SJ Issue 97 March 2015 by Sport Stars Magazine

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March 2015

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room: It’s fantasy baseball time. Sure, you COULD draft players from outside of the Bay Area, but why would you?

Fence: 40 The Tryouts, sign-ups, fund-raisers and more!

46 Advertiser’s index 4

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Good on the Gauchos

n our last issue, I took a moment to dredge through some of the more controversial happenings that were happening in the NorCal sporting arena — most notably the dust-up between the Central Coast Section and Serra-San Mateo football. For those who didn’t read the column, or weren’t aware of the controversy, I don’t want to go into great detail again. In a nutshell, it boiled down to Serra coach Patrick Walsh making a decision to forfeit the CCS Open Division Consolation Championship game with Milpitas. It was a decision he based on the health and safety of his players, which had played through 13 games already and Walsh believed were risking injury by playing in what boiled down to a meaningless game. The CCS cracked down with multiple sanctions, including suspending the program from the postseason for two seasons. Serra has appealed the decision and a hearing has been set for March 13. To read more of my thoughts on the matter, check out our previous issue online at SportStarsOnline.com/Magazine. In the meantime, I wanted to take this month to applaud a decision by a coach that has flown a bit under the radar. Last year, the El Cerrito boys basketball team was an unfortunate casualty of the California Interscholastic Federation Open Division. After losing to superior Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland by 20 in the North Coast Section Division III championship game, the Gauchos — who were 28-3 and would’ve been a major state title contender in Div. III — were still chosen to join the Dragons in the Open Div. They were given the sixth and final seed and sent on the road to play Archbishop Mitty-San Jose. They lost by nine and were done for the year. Coming into the 2014-15 academic year, El Cerrito coach Michael Booker knew he was poised to have another strong team. He also knew that Bishop O’Dowd was going to be even better, nationallyranked with McDonald’s All-American Ivan Rabb at center. So the Gauchos petitioned out of Div. III up to Division II. On the surface it looks like the Gauchos are simply trying to avoid O’Dowd and the rest of a very strong NCS Division III field. As the

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Sayeed Pridgett, right No. 1 seed, El Cerrito is now the “O’Dowd” of Division II. The Gauchos will be heavy favorites, and running the table with big wins may not save them from the Open Division. That may very well happen, and El Cerrito may still be a one-and-done in the state playoffs. But, if they take care of business at the section level, Booker’s boys will get to hang a banner. They will have a championship which can be celebrated by the players, school and community. And after the way their season was thrown to the wolves in 2014, the Gauchos deserve that much. ✪

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your ticket to california sports admit one; rain or shine This Vol. #6, March 2015 Whole No. 97 is published by Caliente! Communications, LLC, 5356 Clayton Rd, Ste. 222, Concord, CA 94521. SportStars™© 2010-2014 by Caliente! Communications, LLC. All rights reserved. Subscription rates: 16 issues, U.S. 3rd class $35 (allow 3 weeks for delivery). 1st class $55. To receive sample issues, please send $3 per copy for $6 total fo bulk. Back issues are $4 each. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of Publisher is strictly prohibited. The staff and management, including Board of Directors, of SportStars™© does not advocate or encourage the use of any product or service advertised herein for illegal purposes. Editorial contributions, photos and letters to the editor are welcome and should be addressed to the Editor. All material should be typed, double-spaced on disk or email and will be handled with reasonable care. For materials return, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope. SportStars™© and STARS!™© Clinics are registered trademarks of Caliente! Communications, LLC.

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Lily

Hagerty The Lions’ wing leads the team with an average of 17.9 points per game and played a large role in Valley Christian earning the No. 1 seed in Division VI bracket of the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. Hagerty and fellow seniors Jenny Frank, Erika Lyon and Cassidy Bowen have played together since the seventh grade at Valley Christian. This season, they’ve led coach Kim Contreras’ squad to a 22-3 record, which includes a perfect 12-0 mark in Sacramento Metropolitan League play. Hagerty has helped the Lions reach the section finals in her first two years on the varsity team at VCA, and tied a SJS playoff single game record with 49 points in a postseason win over Trinity Prep-Napa as a sophomore. The Lions are the defending Div. VI section champions. IN HER OWN WORDS: “Speed will be key in the playoffs for us. We are a very quick team, and our chemistry is great, especially with our seniors. Everyone feeds off of each other’s energy.”

honorable mention Matthew Manning: The SheldonSacramento junior made six 3-pointers and scored 23 points to lead the Huskies to a 62-58 win over rival Pleasant Grove that clinched the Delta League basketball title.

Kai Tease: Antelope’s junior guard averaged 18.9 points per game in Capital Valley Conference play to help the Titans win a share of the league title and earn the No. 6 seed in the SJS Division II basketball playoffs.

Kat Tudor: The St. Mary’sStockton junior scored 48 points in a pair of wins to conclude the basketball regular season. In the two-game stretch, she was 12-for-19 on 3-pointers.

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Rapid Fire

Kristian heptner Christian Brothers-Sac Soccer

Mikaela Nocetti El Camino-Sacramento Volleyball

Who should host the 2016 oscars Will Ferrell

Trending What’s hot this week in the world of stuff that’s hot Kanye West didn’t interrupt the Oscars to insist on Beyoncé winning Best Sound Editing. Frankly, we’re all the poorer for it. Miles Morales is rumored to be taking over as Spider-Man from Peter Parker when the series gets rebooted. The black/Hispanic Morales’ biggest foe will be rednecks on Twitter.

It’s baseball spring training. Which means we were sick of hearing about A-Rod two weeks ago. Two girls high school basketball teams from Tennessee were booted from the playoffs for each playing to lose (and thus enter the consolation bracket to avoid a national power). Was it worth it?

Jimmy Fallon

first ever college you wanted to play for Stanford USF (where her parents attended) favorite breakfast cereal

Cap'n Crunch

Honey Nut Cheerios

your most-used phone app Twitter

Instagram

song you can never get out of your head 'No Role Models' by J. Cole

'I Want It That Way' by the Backstreet Boys

The Oscars. Hollywood’s biggest night, unless you happen to be a woman standing within arm’s length of John Travolta, apparently. Then it’s just awkward and handsy.

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Say What

top five fantasy baseball tips: norcal edition Ah, springtime. When a young sports fan’s mind turns to pitchers and catchers reporting. That’s right. Training: vernal version. As we mull over the many, many offseason moves (Matt Kemp is a Padre? John Lester is a Cub? Panda is a BoSox? All of the A’s are a something else? What the what?), here is our list of the Top 5 Fantasy Draft Tips: NorCal Connection Edition. 1. PASS ON PABLO. Sure, sure, he’s a right-handed power bat who should play pepper with The Monstah, but have you seen the Giants’ former third baseman lately? Neither have we. Apparently he was swallowed by a humpback whale wearing a Red Sox cap. 2. TRY TYSON. Not the chicken. The starting pitcher. Remember Tyson Ross? Tall fella? Formerly misused A’s pitcher and Bishop O’Dowd product? Slotted in as the No. 3 starter on a revamped Padres roster, look for Ross to rack up his share of short-outing W’s. 3. LEAVE LESTER. Is he a NorCal guy, really? Well, it says here he pitched for the A’s for a minute, though we’re not sure we remember that. We have kind of a hazy blank spot in our memory where the second half of last season used to was. Anyway. The Friendly Confines are not traditionally all that friendly to left-handed power pitchers. Wait ‘til the wind is blowing out, Johnny Boy, and tell us how great you feel about THAT decision. 4. ROLL WITH ROLLINS. Call us crazy, but we think J-Roll, the pride of Alameda’s Encinal High School, still has a little something left in the tank. And Dodger Blue isn’t that far off what he wore as a Jet. 5. BET ON BRETT. Don’t get us wrong. We were HUGE Josh Donaldson fans (good luck in the Great White North, JD!), but we have a hunch that the Canadian Crusher could settle in for a monster year out at the stadium formerly known as the Oakland Coliseum. Plus, he’s nice to little girls on YouTube. How can you root against that? If you hate Brett Lawrie, you hate little girl baseball fans. You heartless jerk. — Bill ‘Wait ‘til Next Year’ Kolb

“He’s the Big Joe and we’re all just a bunch of Little Joes.” College Park-Pleasant Hill pitcher Chris Brown, right, talking about Falcons teammate and preseason Mr. State Baseball candidate, Joe DeMers, left. Brown (UC Davis) and DeMers (Washington) are two of seven College Park players who have committed to Div. I colleges for 2016.

count 'em Number of triple-doubles recorded by Freedom-Oakley girls basketball star, Cydnee Kinslow this season. Her eighth came in a 68-18 win over Antioch on Feb. 20 when she had 12 points, 18 rebounds and 16 blocked shots. Blocks are her specialty. She’s averaged 9.8 per game over 22 contests.

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Seasonal Smash I

Cal-Hi Sports reaches the inevitable moment in which coverage of all three major high school sports collide

n the more than 35 years of writing about California high school sports and compiling records, it’s always been possible to concentrate on one or two sports seasons at a time. But in mid-February, as we began to put together preseason rankings for baseball and softball, we realized those days are over for good. In the past, once the all-state teams were released and Signing Day had come and gone in early February, it was okay to put football on hold for a month or two. This is before the major combines are held and we could focus in on the CIF section and state basketball playoffs plus the preseason rankings in baseball and softball. As anyone who runs a high school sports-based website knows, however, football is the sport that generates the most traffic and the most interest among advertisers. And with more and more events for football being held from as early as mid-January and more year-round training, football just can’t be put on hold at any time. Year-round coverage has become a must. The moment for us came during one week in February while looking over nominees and preparing the post for our first-ever Cal-Hi Sports All-State AllAcademic football teams. On the same day players began to be chosen — including Northern Californians like Riley Quinn from St. Francis-Mountain View, Trey Nahhas from Monterey Trail-Elk Grove and Matt Abramo from Casa GrandePetaluma — we had to get ready to make an appearance on the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section basketball playoff selection show. This also was the same day that we sent out questionnaires to many of the state’s top baseball and softball coaches for the preseason rankings. It was all five primary sports we cover at Cal-Hi Sports — football, boys & girls hoops, baseball & softball — having things happening at the same time. Fortunately for me, on the basketball front, I’m not the one who primarily does the state rankings. Our managing editor, Ronnie Flores, who is based in the Long Beach area, does the boys. Harold Abend, who many know in the Bay Area for his work on our behalf over the years, takes care of the girls. Still, the days of covering fall, winter and spring sports on the high school level as if they are changing like the seasons, have become as prehistoric as a land-line phone. In order to see the full list of the first-ever Cal-Hi Sports All-State All-Academic football teams, go to CalHiSports.com and search “Academic” if the story no longer appears in our “Latest News” list of items. Also, while you’re at CalHiSports.com, we urge you to take advantage of an exclusive offer we have that allows you to sign up for the NFHS Network for 50 percent off. The NFHS Network does live video streaming for every CIF section and offers live video streaming for many of the state’s top inter-sectional football games. A one-year subscription to the NFHS usually costs $119. Only through CalHiSports.com can you get it for $59.99. A subscription now takes you through the 2015 football season and would even autorenew at this same low, low price. ✪

Mark Tennis is the co-founder of Cal-Hi Sports, and publisher of CalHiSports.com. Contact him at markjtennis@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter, @CalHiSports.

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Football: Stanford-bound Serra-San Mateo lineman Jack Dreyer was a first-team selection to the Cal-Hi Sports All-State All-Academic Football Team on Feb. 20. Basketball: Tre Finch and Folsom basketball earned a No. 1 seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. II playoffs on Feb. 18. Softball: Catcher Sierra Blair, left, and Carondelet-Concord softball had their first scrimmage on Feb. 28.

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girls basketball Rankings

boys basketball Rankings

Previous ranking in parentheses; through Feb. 21 1. (1) — Mater Dei-Santa Ana 26-1 Coach Kevin Kiernan happy it’s a 16-team bracket in CIFSS Open Div, this time instead of eight. 2. (2) — St. Mary’s-Stockton 26-1 Poly could give Mater Dei a battle, most expect Open Div. clash between Rams, Monarchs. 3. (3) — Long Beach Poly 24-2 Jackrabbits won first CIFSS Open Division playoff game 59-42 over Cajon-San Bernardino 4. (5) ▲ Chaminade-West Hills 22-3 There was a two-week period when the Eagles were behind St. Ignatius 5. (4) ▼ St. Ignatius-S.F. 20-4 A loss to Mitty dropped the Wildcats into a co-title in the WCAL 6. (6) — Miramonte-Orinda 24-2 Mats could be ahead of St. Ignatius, but haven’t beaten any team as good as Chaminade 7. (7) — Pinewood-Los Altos Hills 22-2 Panthers are seeded No. 2 in the CCS Open Division behind St. Ignatius. 8. (8) — Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth 21-4 Last year’s D4 state champs have the ability to do damage in the Open Division 9. (9) — Carondelet-Concord 24-2 Cougars should win NCS D2 title and then would head to the NorCal Open Division 10. (10) — Bishop Alemany-Mission Hills 23-5 A recent win over No. 4 Chaminade elevated the Warriors in the state rankings 11. (12) ▲ Archbishop Mitty-San Jose 19-5 When sophomore Heleyna Hill plays well, the Monarchs become very hard to beat 12. (15) ▲ Vanden-Fairfield 24-3 As VIkes near No. 10 spot, that’s the threshold for Open Div. consideration. 13. (14) ▲ Garces-Bakersfield 26-1 Best wins by the Rams are still the ones against Serra-Gardena, Windward-L.A. 14. (16) ▲ Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland 18-8 Other than loss to St. Mary’s-Stockton, Dragons have won 15 of 16 15. (17) ▲ Brea Olinda-Brea 23-3 Ladycats have been No. 2 in Orange County behind Mater Dei most of the season 16. (18) ▲ Narbonne-Harbor City 22-4* This is the top seeded team for the CIF L.A. City Section Open Division 17. (19) ▲ Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F. 14-10 Took down Mitty and then beat St. Francis to finish off more than solid WCAL campaign 18. (20) ▼ Vista Murrieta-Murrieta 22-6 The Broncos have two of the state’s top juniors in Jaelyn Brown and Brittney Reed 19. (20) ▲ Salesian-Richmond 25-3 After 62-59 loss to St. Mary’s of Berkeley, the Pride drops some spots but not that much 20. (NR) ▲ Ventura 23-5 No. 6 seed in the CIFSS Open Div. comes in after an 42-35 playoff win over Canyon Springs *Forfeit loss not included. Dropped Out: No. 11 Oaks Christian-Westlake Village

Previous ranking in parentheses; through Feb. 21 1. (1) — Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland 21-4 All four of the Dragons’ losses are to teams ranked in the top 10 nationally 2. (2) — Mater Dei-Santa Ana 25-3 Like O’Dowd, the Monarchs also haven’t lost to another California team this season 3. (3) — Bishop Montgomery-Torrance 27-1 Despite Mater Dei’s in-state win streak, Knights were handed the top seed for the CIFSS Open Div. 4. (4) — Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth 22-3 Very strong out-of-state resume enables the Trailblazers to be back in front of Fairfax 5. (5) — Fairfax-Los Angeles 28-2 Were roaring at 26-0 until losing to Mater Dei at then to rival Westchester. 6. (6) — Centennial-Corona 22-4 Juniors Khalil Ahmad and Jordan Griffin have the Huskies and their fans thinking big 7. (10) ▲ Etiwanda 21-7 Eagles knocked of Damien-La Verne in league finale and won first CIFSS Open Div. game 8. (11) ▲ Cathedral-Los Angeles 20-6 Two juniors for the Phantoms already have Pac-12 commitments 9. (14) ▲ Chino Hills 20-6* Lonzo Ball, one nation’s top juniors, had 35 points, 12 rebs. in CIFSS Open Div. opener 10. (12) ▲ Moreau Catholic-Hayward 21-5 Mariners head into NCS D3 playoffs as No. 2 seed behind O’Dowd. 11. (15) ▲ Orange Lutheran-Orange 23-4 Team from Mater Dei’s league moved up after knocking off previous No. 7 Damien 12. (7) ▼ Damien-La Verne 23-4 Despite loss to Orange Lutheran, Spartans still look like huge state title contenders 13. (13) — Monte Vista-Danville 24-2 That 48-40 loss to San Ramon Valley didn’t mean much for NCS D1 playoffs, or the rankings 14. (16) ▲ Sacramento 23-4 All four of the Dragons’ losses are to teams from outside of the SJS. 15. (17) ▲ El Cerrito 25-3 The Gauchos moved up to D2 for the NCS playoffs; could still wind up in CIF Open Div. 16. (8) ▼ Long Beach Poly 22-4 Jackrabbits dropped after an Open Div. playoff loss to Chino Hills 17. (9) ▼ Redondo Union-Redondo Beach 21-6 Seahawks lost by five in their CIFSS Open Div. playoff opener 18. (19) ▲ De La Salle-Concord 23-3 What continues to help the Spartans in the rankings is not having any stinker losses 19. (20) ▲ Westchester-Los Angeles 19-11 Big win over Fairfax two weeks ago shows Comets are still a force in L.A. and the state 20. (NR) ▲ Modesto Christian 24-3 How good will an SJS D2 final be between the Crusaders and No. 14 Sacramento? *Forfeit loss not included. Dropped Out: No. 18 Alemany-Mission Hills

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I swim on our high school team, and I swim pretty much year-round, though not with a really big club. I go to high school practice every day and work hard, but then for meets, club swimmers who never come to practice get to compete. Is that fair? G.H., Contra Costa County

he short answer: No, it’s not fair. The long answer: It depends. In an ideal world, at least for high school coaches and teams, high school swimming would be the pinnacle of the sport for teen-agers — but of course it’s not. In fact, high school swimming is an afterthought for the elite swimmers, and many, as you well know, don’t even bother to support their school by competing in high school meets. In that ideal world, though, you’d have to be at practice every day to compete in meets because if you weren’t, you most likely wouldn’t be the best at your event. But in the real world of swimming, it’s pretty clear who’s got the goods because the stopwatch doesn’t lie. It’s not like someone can know the plays better or be such a good infielder that the fact she can’t really hit is less important. In swimming, it’s simple: Are you faster or not? Case closed. So even though John Wooden coached basketball a long time ago, he had a quote that applies here: “I treat everybody fairly, but not equally.” That club swimmer who shows up only for meets doesn’t spend the time the high school team is practicing posting to Instagram — she’s at a workout much, much tougher than the high school workout. Oh, and don’t forget she’s swimming a couple hours in the morning as well. It’s not like she isn’t working at swimming, or not investing in the sport. She’s making decisions about what will make her the best swimmer and maybe get part or all of her college education paid for. Perhaps you’re that good, and you choose not to go the club route, but most likely the most talented swimmers with the most post-high school potential do more than just swim for their high schools. So should they be treated the same as a swimmer whose competitive career might end with graduation? Some might say yes. Some might argue that it’s about team; it’s about your school; it’s about your community. And if you’re not there Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, you’re not in the varsity heats on Thursday. On the other hand, though, the elite club swimmer who misses a rigorous workout to come swim a couple races and blow by the opposition is doing something for her team, for her school and for the wider community. After all, a lot of elite swimmers don’t compete for their high schools — so shouldn’t those who want to be allowed to? For most coaches, and usually for most high school swimmers, it seems fair to allow the top swimmers to do their club workouts a couple times a week, if not more. It’s not equal, in the sense that those top swimmers aren’t doing exactly the same thing as the high school team. But in this sport, they’re very likely doing more (and maybe a lot more). Does that make it completely fair? No. Is there a case to be made that if an elite swimmer doesn’t want to work out with his high school team every day then he shouldn’t swim in meets? Yes. But, as always, things are never as simple as they seem, and the consensus is that elite swimmers can do both without penalty, for all of the reasons mentioned above. That’s not much comfort, granted, but one of the many lessons of sport is that talent in any field will have options that the less talented don’t. ✪ 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 him at clayk@fullcourt.com

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Dirt Bikes

ATVs AND...

f you have ever visited an SVRA (State Vehicular Recreation Area), you have surely seen dirt bikes, ATVs, and maybe even some big trucks and Jeeps crawling around. Did you know that at Prairie City SVRA, we have Quarter Midget Racing too? Quarter Midget Racing is another way to enjoy the great outdoors, get physically active, and have lots of fun! What is Quarter Midget Racing? Quarter Midget Racing was started to promote sportsmanship in children while also providing a family oriented racing activity. In recognition of the drivers, trophies are awarded at regional, state, and national events. No cash prizes are awarded. Some of the benefits of racing include: ›› It teaches the meaning of sportsmanship, fair play by following rules and how to be a good winner or a gracious loser. ›› It develops coordination, and a sense of timing and independent thinking. ›› It teaches self-reliance. Once a green flag has dropped, they are on their own. ›› The spirit of competition also comes along here. They learn to drive hard, but that rules must be observed. Rule infractions may result in disqualification. ›› Development of knowledge and an appreciation for mechanical devices. ›› It teaches safe driving skills that are carried on in their teen years on the road. Very few people develop the skill that these children acquire. We believe this level of skill is valuable when they become adult drivers. They learn that there is a place to race an automobile — which is NOT on the public highway systems where so many young adult drivers lose their lives. ›› It develops a sense of responsibility. Alertness and concern for the safety of others is acquired. ›› This sport is for boys AND girls! What is a Quarter Midget race car? It is a scaled-down version of an actual midget racer, approximately 1/4 scale. The cars are built around a tubular frame and are fully suspended with springs or torsion bars and shocks. The Prairie City SVRA State Park training program is available for children ages 5-16. It will be hosting a free open house event on Saturday, March 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.. Training rides will be available for both boys and girls. Kids who want demo rides must have closed toed shoes and long pants. There will be raffle prizes, giveaways, appearances from race car drivers and more. Alan Bartley is our Head Trainer. If you are interested in participating in our training program, please contact Alan at AQMATrainer@yahoo.com. Please bring your family and be sure to check our race schedule and come out and enjoy a full day of exciting racing. The Prairie City SVRA State Park is located at 13300 White Rock Road in Rancho Cordova. There is a $5 gate entrance fee to all state parks. ✪

Race Cars? Prairie City SVRA State Park offers opportunity to experience Quarter Midget Racing

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March 2015

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Ryan Kreidler

yan Kreidler never shies away from the big moment. Take last year’s Sac-Joaquin Section Division I-North title game against Elk Grove, for example. With the Davis High baseball team holding onto a 3-2 lead late in the third game of the three-game series, the then-sophomore stepped up to the plate with a runner on first. In a situation where most young players battle nerves, Kreidler blasted a fastball to the warning track for an RBI double. On the next pitch after his double, Kreidler stole third. The pitch after that, Kreidler scored on a wild pitch to ice the game and send the Blue Devils to the SJS finals — which Davis won just weeks later. These are the types of plays Kreidler makes in every single game he plays. He’s a dynamic athlete with exceptional mental capacity. That is why longtime Blue Devils manager Dan Ariola said that Kreidler will “be the best we’ve ever had here,” which is high praise from a manager who has seen and coached high caliber players such as Ben Eckels, Cody Keefer and Matt Trask. “I just thought he had great makeup ever since he was a kid. He’s got a great work ethic,” Ariola said of his star shortstop. “I just knew that he was going to be a good ballplayer when he was young and he still continues to work. He continues to get better. And that’s really what it is. He’s already done some great things for us.”

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From left: Kris Prince, Quentin McCray, Ryan Kreidler, Jared McNece and Drew Gnos. Kreidler’s reaction to those words was one of humility. “It’s definitely humbling because Ariola has been around baseball for around 25, 30 years now,” the junior said. “To be considered a good player in Davis High history is a lot within itself. But obviously, I still have two more full years to prove myself and get better. That’s a pretty lofty goal, but it’s definitely motivation for me to get there.” As an underclassman, Kreidler has already left his mark on the Blue Devil baseball program. He started at shortstop his freshman year, hitting .302 in the process. As a sophomore, Kreilder was the team’s leading hitter out of the no. 3 spot, batting .438 with 28 RBI. However, nothing topped the first half of Kreidler’s Davis career more than winning the 2014 section title. That’s because for Kreidler and six of his teammates, it was a journey that was started together many years before. Seven players from the 2014 Blue Devils — Nate Curtis, Brett Bloomfield, Drew Gnos, Kreidler, John Ariola, Trey Golston and Josh Guerrero — won the Northern California title as 9-10-year-old Little League All-Stars. Kreidler was elated to win a section title with that same group of players. “We actually found a picture of us winning the NorCal championship, and we recreated that picture this year,” Kreidler said. “It kind of brought everything full circle: we had seven starters on the varsity team who won a section title while playing together for eight years, more or less. “It’s pretty remarkable because in most towns, you have more than one high school and more than one Little League. You don’t get a chance to bond with guys like that. By the end of it, we were so much better of a team.” After that section title victory and his stellar sophomore Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

season, Kreidler was named first-team All-Metro by the Sacramento Bee, declared as one of the top sophomores in the country by MaxPreps, and earned an invitation to the renown Area Code Games baseball showcase in Long Beach. There, he was able to play in front of hundreds of scouts with some of the very best high school players from around the country. That exposure helped Kreidler obtain several offers from Pac-12 universities. He narrowed the field to Stanford, Cal, USC and UCLA before orally committing to the Bruins in October. “I was pretty torn between the two L.A. schools,” Kreidler said. “But when it came down to it, UCLA was just the right fit overall. I wanted a big school with that football, basketball, baseball aspect to it, but at the same time, have a high-level baseball program with a great education.” The coaches at UCLA also factored into Kreidler’s college choice. T.J. Bruce, the Bruins’ infield coach, has coached Major League All-Star infielders Evan Longoria and Troy Tulowitski. John Savage, the Bruins’ head coach, mentored Pittsburgh Pirates young pitching standout Gerrit Cole and San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford. With Division I baseball looming, Kreidler remains focused on the task at hand — which often boils down to what sport he’s playing. He averaged more than 10.5 points a game for the Davis High basketball team, a sport he thoroughly enjoys. As for baseball, Kreidler is prepared to do whatever he has to do to help the Blue Devils win and defend their section title. “I’m not one of those guys who tries to protect himself first, and only focuses on the summer things,” Kreidler said. “My whole thing is playing spring baseball with my team and representing this school.” But Davis won’t just be the Ryan Kreidler Show this sea-

son. Several players return from last year’s section championship squad, including third baseman Nate Curtis, outfielder Jared McNece, first baseman Drew Gnos and second baseman Quentin McCray. Ariola expects those players, all seniors, to be major contributors to this year’s team. “The guys that played last year — Gnos, McNece, Curtis, McCray — those guys first and foremost need to step up. I need production from the guys moving up in the lineup,” Ariola said. If there is a concern for the Blue Devils this year, it is on the mound. The Blue Devils lost three of their top pitchers — Trask, Bloomfield and Golston — to graduation. Kris Prince, the Blue Devils’ unlikely hero last year after winning the deciding game three in both the Div. I-North and SJS championship series, is undergoing rehab for an elbow injury. “The biggest thing is going to be the mound; that’s where the big question mark is because Kris isn’t ready to throw yet,” Ariola said. “Pitchers need to step up, it’s that simple. Right now, I need top-of-the-rotation guys, and I need to find those guys.” It should come as no surprise that his search may begin with his star shortstop. And of course, Kreidler is committed to doing whatever the team needs him to do in order to win games. “For me, it’s more about leading by example and having a great work ethic that rubs off on others,” Kreidler said. “We do have a lot of great talent coming up from the lower levels. I’ve been lucky enough to be around guys who respect me, and I respect them. I’m never going to be the pronounced leader, but I will be that guy who works hard and gets his team to work hard as well.” ✪

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March 2015

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infielders HANK LoFORTE

Hank LoForte

SCHOOL: Franklin-Elk Grove YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: Four-year starter has been the anchor on the left side of the Wildcats’ infield and a mainstay at the top of the batting order. In 2014, LoForte hit .408, scored 29 runs, drove in 20 and stole 14 bases. He’s committed to CSU Fullerton.

ISAIAH GARCIA

SCHOOL: Lincoln YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: The shortstop led the Fighting Zebras to the Div. III section final with solid fielding and a potent bat. As a junior, Garcia batted .479, scored 35 runs and stole 17 bases in 18 attempts.

Nick Madrigal

NICK MADRIGAL

SCHOOL: Elk Grove YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: A four-year starter for one of the section’s premier programs, Madrigal has been a spark plug on offense and a rock on defense. The Oregon Statebound Madrigal was fourth in the section with 42 runs and sixth with 45 hits while batting .421 and swiping 28 bases.

RYAN KREIDLER

SCHOOL: Davis YEAR: Junior SCOUTING REPORT: Was an integral part of the Blue Devils’ section championship run, rapping out 46 hits, scoring 32 runs, and driving in 28. The 6-foot-2 shortstop combines size and speed to be a valuable weapon at the plate, on the bases and in the field.

MATT SMITH

SCHOOL: El Dorado YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: A beast at the plate, Smith has 88 hits and 56 RBI in two seasons as a starter for the Cougars. As a junior, he batted .452 with 42 hits and 30 RBI.

DONOVAN PALMA

SCHOOL: Cosumnes Oaks-Elk Grove YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: Wolfpack’s ace compiled a 10-1 record with a 1.19 ERA while striking out 86 batters in just 76.1 innings as a junior.

outfielders DOMINICK PISANO

SCHOOL: Manteca YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: Turned it on during Buffaloes’ run to Div. IV title and batted .407 with 27 runs and 33 hits for the season. Also was 3-1 with no ER as a pitcher.

TYLER GUMS

Pitchers LEO SOTO

SCHOOL: Placer-Auburn YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: Top returning fireballer fanned 100 batters in 64 innings while posting a 6-2 record and 1.64 ERA for the Hillmen.

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March 2015

GRANT DRAGMIRE

TYSON SOLIS

SCHOOL: Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: Led the Trojans to a Div. I playoff berth with a team-best .438 batting average and .516 on-base percentage.

SCHOOL: Sierra-Manteca YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: Led Timberwolves to Div. IV semifinals with a 9-0 record and 1.29 ERA, and pitched 5 complete games.

VINCENT BYRD

SCHOOL: El Camino-Sacramento YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: A hitting prodigy since youth baseball, Byrd belted a section-best eight homers while batting .449 and adding 34 RBI. His .869 slugging percentage was fourth-best in the section in 2014, and he has 72 career RBI heading into his senior season.

Dominick Pisano

BRAD BUSSARD

SCHOOL: Ceres YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: Helped Bulldogs earn Div. IV playoff berth with a perfect 7-0 mark and 0.32 ERA, pitching five shutouts and allowing two earned runs in just one of his seven starts.

utility CHRIS LOEB

SCHOOL: Bradshaw Christian-Sacramento YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: The Pride’s top returner helped team to second straight Div. VI section title as OF/P, batting .425 and posting an 8-2 record and 2.30 ERA.

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SCHOOL: Jesuit-Carmichael YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: Oregon State-signee is a four-year player for Jesuit. Loeb gas compiled a10-4 pitching record over the last two years and has been a tough out at the plate. ✪

PRESEASON NorCal Softball Top 20 1. Archbishop Mitty-San Jose (30-1 in 2014) While the Monarchs lost Ms. State Softball finalist Jazmyn Jackson to graduation, there’s plenty of talent remaining from last season’s Central Coast Division II champion. The offense will be left in the the hands of seniors Danielle Bowers (.433, 42 hits, 30 runs, 40 RBI and 21 extra-base hits), Haley Wymbs (.360, 32 hits, 33 runs and 24 RBI) and Desiree Severance (.375, 30 hits and 29 RBI). Severance is also one of two returning pitchers, both of which notched 15 wins in the circle a season ago. Severance was 15-0 with a 0.63 ERA and Stephanie Kristo (also a senior in 2015) went 15-1 with a 1.18 ERA.

2. Vacaville (29-1-1) The defending Sac-Joaquin Section Div. I champs lost slugging third baseman Julia DePonte to graduation, but still boast some steady bats with sophomore Alyse Rojas (.516) and junior Maddie Rojas (.383). More importantly, junior pitcher Katie Kibby returns to the circle after going 29-1 with a 0.62 ERA and 233 strikeouts last season.

3. Pioneer-San Jose (24-5) With practically all of their offensive standouts returning, along with sophomore star pitcher Holly Azevedo, the Mustangs are built to give Mitty and other CCS powers a real run for their money in 2015.

4. Alhambra-Martinez (25-2) The 2014 NCS Div. II champs bring all kinds of offense to the table, beginning with sophomore stars Karlee Sparacino (.608, 48 hits) and Brianna Perez (.458, 27 RBI).

5. East Union-Manteca (25-4) All-around star Alexis Erich, who went 21-2 with a 2.04 ERA in the pitching circle and batted .400 with four home runs, leads the way for the SJS Div. IV runners-up.

6. Valley Christian-San Jose (22-8) The Warriors make it three CCS Div. II teams in the top six. The team graduated just two players and returns starting pitcher Brynne Fitzpatrick (0.60 ERA, 381 strikeouts)

7. Pioneer-Woodland (25-3) The Patriots have won two straight SJS Div. III titles and return senior ace Angelica Dark who went 23-3 with a 1.30 ERA.

8. James Logan-Union City (23-3) Deanne Garza (.467, 26 RBI) leads the way as the Colts return a ton of talent from their NCS Div. I semifinalist group of a year ago.

9. Heritage-Brentwood (19-5) The Patriots return Bay Valley Athletic League MVP Kim Trice (.516, 30 RBI) and a fantastic mix of speed, defense and pitching.

10. Roseville (24-6) The tough pitching duo of Naomi Monahan (16-3, 2.18 ERA) and Shaylyn Borowiak (7-3, 2.18) return to improve on an SJS Div. I quarterfinal appearance. 11. Notre Dame-Salinas (26-3) 12. Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove (26-9-1) 13. Sheldon-Elk Grove (20-11) 14. Carlmont-Belmont (27-3) 15. Granada-Livermore (19-9)

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March 2015

16. San Benito-Hollister (22-4-1) 17. Benicia (18-5) 18. Wilcox-Santa Clara (22-8) 19. Casa Roble-Orangevale (18-10) 20. Hillsdale-San Mateo (21-8)

PRESEASON NorCal Baseball Top 20 1. College Park-Pleasant Hill (27-3 in 2014)

The Falcons closed 2014 atop the NorCal Top 20 after rolling to an NCS Div. II title. They begin 2015 in the same place with returning starters at nearly ever position and are absolutely loaded with Division-I college talent. Senior RHP/SS Joe DeMers (Washington commit) leads a list of seven players signed to four-year programs, including five headed to the Pac-12. DeMers is on just about every watch-list after a junior season that included a 12-2 record, an 0.62 ERA, 94 strikeouts and just nine walks while also hitting .371 with a team-leading 32 RBI. College Park’s No. 1A pitcher, Chris Brown (UC Davis), went 11-1 as a junior with a 0.78 ERA. The offense features outfielders Trevor Larnach (Oregon State), Nick Oar (Stanford) and Jeff Mitchell (Cal) as well as IF/C Willie MacIver (Washington).

2. De La Salle-Concord (21-7)

The defending NCS Div. I champs have plenty back, notably southpaw flame-thrower Justin Hooper. The UCLA-commit will be heavily followed by MLB scouts after posting a 2.03 ERA last season. Myles Coston, Michael McAdoo and Andrew Schatz are also key.

3. Elk Grove (26-6)

The Thundering Herd lost OF Derek Hill, a first-round draft choice by the Detroit Tigers, but plenty of talent remains Senior SS Nick Madrigal is a four-year starter and pitchers Austin Del Chiaro (7-1, 1.34 ERA) and Chris Martin (7-2, 0.87 ERA) each return also.

4. Archbishop Mitty-San Jose (24-7)

After going 8-2 with a 0.89 ERA and 108 strikeouts against just 14 walks in 2014, Stanfordbound Kris Bubic gives the Monarchs a bonafide ace.

5. Serra-San Mateo (16-12)

The Padres return three top hitters led by junior IF Angelo Bortolin (.365, 39 RBI in 2014) and a trio of pitchers who averaged 23 IP each last season.

6. Davis (22-13-1)

Junior SS Ryan Kreidler leads the defending Sac-Joaquin Section Div. I champion Blue Devils, but pitching will be an early question mark.

7. Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland (16-11)

Dragons graduated just six from last year’s roster and boast junior ace Leo Nierenberg who was 8-1 with 0.28 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 2014.

8. Franklin-Elk Grove (20-11)

The Wildcats returns a host of bats and all but one of their starting pitchers from a last year’s 20-win group. CSU Fullerton-bound SS Hank LoForte leads the way.

9. San Ramon Valley-Danville (20-8)

The 2014 NCS Div. I runner-up has plenty of talent returning at the plate, but has a question mark when it comes to the mound.

10. St. Mary’s-Stockton (22-15)

Rams have earned a spot in the SJS Division I finals each of the last six years and return enough talent to dominate Div. I-South play once again. 11. Leland-San Jose (23-9) 12. St. Francis-Mountain View (26-5) 13. Vanden-Fairfield (19-6) 14. Campolindo-Moraga (20-5) 15. Maria Carrillo-Santa Rosa (25-3)

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16. California-San Ramon (17-8) 17. Valley Christian-San Jose (22-10) 18. Jesuit-Carmichael (15-10-1) 19. Casa Grande-Petaluma (22-7) 20. Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove (21-5)

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March 2015

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Nerissa Long Hope ferri Mikayla Laymance

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March 2015

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Nerissa Long Mikayla Laymance

outh is not necessarily wasted on the young. The Bear River softball team has just two seniors on the roster, but veteran coach Duane Zauner’s young Bruins are far from inexperienced. “Last year, most of our practices and teaching were all about technique and learning plays and how we do things,” Zauner said. “I have more confidence in this group now to make the plays and they have the confidence, too, because they have the experience now.” In 2014, Bear River posted a 20-8-1 overall record, claimed a share of the program’s third straight Pioneer Valley League championship and advanced to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III semifinals where it came within one strike of playing for the section title. And they did it with a roster dominated by underclassmen — four sophomores and two freshmen played in most, if not all, of the team’s games. Zauner and the Bruins relied heavily on the pitching of sophomore Nerissa Long and worked to manufacture runs while fighting to keep opposing base runners from scoring. Long finished the season with an 18-6 record and 0.85 earned run average while striking out a section-best 277 batters in just 164 innings. “Last year, we lived off pitching,” Zauner said. “She could get 12 or 13 strikeouts and it would work.” 26

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March 2015

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This year, Bear River is hopeful the team will not need Long to dominate for the team to claim its first SJS title since the Bruins won the 2012 Div. III crown. The program also won four consecutive Div. IV titles from 2007-2010 under Zaun. Courtney and Stephanie Ceo, Katie Mathis, Kenzie Billings and Alyssa Reina all raised section banners and established the small school in Grass Valley as a big-time softball powerhouse. But with dwindling enrollment failing to produce the stars Zauner became accustomed to, fundamentals and the coach’s time-honored system became more important. Finally, after last year’s reloading of talent yielded a large crop of experienced players, Bear River may be ready to reclaim its place atop the section softball hierarchy. “Stepping on the field is different this year because most of the players know what’s expected of them and know what to do,” Long said. “Most of us have varsity experience and have been working real hard.” The Bruins are still young — catcher Mikayla Laymance and second baseman Hope Ferri are the lone seniors on the roster. But five underclassmen already have varsity experience, and only freshman Kaitlyn Maddux is among the few players unfamiliar with Zauner’s system and techniques. The majority of the starting lineup features returning players, which bodes well for improvement on defense and at the plate. However, the Bruins’ primary strength still lies in their pitching. Long is a workhorse and Zauner has the rare added benefit of three additional pitchers to spell his ace when needed. “I have never had four pitchers,” said Zauner, who is in his 20th season as the school’s softball coach, “but it all starts with Nerissa and Mikayla. They have a demeanor and effort that helps everyone.” The Bruins’ battery is back for its third year together, and the benefits of veteran leadership at the pitcher and catcher positions go beyond the numbers. The girls are neighbors and longtime friends who take their roles as team leaders on and off the field very seriously. Both are three-year starters, and both understand the importance of welcoming and accepting underclassmen who can help make the roster stronger. Zauner has always had freshmen players with significant roles and playing time, and he has been fortunate to have veteran players willing to mentor them. “The girls in the program have seen the leadership from the Ceos sisters and others and pass it along,” Zauner said. “Our seniors have always been accepting of the underclassmen, including freshmen. “I don’t have to do a lot of team-building exercises because I have had leaders that bring the players together and make sure that they are a team.” This year’s team has high expectations, including a fourth straight PVL title and the program’s sixth SJS championship. Despite losing Rachel Last, who graduated in June after leading the Bruins with a .398 batting average, 37 hits and 11 stolen bases, Bear River has plenty of offense back. Zauner expects improvement with a more seasoned lineup. Long and Laymance both batted .395 in 2014, and Long led the team with four home runs and 22 RBI. Outfielder Arielle Koerber, who batted fourth as a freshman, hit .329 and drove in 21 runs. She may move up in the order to allow Zauner to insert Laymance in the cleanup slot. Laymance struck out just 10 times in 2014, and Zauner wants to use her ability to make contact in order to allow the speed players at the top of the lineup to steal bases and score runs. The coach expects the 2015 batting order to force opposing defenses to make plays to stop the Bruins. “I think that we are going to be better at putting the ball in play,” the coach said. “It is so important to a team’s success to make the opponent pitch it, catch it and throw it.” On the defensive side, Bear River should be improved as well. Which is good, because it already had the confidence of the Bruins’ pitcher. “I always know that my fielders can get the job done,” Long said. “It has never been my goal to strike batters out all of the time. I want to get ground balls to let my defense get the job done.” The job anticipated by Zauner and his players is also expected from school and community. Despite a shrinking student body, the school is expected to succeed on the playing field, especially a program with the rich history of Bear River softball. It’s a history that includes five section titles and has sent numerous players to college to continue their softball careers on scholarship. “I have a banner (pennant) from each of the colleges where past players have gone off to play college softball, and I have all of the team pictures up in my office from the past (19) years I have coached,” Zauner said. “They see what has happened in the past and they understand that they are being challenged. “With challenge, there is opportunity to rise to the challenge.” Rising to the challenge is what the Bruins’ young roster expects to do. After all, youth is a terrible thing to waste. “I think that this year will be easier because we went through a lot of the growing process last year,” Laymance said. “We expect to do much better because we have so much talent and have built an impressive amount of chemistry.” ✪

Arielle Koerber

Story By jim mccue | Photos by james k. leash Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

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March 2015

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infielders MADELINE SKIBITZKI

MADISON BELLIN

SCHOOL: Pioneer-Woodland. YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: The four-year varsity infielder broke out as a junior with a .495 average to go with 46 runs, 45 hits, and a .562 on-base percentage.

JESSICA GARCIA

SCHOOL: Hughson. YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: The Huskies’ shortstop signed with Oregon State after leading her team to a Div. V title with a .459 batting average and team-best three homers, 28 RBI and 14 stolen bases.

SAIGE PYE

SCHOOL: St. Mary’s-Stockton. YEAR: Sophomore SCOUTING REPORT: Georgia Tech-commit had a section-best 50 RBI as a freshman while batting .467 with 43 hits, 7 HRs and .847 slugging percentage.

outfielders CHERISH BURKS

SCHOOL: East Union-Manteca. YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: The Oregon-signee is a rare combination of power and speed. She helped the Lancers to the SJS Div. IV final with a .533 batting average, a section-best 48 hits, four home runs, 43 runs and 26 stolen bases.

RACHEL TADLOCK

SCHOOL: Woodland. YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: She’s headed to Louisiana-Monroe after batting .500 with eight HRs, 30 RBI and a 1.000 slugging percentage in her junior season.

MIKAYLA COELHO

SCHOOL: Tracy. YEAR: Sophomore SCOUTING REPORT: Verbally committed to Cal after batting .530 with 44 hits, 34 runs, and 40 RBI in her freshman campaign for the Bulldogs.

UTILITY KRYSTEN McCUE

SCHOOL: Oakmont-Roseville. YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: The Cal-bound senior batted .479 with five doubles, five triples and one home run for the Vikings as a junior.

MADILYN NICKLES

SCHOOL: Madera. YEAR: Junior SCOUTING REPORT: As a sophomore she hit .417 with 30 runs scored and a team-best 21 RBI. Of her 30 hits, 17 went for extra bases. She also went 13-0 in the circle with a 1.52 ERA and 101 strikeouts over 83 innings.

SHAYLYN BOROWIAK

SCHOOL: Roseville. YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: Led Tigers to Div. I semifinals by sharing pitching duties (7-3, 2.18 ERA) with Naomi Monahan and contributing at the plate (.538).

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March 2015

SCHOOL: Antelope. YEAR: Junior SCOUTING REPORT: The Titans’ catcher led her team to the Div. III playoffs with a .443 batting average, 43 RBI and 39 hits.

AALIYAH SHIMOSAKA

SCHOOL: Kennedy-Sacramento. YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: The shortstop led the Cougars to a Div. II playoff berth with a .543 batting average, 43 runs, 24 RBI and 30 stolen bases in 30 attempts.

pitchers KATIE KIBBY ››››››››››››

SCHOOL: Vacaville. YEAR: Junior SCOUTING REPORT: As a sophomore, she led the Bulldogs to the SJS Div. I title with a 29-1 record, 0.62 ERA, 233 strikeouts and 17 shutouts.

NERISSA LONG

SCHOOL: Bear RiverGrass Valley. YEAR: Junior SCOUTING REPORT: Led the section with 277 strikeouts to go along with an 18-6 record and 0.85 ERA. She also batted .395 with four home runs and 22 RBI.

ALEXIS ERICH

SCHOOL: Sierra-Manteca. YEAR: Junior SCOUTING REPORT: Erich mowed down opposing hitters to the tune of a 21-2 record and 2.04 ERA in leading the Lancers to the Div. IV championship.

ANGELICA DARK

SCHOOL: Pioneer-Woodland. YEAR: Senior SCOUTING REPORT: Led Patriots to Div. III section title with 23-3 record and 1.30 ERA. She struck out 172 batters and also batted .357 to boost team’s offense. ✪

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Duals Do Tell

With runaway wins at NCS Duals, clear favorites have been established for section championships There isn’t much surprise that the De La Salle High wresSTATE TITLE TIME: While the rest of the state tling team enters this year’s North Coast Section championchases the Clovis machine on the boys side, the girls ships as the favorite to win its sixth team title in seven years. are ready to take their talents to Visalia on Feb. 27-28 for But could the Spartans’ biggest challenge come from outtheir California Interscholastic Federation State Champiside the traditional block of Division I power schools? The onships at the Visalia Convention Center. Albany enters answer might come from the recently completed NCS Dual as the defending champion, having edged NorthviewChampionships, which crowned De La Salle as the Division Covina and Pioneer Valley-Santa Maria last year to I champion, Las Lomas in Division II-East Bay and Windsor be crowned NorCal’s first state team champion. The in Division II-Redwood Empire. Cougars look primed to be in the mix again after Hana In the East Bay, Las Lomas steamrolled through its Minsky, Eva Piroth and Erica Sotelo all captured titles bracket, allowing a grand total of nine team points in three at the NCS championships. Don’t sleep on the rest of the matches combined. A 66-3 walloping of Newark Memorial in NCS though, because the defending champs certainly the final — a school that is used to finding itself in the upper won’t. James Logan won the NCS team title with 190.5 echelon of team standings at NCS — told a tale of complete points, and Ukiah squeaked by Albany by half a point to dominance. The Knights won eight matches by pinfall, led take second. All three have a great shot at finding the by a 108-pound match in which freshman Tony Margiotta podium in Visalia. needed a whopping 21 seconds to pin his opponent. De La Salle’s Nathan Cervantes, left MAKING HISTORY: Jesuit-Carmichael wrestler Of course, the defending NCS team champion hails from Anthony Wesley moved into a special place in his the north, and Windsor most assuredly is planning on havschool’s record book when he beat Will C. Wood’s Christian Mandigal by pinfall in 1:50 to become ing a bit of input when it comes to crowning 2015’s top team. The Jaguars also captured a dual title, Jesuit’s all-time winningest wrestler. In the first round of on Saturday. It was his first match at the rolling to easy wins over Casa Grande-Petaluma and Lower Lake before beating a strong Ukiah Sac-Joaquin Section Division I-A tournament on Feb. 20, though he lost in the final to Modesto’s squad 43-21 in the final. Israel Saavedra. Wesley tied the previous mark of 124 wins one week earlier by beating Sheldon’s Both the Knights and Jaguars will be gunning for De La Salle, which cruised to a 61-9 win over Ethan Brewer 8-0 in the Delta River League finals. Already state-ranked at 128 pounds, Wesley Liberty in the Division I final. The Spartans qualified 13 of their wrestlers out of the East Bay Athletic lost only two dual matches during his entire four-year career at Jesuit and holds the school records League championships, which gives them plenty of opportunity for points when the section champifor pinfalls and technical falls. ✪ onships kick off at James Logan on Feb. 27. —SportStars Staff

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March 2015

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Records are through Feb. 14 1. (1)

— Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland

21-4

2. (2)

— Moreau Catholic-Hayward

21-5

3. (4)

▲

Sacramento

23-4

4. (5)

▲

El Cerrito

25-3

5. (3)

▼

Monte Vista-Danville

23-3

6. (6)

— De La Salle-Concord

23-3

7. (7)

— Modesto Christian

24-3

8. (8)

— Folsom

23-4

9. (9)

— Campolindo-Moraga

23-3

10. (10) — Woodcreek-Roseville

23-4

11. (11) — San Ramon Valley-Danville

21-5

12. (13) ▲

Serra-San Mateo

19-5

13. (14) ▲

Sheldon-Sacramento

18-6

14. (12) ▼

St. Francis-Mountain View

20-4

15. (15) — Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton

22-2

16. (16) — St. Mary’s-Stockton

20-7

17. (NR) ▲

Sir Francis Drake-San Anselmo

24-4

18. (20) ▲

Cordova-Rancho Cordova

22-5

19. (NR) ▲

Kennedy-Sacramento

21-5

20. (18) ▼

Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove

19-8

DROPPED OUT No. 17 Vanden-Fairfield and No. 18 Archbishop Mitty-San Jose.

BIGGEST MOVER We had a little bit of shifting near the top as Sacramento and El Cerrito each gained a spot after then-No. 3 Monte Vista suffered a 48-40 loss to cross-town rival No. 11 San Ramon Valley in the two teams’ regular season finale. The Mustangs didn’t drop below De La Salle due to their pair of wins over the Spartans and a potential third meeting between the teams in the NCS Div. I championship. Drake-San Anselmo returns to the rankings and KennedySacramento makes its debut.

TEAMS STILL RANKED FROM PRESEASON TOP 20: 13 30

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March 2015

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Noah Blackwell Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

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March 2015

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he secret’s out. It took some teams longer to discover than others, but the fact that the Woodcreek boys’ basketball team is a legitimate threat to win the SacJoaquin Section Division I championship is now common knowledge. The Timberwolves earned the No. 3 seed when the brackets were announced via digital broadcast from the section office on Feb. 18, but some observers believe that seeding may be too low for a team which has beaten the likes of defending SJS champions Folsom, Capital Christian and Natomas, and lost by just one point to reigning CIF Div. I state champion Monte Vista-Danville. So, it’s not surprising that the expectations are high for Woodcreek in its first postseason appearance since 2011. But, players like senior guard Noah Blackwell understand that expectations and reality can only come together when everything falls into place. “My expectations for the playoffs are to take things one step at a time,” said Blackwell, who has never played in the postseason in his time at Woodcreek. “But I know that we all want to get to (Sleep Train).” The year before Blackwell and his senior classmates set foot on the Roseville school’s campus, Woodcreek got to play on the Sacramento Kings’ home floor (then Arco Arena) when the Timberwolves advanced to the section and NorCal finals. The next three years saw a slow rebuilding process in which Woodcreek gradually worked back toward a playoff berth, falling just short of qualifying for the postseason last year with an 18-9 record. Blackwell, a high-flying guard with a smooth stroke from the outside, was highly recruited. However, it made the scouting report for Timberwolves’ opponents easy — shut down Blackwell. Over the summer, Woodcreek found out that help was on the way for Blackwell and the returning players eager for a shot at returning to the playoffs and Sleep Train Arena’s big stage. The help that arrived for Woodcreek in the form of a 6-foot-9 freshman named Jordan Brown. With the Timberwolves ready to work hard to take the next step, Brown showed coach Paul Hayes and his players that he was ready to contribute to the team’s success immediately. “When Jordan came over, it only took a couple of days into Summer workouts before I knew that he would be a difference-maker for us,” Hayes said. “When he stepped out onto the court on his first day of workouts, he looked and played like he belonged.” After a short time, Blackwell and his teammates realized that they had a secret weapon in Brown, but also knew that it would not take long for the secret to get out. “I knew that he was going to be a big factor since I first saw him play in middle school,” Blackwell said. “There are not that many high school players, especially freshmen, with his height and skill set.” With Brown filling the role of the big inside presence at both ends of the floor — complementing Blackwell’s threat to shoot from long range or slash to the basket — the stage was set for Woodcreek to return to prominence. That return was slightly delayed, though, when Brown’s inside presence was sorely missed as the newcomer battled injuries and the Timberwolves dropped back-to-back games without the services of their big man, including a 73-59 setback against Antelope.

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March 2015

Jordan Brown The official unveiling of the secret weapon came on January in Woodcreek’s Sierra Foothill League opener at Rocklin. Brown torched the Thunder for 33 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter. “Having him is a huge factor,” Blackwell said of Brown. “No one could guard him in the SFL, and he causes matchup problems for most teams.” The matchup problems with Brown benefitted Blackwell as opponents could no longer focus on stopping the Long Beach State signee. As the freshman continued to get more comfortable on the court, his level of play and aggressiveness increased to open up the court for both Brown and Blackwell. “I think that my hustle and aggression have been the key factors to my success,” Brown said. “Because Noah and I can both get it done, along with plenty of other guys, opponents have to pick their poison.” The new dynamic duo was seemingly everywhere on the court, causing havoc for SFL foes and bringing joy to the Woodcreek gymnasium and its Black Mob student section. While the fans took their enthusiasm to new heights, Blackwell worked with his young protégé both on and off the court. “I took him under my wing when he came to Woodcreek,” Blackwell said of helping his freshman teammate. “I wanted to make sure he keeps his head straight and that he does not get too high or too low.” Brown is paying attention too. “He has helped me to keep my head in the game no matter how things are going,” he said of Blackwell. “And he has been helpful with showing me how to handle all of the multimedia that comes with the success that the team has been having.” That success reached its regular season apex on Feb. 11 when Woodcreek hosted Folsom with a share of the SFL title at stake for the Timberwolves. After dropping a pair

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Noah Blackwell of games to the Bulldogs earlier in the year — including a league contest in which Folsom junior guard and longtime friend of Blackwell, Jordan Ford, took over late in the game to hand the Timberwolves a close 57-53 defeat — Woodcreek got the best of the defending NorCal champs. This time around, Brown seized control down the stretch to finish with 26 points, 13 rebounds, and six blocked shots to lift the Timberwolves to a 60-57 win that produced a co-championship and a fresh debate about who would receive the No. 1 seed in the Division I field of the section playoffs. It also marked an end point to the evolution of Woodcreek’s team game, highlighted by the team’s dynamic duo and ably supported by a cast of hard-working gym rats. “Getting to know each other was tough at first, but I think that we have combined our games well,” Blackwell said of his partnership with Brown. With the postseason underway and Woodcreek a major factor in the playoffs for the first time in five years, the Timberwolves are cautiously optimistic about the unique opportunity that lies ahead. Hayes knows the chance to get back to the section finals is not a regular occurrence, but the same can be said about the impact of a freshman. “Young guys like that don’t come around too often,” Hayes said. “Usually, the game develops later for a young player with the size that Jordan has, but he has the game to go along with his size and body.” Blackwell and his fellow seniors that have worked so hard and endured so much the past four years are understandably excited to make the most of their opportunity, but focused on the task at hand. “I know how much I want it and everyone on the team wants it, especially since we have never made the playoffs before,” Blackwell said. “I would love to see Folsom again at Arco (in the SJS Division I final), but we know that we have to take things one game at a time.” That’s no secret. ✪ Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

1Love A glance at the No. 1 seeds in each of the SJS girls brackets

When glancing at the Sac-Joaquin Section girls playoff brackets, the same names appear as top seeds again in 2015. St. Mary’s-Stockton and Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills are back as the top two seeds in Division I, while Modesto Christian, VandenFairfield, Brookside Christian-Stockton and Valley Christian Academy-Roseville earned high seeds for another year. With the familiar programs are many of the same players who helped their teams to section, NorCal, and/or state prominence in 2014. Junior guards Kat Tudor and Mi’Cole Cayton are posting nearly identical numbers this year after superb sophomore seasons for St. Mary’s, and the Rams are riding a 21-game winning streak into the postseason. Head coach Tom Gonsalves’s squad is 26-1 with the lone loss coming to BlackmanMurfreesburg (TN.) in the Nike Tournament of Champions back in December. Vanden is a repeat No. 1 seed in Division III with key contributions from the returning trio of Kayla Blair, Kiana Moore and Julia Blackshell-Fair. Brookside Christian and Valley Christian returned solid cores to earn the top seeds in their divisions with Brookside getting the No. 1 seed in Division IV despite moving up a division. New faces have supplemented the rosters at Brookside and St. Mary’s to allow their teams to continue to thrive and take the programs to a new level. Junior Aarion McDonald came to Brookside as a transfer from Bullard-Fresno, and may be the best individual player in the section. The numbers indicate that McDonald could boost the Knights from Div. V power to an Open Division threat in the CIF Northern Regional tournament. McDonald averaged 28.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 6.1 steals and 5.7 assists per game during the regular season to live up to all of the hype and expectations that were set when she enrolled at the school in the fall. Brookside Christian, the three-time defending Div. V section champion, are 20-2 with the two setbacks coming against Bay Area powers Sacred Heart Cathedral-San Francisco and Berkeley by a combined total of six points. St Mary’s remains the team to beat in Northern California thanks in part to the arrival of freshman forward Aquira DeCosta. DeCosta has lived up to her expectations by working into the Rams’ system to the tune of 12.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Winners of 15 section championships, including 7 consecutive titles, St .Mary’s has long been known for its deep rosters with multiple threats. Gonsalves appears set for the longterm with just two seniors on the 2015 team. Perhaps the biggest change of scenery on the court has taken place at Modesto Christian. Despite losing leading scorer Lexi

Records are through Feb. 21

Lailoni Ganies Tubbs to graduation and Stephanie Moore to transfer, head coach Robb Spencer’s team is again a legitimate SJS and state-championship contender. Junior wing Lailoni Gaines has stepped her game up in a larger role, but seniors Ashley Lucas and Candice White have shown the greatest jump in production from a year ago when the Crusaders won the CIF Div. III State Championship. Lucas, who missed the start of the 2014 season due to transfer rules, has thrived in a full season at the point guard position, averaging 10.8 points and 4.3 assists for the Crusaders. White, who returned to the court during the team’s state title run after recovering from an ACL injury last year, is leading the team with 17.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while adding 4.1 assists and 3.1 steals per contest. “Candice is a phenomenal player who was only a practice player until the final three games last year, but once she got it going she was the best player on the floor,” Spencer said. “She has made the adjustment to being the go-to player and Ashley has matured a lot this season. “The whole team has grown this year and learned a lot from the experience of last year’s roller-coaster ride.” ✪ — Jim McCue

1. (1)

— St. Mary’s-Stockton

26-1

2. (2)

— Miramonte-Orinda

24-2

3. (4)

▲

Pinewood-Los Altos Hills

22-2

4. (5)

▲

Carondelet-Concord

24-2

5. (6)

▲

Vanden-Fairfield

24-3

6. (3)

▼

St. Ignatius-S.F.

20-4

7. (9)

▲

Dublin

22-3

8. (7)

▼

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

19-5

9. (8)

▼

Salesian-Richmond

25-3

10. (11) ▲

St. Mary’s-Berkeley

21-7

11. (10) ▼

Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland

18-8

12. (12) — Eastside Prep-Palo Alto

20-4

13. (13) — Scotts Valley

23-3

14. (14) — Brookside Christian-Stockton

20-2

15. (15) — Antelope

24-1

16. (16) — Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills

23-3

17. (18) ▲

James Logan-Union City

23-3

18. (19) ▲

Modesto Christian

23-4

19. (20) ▲

McClatchy-Sacramento

20-6

20. (NR) ▲

Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F.

14-10

DROPPED OUT No. 17 Berkeley

BIGGEST MOVER The top of the deck got a good shuffle in the final week of the regular season. The wacky West Catholic Athletic League was the biggest source of the madness as thenNo. 7 Mitty lost to unranked Sacred Heart Cathedral 59-48 on Feb. 17 before turning around and knocking off No. 3 St. Ignatius 58-51 three nights later. Both Mitty and St. Ignatius could meet again in the CCS Open Div playoffs, so we didn’t rush to move the Monarchs past the Wildcats just yet. We applied the same logic to Salesian and St. Mary’sBerkeley, now No. 9 and 10 respectively after St. Mary’s upset the Pride 62-59 in the TCAL championship.

TEAMS STILL RANKED FROM PRESEASON TOP 20: 17

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March 2015

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Popular HS mountain biking series makes fifth visit to Folsom Lake Granite Bay Grinder – NorCal High School Cycling League Race: March 14 – 15, Folsom Lake, Granite Bay

Folsom Lake will be abuzz with the whir of wheels and the cheering of fans on the weekend of March 14-15 as over 50 Northern California high school cycling teams hit the trails for the Granite Bay Grinder — an annual stop on the NorCal High School Cycling League circuit. Placer Valley Tourism is teaming up with the NorCal High School Cycling League to host this event in Placer Valley for the fifth year in a row. High schools teams from as far south as San Luis Obispo will make the valley their destination as up to 650 competitors are expected to participate in races across multiple grade and gender divisions. Admission is free for spectators and refreshments are available on-site at the race. The Granite Bay Grinder is the second of six races which culminates with the state championships held in May. The competitors will be racing — rain or shine — on a mixture of trails and off-road cycling paths at the lake; the twisting singletrack, wide double track and rolling cross country track will put each racer’s individual skill level, agility and endurance to the test. Competitors arrive at 8 a.m. for set-up and warm-up and races begin at 10 a.m. which typically run to about 3 p.m.. Award ceremonies are conducted after all of the races have ended. The NorCal High School Cycling League has been putting on races and organizing mountain biking camps and clinics since 2001. The first race in the series takes place in East Garrison at Ford Ord on Feb. 28-March 1. Results from all six races and season-long point standings can be accessed at www.norcalmtb.org. ✪ — Copy and photos provided by Placer Valley Tourism 34

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March 2015

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NorCal High School Cycling League Schedule Below is the six-race circuit for the ever-growing high school mountain biking league. Fun at the Ford

Feb. 28-March 1

@Ford Ord/East Garrison GRANITE BAY GRINDER

March 14-15

MAKE WAY FOR THE MATS Just one weekend after the top high school wrestlers in the state travel to Bakersfield for the California Interscholastic Federation State Wrestling Championships, some of the best middle school and junior high grapplers will set course for Loomis. The Northern California Tournament of Champions will take place March 14 at Del Oro High. This event is the ultimate youth tournament in Northern California and brings wrestlers from all over the state to compete. The expected turnout includes more than 500 wrestlers, all of which had to qualify to enter.

@Folsom Lake/Granite Bay Central Coast Challenge

March 28-29

@Laguna Seca/Monterey Five Springs Ranch Round-Up April 11-12 @Petaluma* NorCal Championships

April 25-26

@Boggs Mountain/Cobb State Championships

May 16-17

@Dirt Club/Los Olivos *New venue for 2015. However, in the event of rain, the race will be held at the East Garrison track.

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March 2015

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Debunking some of the common rugby myths

ugby continues to gain attention and see continued growth. As rugby becomes increasingly popular, the myths and misconceptions increase as well. This is mostly due to not understanding the laws of rugby, the flow of the matches, or just not understanding the sport in its entirety. American football is the biggest comparison to rugby in the United States, and is the biggest reaMark Carney son for many of the misconceptions. Let’s take a look at some of the most common.

RUGBY IS TOO VIOLENT Rugby is a contact sport and as such, collisions are part and parcel of the game, but they are not violent. In rugby, collisions occur in three phases of the game — the tackle, the ruck and maul, and the scrum. A rugby tackle is far safer and more effective than traditional football tackling. Players don’t lead with their head; every tackle is shoulderto-opponent with a full wrap of the arms, leading to the ball carrier being immobilized — because he or she can no longer run, not because they were hit so hard they lost their feet. Some NFL coaches, including Seattle’s Pete Carroll and Jacksonville’s Gus Bradley, have employed a rugby tackling specialist to coach better techniques. The ruck and maul can be compared to the line of scrimmage in football. Players contest for the ball where there has been a tackle. There is no head-to-head contact like in the trenches, and players must bind to one another, reducing the heavy collision. The scrum is where the forwards, comparable to linemen, contest for the ball following an infraction such as a knock on. It is used as a way to restart the game. The collision here is primarily concentrated on the front rows, typically the biggest players on the field. There is also no blocking in rugby, eliminating for the most part the blindside hit, which often results in injury in football.

PLAYERS ARE THUGGISH Rugby is played aggressively and seen as thuggish because of its inherently aggressive nature. In reality rugby is about two teams who play as hard as they can, then come together at the end to honor and celebrate both 36

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March 2015

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David Barpal

the match and the sport itself. Camaraderie and sportsmanship are the foundations of the sport, and while there will always be a winner and a loser, both sides honor the sport by understanding a battle was fought on the field, and every player played to their ability.

RUGBY IS ONLY FOR BOYS This is 100 percent wrong! Women’s rugby is the fastest growing sector of our sport and is essential to our success. With Title IX being such an important part in the collegiate system, we have recently seen many college women’s programs earn varsity status, meaning there are now full scholarships available. While some would argue that rugby is too physical and violent for girls and women to be playing, the girls and women playing the sport would say otherwise. It is a fantastic team sport that creates lifetime bonds, and the sport helps them find their identity.

It’LL NEVER GAIN FOOTHOLD Rugby was recently identified by Bloomberg as the fastest growing sport in the U.S., with football participation falling by 21 percent from 2013. A recently sold-out Soldier Field in Chicago for USA vs. New Zealand All-Blacks, the top team in the world, would also tell you otherwise. Rugby is also gaining traction in mainstream media, with NBC and NBC Universal picking up events such as the Las Vegas 7s, Collegiate 7s, and excitingly, the 2016 Rugby World Cup. The 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil is hosting rugby as an official event for the first time since 1924. The U.S. are the defending gold medalists with wins in 1920 and 1924. ✪ Mark Carney is the executive director of the Northern California Youth Rugby Association. He writes for SportStars as part of the magazine’s partnership with the NCYRA.

tri steps: liz elliott

Be nd Don’t Break

What is flexibility? Why is it important? How do I achieve it? How do I do it correctly? Most people think flexibility equals stretching. Flexibility is stretching, but not like you think. The sequence is actually very important. It includes dynamic stretching, myofacial (muscle fiber) release and static stretching. Most people are actually stretching and trying to reach flexibility completely wrong. Flexibility helps muscle system balance, the ability to integrate and use all your muscle systems during a workout and in life instead of using one muscle like your quadriceps (the large muscle on the front of your thigh) again and again and being “overactive.” Overall flexibility also promotes better use of your lever systems, and joint health for performance and overall health. The muscles are like a pulley system. When you use, or contract one side, the other side lengthens. When you use your muscles in the same pattern again and again, based on your exercise routine and what you do in your everyday life (for example you only drive with our right leg, or because your tooth paste is on the left in your bathroom you turn left each day), leads to some muscles being flexed all the time, and other muscles being lengthened all the time, creating knots, and muscles being “underactive” where they never turn on during a workout. Here are three components of flexibility, when and how: 1. Dynamic Stretching — Do it after an aerobic warm up. Moving stretching. Activates muscles to let them know they are about to work long or at high intensity, or both. Examples: Side-to-sides, cross overs, glut activation. 2. Myo facial (muscle fiber) release (“Releasing the knot”) — Your muscle is like a rope. When there is a knot, and it’s being pulled taught (no slack), the knot just gets worse as it pulls on the ends (your joints), and over time the rope pulls so tight, it rips from one side or the other. Thus, an injury. Release the knots to give slack around your joints. This is achieved through foam rolling or using a trigger point ball to release the “knot.” Roll or poke around on a muscle, for example your calf. When you find the spot that is the most tender, hold that spot for 30 seconds. The spot should be a level 7-8 in “pain” or tenderness. Something more than level 8 in pain can cause other muscles to seize up, that may counteract the act of myo facial release you are trying to achieve. 3. Static Stretching — Do it after myo facial release, and at the end of the workout. Do a sequence of “static” stretches to lengthen the muscle now that the knot is gone. It’s best to do when muscles are completely warm. Hold each stretch without bouncing for 30 seconds. That 30 seconds is the “magic number” of flexibility. At 30 seconds your brain sends a message to your muscle to release and lengthen. On all kinds of moving and holding stretches, don’t bounce. This pulls and rips the muscles, especially the small fibers around the joint. The muscle and tendons can be compromised. Also do all stretches with the correct form for that type and specific stretch. For example, keep in mind the knees should always track over the second toe, meaning that if you are moving sideways, the toes should face forward so your knee and hips track correctly. Just like anything, consistency is key. Build flexibility into every workout. I know, I know, you’re saying to yourself, ‘Every workout? I don’t have the time,’ and ‘It’s not that important.’ You’ll have better workouts every time, and you’re muscles and joints will feel and perform better into the future. Consult a coach and/or join a club to learn how to do a stretching routine correctly in form and in sequence. ✪ Liz Elliott is the head coach at Tri-Valley Triathlon Club and also works as a National Academy of Science and Medicine-certified Elite Level personal coach at Crunch! Fitness in Blackhawk.

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March 2015

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Creating the

RIGHT STUFF

Constructing an environment for your child as an athlete, student and individual that is driven by intrinsic motivation can be tough. This type of motivation focuses on enjoyment, fun, genuine passion and a “love of the game.” At KPA Elite Performance we call this “right stuff motivation” — high quality motivation that creates positive outcomes. As parents, in our desire for our kids to be the best they can be, we may end up creating an atmosphere that is propelled by rewards, punishment, pressure and guilt. These are poor quality motivators that can harm our kids well-being and performance, both now and in the future. So why does this happen? Sadly, it is part of the culture of the professionalization of youth sport, where parents may see other kids get onto the top team, receive a scholarship, do well academically and so on. So parents end up modeling the same behavior in their quest to make their child successful. However, research over the past 10 years by Michigan State’s Dan Gould, the world’s leading expert in youth sport parenting, has clearly shown otherwise. It revealed that parents who create an environment for their children that is highly controlling and pressurized often lead to studentathlete burnout, dropout, poor self-discipline skills and lowered psychological well being. Indeed, a 2014 study of over 2000 articles on youth sport dropout found that the strongest predictors of youth sport enjoyment and longevity, as well academic engagement, were based upon parents creating an intrinsically motivated environment — “right stuff motivation” So how can parents create this? Well, 40 years of research by motivation experts Ed Deci and

performance: keith power

Richard Ryan show we need to ensure we address three basic human needs that our children have: a sense of autonomy (feeling in control of one’s actions), a sense of perceived competence (a sense of ability) and a sense of relatedness (connection to others). In essence, it is ensuring a parent create an environment which builds their kid’s confidence levels. That, in turn, generates a sense of wanting to master tasks, which produces a sense that he or she has more choice and control in their lives (not less!). It also ensures the kid can foster great quality relationships with parents, teachers, coaches, other studentathletes on the team and their friends. This is not kumbaya or idealistic thinking. This is the way to produce a child, teenager or young adult who is driven by real internal passion for sport, academics and life. Not because they are coerced into doing so, rewarded for doing so, pressured to do so or made to feel guilty if they don’t. Those motivators produce compliance at best, not excellence. Parenting is a lifetime career and the job description as a parent changes constantly. At KPA Elite Performance we know that this landscape is tough and our programs provide the skills, tools and knowledge that can help you to maximize your child’s performance. More information is available at www.kpaelite.com. ✪

How parents can instill pure motivation for their young athletes

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March 2015

Keith Power is CEO and Founder of KPA Elite Performance. He has competed, coached, led and consulted at the very highest level in sport and business, as well as working for 25 years in elite youth sports as a sports coach, coach educator, parent coach and was previously High Performance Director at Cal. He is also a Professor of Sport Psychology at JFK University.

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training by trucks: anthony trucks Have you ever noticed that some of the most powerful athletes in any sport have one common trait? Whether it’s tennis, soccer, basketball, football, rugby, etc.. There is a common physical difference in theses athletes. They happen to have a larger backside than non-athlete. As much as our society has placed a desire for the aesthetic aspect, it’s a huge asset for physical performance. The power base for athletes who require they explode in their movements comes from the core. However the core isn’t just the abdominals, it encompasses the gluteal muscles as well. The glutes are a major component to jumping and sprinting. The problem is that few athletes know how to properly engage and train their glute muscles. Instead, they overuse their hamstrings and actually underuse their glutes. While the motion may feel natural, it’s leading closer and closer to a hamstring strain while failing to increase an athletes overall explosiveness.

The solution is to: Start doing exercises that engage the glute muscles, so the muscle can be taught to fire. KB swings, power cleans, deadlifts, etc. Take a very close look at the technique you’re using in the exercises or you’re already doing what you THINK are engaging the glutes. When sprinting, try to take the longest possible strides in the first few steps and focus on firing the glute muscle heavily. While it may seem like a small concept to increase your speed, in fact that extra few inches of power in your stride can make a massive difference — chunks of time taken off your sprint speed and adding inches to your vertical leap. So get back to training, BUTT don’t forget to train your biggest asset or you’ll get left behind. ✪ Anthony Trucks is an IYCA-certified trainer who covers weight training for SportStars.

Light a Fire

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March 2015

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get mental: erika carlson

Find the Off-Switch

School. Practice. Eat. Homework. Sleep. Repeat. Being a youth athlete these days is a taxing “job.” Kids (and parents) are more focused than ever on making the top team, earning more playing time, getting good grades and securing a scholarship. The work ethic required to rise to the top and accomplish these goals is tremendous. In my work with elite youth and collegiate athletes, I spend a lot of time with these people. I am so impressed by their organization, drive and focus. The flip side of being so driven is that high performers are also more prone to burning out. Meaning they can lose their motivation to work hard (either in academics, athletics or both). Why? High performer = high stress. Prolonged high stress = burnout. Burnout Syndrome is complex and multifaceted in how it develops, but the most common contributors are: ›› OVERTRAINING — The body is tired and can’t recover, repair and rebuild fast enough to meet the training demands. The athlete begins to feel frustrated and eventually depressed. ›› INJURY — Over-use injuries are exploding in youth sports. Serious injury (or nagging, chronic small injuries) can rock the core confidence of any athlete. ›› PLATEAU — As athletes progress, incremental improvements tend to shrink. It takes more effort for longer periods of time to keep up and improve. In order to “stay on top,” athletes push harder ... leading to overtraining and

injury. ›› LACK OF FUN — Youth sports have become serious business with a lot at stake and it can be easy for the fun to get lost. In addition to all the hard work, athletes need to have some joy in their sport experience. Loss of enjoyment is a direct route to burnout. So how do you, the hard working, highly motivated, striving-for-excellence-everyday athlete keep burnout from sneaking up on you? The answer is simple: Take a break. Even better, take many small, regularly scheduled breaks. Switching your inner athlete to “off mode” is imperative to your success. Athletes need to find time each week to rest, recover and do non-sport related activities. Go to a movie. Spend some time with friends. Go to the beach. If you’re starting to feel burned out, you need to take a few weeks off. Let your body heal and your spirit re-charge. Your coaches will appreciate having you back at 100 percent (although it will take some good communication on your end to tell them why you need some time off) and your motivation will bounce back — possibly more fierce than ever. Finally, learning daily stress management skills can add to your arsenal to fend off burnout as well and help you avoid the getting into a burnout cycle in the future. ✪ Erika Carlson is a certified mental trainer and owner of Excellence in Sports Performance in Pleasanton.

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March 2015

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training time: tim rudd for iyca

New Athletes, New Problems Injuries can happen for a variety of reasons, but today let’s focus on three big ones. REASON #1 — Most athletes today are physically weaker than they were in my day. When I was growing up, the only major distraction was the television — and there were only three channels: ABC, CBS and NBC and the limited number of cable stations if you could afford it. This means that we were outdoors playing most of the time. We didn’t have computers, cell phones, iPods or apps to play with. So we went outside and ran, climbed, jumped, swam and played ball. Nowadays, if kids are not playing sports they’re sitting down playing with or watching all the technology that is available at their fingertips. Free play, the most important part of physical development, no longer exists and our kids are paying dearly for it. REASON #2 — Food was more nutritious than it is today. You weren’t eating GMO corn, soy and other altered foods that are abundant in almost everything athletes eat today. In my home, if we drank soda it had real sugar in it and we only got it once in awhile as a treat. Fast food was something you might have once a week.

SportStars™

March 2015

Today everything is processed for our convenience — we need it fast and we need it now. The food industry has us fooled with organic, gluten-free and added-fiber foods. Just because those potato chips kids are shoving down their throats are gluten free or organic, it doesn’t mean they are good for them. You better believe that eating and drinking all that artificially flavored crud will break your body down and lead to injury. REASON #3 — Year-round competition in various sports with zero to minimal offseason. Many athletes are being driven relentlessly by overbearing parents and coaches whose only focus is to win at all costs. Many of these parents want their child to get a scholarship to play in college — so they push and push and push with no real-world knowledge of when to train and when to rest. Many injuries we are seeing in sports are mostly due to over-use. Athletes are performing the same sports-specific movements year-in and year-out without anything to balance them out. The result is over-used and compromised joints, leading to further dysfunction in movement, performance and health. ✪ Tim Rudd is an IYCA specialist in youth conditioning and owner of Fit2TheCore.

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Riding the highs and lows of recruitment isn’t always easy

Don’t

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Next Level Knowledge By Scott Mayo

fter the recruiting process of our oldest son Mitchell ended badly due to an untimely injury, my wife Jennifer was somewhat bitter. And rightfully so, as Mitchell was clearly a Div. I linebacker. But sometimes things just do not line up properly. Mitchell decided not to walk on at any of the colleges offering him that option. He would not play football again after high school; Jennifer and I both had a difficult time accepting that fact since we had watched him play football successfully for nearly ten years. The following year, our second son Harrison finished his junior season of football. I was ready to start the recruiting process all over. It would be our third consecutive recruiting process. Just as I had done with Mitchell, I set out to spend numerous hours compiling Harrison’s highlights; highlights that would be sent out to his most desired colleges. Five minutes after I sat down at the computer, Jennifer walked into the office and asked, “What are you doing?” After I told her, Jennifer threw a small tantrum. “You are not going to spend one minute wasting your time with college recruiting.” It was completely unlike her. Jennifer has been through a lot in life and she has always persevered. To see her give up was not part of her character. Her reaction highlighted the fact that

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college recruiting is often very difficult and frustrating. I wasn’t ready to give up. Ironically, I had learned about not giving up from Jennifer. So I went back to work after my wife left the room. I spent many long hours trying to find these all important short-lived moments that happen after the ball is snapped. With the film finally complete, it was emailed to dozens of schools. Three weeks later I received an email from Stanford. The coaches invited Harrison to visit campus and attend a home game. Before the Stanford vs. Cal game began, while seated in the front row behind Stanford’s bench, Jennifer looked at me and said, “This isn’t really happening is it?” Two minutes later, the same Stanford coach who invited us, bound up the stairs from the field on his way up to the coaching box. He stopped as soon as he saw Harrison and there were introductions and small talk. After a few minutes he said to Harrison, “Stand up. I want to see how big you are.” It was the first of many “eyeball tests” for the kid. While Harrison did not end up going to Stanford, it was a very memorable day. He ended up signing with Cal, which never would have happened without us sending out his junior-year highlights. The college recruiting process is a long and winding road. There will be many highs and lows, but don’t give up. ✪

March 2015

SportStars™

In just a few weeks, we’ll be bringing your our fifth annual Camps & Clinics Special Edition. What started out as a modest listing of upcoming East Bay summer camps back in the spring of 2011 is now cover-to-cover coverage of camps, clinics and combines from throughout Northern California. This year’s special will include features on different types of camps, as well as some helpful guides on choosing the right clinic or combine. It also wouldn’t be our Camps & Clinics special without as many as 20 pages of listings featuring camps in more than 15 sports and categories. If you want your camp represented in the issue, there’s still time to give us a call at 925-566-8500 or email us at info@sportstarsonline.com. For those of you excited about planning summer fun or finding a camp to improve your game, keep your eye out for the edition in March.

SportStars™

March 2015

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March 2015

SportStarsâ&#x201E;˘

❒❒ A Higher Perspective........................................................................................................46 ❒❒ Big O Tires Northern California/ Nevada.............................................................................2 ❒❒ California Football Academy.............................................................................................40 ❒❒ Capitol City Driving School...............................................................................................37 ❒❒ Championship Athletic Fundraising.................................................................................43 ❒❒ Cheergyms.Com...............................................................................................................25 ❒❒ Club Sport........................................................................................................................21 ❒❒ Community Youth Center.................................................................................................23 ❒❒ Core Performance.......................................................................................................37, 40 ❒❒ Core Volleyball Club..........................................................................................................41 ❒❒ De La Salle High School Football Coaches Clinic................................................................46 ❒❒ Diablo Trophies & Awards.................................................................................................37 ❒❒ East Bay Parks..................................................................................................................46 ❒❒ Excellence In Sport Performance......................................................................................40 ❒❒ Fastbreak Basketball........................................................................................................41 ❒❒ Halo Headband................................................................................................................46 ❒❒ Heritage Soccer Club........................................................................................................40 ❒❒ Mike Murphy Baseball Academy......................................................................................26 ❒❒ Mountain Mike’s Pizza......................................................................................................27 ❒❒ Muir Orthopaedic Specialists............................................................................................38 ❒❒ Northern California Youth Rugby Association...................................................................36 ❒❒ Off- Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division...............................................................15 ❒❒ Placer Valley Tourism Board........................................................................................34, 35 ❒❒ Renaissance Club Sport....................................................................................................42 ❒❒ Rhino Sports Of Northern California.................................................................................36 ❒❒ Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School..............................................................................12 ❒❒ San Ramon Slammers Baseball........................................................................................41 ❒❒ Sports Gallery Authenticated...........................................................................................40 ❒❒ Sports Stars Magazine......................................................................................................47 ❒❒ Stevens Creek Toyota..........................................................................................................5 ❒❒ Sutter Health East Bay........................................................................................................3 ❒❒ Tpc / The Pitching Center..................................................................................................18 ❒❒ U C S F Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland......................................................................39 ❒❒ United States Youth Volleyball League.............................................................................13 ❒❒ Walnut Creek Soccer Club.................................................................................................33 ❒❒ Win Anyway & All For Kids...............................................................................................41 ❒❒ Wingstop.........................................................................................................................48

SportStars™

March 2015

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