SJ Issue 73, Oct. 1, 2013 by Sport Stars Magazine

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vol. 4. issue 73 sac-joaquin

october 1, 2013

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spend the entire offseason 27 Why getting in the best shape of your

pack mentality: St. Francis girls cross country is a tight-knit bunch and they plan to stay together all the way to state.

zone: The Holy Bowl. More than 22 red a game. Way more. 4

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October 1, 2013

pitch: Think you have 6 First a handle on what’s been

life only to stop training in-season?

a great football season? Yeah, so do we. Editor Chace Bryson narrows it down to five truths that he holds to be self-evident. In your face, King George.

BREAKDOWN: Harris Ross 10 STATE shows off, plus new state

Not all of us are 12 Clipboard: naturally talented, but we can all

rankings for football, volleyball. Get Digital extras: Use layar & scan pages 1, 6, 8, 11, 14, 18, 22, 32, 36

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room: Oh, television. 8 locker Magic box of talking pictures. We know we should quit you, but we can’t. Allow us to suggest a few new shows so that we can bathe in your warm glow. 7 Sportstar of the week: Ben Parietti

put in a full effort.

on the cover: Lauren LaRocco. Photo by James K. Leash.

Fence: Tryouts, sign-ups, 36 The fund-raisers and more!

38 Advertiser’s index

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5 Football Certainties we think we know after five weeks probably

re we really already at the half way point of the high school football regular season? Do the A’s really have a chance to finish with the best record in the American League? Is there really cross country on the cover of this issue? (Kidding, cross country folks. Just kidding. We’re big fans, really.) The point is, there’s a lot to think about. And as the high school football season begins to transition into league play, we thought we’d take moment to lay out the top five things we think we know so far. 1. Jake Browning is going to set the state record for touchdown passes in a single season. We know that the Folsom junior quarterback is going to start facing some tougher defenses in the Delta River League, but he only needs 40 more TD passes (as of Sept. 21) and that offense is showing no signs of slowing down. To get a better look at the pace he’s on, check out our Locker Room section on the next page. 2. De La Salle is only getting better. And this is no surprise, of course. This is what they do. But there were murmurs after the Spartans’ scare at Serra-San Mateo, especially since that come-from-behind win also featured significant injuries to two key starters in Das Tautalatasi and Adam Mayer. All that’s happened since then is the Spartans defeated St. Mary’s-Stockton 40-13 on national TV and followed that with a 41-3 drubbing of Del OroLoomis. If they are able to win at Servite-Anaheim on Oct. 5, they likely won’t be challenged again until the regional bowl game. 3. There won’t be a better league race to watch weekin and week-out than the West Catholic Athletic League. We already have three of the eight teams ranked in our NorCal Top 20 — Bellarmine-San Jose, Serra-San Mateo and Archbishop Mitty-San Jose — and there are at least two more (St. Francis-Mountain View and Valley Christian-San Jose) that could easily make it there too. In the case of Valley Christian, they already have been. Our preseason pick to win it was Serra, and we’re sticking to it, but we aren’t betting the mortgage on it. 4. The North Coast Section Division III tournament could be one for the ages this year. Between Marin Catholic-Kentfield, Campolindo-Moraga, El Cerrito, Cardinal NewmanSanta Rosa as the favorites, and Analy-Sebastapol and Acalanes-Lafayette looking like serious contenders, that bracket should be a doozy from the quarterfinals on. We’d also be shocked if the team that comes out on top doesn’t eventually advance to the state bowl game in Carson. 5. Antonio Saldana is going to win a game for Pittsburg at some point. Everybody knows that the Pirates big weapon this year is running back Harris Ross, thanks to his NCS-record setting night against Monte Vista-Danville on Sept. 13 (see page 10). But the Pirates have another weapon in the leg of Saldana, who seemingly drills 50-yarders with ease during pregame warm-ups. The coaches have confidence in him, too. Which means at some point during a competitive Bay Valley Athletic League schedule, Saldana is going to make a difference. Now, who’s ready to dig into some cross country? We got the goods this issue. Go check it out! ✪

join our team PHONE 925.566.8500 FAX 925.566.8507 Editorial Editor@SportStarsOnline.com Editor Chace Bryson • Chace@SportStarsOnline.com Staff Writers Jim McCue Contributors Bill Kolb, Mitch Stephens, Matt Smith, Clay Kallam, Bryant West, Dave Kiefer, Liz Elliott, Tim Rudd, Jonathan Okanes, Hunter Hewitt Photography Bob Larson, Jonathan Hawthorne, James K. Leash, Norbert von der Groeben, Phillip Walton, Doug Guler, Dean Coppola Marketing/Events Intern Ryan Arter Creative Department Art@SportStarsOnline.com Production Manager Mike DeCicco • MikeD@SportStarsOnline.com Publisher/President Mike Calamusa • Mike@SportStarsOnline.com Advertising & Calendar/ Classified Sales Sales@SportStarsOnline.com, 925.566.8500 Account Executives Phillip Walton • PWalton@SportStarsOnline.com Leslie Ellis • Leslie@SportStarsOnline.com Reader Resources/Administration Subscription, Calendar, Credit Services Info@SportStarsOnline.com Distribution/Delivery Mags@SportStarsOnline.com Information technology John Bonilla CFO Sharon Calamusa • Sharon@SportStarsOnline.com community SportStars™ Magazine A division of Caliente! Communications, LLC 5356 Clayton Rd., Ste. 222 • Concord, CA 94521 •info@SportStarsOnline.com www.SportStarsOnline.com

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your ticket to california sports admit one; rain or shine This Vol. #4, October 2013 Whole No. 73 is published by Caliente! Communications, LLC, 5356 Clayton Rd, Ste. 222, Concord, CA 94521. SportStars™© 2010 by Caliente! Communications, LLC. All rights reserved. Subscription rates: 24 issues, U.S. 3rd class $42 (allow 3 weeks for delivery). 1st class $55. To receive sample issues, please send $3 to cover postage. Back issues are $4 each. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of Publisher is strictly prohibited. The staff and management, including Board of Directors, of SportStars™© does not advocate or encourage the use of any product or service advertised herein for illegal purposes. Editorial contributions, photos and letters to the editor are welcome and should be addressed to the Editor. All material should be typed, double-spaced on disk or email and will be handled with reasonable care. For materials return, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope. SportStars™© and STARS!™© Clinics are registered trademarks of Caliente! Communications, LLC.

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The running back led a powerful running attack with a Holy Bowl-record 280 yards on the ground in the Marauders’ 52-28 victory over Christian Brothers. Parietti took a handoff on the first play from scrimmage and raced 80 yards for the first of four touchdowns on a night where he made himself the latest legend of the storied rivalry. Jesuit rushed for nearly 500 yards with the 5-foot-9 speedster accounting for more than half. He added a pair of 2-point conversion runs to give him 28 points under the lights at Hughes Stadium. For the season, Parietti has run for 444 yards and found the end zone 6 times. SportStars Magazine: When you scored on the first play, did you have any idea that you might be in for a good night? Ben Parietti: Not really. We just love to hit opponents hard on the first play, and the line just gave me a hole to run through. It was awesome to hear the crowd after the run. SSM: How exciting was it for you to have a huge game in the Holy Bowl? BP: I have been coming to the Holy Bowl since I was in elementary school, so it was kind of special to do this tonight. I had never scored in the Holy Bowl before, so I was happy to be able to do that. SSM: Did you and your teammates feel added pressure from

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ben parietti jesuit-carmichael . football . senior

honorable mention

jaymee-lee bulda The Christian Brothers senior setter had 134 assists, 53 digs, 51 aces, 9 blocks, and 8 kills during a four-game stretch in which the Falcons defeated El Camino, Rocklin, Oak Ridge and Rio Americano.

anthony baumgart The Antelope senior made eight tackles and recorded three sacks to help the Titans to a narrow 27-24 football win over visiting Woodcreek. Baumgart has four sacks and 27 tackles for the season.

celeste brown James K. Leash all of the build-up leading up to the game? BP: We know it’s a big deal and there is a lot of attention on this game. We try to make it like a normal game, but it’s not.

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The Rio Americano senior led the Raiders water polo team to a come-from-behind 8-6 win over St. Francis-Sacramento with two goals to improve the team’s record to 4-3.

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count‘em The number of touchdown passes that Folsom junior quarterback Jake Browning is on pace for (over a 15-game season) after throwing 24 of them through his first four games. He has thrown for 7 or more TDs in three of those games. Browning, who threw for 61 TDs a year ago, would only need to get to 64 to set a new state record for TD passes in a single season.

say what

“My experience (with the rivalry) has run the gamut, but you can’t beat the feeling as a player. I will never forget those first two years.”

Christian Brothers-Sacramento athletic director, Dan Carmazzi, who has played a role in each of the last 40 Holy Bowl rivalry games between Christian Brothers and Jesuit-Carmichael.The CBS grad played in the first two Holy Bowls before adding games as an assistant coach for his alma mater and then for rival Jesuit. Carmazzi was the Marauders’ head coach for more than 30 years, moving back to Christian Brothers in 2012 to lead the Falcons’ athletics department. He even coached all three of his sons—Gio, Matt, and Dominic—at Jesuit. FOOTBALL: Bellarmine-San Jose vs. Serra-San Mateo, 7:30 p.m., Oct. 4, San Jose City College — If both teams manage to avoid any hiccups, this will be a showdown of two Top 5 teams in the SSM NorCal rankings and should have a major impact on the WCAL title race.

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CROSS COUNTRY: Stanford Invitational, Sept. 28 — Palo Alto is the home for the first major cross country event of the season. FOOTBALL: De La Salle-Concord at Servite-Anaheim, 7:30 p.m., Oct. 5 — DLS faces a big test in a rematch of the 2010 CIF Open Bowl.

BOYS SOCCER: Davis vs. JesuitCarmichael, 8 p.m., Oct. 12, Capital Christian HS — Two of the winningest boys programs in the SJS square off. GIRLS WATER POLO: Sacred Heart Prep-S.F. at San Ramon Valley-Danville, noon, Oct. 12 — The defending NCS Div. I champ (SRV) hosts the the defending CCS Div. II champ.

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Top 5 pitches for the new fall TV schedule

TOP 5 Things We Learned Watching “The Sandlot” 1. Hard Knocks, De La Salle It’s nearly fall, and you know what that means: Brand new TV shows! Well. Sort of. With Michael J. Fox, Robin Williams, James Spader, James Caan and even Beau Bridges returning to the small screen (along with other television re-treads like Jerry O’Connell, Kal Penn, Marcia Gay Harden, Sean Hayes and Sarah Michelle Gellar – wait. Scratch that. We’ll take more Buffy, thank you very much), and Blair Underwood (retread) in Ironside (remake), it seems like everything old is, well, old again. We’re pretty sure the only reason NBC picked Underwood over bringing Raymond Burr back was because, well, Burr died in 1993. And it was still a tough call. Sigh. Here are the top 5 shows we think they SHOULD have put in the new line up.

Wouldn’t it be great to get inside the Spartans’ program for Year One, A.L. (After Lad)? We would totally DVR that.

2. The Magic Hour

Starring A’s manager Bob Melvin. Sleight of hand. Prestidigitation. Misdirection. Legerdemain. Snappy patter. Well. Maybe not that last bit. But if his managerial hocus pocus is any indication, here’s guessing BoMel could put on a heckuva show.

3. Random Acts of Kindness

Starring Dennis Rodman, Terrell Owens, The Artest Formerly Known As Ron, Ndamukong Suh and Ray Lewis. It’s gonna be a hug-fest.

4. Make Me Snap

A game show where everyday sports fans get the opportunity to pepper volatile sports coaches with questions about their teams. The faster the coaches lose their cool, the more points the contestant scores. The Jim Harbaugh Round would be a must-see.

5. Firefly

Seriously. Swashbuckling interstellar mercenaries? Joss Whedon banter? Best show ever. We miss you, Mal Reynolds. — Bill “We Now Return You To Your Regularly Scheduled Sports Magazine” Kolb

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: 6th Annual Stockton Classic Tournament, Oct. 19, Edison HS — The 2012 edition of this rapidly growing tournament hosted more than 40 teams which eventually made the postseason, including Mitty-San Jose — which ended up an undefeated state champion.

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GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Valley Christian-San Jose at Mitty-San Jose, 6:30 p.m., Oct. 15 — Perhaps the two best teams in all of NorCal square off in the first of two WCAL meetings. FOOTBALL: Granite Bay at Del Oro-Loomis, 7:30 p.m., Oct. 24 — A key Sierra Foothill League showdown certain to carry playoff implications.

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GIRLS GOLF: NCS Division I Championships, Oct. 28, Peacock Gap CC, San Rafael — Can the NCS send multiple teams to State once again? The road starts here. GIRLS GOLF: SJS Masters Tournament, Oct. 28, The Reserve at Spanos Park, Stockton — St. Francis-Sacramento will be eyeing another SJS title.

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To Bump To Bump or not

CIF may take a long look at bumping Central Catholic-Modesto up to Div. III for the state bowl games

Since the CIF state football bowl games added the small school division (now known as Division IV) in 2008, it’s always been possible that the CIF section commissioners could move up a team from that division into Div. III. It was considered in 2009 with Modesto Christian, but it looked like the Crusaders were going to be a very strong opponent opposite Francis Parker-San Diego from the south, so that didn’t happen. It was the correct call, too, because Modesto Christian and Parker put on one of the best bowl games ever played in Carson with the NorCal squad winning 44-40. It was considered last year as well with Central Catholic-Modesto a candidate to be moved up to Div. III, but instead the commissioners chose Sutter and Marin CatholicKentfield to play in the Div. III Northern Regional bowl. In one sense, it was not correct because the Raiders went on to cream Santa Fe Christian-Solana Beach 66-7 in the Div. IV bowl game. Sutter, however, was an undefeated team and was regarded as the best Northern Section team overall. The Huskies also held their own in their NorCal bowl loss to Marin Catholic. This brings us to 2013. Central Catholic might be a few ticks down from last year, but in the early going still looks like a strong favorite to win a second straight CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Div. IV title. And with the likelihood of the Northern Section also not having an undefeated team on the board, it seems like this will be the year that a school with a Div. IV enrollment will indeed be brought up to Div. III. What would this mean to other teams in Northern California? For teams like El Cerrito, Marin Catholic, Cardinal Newman and others that will probably contend for the CIF North Coast Section Division III title, probably nothing since the winner of that bracket will no doubt get one of the two NorCal D3 bids. But for teams from the CIF Central Coast Section that are eyeing a possible D3 bowl bid, like Carmel for example, the idea of Central Catholic moving up will hurt. While no one within the CIF wants to see another 66-7 Div. IV state bowl game, another factor that could influence whether Central Catholic moves up or not is which teams get bowl eligible from Southern California. If it’s a team like Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth from 2011 (which beat Le Grand in the state game 40-14), then the CIF commissioners still might want to take Central Catholic to avoid a result in the D4 bowl game that could be equally one-sided for the SoCal team. After last year’s bowl games, it was fun to think about how a Marin Catholic-Central Catholic NorCal D3 bowl game would have turned out? Such a matchup is definitely much more likely to happen this December. ✪ Mark Tennis is the co-founder of Cal-Hi Sports, and publisher of CalHiSports.com. Cal-Hi Sports is the authority in state rankings for football, basketball, baseball and softball, as well as the recognized state record keeper for all high school sports. Contact him at markjtennis@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter, @CalHiSports.

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WILD & CRAZY GAMES ››

It’s only a few weeks into the football season and already in Northern California there have been games such as Sierra-Manteca topping Chavez-Stockton 61-58 and Castro Valley outlasting Monte Vista-Danville 57-56 in overtime. Neither game, though, makes the Cal-Hi Sports State Record Book. Most points by two teams in one NorCal game: 146 — Fremont-Sunnyvale (90) vs. Harker-Sunnyvale (56), 2012 141 — Santa Rosa (141) vs. St. Helena (0), 1924 138 — Buhach Colony-Atwater (90) vs. Golden Valley-Merced (48), 2011 136 — Leland-San Jose (82) vs. Piedmont Hills (54), 2008 136 — Vintage-Napa (80) vs. Armijo-Fairfield (56), 2009 132 — Anderson Valley (68) vs. Potter Valley (64), 2010 Note: Porterville’s 86-79 win last season over Tulare set a new state record at 165 points, but is not considered NorCal by SportStars Magazine.

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volleyball Rankings (After games of Monday, Sept. 23; previous rank in parentheses) 1. (4) ▲ Torrey Pines-San Diego.........10-0 2. (6) ▲ Archbishop Mitty-San Jose....15-2 3. (2) ▼ Valley Christian-San Jose......14-2 4. (3) ▼ Los Alamitos..............................5-4 5. (5) — Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F.....9-1 6. (1) ▼ Mater Dei-Santa Ana..............14-2 7. (7) — Lakewood................................14-4 8. (10) ▲ Dana Hills-Dana Point..............9-4 9. (13) ▲ Francis Parker-San Diego........6-3 10. (NR) ▲ La Salle-Pasadena...................8-2 11. (11) — Corona del Mar-Nwprt Bch......6-2 12. (12) — Granite Bay.............................11-0 13. (NR) ▲ Mira Costa-Manhattan Bch.....8-2 14. (14) — Redwood-Larkspur.................14-0 15. (17) ▲ La Costa Canyon-Carlsbad.....7-2 16. (NR) ▲ Marymount-Los Angeles..........7-3 17. (8) ▼ Redondo-Redondo Beach.....11-5 18. (18) — St. Francis-Sacramento.........14-3 19. (16) ▼ Lutheran-Orange......................9-5 20. (20) — Monte Vista-Danville...............13-2 Torrey Pines surged to No. 1 by winning the prestigious Durango Fall Classic on Sept. 21 in Las Vegas. The Falcons defeated Kamehameha-Honolulu (HI.) in the championship bracket finals. Archbishop Mitty was the second-best California team at the event and has gone in front of Valley Christian (which also was in Las Vegas) in the weekly rankings even though the Monarchs have a loss to Sacred Heart Cathedral from the first week of the season. Valley Christian and Mitty will have their first West Catholic Athletic League showdown on Oct. 15 at Mitty.

socal team to watch: st. john boscobellflower ››

While Northern California’s preseason football 1-2 punch of De La Salle and Folsom have continued in those roles, the Southern California preseason leader list of Centennial-Corona, St. John Bosco and Serra-Gardena has changed. Centennial suffered a second straight loss on Sept. 20 while Serra has an overtime win against Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks. St. John Bosco has been rolling, including a 48-0 win on Sept. 6 against defending CIF Central Section Division I champ Clovis North. The Braves are expected to be 5-0 heading into Trinity League where they’ll face teams like Mater Dei-Santa Ana, Servite-Anaheim and Santa MargaritaRancho Santa Margarita. There are a reported 10 players on the St. John Bosco roster with major college offers, including 6-foot-4, 350-pound offensive lineman Damien Mama. Junior quarterback Josh Rosen also is one of the best in his class in the nation. De La Salle has never played St. John Bosco in the CIF state bowl games and it’s just about a guarantee that the Spartans won’t be playing Centennial for the fourth time this year.

Football Rankings (Previous ranking in parentheses; through games of Saturday, Sept. 21)

1. (1)

—

De La Salle-Concord

4-0

2. (2)

—

St. John Bosco-Bellflower

4-0

3. (3)

—

Folsom

4-0

4. (4)

—

Serra-Gardena

4-0

5. (5)

—

Mater Dei-Santa Ana

4-0

6. (6)

—

Mission Viejo

4-0

7. (7)

—

Vista Murrieta-Murrieta 3-0

8. (8)

—

Servite-Anaheim

3-1

9. (9)

—

Long Beach Poly

3-1

10. (12)

▲

Alemany-Mission Hills

4-0

11. (11)

—

Bellarmine-San Jose 3-0

12. (8)

▼

Centennial-Corona 2-2

13. (13)

—

St. Bonaventure-Ventura

3-1

14. (15)

▲

Oceanside

3-1

15. (17)

▲

Elk Grove

4-0

16. (18)

▲

Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove

4-0

17. (19)

▲

Serra-San Mateo

1-1

18. (21)

▲

19. (22)

▲

20. (23)

▲

21. (24)

▲

22. (NR)

▲

23. (14)

▼

24. (NR)

▲

25. (NR)

▲

Wins over St. Mary’s, Del Oro keep DLS unbeaten all-time vs. Sac-Joaquin Section. Should be 5-0 heading into Trinity League showdowns.

QB Jake Browning already has thrown for 7, 7 and 8 TDs in games this season. Won OT game over Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks.

Too early to tell if Monarchs will be as good as some of their 1990’s glory teams. Diablos posted strong win in third game over Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) Coltin Gerhart off to a strong start as new QB for the Broncos.

Friars and fans will be rockin’ on Oct. 5 when De La Salle heads south. Only loss to Servite; wins over Centennial-Corona and Bakersfield. This team hopped into the top 10 after beating Centennial 45-28. Strength of schedule for the Bells will go way up once they start WCAL play.

Hard to believe Huskies lost two straight after 886 yards of offense in 2nd game. Seraphs’ lone loss is to Centennial.

Won 61-0 in fourth game in preparation for showdown vs. Mission Hills. RB Wadus Parker is in midst of a big-time season for the Thundering Herd. Final league game with Folsom could be huge.

Near-win over DLS to start season may grow more significant as weeks go by.

Hart-Newhall 3-0

Win over Chaminade-West Hills helped Indians move up Chaminade-West Hills

3-1

Granite Bay

2-1

Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks

3-1

Mission Hills-San Marcos

4-0

Oaks Christian-Westlake Village

3-1

Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills

4-0

Edison-Fresno

4-0

Miami-commit QB Brad Kaaya living up to preseason acclaim. Grizzlies have bounced back nicely from opening-game loss to Folsom. Knights will run into No. 10 Alemany in the Mission League. Have perhaps state’s top LB duo in Fred Warner and Ricky Liuchan. Lions’ lone loss is to Chaminade. They also still have win over Bakersfield. Watch out for Trojans’ sophomore QB Ian Book.

Tigers No. 1 in Central Section w/wins over Clovis, Carson, Merced & Crenshaw-L.A.

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The Values of Busting It

I worked out all summer, ran a lot of miles and did a lot of sprints. I even grew a couple inches. But I’m still slower than a lot of guys, guys who don’t work as hard as I do. How can I get faster? G.K., San Francisco

f I had known the answer to that question, I would have had a much better athletic career. In other words, you’re not alone. Jon Gruden, the former Raider coach and TV analyst, likes to tell a story about his older brother, Jay, who was bigger, stronger and faster (and is an NFL assistant coach). One summer, Jon vowed he would beat Jay in a one-mile race. He busted his rear, working out every day in the heat, while his brother watched TV and played some seven-on-seven games. Finally, Jon goes into the living room, where his brother is stretched out on the coach, eating some chips and watching TV. Jon says “Let’s race. I’m ready to take you on — one mile.” Jay looks at him, puts down his chips and puts on his shoes. They go down to the football field. Four laps. Jay gets an early lead, and never trails. He coasts to the win, then drives them back home, picks up his chips and lays back down on

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the couch. This is what is known as a talent gap, and sadly, there’s not much you can do about it. But it’s not quite as bad as it seems — a lot of guys with great talent take that talent for granted, and don’t work hard, or think about what they’re doing. They’re just better, and they win, and they go back home and have some cake and ice cream. So other guys, like you and me and most of the world, have to do a couple things. First, we have to decide it’s worth while to put in the effort to be as good as we can be. Second, we have to take a hard look in the mirror and try to figure out exactly what our strengths are, and what our weaknesses are. Next, we have to devise a strategy to take advantage of those strengths and minimize those weaknesses — if we’re playing football, figure out what position is best. Or maybe we back it up a step or two, and try to decide which sport is the best match for what we can do, and

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A lot of hard work goes into keeping up with the naturally-talented — and you may not beat them, but you’ll gain regardless

can’t do. Finally, we have to take all those decisions and turn them into action. We have to do the work (no laying on the coach), we have to think about our sport, and we have to be smarter than the guys who have all the talent. Even then, they might be better, but we’ll be much more competitive — and we will also have learned a great deal about ourselves, and how to function in a situation that isn’t necessarily the best one for us (which, by the way, is how most situations are in life). In the long run, the value of high school sports isn’t in winning games, or getting your picture in the paper — it’s learning about yourself, and among other things, figuring out how to work with the talents you’ve been given. And down the road, that work will definitely pay off, though maybe not in ways you expect. You’ll know what I mean, even though you’ll still wish you could have run faster. ✪

You see, what happened was ...

A note from last week: How could I forget that wrestling is the other state championship sport that isn’t divided into divisions? Don’t answer that.

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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Follow the leaders From left, Peyton Bilo Lauren LaRocco, Miranda Myers Madison Rawson Camille Boudreaux

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Pack Attack: Story by Jim McCue. Photos by James K. Leash

From left, Peyton Bilo, Miranda Myers, Lauren LaRocco, Madison Rawson , Camille Boudreaux

Closing the Gap Great Oak-Temecula won the 2012 Division I state championship race, topping second-place St. Francis 57-115. Following are how the seven runners from each team finished, with returning runners in bold. Scores are determined by adding the places of the teams’ top five finishers. Great Oak (57) Place, Name Time 6. Miranda Kewley........... 17:58 7. Ashley Helbig ............ 17:58 12. Christian Calain....... 18:10 14. Haley Dorris............. 18:12 18. Maiya Larsen........... 18:27 29. Alexis Messerly.......... 18:43 61. Kim McNamee.......... 19:16 St. Francis (115) 11. Lauren LaRocco...... 18:10 20. Peyton Bilo............... 18:31 22. Eleanor Ferguson..... 18:34 26. Madison Rawson.... 18:38 36. Miranda Myers......... 18:49 78. Allison Klas................ 19:35 139. Kim Lackner............ 21:20

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he St. Francis High School girls cross country team is a close group. They hang out together, laugh together, run together, and win together. “Our strength is the ‘Pack Attack,’” said junior Miranda Myers. “We all run real close together and have been working very hard together.” The Troubadours’ pack mentality has been a trait taught by head coach John DuCray for years. But the cross country coaching veteran sees a singular focus and dedication in this year’s team that he has never seen before in his 30-plus years of training and teaching distance runners. “This team is the most disciplined and dedicated group of girls I have coached,” DuCray said. “And it’s not just the top four or five runners, but all the way through. It’s 10-15 runners who are dedicated. “What makes them special and shows the dedication is their offseason training. These girls are very good about staying with the program, they are great workers in practice, follow instructions well, and race really smart.” Heading into the 2013 season, St. Francis was ranked No. 11 in the country by the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA), and was the second-ranked team from California. Among state schools, the Troubadours trail only Great Oak-Temecula, who won the CIF Division I team state title a year ago, one spot ahead of St. Francis.

DuCray returns four of his top-five finishers from the state meet while Great Oak also has four returning in 2013, setting up a potential rematch at the CIF Cross Country Championships at Woodward Park in Fresno. To a runner, the team insists that preseason rankings pale in comparison to its standing at the end of the season. The goal of improving themselves individually and as a team as the season progresses takes precedence over seeking a specific standing in the state or nation. “As a team, we just want to do the best that we can,” said senior Lauren LaRocco, who is the Troubadours’ top returning runner. “Coach has a goal of getting five girls under 18 minutes in a 5-kilometer race, so we are not paying attention to rankings or standings.” LaRocco was the Troubadours’ top finisher at the state meet with a 16thplace result, and she has led the group both off and on the course thus far in 2013. The senior has been the team’s top finisher in each of its three Sep-

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tember races, including wins at the Ed Sias Invitational in Martinez and the Oakmont Invitational in Roseville to start the season. Fellow senior Madison Rawson and juniors Miranda Myers and Camille Boudreaux have been among the top St. Francis runners early on and are expected to be key contributors throughout Delta River League, Sac-Joaquin Section and state meets. Junior Peyton Bilo, who was the Troubadours’ second-best finisher at the state meet last year (she finished 30th) is currently recovering from a stress fracture in her left leg, but should be a factor in November and December. While Bilo heals, DuCray is confident that his deep roster will work and progress toward its peak in the postseason. He understands that the biggest races will come much later in the year, but that practices and races in September will play a large role in the team’s success in November. “My Dad always said that if you do it in practice, then you will do it in a Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

meet,” DuCray said of the Troubadours’ focus during training runs, “So cross your T’s and dot your I’s in practice.” DuCray has always assessed and re-evaluated his training methods with the help of books and seminars authored by experts and racing legends. He credits the likes of Dr. Jack Daniels’ Running Formula and distance superstar Alberto Salazar, among others, for his current regimen for the St. Francis squad. “I have tweaked my training to get more bang for the buck,” the veteran coach said. “My biggest dilemma has always been how many miles do I run these girls every week. I have come to a happy medium, thinking that 42-50 miles per week for the top groups seems to really do well and leads to running well at a State level.” In the end, that is what the Troubadours’ are training for — a strong showing at the state meet. With the runner-up finish in 2012 as motivation, St. Francis would love to finish one place higher. And DuCray believes that this group of runners can reach that goal. “We believe that we can win the league championship every year, and the last few years, it has been a fair goal to go after the section championship,” DuCray said. “With our second-place finish at State last year and four of our top five runners back from that team, along with some good young ladies trying to get up there, we can legitimately think about a State championship. “We have the talent, we are in the hunt, it’s a legitimate goal.” The individual talents of runners like LaRocco, Rawson, Myers, Boudreaux, and Bilo can carry St. Francis to an unprecedented state championship. But the Troubadours’ pack mentality will determine just how great their achievements will be in 2013. “Being a team is our greatest strength,” said Rawson. “We all help each other stay positive, and that goes beyond the varsity team to the entire program. “The pack always stays together and encourages one another.” The Troubadours’ ultimate team goal—for a full pack of five runners to cross the finish line under 18:00—may seem lofty, but the runners see it as the accomplishment of numerous individual goals supported by the entire team unit. “If everyone has their personal goals, then it will move the team goals,” LaRocco said. “I just want to be better than last year, so if I can improve, then the whole team can be better.” Myers echoed the sentiment.

“It’s easy to work toward my personal goals because the team helps me achieve those goals by pushing me to be better.” A better St. Francis team is a scary proposition for league and section foes hopeful to outrun the defending-champion Troubadours. It’s also an inspirational proposition for the close-knit pack to run faster and win more — together. ✪

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Lauren LaRocco

October 1, 2013

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Devon Alvarez holds up the Capital Challenge Cup as he and his teammates celebrate a 1-0 win over Bella Vista. Photos by James K. Leash

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Often overshadowed by football, SJS boys soccer used showcase events like the Capital Challenge Cup to build excitement

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By jim mccue | Senior Contributor

n the fall, “secondary” sports have a difficult time competing with football. The majority of high school sports fans give priority to the sights, sounds, and smells of a hard-fought gridiron battle under the Friday night lights. It turns out, though, that supporters, including students, parents, and casual fans, are just as eager to fill stadiums to watch competitive matches with top programs facing off on grass and turf — without the pads and helmets. It just takes the right matchups on the right stage. Capital Christian boys’ soccer coach Ab Alvarez has built that stage on the Cougars’ home turf and is drawing a growing number of area soccer fans to witness the best that local high school soccer has to offer. The third annual Capital Challenge Cup concluded recently, and the most impressive numbers from the event were the throngs of enthusiastic students and soccer fans who showed up. “What started out as something to appeal to the local soccer community has turned into a very lively event with schools and communities coming together,” Alvarez said. “With the quality of play, it has been phenomenal for the players and for soccer fans.” More than three years ago, Alvarez and Jesuit coach Paul Rose discussed the possibility of staging a soccer showcase that would give the local soccer community an opportunity to see some of the region’s top players and programs. So, they teamed up to schedule back-to-back games against top area programs. Alvarez’s Capital Christian team and Rose’s Marauders have played in all three of the Capital Challenge Cup showcases along with Bella Vista and Granite Bay. This year’s edition of the showcase featured three Sac Joaquin Section champions and one runner-up from the previous year, and it did not disappoint. The matinee featured the host Cougars (2012 Division VI section champs) against the two-time defending SJS Division II section champion Broncos from Bella Vista before Jesuit and Granite Bay played a rematch of the 2012 Div. I section title match that the Marauders won. Capital Christian took a close 1-0 decision, scoring on a late penalty kick while the Marauders earned a tough 3-1 victory in a game that was tied 1-1 in the second half. “We always want to play high-caliber teams to find out where we are at and to prepare for league play,” Bella Vista coach Matt Contreras said. “It was like a college atmosphere, and the boys are always excited to play in this event.” With the showcase scheduled for Saturday this year, soccer did not have to compete for students’ support and attendance with football. The result was a packed house with the Jesuit and Granite Bay faithful showing their spirit with lots of people and noise in addition to numerous painted bodies.

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“Scheduling it for Saturday night eliminated any conflict with football,” Alvarez said. “It brought more of the student body out which achieved our goal, which is to allow the students to enjoy a great evening supporting their school and the athletes.” In addition to providing an entertaining evening of quality soccer, the showcase also provides the teams with valuable experience. In preparation for the league seasons and section playoffs, coaches and players get a taste of the intensity and competitive level of the postseason that could pay dividends when the games become a “win or go home” proposition. “We have a very young squad this year with five sophomores on the roster that are all impact players,” Contreras said of the defending Div. II-champion Broncos. “These boys are working hard to keep up the tradition that has been established at the school, and these types of games help them learn a little faster.” The Capital Challenge Cup has drawn the most attention, but it is not the only soccer showcase Alvarez and Rose are teaming up for this season. Capital Christian scheduled three doubleheaders with Jesuit for their preseason slate. On Sept. 6, the Cougars defeated Christian Brothers-Sacramento 6-0 before Jesuit tied its counterpart, Jesuit-Portland, 3-3 on the Capital Christian campus. Jesuit-Portland notched the lone loss during the Marauders’ national championship run in 2012. The final showcase event will take place on Saturday, October 12 at Capital Christian. The Cougars (6-1) will face off with a Rio Americano side that is on the rise and playing top area programs in the preseason, including Jesuit, Bella Vista, and Granite Bay. Jesuit (8-0-3) follows that game with a muchanticipated showdown with rival Davis. The Blue Devils have been perennial contenders in Division I, downing the Marauders in the 2011 section final in penalty kicks after falling to Jesuit in the 2010 section championship match. While many observers are eyeing early nonleague football games as previews of potential playoff battles come November, they may have more preseason battles on the pitch with playoff implications to check out this fall. The most positive result of high-profile matches and showcases is the increase in attendance and enthusiasm of students and casual high school sports fans. The Capital Cup Challenge showed that more than just the regional soccer community is interested in competitive soccer as a viable fall spectator sport. The increased attendance and enthusiasm will not vault soccer past football as the primary sport of the season, but it certainly illustrates that “secondary” sports are increasingly earning a spot under the bright lights, even if it is on a Saturday night. ✪ 20

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SJS Showcase Scores and future matchups from a number of showcase meetings between some of the top programs in the SJS. September 6 Capital Christian 6, Christian Brothers 0 Jesuit-Carmichael 3, Jesuit-Portland 3 September 7 Capital Christian 1, Jesuit-Portland 0 September 14 ( Capital Challenge Cup) Capital Christian 1, Bella Vista 0 Jesuit 3, Granite Bay 1 September 17 Granite Bay 2, Bella Vista 1 September 20 Rio Americano 2, Bella Vista 1 Granite Bay 2, Davis 1 September 23 Rio Americano 2, Jesuit 2 September 24 Capital Christian @ Granite Bay October 12 (@ Capital Christian HS) Rio Americano vs. Capital Christian Davis vs. Jesuit

ABOVE: Jesuit goalkeeper Luc Barbe takes a quick drink during a break in the action of the Marauders’ 3-1 win over Granite Bay.

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Christian Brothers, Jesuit annual battle is about more than the game By jim mccue | Senior Contributor

The waiting is the hardest part. That is true for the players, coaches, students, alumni, administration, and fans of Jesuit and Christian Brothers high schools. Each year, the buildup to the Holy Bowl football game, which determines bragging rights between the two largest Catholic high schools in Sacramento, seems to grow. Emotions and school spirit run high during the week before the Saturday night showcase, played under the lights of Hughes Stadium on the Sacramento City College campus.

Holy bowl “It is a special week for the schools,” Jesuit athletic director Chris Fahey said. “It rekindles the spirit of why you are at the school, why you went there, or why you are sending your kids there.” “It is just a lot of fun to see the school spirit and pride shared by generations.” Jesuit and Christian Brothers, which are separated by less than 10 miles, hold spirit competitions and rallies during the week before the big game. But the competition between the two parochial schools begins well before game week. The high schools battle each other to attract students and athletes from the Catholic elementary and middle schools for years before any of those kids will have the opportunity to don their colors in the Holy Bowl. “We started coming here when our kids were in elementary school,” said Christian Brothers supporter Ross Peabody, who does not have a player on the Falcons’ roster this year. “Most of the kids and families know each other from school or sports or the neighborhood before they pick a side. It’s very competitive, but the Holy Bowl is a great community event.” Holy Bowl XLIII Most Valuable Player, Ben Parietti, is among the many legacy players from families with multiple generations and/or multiple siblings who have participated in the rivalry. No person is more legendary or more experienced with the

Holy Bowl at a glance

›› Jesuit leads the regular season series 27-14-2 and won the only section playoff matchup between the schools (1993)

›› CBS has just 2 wins and a tie in the last 21 regular season meetings (dating back to 1993) ›› Dan Carmazzi has been a part of 40 Holy Bowls as a player, CBS assistant coach, Jesuit assistant coach, Jesuit head coach and CBS Athletic Director.

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Longest winning streaks Jesuit’s (1993-2000) CBS’ (1979-1985)

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Jesuit students let out some enthusiasm from the stands at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento; Sam Agajanian, whose nephew plays for Jesuit, showcases his pot of chili during some pregame tailgate action; Some young Christian Brothers fans get into the spirit, and Jesuit’s Luke Bagley lets out some emotion as he takes the field before the game. James K. Leash photos

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Holy Bowl than Dan Carmazzi. The 2013 game was the 40th of which the Christian Brothers athletic director has taken part. The CBS grad played in the first two Holy Bowls before adding games as an assistant coach for his alma mater and then for rival Jesuit. Carmazzi was the Marauders’ head coach for more than 30 years, moving back to Christian Brothers in 2012 to lead the Falcons’ athletics department. He even coached all three of his sons—Gio, Matt, and Dominic—at Jesuit, providing him with the most unique and accomplished perspective on the game. “I have been very fortunate to be a part of the Holy Bowl for so many years,” he said. “My experience (with the rivalry) has run the gamut, but you can’t beat the feeling as a player. I will never forget those first two years.” Fittingly, the schools split the first two years with Christian Brothers winning the inaugural contest 20-13 in 1969 before Jesuit evened things up with an 8-7 victory. That was well before any of this year’s players were born, but the history is cherished and shared by the scores of alumni that flock to Sacramento to witness another Holy Bowl. “This is the one game per year where out-of-town alums come back,” Fahey said. “The game is becoming more of a spectacle and it creates almost a college football atmosphere.” Tailgating is one aspect of the college football feel. Supporters from Christian Brothers arrived on the Sac City College campus at 4:30 a.m. on game day this year to secure prime real estate in the parking lot to set up tents for serving game day fare to alumni, students, and other Falcons supporters. Chad Wilbourn, whose son Cole is a junior linebacker for Jesuit, moved to Sacramento from Nebraska just two years ago. He has been impressed with the atmosphere of the Holy Bowl, which is high praise from a fan familiar with the football environment and ambiance of Cornhusker country in Lincoln. As a bonus, Wilbourn did not have to buy new red game day attire, either. Despite the intensity of the rivalry, the two sides place a large emphasis on sportsmanship and respect. “There is great competition and intensity involved with the Holy Bowl,” Carmazzi said, “but there is also a great deal of respect

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TOP: Christian Brothers’ Chris Guillen holds up the ball after rushing for his second touchdown of the game. ABOVE: Students from Christian Brothers didn’t let a little wet weather keep them from showcasing their school spirit. between the schools. “(The game) used to be just for bragging rights as you drove along Fair Oaks Boulevard, but it has gotten much bigger than that.” Holy Bowl XLIII, which was won by Jesuit 52-28, exceeded the expectations of many with a high-scoring duel and several record performances that created new legends and heroes for the next generation of Marauders and Falcons. After the final seconds ticked off the clock and the lights were finally turned off at Hughes Stadium, another Holy Bowl came to a close. So, now the waiting begins again, especially for Christian Brothers, who must endure a year of Jesuit bragging rights before the Falcons get another shot. ✪

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El Cerrito adjusting to life as front-runner It was an up-and-down first four weeks of the season for the El Cerrito High football team, and it ended on a down note in a 42-27 loss at Campolindo-Moraga on Sept. 20. With perhaps their most talented roster ever, the Gauchos have never been under the microscope more than this season. They opened the year as favoritea to reach the California Interscholastic Federation Division III Northern Regional bowl game, holding the top spot in CalHiSports.com’s Div. III NorCal Bowl Ranking.

Meanwhile, El Cerrito coach Kenny Khan was all for embracing the challenge and built his nonleague schedule as such. El Cerrito opened the season with a 34-14 win over Sutter, a CIF Div. III NorCal bowl participant a year ago. The Gauchos then dropped a tough 28-25 loss to Central Coast Section Div. I-power, Bellarmine-San Jose — playing the game without star wide receiver Jalen Harvey. Harvey was back a week later and caught a touchdown pass in El Cerrito’s most significant road win in several seasons, a 35-7 victory over Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa. The Cardinals entered the game ranked No. 3 in the CalHiSports.com Bowl Rankings for NorCal Div. III. “(The Bellarmine loss) taught them that playing tough opponents in the preseason means you have to show up and be a high caliber football team from the very jump,” Kahn said of his team following the win over Cardinal Newman. “You don’t just get to get in a groove and figure it out.” One week later, El Cerrito matched a red-hot Campolindo team — also among the Div. III bowl rankings — score for score to a 21-21 tie before the Cougars pulled away in the second half. Despite the 2-2 mark, there’s no reason to consider El Cerrito out of the NorCal bowl picture. The Gauchos will be heavy favorites in every one of their Tri-County League-Rock Division games, and should coast into the postseason with an 8-2 mark. Then fortunately for them, many of the top-ranked bowl favorites for Division III reside in the North Coast Section, including Marin Catholic Kentfield — which narrowly defeated El Cerrito in last year’s NCS title game — and Campolindo, among others. As long as the Gauchos can take care of business and win their first NCS title, they should be a lock for one of the two CIF NorCal Bowl participants. “We’re still a work in progress,” Kahn said following the Cardinal Newman win. “But I’d like to think our progress is showing we’re a high-caliber team who wants to be one of the best. We’ll keep working at it and keep trying to get better each and every week.” NOTES: Few Sac-Joaquin Section teams have generated more buzz in the past few weeks than Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills, and deservedly so after a 4-0 start and a 20-17 win over Grant-Sacramento on Sept. 20. Behind the big start is yet another young QB talent, Ian Book. The 6-foot-1 sophomore has completed 61 percent of his passes for slightly less than 1,000 yards. He’s thrown for 10 TDs and just two interceptions. The Trojans face another physical opponent in Vacaville on Sept. 27 before their Delta River League opener when Book will go toe-to-toe with the region’s gold standard at QB, Jake Browning of Folsom. ... League play starts for a number of NCS teams on Sept. 27, and perhaps the most intriguing matchup will be in the Diablo Foothill Athletic League where Campolindo and Acalanes-Lafayette meet up. Both teams have opened the season 4-0, and last year’s contest was an instant classic as Campolindo eeked out a 40-39 win on the final play of the game. ✪ — Chace Bryson

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Records are through Sept. 21 1. (1)

— De La Salle-Concord

4-0

2. (2)

— Folsom

4-0

3. (3)

— Elk Grove

4-0

4. (4)

— Bellarmine-San Jose

3-0

5. (5)

— Serra-San Mateo

1-1

6. (7)

▲ Granite Bay

2-1

7. (8)

▲ Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove

4-0

8. (9)

▲ Marin Catholic-Kentfield

4-0

9. (11)

▲ Deer Valley-Antioch

3-0

10. (14) ▲ Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills

4-0

11. (13) ▲ St. Mary’s-Stockton

2-1

12. (17) ▲ Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

3-0

13. (6)

▼ Palo Alto

1-1

14. (19) ▲ Pittsburg

3-1

15. (NR) ▲ Campolindo-Moraga

4-0

16. (NR) ▲ Foothill-Pleasanton

4-0

17. (10) ▼ El Cerrito

2-2

18 (20) ▲ California-San Ramon

2-1

19. (18) ▼ Del Oro-Loomis

1-2

20. (15) ▼ Grant-Sacramento

3-1

DROPPED OUT No. 12 Vacaville and No. 16 Valley Christian-San Jose

ON THE RISE

El Cerrito QB Keilan Benjamin. Phillip Walton photo

“(The Bellarmine loss) taught them that playing tough opponents in the preseason means you have to show up and be a high caliber football team from the very jump. You don’t just get to get in a groove and figure it out.”

The two most notable wins this week came from Archbishop Mitty-San Jose and Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills. Mitty hopped into the rankings at No. 17 after two seasonopening wins over Los Gatos and Leland-San Jose, but the Monarchs truly proved they were for real with a convincing 34-14 win over No. 6 Palo Alto on Sept. 21. That win vaulted Mitty to No. 12, just two spots behind new No. 10 Oak Ridge. The Trojans reach the Top 10 after a gritty 20-17 win at No. 15 Grant-Sacramento.

TEAMS STILL RANKED FROM PRESEASON TOP 20: 15 KNOCKING ON THE DOOR (alphabetically) Acalanes-Lafayette (4-0), Amador Valley-Pleasanton (3-0), Captial Christian-Sacramento (4-0), Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa (2-1), Carmel (3-0), Casa Grande-Petaluma (3-0), Central Catholic-Modesto (3-1), Clayton Valley CharterConcord (2-1), McClymonds-Oakland (3-1), Milpitas (2-0), Northgate-Walnut Creek (4-0) and St. Francis-Mountain View (3-0).

— El Cerrito coach Kenny Khan

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training time: Tim Rudd for iyca

In-Season Training

Necessity. Not a luxury High school athletes who are in-season must budget their time extremely carefully. For most competitive athletes the time and energy commitment needed to succeed is very intense. Many athletes assume they will not have the time to train even for a single hour a week with their busy schedules. But like anything else, you should always find an hour or two to devote to something that is vital to your success. If you are a coach or serious athlete who wants to succeed, you should know that in-season training has a pretty strong list of reasons why it can give you or your team a big competitive advantage. ›› 1. Injury Reduction. Most non-contact injuries occur when athletes either lack strength or conditioning later in the season. Fatigued athletes are at greater risk for injury — and the same goes for weaker athletes. In-season training helps maintain the efficiency in which the athletes move by maintaining movement quality through the ankles, hips and shoulders that can erode during the season. ›› 2. Performing at a high level throughout the season. In-season programs maintain an athlete’s movement quality, as mentioned above, along with strength, speed and power gained in the offseason. Together these form the base of an efficient and high performing athlete throughout a season. The fact is athletes and teams who consistently train during the season will have a huge advantage. Those athletes who maintain or gain strength, power and explosiveness in-season will distance themselves from the pack. They will continue to improve the qualities that are vital for performing at a top level and will get closer to their true athletic potential. ›› 3. Improved recovery. Some athletes just assume that in-season training is just going to beat them up. This couldn’t

be further from the truth. In-season training still focuses on high intensity but at much lower volumes. In-season program should include recovery strategies such as self-myofascial release, stretching and mobility. Your athletes will have more, not less, energy. Foam rolling and stretching increases blood flow to overworked muscles, allowing for quicker recovery from exhausting practices and games. Workouts that emphasize lower volumes of intensity will keep your athlete’s nervous system more alert and energized. The combined result is your athletes will feel fresher during the toughest parts of their schedule. #4. It strengthens your athlete’s resolve. The more proactive an athlete is in their own success, the more likely it is they will sacrifice to achieve a goal. On an individual level, the simple act of prioritizing a workout in-season sends a powerful subconscious message that they are willing to go above and beyond to achieve excellence. Imagine the impact of an entire team that willingly works on their development during the season while their competition gets more worn down with each passing week. High school athletes are balancing sports and academics during their season. Those who find a way to devote one to two hours a week to improving their explosiveness, strength, conditioning, resolve and energy levels is a clear win — for them and their team. ✪

keys to the in-season training program

Get frequent workouts (realistically 2 per week) with higher intensities but lower volumes. Intensity is the key to training, not volume and this applies even more in-season. Never skip an in-season workout. A 15-minute, one set workout is better in the long run than a missed day.

Work lower body strength and power in-season. Don’t “save the legs”. If you save them in September, they will fail you in November. High intensity, low volume. One or two sets of an Olympic lift and one or two sets of a squat or variation can go a long way.

Bottom line ›› Quick workouts with an emphasis on higher intensity (heavier weight) lower body and lower volume (less sets).

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I love a good story and lately I’ve been inspired by BIG achievements. For instance, Diana Nyad’s 35-year pursuit of her dream to swim unassisted from Cuba to Florida is an amazing testament to persistence, drive and focus. Or, Elena Delle Donne awarded the WNBA Rookie of the Year after a very challenging road to the pros that required her to make incredible athletic sacrifices in order to manage her personal life. She persisted and made it to the big time. When it comes to setting and achieving your BIG goals (e.g., making the varsity team, winning a big tournament or earning an athletic scholarship), it’s imperative that you answer the following questions honestly. Reflect on the following and write your responses: ›› What do you want? ›› How much do you want it? ›› How much do you believe in your ability to achieve the goal? ›› What are you willing to sacrifice in order to achieve the goal? It’s fair to say that Nyad wanted to achieve her goal and BELIEVED she could accomplish it. She was willing to sacrifice years of training, pain and suffering to continue to try. Elena gave up basketball (at UConn!) in order to stay close to home, even switched sports but ultimately found her way back to basketball. Your persistence will also be tested along the way, probably in ways you don’t anticipate and it will make a BIG impact on the outcome. Don’t forget the most important pieces of the achievement puzzle. Any good goal plan is made up mostly of performance goals — the “how to” goals that lead you toward your BIG achievements. Dream big and work smart. ✪

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get mental: erika Carlson

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Not keeping with some kind of in-season lifting program will negatively affect your performance It’s officially football season, and if you’re anything like me the world finally seems livable again. I was blessed enough to play football in college and the NFL, and then given the ability to give back to current athletes. What I know distinctly is that the body likes to be as efficient as possible, so with long tiresome practices every day its not in the bodies best interest to hold all that energy consuming muscle mass. So what does the body do? It sheds the extra weight, and that’s very detrimental to the success of an athlete. So how do you bypass this troublesome issue? Continue to lift weights so your body realizes it still needs that mass, strength, and power. Too many athletes train with me in the offseason and get in the best shape of their lives, only to stop cold turkey once the season starts, which results in a weaker, slower, and more out-of-shape athlete than the one who started the season. This happens because there is no effort put into maintenance of the body during the season. Now I know what you’re thinking, “I don’t have any time.” Ok, well will you have time once you’re out with an injury to your knee that weakened over time because you stopped squatting and lunging like you did in training in the offseason? Take the time to take care of your body now or later. ✪ Anthony Trucks is the owner of Trucks Training facility in Brentwood and covers weight training for SportStars.

Where are you spending your time? 30

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It’s hard to make concussion statistics any scarier. Millions of traumatic brain injuries occur each year in sports and recreationrelated activities. Many concussions are difficult to detect and many athletes underreport their injuries. Concussions that are unrecognized or are mismanaged put athletes at risk of serious consequences from re-injury. Repetitive head trauma can lead to a permanent decrease in brain function. Timely diagnosis and prompt treatment can help prevent more serious complications.

concussions: hunter greene, m.d.

PRE-SEASON BASELINE TESTING

Physicians can treat a concussion more thoroughly if you provide a snapshot of your brain function before the season starts

CheckYourHead

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Before an injury, obtaining baseline information on an athlete can make post-injury assessment more accurate because we have a snapshot of baseline brain function. At Summit Orthopedic Specialists, we use the ImPACT test. It’s a short neuro-cognitive computer test to evaluate multiple areas of brain function, including memory, problem solving, reaction times and brain processing speeds.

AFTER A HEAD INJURY

If you sustain a concussion (or suspected concussion), you should undergo a thorough evaluation and neuro-cognitive test within 24 to 72 hours after the injury. Your doctor should develop a comprehensive management plan focused on returning you to action safely. It can be difficult to determine if the brain has healed from a concussion. Even after all symptoms have subsided, healing may not be complete. Follow-up neuro-cognitive testing can be a helpful tool in determining when you’re back at your baseline and can safely return to activity. Knowing the facts about concussions and taking the proper steps to treatment when you’re injured will get you back on the field faster. ✪ Hunter Greene, M.D., is a board certified orthopedic surgeon with Summit Orthopedic Specialists in Carmichael. He specializes in adult and pediatric sports medicine.

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the

Build brakes Increasing your throwing velocity actually starts with the muscles which slow down the arm and shoulder

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arm/shoulder strength: justin dudley The decelerating muscles of your arm, the brakes for your arm, need to be the primary focus for all baseball players. Strengthening these vital decelerating muscles will protect your arm from injury as well as increase your throwing velocity. Yes, you heard that right. Strengthening the decelerating muscles will actually improve your ability to accelerate a baseball. That may sound crazy, but your body doesn’t want to hurt itself and will only allow you to accelerate your arm to the point where it can slow it down. The force created at the shoulder immediately following the release of the baseball (distraction force) has been measured up to 1.5 times the players body weight. So if you weigh 200 pounds, the decelerating force at your shoulder can be up to 300 pounds on every pitch. Multiply that by 100 pitches in a game and you can understand why the muscles on the back side of the shoulder are sore. Ron Wolforth has a great analogy for this: He says “it is like driving a Ferrari with no brakes.” How fast are you going to drive? Crossover Symmetry protocols target these essential decelerating muscles in a practical, structured and time efficient system that can be done right on the field. Crossover Symmetry protocols and throwing itself are great ways to strengthen the decelerating muscles for the arm, you just have to do it smart. Much like any activity, if you overdo it without being prepared, you are putting yourself at risk. For more velocity or questions on the shoulder call (303) 403 0126 or viist www.gocrossover.com. ✪ Justin Dudley is an in-house Physical Therapist for Crossover Symmetry, based in Denver.

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health watch: jamie faison

Coaches vital part of identifying injuries A key part of the sports medicine chain of care is the coaches who are working with the athletes every day. Coaches are working with the athletes for hours every day and are vitally important to help identify athletes who are limited in their athletic participation. Coaches are constantly observing, evaluating and assessing their athletes in regards to technique, speed of movement and awareness, and if the coach notices that an athlete is apprehensive or unable to give full effort then they should refer that athlete to be evaluated by an athletic trainer or another member of the sports medicine chain of care. Three athletic limitations a coach may observe during practice or games that may clue them into an injury or impairment are: limping on one leg, avoiding use of an injured arm, and an athlete with a headache. When I work the sidelines of a game, it is common to see an athlete trying to gut-out an injury or ailment on the field. But when working with a pediatric sports athlete it is best for the individual and the team to make sure they are healthy before they return to play. Running on with a limp will not help your team win, and it can also cause another injury due to compensation. Playing with a hurt shoulder or arm does not allow you to protect yourself on the playing field if you fall, and can have catastrophic consequences. A headache is another common occurrence in everyday life as well as athletics, and can be caused by a number of different reasons including but not limited to over-training, dehydration, poor nutrition, or lack of sleep. Every athlete with a headache needs to be evaluated before being allowed to continue playing. Since head injuries and concussions are a point of emphasis in the sports medicine community, we need to make sure that an athlete with a headache is checked out before heading back onto the playing field. In the end, coaches are at the front lines when it comes to identifying athletic injuries. Our goal when working with youth sports athletes is to build strong, healthy and happy children. By recognizing warning signs for injury, we can catch some of these injuries and allow them to get the proper treatment sooner rather than later. ✪ Jamie Faison is a physical therapist assistant at Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine Center for Young Athletes in Walnut Creek. He is also a certified athletic trainer who specializes in treating, rehabilitating and educating injured high school athletes.

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tristeps: liz elliott

Run into the offseason

actively

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The offseason is important for any triathlete. A time to rest your body, and mind, to rejuvenate your love of movement and sport. During the triathlon season that is February through September, you need to focus on all aspects of triathlon — the swim, the bike, the run, transitions, speed work, racing. Ugh. All of this can be overloading, physically yes, but mostly mentally. Take advantage of the “off season” of triathlon. “Off Season” of triathlon is traditionally October through January, and you are not really “off”. 1. DO ACTIVITIES YOU ENJOY. Continue cross train through the fall and winter, but if you feel like going for a bike because the weather is super nice and you enjoy it most, then go for a bike. 2. BRANCH OUT. Try new events. Participate in events you wouldn’t normally do during triathlon season. 3. GET FRIENDS AND FAMILY INVOLVED. During the off season there is more time to go for a relaxed, leisurely run or ride with the kids, your wife or husband, or friends. They may become your new training partners come February. 4. FOCUS ON YOUR WEAKNESS. If swimming is your weak area, then join a swim class or take private lessons over the winter. There are lots of indoor facilities all over the Bay Area. And, this is California — the weather is nice year-round. 5. WORKOUT AT TIMES/PLACES YOU LIKE. If your tri club usually meets in evenings, but you prefer morning workouts, take advantage of the off season to workout in the mornings. 6. ENJOY FOODS YOU LIKE. Fall and winter have many wonderful family holidays. Enjoy! Change things up and have fun with your fitness over the fall and winter. You deserve it. Take some time to reset your love of movement and this great sport, and you’ll be raring to go come February. ✪ Liz Elliott was an All-American collegiate swimmer and is the head coach at Tri-Valley Triathlon Club.

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Put Those Guns

Welcome to Impulse, your one-stop shop for gadgets, gizmos and gear. Now with extra doo-dads. Compiled by Mike DeCicco, Impulse provides you with the latest and greatest in the market along with upcoming events. We try to keep you looking good. Not that you guys need it. I mean, you look great! Ok, enough schmoozing. On to Impulse:

to work hate If you’ve been reading Level Up (and we know you are) you probably have totally massive guns. Like mine. Put them to use with the Armpocket. It’s an unobtrusive, comfortable and functional solution for that age-old question: where do I put all this stuff? Your keys, phone, cash other small items fit right in. It’s water (and sweat ... eww) resistant and won’t slip. You’ve worked on those guns, now put them to work for you. www.armpocket.com

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chronicle the You may not have heard, but it seems the Giants and Dodgers don’t like each. I know, right? Mind. Blown. If you love all things with this iconic rivalry, you have to read Joe Konte’s ‘The Rivalry Heard ‘Round the World: The Dodgers-Giants Feud from Coast to Coast.’ Celebrate the best, worst and weirdest moments starting with the first game in 1889. 1889? To give you an idea of how long ago that was, Tommy Lasorda was still a rookie. Go to your local bookstore and get it. Books make you smart.

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Bye-Bye Fannypacks

kickin’ it for winter Weather ain’t no reason for stopping the game. The Diablo Valley Futsal Winter League is coming. Recreation leagues for ages U6-U12 (boys and girls, don’t you know) plus competitive teams for ages U-6 through high school. Also, since we adults know what we’re doing out there between the groin pulls and wrenched backs, there’s an Adult Open and Over 35 League. Games in Walnut Creek and Martinez. Sign up by Nov. 2. www.diablovallyefutsal.com or Ricardo@diablovalleyfutsal.com. Game time, y’all.

And not a moment too soon. Enter Bandi. It’s like a fannypack, but it’s got that one missing ingredient: Style. And here at Impulse, we’re all about style. And nachos. But mainly style. These sleek belts have a unique pocket that secures small essentials while you’re out exercising. It’s easy, it’s stylish. No awkward zippers or pockets. Go head, buy two. www.bandiwear.com

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