SportStars Now Issue 66, April 21, 2018 by Sport Stars Magazine

SSNOW ISSUE 66 APRIL 21, 2018

Vanessa Strong

shea moreno SHELDON-SACRAMENTO - SENIOR - SOFTBALL

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The UCLA-bound senior belted three big hits (two doubles) and knocked in two runs during Sheldon-Sacramento’s 6-4 vengeance win over rival Elk Grove on April 19. The road victory propelled Sheldon a step closer to splitting the Delta League championship, considering Elk Grove won the first meeting on March 20. Moreno, also sharp at third base, belted a double in Sheldon’s 5-2

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win over third-place Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove on April 17. Moreno is Sheldon’s team leader in home runs (three) and RBIs (18) this season.

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From left, Ashlie Livermore, Sydney Carmignani, Vanessa Strong and Alyssa McBroom

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Records are through April 14 1. (2)

▲

Amador Valley-Pleasanton

11-3-1

2. (5)

▲

Oakdale

13-0

3. (6)

▲

Freedom-Oakley

9-0

4. (13)

▲

Elk Grove

12-3-1

5. (4)

▼

Sheldon-Sacramento

8-2

6. (1)

▼

Foothill-Pleasanton

10-2

7. (7)

—

James Logan-Union City

9-2

8 (12)

▲

Tracy

13-3

9. (3)

▼

Carlmont-Belmont

13-1

10. (10) —

East Union-Manteca 12-4

11. (16) ▲

Benicia

10-1-1

12. (17) ▲

St. Mary’s-Stockton

10-2

13. (9)

St. Francis-Mountian View

12-4

14. (18) ▲

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

10-3

15. (15) —

San Marin-Novato

8-0

16. (NR) ▲

Heritage-Brentwood

7-1

17. (8)

Watsonville

13-1

18. (19) ▲

St. Ignatius-S.F.

12-2

19. (20) ▲

Casa Roble-Orangevale

10-2

20. (NR) ▲

Del Campo-Fair Oaks

13-3

▼

DROPPED OUT: No. 11 Concord and No. 14 Napa. THE NEXT FIVE: 21. Valley Christian-San Jose (10-3), 22. Livermore (11-3), 23. Hillsdale-San Mateo (14-3), No. 24 Rodriguez-Fairfield (13-4) and No. 25 Napa (10-4).

Sydney Carmignani takes a swing during an April 20 practice; Alyssa McBroom sets to make a throw from third base; Ashlie Livermore gets some practice hacks in.

BIGGEST MOVERS: Amador Valley is back in the top spot after the first two weeks of April. The Dons’ only three losses are to SoCal stalwarts. Elk Grove was actually the biggest mover, joining the Top 5. However, the No. 4 Thundering Herd faced a short stay considering they were scheduled to square off against No. 5 Sheldon on April 19. Elk Grove’s ownership of the No. 4 ranking is due in large part to a 3-2 win over Sheldon in March.

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hen the going gets tough, the Freedom High-Oakley softball team gets loud. Really, really loud. L-O-U-D loud. The noise generated by the Falcons isn’t just the typical dugout chatter. Their April 17 Bay Valley Athletic League opener often approached the volume you’d hear inside a noisy basketball gym. The noise at the plate also hit high decibels. The Falcons emerged with a 10-3 win over Heritage, busting open a tense, tied game with an eight-run outburst in the bottom of the sixth inning. Freedom, ranked 10th nationally and fifth in California by MaxPreps, improved to 10-0 on the season and added an 11th win two days later. Heritage was 8-3 after rebounding with a win on April 19. “Heritage was loud when they came in, so it fired up our girls more, so we tried to get louder than them, and it got pretty loud on both sides,” Freedom coach Brook Russo said. “That fires you up. It wasn’t quiet out there, that’s for sure. “ After tying the game with two runs in the fifth, and thwarting a couple Patriots scoring threats, the Falcons sent 13 batters to the plate in a rally that seemingly would never end. With two runners aboard, Madison Saunders stung one that was stopped by Heritage third baseman Riley Ehlen, but Saunders reached safely to load the bases for Sydney Carmignani. Carmignani lined one past first base to give the Falcons the lead. After a throwing error produced another Falcons run, Ashlie Livermore bashed her first home run of this season over the right field fence for three more runs. “Honestly, I just went up there knowing that I had to hit a base hit,” Livermore said. “Then I told myself I was going to swing at the next pitch regardless of what it was. And it ended up going over the fence and it felt great.” Russo felt confident his No. 2 hitter was going to do something big. “She’s a good batter, a smart batter at the plate,” Russo said. “Bunt or hit. She’s a good bunter and hitter.” The win over Heritage continued a roll that the Falcons began in earnest in late March, when they won the Reno tournament, beating Nevada power Spanish Springs-Sparks in the championship game. They won all three Livermore Stampede pool play games and will be in the tournament’s top championFollow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

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ship bracket when the rain-delayed event resumes on April 21. For a program that has eight North Coast Section titles since the school opened in 1996, this season has the looks of something special. Team chemistry is a big reason for that. “We vibe together well, and we know we just have each other’s back so we don’t have to worry about anything,” Livermore said. Heritage is expected to be the Falcons’ chief competition in the BVAL this year, and from the start of the game, the Patriots looked every bit the part. Heritage jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, and the Falcons looked to be in a struggle at home. The Patriots have dealt the Falcons their only league loss of the year in each of the previous three seasons. They meet again on May 3 at Heritage. “Heritage is always tough,” said second baseman Carmignani. “I just kept my head up, and didn’t think anything negative or anything. It was still early in the game and I knew we would be able to come back, and that’s what we did.” In this meeting, the Patriots were unable to score again against star Falcons pitcher Vanessa Strong after that first inning. “I knew we were still in good hands,” Russo said. “Because our hitting has been really good. That momentum changed and I knew that these girls had it. Once we start hitting the ball, we’re unbeatable.” And when the Falcons are loud -- in the dugout and at the plate -- they are unbeatable. “After the first inning, it was kind of hard,” Livermore said. “We kind of got down, but we knew that we couldn’t let them know that we were down. So we just kept screaming and finally it caught up to us during the sixth inning and we scored a lot of runs.” ✪ — Story by Mike Wood, Photos by Phil Walton

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GIANT OPPORTUNITY Concord Offers One Of Several Northern California Junior Giants Chapters

pring has officially arrived, and so has baseball season. That means plenty of afternoons watching the Giants take the field in their orange and black. But what if your child wanted to play for the Giants? Guess what, he or she can! Concord will once again be home to a chapter of the Junior Giants program — an extension of the Giants Community Fund — is a non-competitive co-ed baseball league for children ages 5-18 with more than 90 local chapters through California, Nevada and parts of Oregon. The Giants founded the organization as one that would serve as a positive alternative to unhealthy activities for at-risk youth. Junior Giants wants to offer more than just baseball, but a vehicle meant to further enrich a player’s experience. Players learn the Junior Giants Four Bases of Character Development: Confidence, Integrity, Leadership and Teamwork, as well as the importance of education, health and bullying prevention. The program is now in its 26th year and serves over 25,000 youth annually. Concord has been proud to play a role in that over the years, and it’s excited to do so again

in 2018. Piloted by the Concord Police Athletic League, the Concord Junior Giants serves players from 6- to 13-years old. Games are played on the Junior Optimist Baseball Fields on Olivera Road. Registration opened for the 2018 season on April 4 and can be accessed online at: sfrgmonument.siplay.com/site/ Families will need to create an account online to register their children. Once there, adults can also volunteer as a coach, assistant coach or a team parent. Several volunteers are needed to create a successful Junior Giants season. No experience is necessary to volunteer for such roles, training will be provided to all who are interested. However, all volunteers must submit to a background check. For any questions regarding the league or registration, contact Ana Villalobos at 925-6035787 or concordjrgiants@gmail.com. Now go oil up that glove and get the kid on the diamond. ✪

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matador’s mainman Billy Duby, Miramonte’s Senior Hurler, Is Setting The Pace

pril 10 was a pretty darn good day for Bay Area pitchers. The pitcher who got the most attention for his efforts that afternoon was Valley Christian-San Jose hurler Patrick Wicklander. All he did was strike out 18 batters in a 7-0 no-hit shutout of Riordan-S.F. The University of Arkansas-signee was lights out in the win which pushed the Warriors to 17-1-1 overall at the time. He lowered his ERA to 0.98 that afternoon and his opponents’ batting average to .085. Meanwhile, outside of the spotlight, another gem was being spun in the East Bay. Billy Duby, a 6-foot-3, righthander for Miramonte-Orinda tossed his own no-hitter in a 2-1 win over NorCal-ranked Acalanes-Lafayette.

As for Duby’s no-hitter one week earlier, the big righty struck out five. ... He needed just 86 pitches over the seven innings, and he also went 1-for-2 at the plate with a single and a walk.

Records are through April 14 1. (1)

—

Valley Christian-San Jose

18-1-1

2. (3)

▲

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

15-3

3. (4)

▲

Bellarmine-San Jose

16-3

4. (8)

▲

De La Salle-Concord

11-3

5. (2)

▼

Elk Grove

8-3-2

6. (5)

▼

Foothill-Pleasanton

12-2

7. (6)

▼

St. Francis-Mountain View

14-5

8. (7)

▼

Serra-San Mateo

12-5

9. (10)

▲

Franklin-Elk Grove

13-3

10. (11) ▲

St. Mary’s-Stockton

10-4-1

11. (13) ▲

Tracy

9-4

12. (14) ▲

Berkeley

13-1

13. (NR) ▲

Casa Grande-Petaluma

9-4

14. (16) ▲

Davis

7-5

15. (15) —

Heritage-Brentwood

9-4

16. (12) ▼

Los Gatos

13-5

17. (9)

Acalanes-Lafayette

9-3

18. (NR) ▲

Vacaville

10-4

19. (NR) ▲

Granada-Livermore

12-4

20. (18) ▼

Palo Alto

12-6

▼

DROPPED OUT: No. 17 Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F., No. 19 Monte Vista-Danville and No. 20 Rocklin. THE NEXT FIVE: 21. Drake-San Anselmo (11-3), 22.

Duby, a senior, has evolved into the emotional leader for a Miramonte team which has thrived despite being in a transition year of sorts. A senior-laden Matadors team fell one run shy of a perfect season in 2017, falling to DrakeSan Anselmo 4-3 in the North Coast Section Division III final. Longtime coach Vince Dell’aquila retired at the end of the season and Kevin Hodges has taken a less experienced bunch for 2018. That bunch hasn’t skipped much of a beat. Miramonte was 10-4-2 overall after winning its Diablo League-Valley Conference opener 2-1 over Las Lomas-Walnut Creek on April 17. Duby was the winning pitcher in that contest too, going 61⁄3 innings, striking out four and walking just one. Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

Alameda (12-0-1), 23. Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton (13-4), 24. Northgate-Walnut Creek (11-1) and 25. MiramonteOrinda (9-4-2). BIGGEST MOVERS: Casa Grande was our biggest mover after two weeks of April, entering the rankings at No. 13 after impressive wins over No. 10 St. Mary’s-Stockton and a Santa Cruz team which, though unranked, was 12-3 through April 14. Case Grande also owns a win over previous-No. 17 Sacred Heart Cathedral. Defending NCS Division I-champion De La Salle is back in the Top 5 of the rankings after wins over former-No. 2 Elk Grove and former-No. 5 Foothill-Pleasanton.

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“(Duby) has provided our pitching staff with a bulldog mentality and the belief that we have the opportunity to put ourselves in a winning position provided our effort, determination and focus is at a high level in every event.” — Miramonte coach Kevin Hodges As for Duby’s no-hitter one week earlier, the big righty struck out five. Acalanes’ only run came when a batter reached after being hit by a pitch, stole second and third, and then scored on a sacrifice fly. He needed just 86 pitches over the seven innings, and he also went 1-for-2 at the plate with a single and a walk. “He has provided our pitching staff with a bulldog mentality and the belief that we have the opportunity to put ourselves in a winning position provided our effort, determination and focus is at a high level in every event,” Hodges said of Duby. “He’s proven to be the hardest working individual in the program.” Following the no-hitter, Duby’s ERA was down to 1.48 through 33 innings pitched. He was 3-1 with a save across eight appearances. At the plate, he was hitting .382 with an on base percentage of .562 thanks to 13 walks. He had 11 runs scored and 11 RBI. While he’s not drawing Wicklander-type attention, Duby has seen collegiate interest in him tick upward. Hodges says he’s currently weighing some Division II, Division III and some NAIA offers, but remains undecided. A few Division I schools have also made contact now. “I am confident he can make an immediate contribution to any program in need of a young impact player,” Hodges said. “I strongly believe the best is yet to come from Bill Duby.” ✪

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Patrick Wicklander

SportStars’ Top Ranked Baseball Teams Produce A Barn-Burner One game after Wicklander’s no-hitter, Valley Christian found itself in a showdown between Cal-Hi Sports’ top two ranked teams in the state. The Warriors — who have occupied the top spot in SportStars’ NorCal Top 20 since the preseason — entered their April 13 game against Bellarmine-San Jose as the No. 1 team in the state as well. The Bells came in at No. 2 and neither team disappointed. Wicklander, understandably, did not pitch in the game. Valley Christian got a combined effort from starter Kevin Pence and reliever William Kempner, and pulled out a 5-2 victory after building a 5-0 lead with a furious third inning rally. According to Cal-Hi Sports, after Steve Zobac gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead with an RBI single, Valley Christian scored four more runs on five consecutive singles — all on first-pitch swings. “Everybody knows where we’re ranked,” Valley Christian coach John Diatte told Cal-Hi Sports after the game. “But I’ve watched plenty of teams over the years ranked high all season that don’t win their last game. Our goal is just to make sure we’re in the best position we can be to win that last game.” Coincidentally, the Warriors would drop their next game 3-0 to West Catholic Athletic League foe, Serra-San Mateo on April 17. Serra is one of five WCAL teams ranked in the top 10 of the NorCal Top 20. Archbishop Mitty-San Jose and St. FrancisMountain View are the others. Cal-Hi Sports releases its new state rankings on April 23. ✪

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POLISH UNDER PRESSURE Crossroads-Santa Monica Boys Earn State Title Behind Poise Of Shareef O’Neal

dverse pressure situations don’t bother Shareef O’Neal. Instead, he relishes them. As the oldest son of NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, Shareef is used to the spotlight’s glare. The jeers that come from the opponents are something he not only takes in stride, but turns into a positive. “That’s my favorite part about high school basketball is the opposing crowd talking,” O’Neal said after the Roadrunners’ 59-53 win over Alameda in the March 23 CIF Division II state championship game. “I like it.” Evidently, he liked a lot of what was happening at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center. O’Neal had game-highs of 29 points, 17 rebounds and five blocked shots in the Crossroads win that gave the program its third state champi—Shareef O’Neal onship. On free throws -- one aspect of the game in which his famous dad was famously bad -- Shareef O’Neal showed skill and steadiness. He finished 13 of 17 from the free throw line, including 10 of 11 in the second half. As a team, Crossroads was 14 of 16 in the second half (19 of 27 for the game). And there lies the story of the game. The Roadrunners (29-5) made their free throws down the stretch, and the Hornets were cursed at the charity stripe. Alameda (24-10), seeking its first boys basketball state championship as, hit just 13 of 28 free throws. The Hornets hit just 3 of 9 in the fourth quarter and especially struggled on front ends of 1-and1 situations.

“That’s my favorite part about high school basketball is the opposing crowd talking. I like it.”

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The game featured Alameda opening up an early 16-6 lead, Crossroads wedging out a not-quite-comfortable lead in the fourth quarter, and an airtight battle in the second and third quarters. Crossroads appeared to break away with a 54-45 lead with 2:23 left, but the Hornets put up a fight. Kingsley Obiorah made two free throws to narrow Crossroads’ lead to 56-51 with 1:06 left. Bowman Roach then came up with a steal and basket a drew a foul. But Alameda’s fortunes on the line remained bleak and his shot missed; Alameda trailed 56-53. Once again O’Neal stepped up and calmly sank two free throws with 13.8 left, effectively clinching the victory. Alameda started off D.J. Houston quickly, holding an 18-13 lead after one quarter. Ryan Cibull hit his third 3-pointer of the half with 5:16 left in the second quarter, as the Hornets led 23-17. The Roadrunners made some adjustments and held Cibull scoreless the rest of the way. Benno Zecic led the Hornets on the afternoon with 16 points, while Obiorah had 10 points and 10 rebounds. D.J. Houston finished with 15 points, three steals and three assists for Crossroads,

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which worked its way to a 28-26 lead at halftime and set the stage for a combative third quarter. “We switched up our defense and went straight man and we stuck with them,” Davis said. “Our guards Xade Wharton-Ali and Yuuki Okubo did a great job on (Ryan Cibull) and quieted him up the second half.” Davis, a longtime assistant who became Crossroads head coach this season, choked up with emotion during the postgame news conference speaking about this team’s impact on him. “I want to go on a limb and say I don’t think

there will ever be another team like this. ... I love these guys and they mean everything to me,” he said. For O’Neal, it’s the end of a high school career that began at Windward-Los Angeles, moved to Crossroads and closed out with a win on the biggest stage. He’ll next be playing at UCLA, and it wouldn’t surprise many if he again plays on an NBA court soon. “His upside is tremendous, because of his athletic ability,” Alameda coach Cameron Quick said. “I think he’ll probably play more on the perimeter

in college, a 3. He’s a good player.” On the other side, O’Neal grew more determined to strive for excellence. “Yeah, I had some butterflies,” O’Neal said. “My second time playing in an arena like this. I was kind of winded running up and down this long court. I had butterflies, I was thinking about it all day but once I missed those two, I made sure I didn’t miss any more.” ✪

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— Story By Mike Wood, Photos By James K. Leash

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SOCAL STATE HOOPS NOTEBOOK

Christain Johnson

View Park Boys End L.A. City Drought Six-Seed Rolling Hills Girls Claim Div. IV Crown View Park Prep-Los Angeles made some noise at the CIF State Basketball Championship. You can label that sound a “Bam.” Thanks to an outstanding start by freshman Christian “Bam” Johnson, View Park became the first Los Angeles City Section team to win a state championship in eight years, beating Stuart Hall-San Francisco 74-62 on March 23. Johnson got View Park going with a sizzling start, scoring 18 of his gamehigh 22 points in the first half. The win was the first by a Los Angeles City Section boys team at the CIF basketball championships since Westchester in 2010. Quite an accomplishment considering View Park (27-8) opened in 2003. “It’s so tough in the city section,” coach Deon Coleman said. “We fight and beat up each other all year.” To get the win, the team leaned on Johnson early, whose nickname is derived from the Flintstones cartoon character. “We have a freshman who is outstanding,” Coleman said. “I have called him ‘Bam’ all my life. I forgot his name is actually Christian.” Relying on high percentage shots, Johnson helped the Knights to a 33-24 halftime lead. 24

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OPEN ACCESS

Visit our YouTube channel at YouTube.com/ SportStarsMagazine to watch both of our videos documenting the Open Championship wins for both the Windward-L.A. girls (pictured) and the Sierra Canyon-Chatswoth boys.

“At halftime we said we’ve got to have his back now,” Coleman said. “He set the tone in the first half, so in the second we need a total team commitment.” They did just that. Stuart Hall (23-12) managed just 38.1 percent from the floor, thanks in large part to View Park’s defense. Offensively, View Park’s penchant for higher percentage shots (making 55.4) paid off while characteristically avoiding 3-point shots (making just 1 of 7). “We’ve had some where we were like 3 for 20 from the 3-point line,” Coleman said. “And it’s like, wow, that’s not who we are. It took some time. We learned how to play the right way. We were able to lock in on defense.”

ROLLING HILLS ROLLS State championship experience paid off for Rolling Hills Prep-San Pedro in the girls basketball team’s return visit to Golden 1 Center. The Huskies came away with a CIF state this time around, beating Priory-Portola Valley 57-53 in a hotly contested Division IV final on March 23. Lessons were heeded from the team’s first state appearance a year ago, a loss to Eastside College Prep-East Palo Alto in the Div. V title game. “I think it made a difference, especially playing at this venue, knowing how everything went down,” Rolling Hills coach Richard Masson said. “We didn’t have that deer in the headlights look like we did last year.” Thriving through its regional as a No. 6 seed, the Huskies (31-2) had one more road trip, to Sacramento, to seal the deal. “So this has been our fourth road game in a row, and each road game has been about two hours (travel),” Masson said. “It’s a special group of people to be able to perform on those kinds of stages.” Priory (17-15) dug in late, tying the game on Ila Lane’s 3-pointer with 30 seconds left. The Huskies needed a basket by Naya Stroud with 22 seconds left to secure the win. They won despite shooting 32.2 percent from the floor. Making 24 of 31 free throws and forcing 18 Priory turnovers (to just seven themselves) certainly helped their cause. “I am not surprised that we won even though we shot that percentage, because we hang our hat on our defense,” Masson said. ✪ — Story by Mike Wood, Photos by James K. Leash Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

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sanct of sport

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Sophia Niehage at a recent practice for her 13U Afterschock volleyball team.

One Affected Family Recounts How NCVA Participation Helped It Through North Bay Wildfires Aftermath

t was a relaxing Sunday on Oct. 8, 2017; the weather was beautiful as Jessica Niehage bought a gallon of glue that would never be used. At 10:08 that night, Jessica made the call to the police: she could see fire. The authorities assured her she was safe; she wasn’t in any danger, and the fire she was seeing was on Mark West Station Road. That didn’t sit right. “There’s no way I could see that from my house off Riebli Road” Jessica explained. Her husband left in an attempt to find the source of smoke, but not finding it, went back to bed. Jessica too went back to bed, but her dog kept going outside — upset. Taking pictures of the ashes, Jessica said two conflicting thoughts gnawed inside her mind that night: Her intuition telling her something wasn’t right, and the fire department’s assurance of safety. At 11:30 p.m., the neighbors came to her door and said they were leaving. Unsure of the path before her, she started grabbing things — hard drives and photos — as daughter Sophia packed her clothes, swimsuit and yearbooks. Not before long, two of their four cars were packed and just about to leave with two parents, two children, two cats and one dog. But Sophia dashed back inside to grab her medals and Aftershock Volleyball jerseys. She said her medals were “irreplaceable” and that they “remind me of my accomplishments; I worked hard for them.” Now 1 a.m. on Oct. 9, the family was evacuating to Bennett Valley. They drove through Fountain Grove’s flaming mountaintops — kids and dog all screaming. They made it to grandma’s house, but they weren’t safe. They fled the blaze once more to Burnside Ridge in Sebastopol and stayed there for the next week. At this point, Sophia said “I felt like I hit a wall, trapped. I got sick from the ashes. I was hoping the house made it, but that’s when we found out it didn’t.” Now faced with the loss of their home, it was time to start talking business with the insurance company. Jessica said the insurance company angered her: “Who would make a child recount what she had lost for the sake of inventory?” She could see her daughter shutting down — but Jessica knew the antidote: volleyball. “I knew I had to get her to volleyball practice,” Jessica said. She was right. As Sophia played with the other children and adults, Jessica described her daughter as “100 percent changed.” Sophia, smiling, said that practice was like “stepping into another world; it’s my happy place.” She further described volleyball as “my comfort zone. It was the only thing that felt normal and it is my safe place.” Her mother echoed this sentiment: “NCVA events have been our escape, you can’t tell that the fire ever happened; the fire didn’t change anything at all. We all go — me, my husband, the kids. It’s the normalcy in our lives.” NCVA events remind Sophia and her family of how things used to be, providing a comforting passageway to the past. However, Sophia reaches toward the future both as a player and coach. “I want to go to Cal and play,” she said. “I don’t know who I will teach, but I want to help them develop and see them grow, as long as they focus.” With NCVA club volleyball as her starting place, she said she wants to see more of the volleyball world, its venues and people. ✪ — Kim Lampi for NCVA

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GUT CHECK

How To Use Probiotics To Improve Stomach Heath, Athletic Performance

nutrition: jill daniels

True champions aren’t always the ones that win, but those with the most guts. — Mia Hamm Athletes need guts to be good at their sport, both figuratively and literally. Healthy bacteria in the gut are crucial for an overall healthy body. If our gut isn’t healthy, it can hinder digestion, absorption of nutrients, and proper elimination. It can also significantly affect the immune system, increase risk of infection and overall affect a person’s health. Prolonged or intense training can alter the gut and increase risk for gastrointestinal problems, as can illness, stress, fatigue, travel and antibiotic use. Results can be constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain or cramping and frequent upper respiratory tract infections. Probiotics may offer some relief, since they’ve been found to help enhance the immune system and resolve some gastrointestinal distress. Probiotics are living microorganisms in your GI tract. When we ingest them through food or supplementation, they increase the concentration of healthy bacteria in our gut and help prevent the overgrowth of harmful bacteria. Foods high in probiotics include yogurt, kefir, kombucha, miso and sauerkraut. Supplements have been shown to be helpful if you aren’t getting enough probiotics through foods. If you think probiotics could be beneficial for you, here are some tips on how to proceed: >> Talk to your doctor if supplementation is right for you, and if so, what strains would be best. Someone suffering from frequent upper respiratory tract infections may need different strains than someone suffering from antibiotic-associated diarrhea. >> For greater effectiveness, look for a minimum of 5 to 10 billion CFU’s (colony forming units) per serving. >> Continuous consumption is needed to reap the benefits of probiotic supplementation. >> Keep in mind that possible side effects include gas and bloating, but these are typically short term. Prebiotics serve as food sources for the probiotics in your gut. Yes, these healthy bacteria need to eat too! Include these prebiotics in your diet: garlic, onions, leeks, chia seeds, wheat bran, bananas, artichokes, asparagus and honey. If you’ve been suffering from gastrointestinal problems or a weak immune system, you might want to experiment with increasing your intake of probiotics. They may help create a healthier environment in your gut, which may have a positive impact on your performance at practice and during competition. As Bear Bryant says, “There’s no substitute for guts.” ✪ Maximize your athletic performance by seeking personalized advice from Nutrition Coach Jill Daniels, MS, RD, CSSD, Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. www.JillDanielsRD.com 30

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April 20, 2018

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ROAD TO RECOVERY

Five Tips To Proper Recovery Following Training, Practice And Games

training time: tim rudd Without sound recovery practices it’s only a matter of time before you find your performance suffering, yourself injured or suffering from over-training. Maybe you hate stretching, don’t have time to foam roll or sleep eight hours. My response to all those excuses is “make time for recovery or make time for injury!” Here are my top 5 tips for proper recovery: 1.Foam Rolling. This has many benefits such as flushing toxins from muscles, releasing tension, increasing range of motion and getting the blood flowing. This is the key for healthy tissue quality and increasing mobility. At a minimum, you should be doing this before and after training, practice and games for optimal success. 2. Sleep. Yes, sleep! When you are sleeping, your body can really go to work on repairing tissue you destroyed by training, practicing and playing. You should be getting at least 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Furthermore, poor sleep can also be related to decreased IQ, mood swings and decreased performance. If you aren’t getting enough restful sleep, your body will have reduced ability for muscle repair, immune system response, memory consolidation, and the proper release of hormones like growth hormone and insulin. 3. Hydrate. I am sure you have heard the general rule of thumb to drink 8-11 8 oz. glasses of water per day. However, for men, an average of 16 cups of water a day from fluid and non-fluid sources (e.g. fruits and vegetables) is adequate; for women, an average of 11 cups. Water provides the medium for the solubility and passage of nutrients from the blood to the cells and the return of metabolic by-products to the blood. Become aware of symptoms of dehydration. 4. Re-fuel. You should be consuming a 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein 30 minutes post training, practice and games. While I always recommend real food for this, if you are in a rush, look for a quality post workout shake with this ratio. To help you eat well throughout the day, here are some differences between anytime meals and post workout meals. The most important thing you need to know for your diet is this: If you can control insulin, you can control your body composition, health and your energy (performance). ANYTIME meals are lower in carbs, have a minimal effect on insulin, and can be eaten at any time of the day. This way, you provide your body with energy without that energy leading to fat gain. Stick to high quality sources of lean protein and fibrous vegetables. POST-WORKOUT meals contain more carbs, will have a bigger effect on insulin, and should be eaten within two to three hours after your workout. If you are not taking in quality carbohydrates and protein immediately following your workout, you are increasing the chances of muscle recovery and decreased gains. 5. Stretch. Yes, you need to be doing this after training, practice and playing. Proper stretching has important recovery benefits such as lengthening your muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Stretching helps to reset tight muscles and movement patterns as well as improve recovery from the blood flow increase to the muscle. Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

Loss of flexibility and mobility are huge factors in acceleration, multidirectional movement and injuries. If athletes are tight and lack mobility, their performance will decrease and endurance will suffer along with their health. ✪

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April 20, 2018

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Lincoln Potters Return For Summer Of Collegiate Baseball USA Ultimate Frisbee Is Back In Roseville

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April 20, 2018

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The revival of the Lincoln Potters, a collegiate wooden-bat baseball team that is part of the Great West League (GWL), energized Placer Valley last summer and we are thrilled to report another summer season is just around the corner. In fact, single-game tickets just became available to purchase on April 1. The Potters are scheduled to play 30 home games at the renovated Historic McBean Stadium throughout June and July against the other GWL teams that include the Chico Heat, Klamath Falls Gems, Medford Rogues, San Francisco Seals and Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox. “We are excited for what’s in store this season,” commented Matt Lundgren, Lincoln Potters General Manager. “We have worked to enhance the spectator experience with upgrades like permanent restrooms, moving the dugouts for better game-viewing, more food options and a new Kids Zone presented by El Camino Jumpers.” The Potters will kick off their season in style with a free Fan Fest on Memorial Day Weekend on Sunday, May 27 at 6 p.m. This event will take place at the historic McBean Stadium, giving fans an opportunity to meet the new team, get autographs, enjoy good food, cold beer, live music and more! The first home game will take place on Friday, June 1 at 6:35 p.m. against the San Francisco Seals. Please check out their website at www.lincolnpotters.com to view the full schedule, purchase tickets and for all other Potters news. Placer Valley Tourism is looking forward to another sizzling summer of baseball! ✪

On April 14-15 the USA Ultimate NorCal Division I College Conference Championships for both Men’s and Women’s teams will be returning for the third time to Placer Valley. Taking place on the fields at Maidu Park in Roseville, Placer Valley Tourism is thrilled to be teaming up again with USA Ultimate to bring this exciting and unique sporting event back for our community to enjoy. Ultimate is a fast-paced, action-driven sport that combines elements of several sports including soccer, football and basketball and is played between two teams using a flying disk. The object of the game is to score by catching a pass in the opponent’s end zone. Amazingly the sport uses no referees as it is a self-regulated game governed by the players who implement a fairplay system. “Ultimate is one of the fastest growing sports in the nation and I believe this is largely due to the overall physicality of the sport,” stated Kerry Karter, the USA Ultimate Southwest Region Director. “As fun as it is to play, it is also a great spectator game, too!” “We love coming up to Roseville and playing these conference championship games at Maidu,” added Karter. “We will have several college teams from throughout Northern California competing in hopes of making it to the next round, the Southwest Regional Championships that will take place down in San Luis Obispo at the end of April.” Come see this ultimate action live! There are no fees for spectators and games will start at 9 a.m. on both Saturday, April 14 and Sunday, April 15. Maidu Park is located at 1550 Maidu Drive in Roseville. ✪

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April 20, 2018

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BADMINTON East Bay Badminton Spring Camp Elite. Intermediate. Beginner? I doesn’t matter. If you are interested in badminton, you have to come to our spring camps! We have age groupings from 19 and under to adult classes. Badminton is a sport for the masses Info: (510) 655-8989 or info@eastbaybadminton.com BASEBALL Headfirst Baseball Academy & Summer Camps Headfirst camps are known throughout Northern California for player development. Players will learn the correct mechanics of each position to achieve more success on the diamond. They will also focus on hitting, pitching and much more! Most importantly, they will have a great time! Info: Coach Michael, MJi0209@aol.com; Coach Mario, Mario74iglesias@aol.com San Ramon Slammers Baseball The Slammers are a highly competitive program that competes against some of the Bay Area’s top programs. We have been around since 2003 and are a 680 Diablo League (680diabloleague.com) participant. Our objective is to develop fundamentally sound baseball players who will compete at the high school levels and beyond. Info: Marco Cartagena, 925.209.1564 TPC Baseball & Softball Camps Spring-Winter Camps feature skills, drills and competitions in all areas of major areas of the game (hitting, pitching, throwing, fielding). Players will have blast while improving their skills with our TPC staff and often guest appearances from former and current professional baseball players. Info: 925-416-1600 info@ thepitchingcenter.com BASKETBALL Acalanes LBBA Future Stars Summer Basketball Camp Take advantage of elite coaching with Acalanes High School Varsity Basketball Coach Sol Henik and his staff. This camp is designed to give you the attention & coaching you need. Boys & girls will be split by gender within their grade levels for more targeted training. (925) 3603352, solhenik@yahoo.com East Bay Bulldogs Basketball We will run spring, summer, fall and winter sessions. The spring and summer sessions will both be three months long. Spring runs MarchMay. Summer runs June-August. Fall

Expanded Listings at SportStarsMag.com The following schools/clubs have multiple camp offerings over a wide variety of sports. For full listings of individual camps, plus hundreds more, click over to our website and make this summer one you’ll never forget! BENTLEY SCHOOL: Baseball, Basketball CITY OF WALNUT CREEK: Baseball, Basketball, Flag Football, Multi-Sports, Soccer, Tennis DE LA SALLE HS: Baseball, Basketball, Bob Ladouceur Football Camp, Lacrosse, Soccer, Advanced Training Soccer, Varsity Water Polo, Age Group Water Polo, Strength/Conditioning, Volleyball, Track & Field, Wrestling MOREAU CATHOLIC HS: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Volleyball UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA: Girls Basketball, Boys Lacrosse, Swimming, Volleyball will only be 2 months, SeptemberOctober. Info: 925-570-1334; leaguelineup.com/ebbulldogs Modesto Magic Basketball Association Let us help you take your game to the next level. If you are a girl (ages 4-17) and you love basketball, then you’re at the right place. We offer leagues, camps, clinics, tournaments, private lessons and AAU traveling teams. If your just beginning your basketball experience or if your a very skilled player, we have something for you. Info: Stan Silva, 209-765-5107; ssilva1920@aol.com Level Up Select Basketball Camps At Level Up Select Basketball Camps (LevelUpBasketball.org) we focus on the most important Athletes will learn the (1.) 5 biggest mistakes that keep players from shooting consistently. (2.) An simple technique that allows athletes to quickly dominate on defense. (3.) A steady stream of fundamentals. Info: Coach Bill Flitter (415) 286-5606, billflitter@gmail.com William Jessup University Nike Girls Basketball Camp Provides a fantastic opportunity for players of all abilities to improve skills and enhance their fundamentals. Open to ages 8-18. Work on the fundamentals, develop proper mechanics and gain valuable game experience. All aspect of the game is covered, giving you a solid skill foundation. Visit jessupathletics. com/camps or 1-800-NIKE CAMP William Jessup University Warrior Nike Boys Basketball Camps Offering both a complete skills camp and shooting camp. Open to ages 8-18, camps are overnight and include breakfast, lunch and dinner.

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ATHLETICS: Baseball, Basketball, Flag Football, Lacrosse, All-Sports, S occer, Volleyball ST. PATRICK-ST. VINCENT HS: Baseball/Softball, Intro to Basketball, Girls Basketball, Boy Basketball, Cheerleading, Football, Aquatics, Tennis, Volleyball NIKE: Baseball,Basketball, Lacrosse, Multi-Sports, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball ST. FRANCIS-SACRAMENTO HS: Basketball, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Volleyball OLYMPUS SPORTS COLISEUM: Multi-Sports, Soccer, Volleyball

All camps run Monday-Thursday. To register visit jessupathletics.com/ camps or call 1-800-NIKE CAMP Fastbreak Basketball Camps With us, your daughter will learn the fundamentals of basketball, gain valuable game experience and work with some of the area’s most knowledgeable female basketball players. Celebrated coach, Margaret Gartner will expose your daughter to the same drills she has used throughout her 24 years of coaching at the high school level. Info: fastbreak_club@ icloud.com. or (925) 933-9115 CHEER National Academy of Athletics High Spirit Cheer Camps The National Academy of Athletics prides itself on providing Cheer and Dance programs that are not ordinary, they are extraordinary! Our HIGH SPIRIT Cheer and Dance programs are designed to help girls & boys learn the individual skills to become more confident leading cheers and performing in front of crowds. Info: 866-90-SPORT FOOTBALL Jesse Sapolu Men In The Trenches Academy One of the premier camps in the nation dedicated to teaching the fundamentals of the offensive and defensive line positions. Gives young athletes opportunity to learn all the nuances about the offensive and defensive line while getting to compete against other top linemen in the country. Camps are open for all players grades 5th-12th in various cities. Info: jrprepsportsca.com California Football Academy Contact and non-contact camps are available for players ages 6-14 during single weeks in both March

and June. The camps take place in Oakley. CFA offers flag football leagues and tournaments also. Oakley, Concord and San Ramon. Info and registration: see our website or call 925-625-2222; email californiafootballacademy@hotmail.com Ygnacio Valley HS NIKE Future Warriors Youth Football Camp The Future Warriors Football Camp is for any students entering 5th thru 8th grade. It is a FREE camp to help educate and enhance our community with the basic knowledge to be prepared to be successful. The Camp is held at Ygnacio Valley HS in June. Info: byrdc@mdusd.org; 510-812-9181 Acalanes High School The Football Academy will take place at Acalanes High, July 9-12 and is open to all athletes entering 5th-9th grade in the Fall of 2018. The goal of the DONS Youth Football Academy is to teach fundamentals, develop skills and help kids with the transition to tackle football in a fun, fast-paced and non-contact environment. Contact: 925-2803970; acalanesdonsfootball.com Campolindo Cougar Camps Full Gear Youth Football Camp The goal is to develop fundamentals and techniques associated with tackle football. Quantity of contact based on skill level or readiness. Grades 4-8, separated by gradeincluding incoming freshman. Instructor Kevin Macy, Campolindo High School’s head football coach, has been conducting camps in Moraga for more than a decade. Camp staffed with a experienced coaches and a certified trainer. Info: (925) 280-3950 X 5163; kmacy@ acalanes.k12.ca.us

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LACROSSE Booth Lacrosse Camps Booth Lacrosse Camps uses a comprehensive training system to build a player’s individual skills and lacrosse IQ. With 10+ years of experience training players on the finer points of the game, we have helped countless players reach their playing goals. Our practices feature high tempo, exciting drills and game play. Our goal is to make sure that every player on the field is engaged, involved and having fun. info: (415) 699-2497 tylerjsimms21@gmail.com MULTI-SPORT Renaissance Clubsport Camps When school’s out, camp’s in! Renaissance ClubSport camps keep your child active and engaged during school breaks in the spring, summer, fall and winter. Sports camps, specialty camps and themed camps provide fun ways for kids to strengthen their bodies and minds through physical activities, critical thinking exercises and creative projects. All camps incorporate learning and add to the fun. Info: (925) 4787571, info_rcswc@clubsports.com OUTDOOR / ADVENTURE East Bay Regional Park Park’n It Day Camp The East Bay Regional Park District offers fun and affordable outdoor day camps for youth at a number of convenient locations. Park’N It Day Camp takes place in a different Regional Park each week and offers hiking, fishing, arts & crafts, sports, environmental education and swimming. This camp is designed for children ages 5 to 12. Info: (510) 544-2566 or MEAvery@ebparks.org Friends of Camp Concord Camp Concord gives young people one of the most meaningful camp experiences available and does so in one of the most beautiful settings in the world—Lake Tahoe. Through Friends of Camp Concord, kids who otherwise couldn’t afford it get the same chance to enjoy a week in the wilderness as anyone else. Every child should have the opportunity to spend a week at a camp like this. info: 925-671-2267; youthcamp@ friendsofcampconcord.org RUGBY Danville Oaks “Try On Rugby” Try On Rugby is a focused initiative dedicated to growing the number of girls and women participating in rugby. Try on Rugby uses comprehensive, educational materials for

April 20, 2018

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introducing rugby from U8 to Middle School for young girls and involves inter-squad flag rugby with the possibility to play other girls flag rugby teams in the East Bay in tournament play. Info: 925-368-5689 SOCCER Walnut Creek Soccer Club Development Days/Skills Clinics Summer camps and clinics for players entering 1st-8th grades. We offer camps and clinics at Arbolado for players in elementary and middle school. Each fun week will include new objectives to improve the technical and tactical skills of all players. Camps are run by WCSC Professional Training Staff and are fun and engaging. Info: wcsc_info@wcsc.org Diablo Futbol Club Camps & Clinics Diablo FC is committed to instilling passion and enjoyment of soccer in a positive, safe, competitive environment. Our comprehensive club program and professional staff train players and teams in the mental, physical, technical and tactical aspects of soccer in order to reach their individual potential and compete at the highest level of play. Info: diablofc.org; 925-7988-GOAL Heritage Soccer Clinics & Player I.D. Camp Summer is a beautiful time to play the game with the Heritage and FC Wolverhampton Wanderers North America. Their 2018 Player ID Camp is overseen by senior members of the Wolverhampton Wanderers American Academy coaching staff. June 18-20 at Tesoro Fields in Concord, CA. Info: info@HeritageSC.com SOFTBALL San Ramon Slammers Softball Clinics Collegiate player/coaches teach strength and conditioning, hitting, defense, pitching and catching and hold scrimmages to get you ready for spring softball. Classes held at Slammers training facility on Camino Tassajara. Info: Marco Cartagena-925.209.1564; coachmtraining@gmail.com SWIMMING / AQUATICS Santa Clara Aquamaids Come learn synchronized swimming from the World Renowned Santa Clara Aquamaids! Our staff, led by 3-time Olympic Coach Chris Carver, includes Olympic medalists, National Champions and current athletes. Includes conditioning, flexibility training, synchronized swimming skills and performance techniques. Info: info@aquamaids.org, 408-727-8496 Sherman Swim & Diving School Sherman Swim School has taught more than 39,000 students to swim and turned out numerous diving champions. Our teachers love to work with children and receive extensive in-water training. One-on-one instruction with patient, encouraging teachers and extremely comfortable water, create an ideal learning environment. Voted “Best of East Bay”, Diablo Magazine. Info: Website: Shermanswim.com Phone: 925-283-2100.

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April 20, 2018

TENNIS Tompkins Tennis Located at Ohlone College, ClubSport San Ramon, Livermore Valley Tennis Club and Hyatt Regency Hotel and Spa in Monterey we produce more nationally ranked juniors than any other program! Info: (510)-573-4025 sandy@tompkinssport.com TRAINING / FITNESS Muir Orthopedic Specialists Pass To Play Pass to Play: Annual Sports Physical Event for Youth Athletes. Muir Orthopeadic Specialists annual event provides pre-participation evaluation and optional baseline concussion screenings to area youth. Optional cardiac screenings provided in collaboration with American Medical Response (AMR) and the Darius Jones Foundation. Info: 925-210-8539 Kenion Training Coach Nathan Kenion leads multiple programs, all geared to help athletes achieve. He works with everyone to make sure you have the right motivation, skills and knowledge to take your game to the next level. Info: 707704-8003, nathan@keniontraining.com VOLLEYBALL Diablo Valley Volleyball Club Founded to provide junior boys and girls the opportunity to improve their knowledge and skills. The majority of our players have shown incredible dedication to the sport as well as to Diablo VBC – the players are wonderful and things seem to be getting better every year! Info: diablovbc@yahoo.com or 925 451-6581 Bay Area Volleyball Club Skills Clinics Bay Area Volleyball Club is a communitybased organization which provides a place for players of all ages and levels to develop their volleyball skills. Our primary goal is to build character and develop sportsmanship among players all while putting competitive teams on the court. Info: tracyfeldmann@gmail.com Core Volleyball Club Clinics At Core we want to offer you and your daughter a quality experience. We offer a competitive and fun environment where your daughter will enjoy competing at a high level not only in games, but in practices as well. Info: info@ teamcvc.com; Phone: 925-230-9795 City Beach Volleyball Club Our training and management structure helps coaches collaborate and ensures each player is being provided the highest level of coaching. We teach players how to learn, apply themselves fully, develop habits that will make them successful and how to play the game of volleyball. Info: info@citybeach.com U.S. Youth Volleyball League The United States Youth Volleyball League is the leader in developing and maintaining youth leagues for boys and girls ages 7-15. The USYVL will be hosting a series of camps this summer in several NorCal and SoCal. Info: 1-888-988-7985 or email questions@usyvl. org ✪

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April 20, 2018

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