop wide range of skills.

Velocity Sports Performance is looking for boys, girls ages 8-14 who are dedicated to making themselves better athletes. Team Training programs are designed to deliver a challenging workout that is organized, educational, progressive and customized for entire sport teams. Info: 925-8330100, velocitydublin.com.

Cal Camps Camps are offered in a variety of sports for girls and boys ages 5-19, with weeklong, half-day,

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full-day and overnight options. Most camps will take place on campus in Berkeley from June through August. Camps include the following sports: Baseball, Boys and Girls Basketball, Boys and Girls Rowing/ Crew, Field Hockey, Football, Boys and Girls Golf, Girls Gymnastics, Rugby, Boys and Girls Soccer, Softball, Boys and Girls Swimming, Boys and Girls Tennis, Boys and Girls Volleyball and Girls Water Polo. Information: CalBears.com/camps. Or email calcamps@berkeley.edu.

Saint Mary’s College Camps We offer boys, girls overnight, day, team and specialty camps. Camps available for ages 4-18. Dates posted, registration is open. Our camps include: Multi-sport, baseball, boys basketball, girls basketball, golf, rugby,

girls lacrosse, strength and conditioning, boys soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball. Click “summer camps” at www.smcgaels.com for information and to register.

More info: smccamps@stmarys-ca.edu, 925-631-4FUN (4386).

City of Walnut Creek We offer 9-13 year-olds a fully-staffed, supervised recreational camp. Program is eight weeks of sessions with choice of two sports for each of the sessions, with a ninth session offering bowling. Camp designed to teach, develop training skills, basic individual skills, sportsmanship, team strategies and concepts as well as building confidence, self discipline. Sports: Tennis, Baseball, Multi-sport, Flag Football, Soccer, Lacrosse, Basketball, Golf, Volleyball and Bowling. Camp start week of June 18th, run through August 17th. Info: www. walnutcreekrec.org or call 925-943-5858. ✪

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Advertiser Index

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A A A Northern California, Nevada & Utah.......................................................12 Alameda County Fair.........................................................................................7 All World Sports..............................................................................................17 Army National Guard Recruiter..........................................................................4 Back Forty B B Q..............................................................................................26 Bald Eagle Sports Camps.................................................................................41 Big O Tires.........................................................................................................2 Blankenship Baseball......................................................................................39 Cabernet Indoor Sports...................................................................................27 Cal Athletic Camps..........................................................................................42 Championship Athletic Fundraising................................................................18 Cheergyms.Com..............................................................................................35 Children’s Hospital And Research Center..........................................................15 Club Sport.......................................................................................................14 Community Youth Center................................................................................45 Concord Disposal.............................................................................................28 Concord Police Association..............................................................................44 Concord Youth Football & Cheerleading..........................................................41 Crowne Plaza..................................................................................................44 Delta Patriots Youth Football & Cheer..............................................................38 Delta Patriots Youth Football & Cheer..............................................................41 Diablo Car Wash & Detail Center......................................................................44 Diablo Creek Golf Course.................................................................................44 Diablo Rock Gym.............................................................................................43 Diablo Trophies & Awards................................................................................43 Dianne Adair Enrichment Programs................................................................26 Dream Courts U S A.........................................................................................33 E J Sports Elite Baseball Services.....................................................................40 Earthquake Arabians.......................................................................................44 East Bay Pit Bulls.............................................................................................31 East Bay Sports Academy................................................................................30 East Bay Summer Camps 2012........................................................................37 Eden Medical Center........................................................................................22 Epic Indoor Skatepark.....................................................................................40 Excellence In Sport Performance.....................................................................38 Fit 2 The Core...................................................................................................43 Golden State Warriors.....................................................................................18 Halo Headband...............................................................................................44 Heritage Soccer Club.........................................................................................8 Home Team Sports Photography.....................................................................32 Hyatt Place Sacramento / Roseville.................................................................32 Image Imprint.................................................................................................39 Intelligent Choice Fundraising Solutions.........................................................40 Kinders B B Q.....................................................................................................3 Mountain Mike’s Pizza.....................................................................................17 Oakley Raiders................................................................................................42 Oakley Raiders................................................................................................40 Pacific Rim Volleyball Academy.......................................................................38 Passthaball......................................................................................................45 Pleasant Hill Youth Football Rebels.................................................................39 Red Zone Training............................................................................................45 Renegades Volleyball Club..............................................................................39 Rocco’s Pizza....................................................................................................43 Rocco’s Pizza....................................................................................................16 Rockin Jump....................................................................................................47 Rockin Jump....................................................................................................40 Saint Mary’s Athletic Summer Camps..............................................................45 Sheldon Jr. Huskies Youth Football & Cheer.....................................................38 Simply Selling Shirts.......................................................................................43 Sky High Sports...............................................................................................43 Skywest Golf Course........................................................................................44 Sport Clips.......................................................................................................23 State Farm Kelly Sopak Agent.........................................................................43 Stevens Creek Toyota.......................................................................................19 Sutter Urgent Care...........................................................................................48 The First Tee Of Contra Costa............................................................................34 The First Tee Of Contra Costa............................................................................41 The First Tee Of Contra Costa............................................................................44 The Sports Authority.........................................................................................5 Tilden Park Golf Course....................................................................................44 Trucks Training................................................................................................16 U S K S Martial Arts.........................................................................................45 United States Youth Volleyball League............................................................45 Universal Sports Academy.................................................................................9 Valley Christian Vikings...................................................................................42 Velocity Sports Performance...........................................................................29 Velocity Sports Performance...........................................................................43 Walnut Creek Soccer Club................................................................................38 William Jessup University................................................................................41 Xtreme Tumble And Cheer Gym.......................................................................39

June 7, 2012

SportStars™

45

Granite Bay infielder Vinny Esposito attempts to turn the double play as Woodcreek’s Shaun Mize slides hard into second base during the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II championship game on May 28.

Photo by Doug Guler

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SportStars™

June 7, 2012

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