SportsXpress Jan/Feb 2017

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ATX Knights Holding Court Plus Oak Hill Turns 50

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publishers note Welcome to SportsXpress, a magazine all about local sports — the players, teams, families, volunteers and fans. We publish real life stories on the full range of community sports and include all ages and skill levels. Every fan, parent, and sports enthusiast can participate by sharing their experiences with other fans.

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04 | Nothing better than watching local sports success (and telling their stories)

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Sports Events Calendar Fifty years of family Operation Enduring Respect: local non-profit takes soldiers, marines, families to football games Record turnout for Circle C Turkey Trot

sports@school Highlighting all school sports and athletes.

07 | Bulldogs, Ables savor stellar season 08 | Bowie Volleyball goes on a record run

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Profiling community sports in words and photographs.

05 | Austin Junior Volleyball names Player, Coach of the Month 09 | ATX Knights score big in Southwest Austin

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health&fitness

Informative articles on sports health & fitness.

14 | Hope4Minds starts a concussion group in Austin

behindthebench Tips, tactics and ideas are shared by athletes, coaches and fans.

06 | Improving the culture surrounding youth sports

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Nothing better than watching local sports success (and telling their stories) Article by Austin SportsXpress, Publisher Derek Castillo

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Jan/Feb 2017 PUBLISHERS Derek Castillo

Derek@SportsXpress.com 512-560-4286

EDITOR Jane Penteker

As a former television sportscaster, I’ve covered World Series, Super Bowls and Olympics, but there is nothing that gets me more excited than seeing young people and local athletes succeed on the playing field.

Whether it’s a youngster’s first home run or a runner’s completion of his or her first marathon, sports offers so many beautiful and life-changing moments. My love of sports is the main reason why I decided to “Get in the Game” and bring SportsXpress to my hometown of Austin.

Through extensive research including discussions with numerous groups and associations, we learned there is a serious void in local sports media coverage. We also learned that there are large percentages of communities in the Austin area who participate in sports as players, coaches and spectators. In addition, there’s a significant opportunity for sports teams and businesses to deliver their messaging to these active, sports-minded families.

Our goal at SportsXpress is to tell the stories of our own teams, players, and sports enthusiasts. Through our print, digital, and social media platforms, we are the “go to” destination for community sports.

Have a story idea? Does your team or sports organization have a big event coming up? Let us know! We’re YOUR community sports source.

Give us a call at (512) 560-4286 or email us at Derek@SportsXpress.com.

GRAPHIC DESIGN Alyssa MacLeod CONTRIBUTORS Rachel Corbelli, JR Flores, Tanya

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Austin Junior Volleyball names Player, Coach of the Month Blood and Peters Pick up Honors Article by Rachel Corbelli, photos by Austin Junior Volleyball

Player of the Month

Hannah Blood joined the Austin Juniors’ Academy program as a sixth grader in 2014. She was a little inexperienced, but she was ready to develop her skills. On her 12U and 14U Academy teams, Hannah learned the importance of teamwork in volleyball and loved getting to scrimmage against other teams in the program.

The training sessions and game-like settings helped her become more comfortable with each volleyball skill.

Hannah became so comfortable, in fact, that this year she tried out for an Austin Juniors club team and made a roster for the first time ever! While she will miss her coach and teammates on her Academy team, she is excited to say she’s a member of AJV 14 Toro.

Since Hannah has accomplished her goal of being a club volleyball player, she’s now reaching for new heights.

This year, she is hoping to improve her individual volleyball skills even more. Her ultimate goal is to finally nail a topspin serve.

The good news is Hannah Blood (above), that Hannah’s 14 Toro and Jill Gremmel team is off to a strong Peters (right) start! They placed third in the ASC #1, of the game connect. which was their first tournament “It’s super important to start learning of the season. Good luck to you volleyball the correct way from the and your team, Hannah! beginning so that you know the right technique. Then eventually, as your body gets stronger, your body will Coach of the Month follow what you know,” Jill says.

Jill Gremmel Peters was once an AllBig 12 setter for the Texas Longhorns.

Since Jill’s daughters are only 9 and Now, Jill is helping to develop the next 10 years old, she isn’t ready for them generation of athletes in the Austin to play club sports quite yet. She’s glad Sports Center’s Athletic Development she found a low-stress environment program. She loves to watch the where they can learn the game with kids, including her two daughters in high-level coaches while still allowing the program, transform from young them the time to be multi-sport, wellathletes to young volleyball players as rounded kids. they learn the skills and see the pieces

Sports Events Calendar January 1 Online registration begins (Oak Hill baseball & softball); www.ohysa.org January 15 Race Around Austin www.usacycling.org January 16 MLK Day Sports Camps at ASC South and ASC Cedar Park; www.austinsportscenter.com January 21 Oak Hill baseball & Softball registration (league fields, 10 A.M.-2 P.M.)

To promote your event contact Derek@SportsXpress.com

January 22 3M Half Marathon www.3mhalfmarathon.com

February 11 USA vs. Brazil Rugby, Dell Diamond

March 4-5 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament (Buda City Park)

January 28 Austin Gorilla Run www.austingorillarun.com

February 18-20 ATX Showcase at Round Rock Sports Center

March 4-5 AJV Boys Spring Tournament at ASC South

February 4 Central Texas Power League #2 at Austin Sports Center South and ASC Cedar Park

February 19 Austin Marathon & Half Marathon

March 11 Austin Sports Center Tournament #3 at ASC South and ASC Cedar Park

February 11 Bowie Baseball Opening Day, 8 A.M. Bowie Baseball Field February 11 Austin Sports Center Tournament #2 at ASC South and ASC Cedar Park

February 25 ATX Knights Tryouts (Bailey Middle School), 1-5 P.M. February 26 ATX Knights Tryouts (Dripping Springs HS), 1-5 P.M.

March 13-17 ASC Spring Break Sports Camps at ASC South and ASC Cedar Park

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behindthebench

Improving the culture surrounding youth sports Article by Positive Coaching Alliance - Central Texas Have you ever experienced a parent screaming at a referee during his kid’s soccer game? Have you ever watched a coach humiliate a child for making a mistake on her throw from second base?

So have we.

The culture surrounding youth sports needs a reset and we at Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), are passionate about leading the charge toward making that change. That doesn’t mean that we believe every child should receive a trophy or that a tough coach is a bad coach. There is so much to be gained from experiencing the pain of loss, the thrill of victory, and the hard work that goes into winning a trophy.

PCA is a national non-profit working in youth and high school sports to develop “Better Athletes, Better People,” teaching valuable lessons that will last athletes a lifetime. Through our live workshops, courses, and online resources that blend top coaching expertise with educational psychologists, we serve all who are involved in youth sports (kids, coaches, parents, leaders). PCA is pleased to announce the opening of our Central Texas chapter, serving from Austin to San Antonio (and the surrounding areas). By

having initial partnerships with organizations like the West Austin Youth Association, Northwest Austin Youth Basketball Association (NWAYBA), and the 5-time World Champion San Antonio Spurs, we are excited to reach as many kids in Central Texas as possible!

“PCA has helped NWAYBA to focus our league culture around positive coaching and positive parenting,” says Eddie Russ, owner of Soccer Shots Austin and Director of Coaching for NWAYBA. “A partnership with Positive Coaching Alliance should be mandatory for every single youth sports organization in the country.”

We invite you to join our movement in improving the culture that our kids are developing in and learning from. For more on PCA-Central Texas, visit our website at www.PCA-CentralTX.org. Your involvement and investment in making sure kids have a healthy and happy place to develop is key to their success!

To bring PCA to your school or youth sports organization, call PCA-Central Texas Executive Director Trennis Jones at 512-270-8380 or e-mail trennis_jones@ positivecoach.org.

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Bulldogs, Ables savor stellar season

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Article by SportsXpress, Photos by JR Flores @HDFlores Photography

(Top Left) Senior quarterback, Wade Smith, rolls left and completes a pass against The Woodlands at Baylor’s McLane Stadium (Top Right) The Bowie student body gets rowdy at an early season game at Burger Center. (Bottom) Coach Ables and players after the Dawgs beat Abilene Cooper for Ables’ 100th career win.

The 2017 season was one for the record books for the Bowie football team. For the first time in school history, the Bulldogs won 11 games, including a District Championship.

Quarterback Wade Smith set a school record, and Head Coach Jeff Ables notched his 100th career win.

Early in the season, the Bulldogs’ (11–2) biggest win came on the road at Abilene Cooper. The Dawgs won the game by a score of 24–21, and Ables picked up his 100th victory and a cooler of water over his head from this players.

“I am very blessed to have been able to coach here at Bowie for the past 29 years (15th as head coach),” Ables told the Austin American-Statesman. “I attribute the 100 wins to the players,

round of the playoffs for the first time since 2010.

“This year has been one of the greatest years of my life,” Smith told the Statesman. “Being able to be a part of the history of Bowie is something special. We made history with one of the best group of guys I’ve ever been around, and that’s what makes it special.”

For a special photo album of the Bulldogs season, visit austin. sportsxpress.com.

assistant coaches, and administrative and community support. I think if you ask most coaches, they really don’t worry about their won-loss record, they are more concerned about making a difference in the lives of the studentathletes they work with each day. I thank God each day just for the opportunity to be able to coach high school football, and so every day is a blessing.”

The Dawgs’ only blemishes on the season were a non-district loss to Westlake, and a 52–31 loss to The Woodlands in the playoffs. In that game, Smith was 22-of-37 passing and threw for a school-record 413 yards and four touchdowns. Three Bulldogs (Paul Saucedo, Elijah Higgins, Aizayah Santiago) finished with 100 yards receiving. Bowie advanced to the third

Dream today, move tomorrow!

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Bowie Volleyball goes on record run Article by Austin SportsXpress, Photos by Joe Wylie, Tanya McKenzie & Veronica McLennan

The Bulldogs celebrate their straight-set win over Klein in the area playoffs at Bryan’s Rudder High School

Bulldogs notch 40 wins, most in school history The Bowie volleyball team started the season with an emotional tournament win and then went on a deep run in the UIL 6A Playoffs. Along the way, the Bulldogs won 40 games — the most in school history.

In August, the Bulldogs beat out a 38-team field to win the 3rd Annual AISD Jason Landers Memorial Tournament.

The win was an emotional one. The tournament is named after a former Bowie volleyball coach, Jason Landers, who passed away in 2014 after battling cancer. Landers’ wife and three daughters were there to witness the Dawgs’ championship match.

“It was an emotional win,” said Coach Miguel Saenz. “The seniors had been with Coach Landers their first two years.

Winning the tournament put us on the right foot for the season. It showed what we were capable of achieving.”

The Bulldogs then went on to win the bronze bracket of the Fraulein Volleyfest Tournament in New Braunfels and finished 5–4 at the Volleypalooza event in Cedar Park. Bowie then went undefeated in district play to capture the 14-6A District Championship.

In the first round of the playoffs, the Bulldogs dropped their first set to Cedar Ridge, but won the next three to win the match. In area play, Bowie was matched up against Klein. The first set was tight, but the Bulldogs won it, 26–24. Bowie

Alicia Gonzalez spikes one down the line in the Bulldogs’ playoff win over Cedar Ridge.

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Match point! Bowie beats Klein to advance to the third round of the playoffs. won the next two sets to take the match and move on to the third round, equaling their longest run in the playoffs.

The Dawgs faced familiar foe, Westwood, in the area round. The Warriors had beaten the Bulldogs twice earlier in the season and once again, Westwood proved too strong. The Dawgs fell in three tough sets to end their 2016 campaign at 40–10.

“This was a turnaround season for the program,” said Saenz. “We learned how to win. Our girls now believe we can win and have big success in the playoffs.”

Sabrina Bianco, Ellie Crosley, Skyler James, Keara McGraw and Avery McKenzie were named to the 14-6A AllDistrict team. Alicia Gonzalez and Alex McLennan made the second team.

Skylar James and Hayley Haden go up for the block in a district game early in the season.

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ATX Knights score big in Southwest Austin Article by Austin SportsXpress, Photos by Dion Butler Photography & SportsXpress When the ATX Knights Premier 2022 team took the court recently in the Holiday Classic at the Premier Athletic Complex (PAC) in Leander, something was a little different. Not only was the team “playing up” or playing against older competition, something was missing from the back of their uniform — each player’s last name.

“Every player has a specific word on the back of the jersey that means something to him,” said Mike Robertson, President and Founder of ATX Knights Basketball. “You’ll find words like pride, sacrifice, discipline, loyalty and many others. We hold every player accountable for what’s on the back of their jersey.”

That commitment to team over personal accolades serves as the foundation for ATX Knights Basketball, a local program for athletes in the 4th grade and above. Most of the players in the program live in Southwest Austin, Dripping Springs, and the surrounding area.

“Our mission is to educate and empower today’s youth with confidence, commitment, and integrity, so they can live a productive and successful life on and off the court,” said Robertson. “Our goal is to utilize an elite skills training program coupled with film study and analytics to aid in the physical and educational development of our athletes to maximize their skills, talents, and abilities during competition. It is our vision to be the elite program for the fundamental basketball development of our youth — in the eyes of our parents, children and community. We expect and demand the best by always keeping our mission top of mind.”

With more than six of its coaches having Division I level playing experience and half of those playing professionally overseas, ATX Knights Basketball is setting a new standard for

these schools (if they are competing in club basketball) are members of the ATX Knights program. The majority of those players filter into Bowie High School.

“We have constant conversations with high school coaches to find out what type of player they are looking for,” said Robertson. “All say they want fundamentally sound players who are unselfish and who have a good understanding of the game. We cultivate that here at ATX Knights Basketball.”

ATX Knights Basketball is a year-round program that opens its Spring/Summer Basketball Season on February 25th with tryouts and will begin its practices after Spring Break on March 20th. The season starts the weekend of April 15th.

competitive youth basketball programs all over the state. Robertson feels that his experienced coaching staff as well as a family atmosphere are what differentiates his program from others.

One of the family events is a parents “Knight” out where families get together to meet each other prior to the season.

ATX Knights Basketball offers a fourtier program with teams at all levels (Premier, Elite, Select and Academy), so it is designed to meet the needs of athletes from all skill levels. In addition, ATX Knights gives players from Gorzycki, Small or Bailey Middle School the opportunity to play on “out of season” school teams. More than 90 percent of the kids playing basketball at

www.atxknightsbasketball.com • 512-953-PLAY • mrobertson@atxknightsbasketball.com

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sportsfiles

Fifty years of family

My oldest son was in kindergarten when another mom stopped me at drop-off.

“Hey,” she said, “your boy’s in the same class as mine, right? Does he want to play baseball?”

That was our first season at Oak Hill Youth Sports Association. It was Spring 2004, and Keegan was five years old. His brother joined a year and a half later at the age of four. Thirteen years, 31 playing seasons, and 39 teams later we are still an Oak Hill family. My sons have aged out of regular recreational play, but they remain active by working as umpires, coaching WeeBall, and volunteering at

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Article by Traci Anderson, Photos by OHYSA and Timberlee Reid

registration each year. And we are not unique; Oak Hill, it seems, stays in your blood. Some volunteers never really leave, serving in a variety of capacities for decades. Others see their kids through the program and return years later to coach their grandkids, continuing the family tradition.

Oak Hill is more than just baseball or softball; it’s family. And the way the complex came to be, as with any good story told at a large family gathering, is legendary.

It all started with an acre of land — not the land at the complex — the

Oak Hill 1990 Pony All-Stars

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Oak Hill celebrates golden anniversary

acre was a little ways west in a new subdivision off the highway. Board members of Oak Hill Optimists raised $500, selling barbecue plates and Christmas trees, and used the money to purchase the acre for what they called their “bankroll” house. Over the course of three months, largely through volunteer labor and the help of construction companies helmed by Optimist board members, they built a 1600-square-foot house with air conditioning and a carpeted living room. They turned it around and sold it for a $4,500 profit. The year was 1963.

Oak Hill All-Stars, Senior League, 1991

sportsfiles Optimist Director Elmo Pearson and his wife, Evelyn, offered six acres they owned along the banks of Williamson Creek to the Club for $10 cash and ten annual payments of $500. The original land tract was owned by the Hart family, and the first field, built with $2000 and 400 loads of dirt, was named in their honor. Concession stands, dugouts, batting cages, a clubhouse — all built by volunteers, with money raised by BBQ dinners and sponsor banners — were ready for a grand opening in 1967.

Over the years, OHYSA continued to grow. As soon as the first six acres were paid off, and with three fields maxing out the available space, ten adjacent acres were purchased from the Pearsons in 1974. More fields were built, including a multi-use field for the Oak Hill Rams football team, which continued to play until the early 90s.

Every new field, every new sport, every new age division, every change made was to expand the program and allow more children to play the sports they learn to love.

Today, 1,200 boys and girls aged three to 19 will play teeball, baseball, and fastpitch softball in a given year.

Weeknights in the spring, families gather to watch their children and friends play ball under the blazing lights of the eight fields at our 16-acre Southwest Austin complex.

2017 marks our 50th anniversary, a testament to the determined planning and hard work those first Optimist members put into their “bankroll” house all those years ago. I think they would proud to see what they started — the tens of thousands of players that learned their fundamentals on the property they created, the players that went on to play in high school, college, and the major leagues, and the enduring friendships made under the lights at OHYSA. We invite everyone in the Austin community to join the Oak Hill family this year. Online registration for the 2017 Spring season will open at www.OHYSA.com on January 1st and our Golden Anniversary Celebration is scheduled for March 25th.

50 Years Oak Hill’s Golden Anniversary

1967-2017

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Austin SportsXpress Supports Local Sports: ATX Knights, Tumble Tech, Impact Gold, Paragon & Jean Jacques Machado Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Austin Junior Volleyball

TANGLEWOOD VISION

PROUD SUPPORTERS OF OPERATION ENDURING RESPECT Phelps Properties: (512) 825-8393 • www.phelps-properties.com Tanglewood Vision: Dr Joe McGowan, 2110 Slaughter Lane #129 www.drmcgowan.com; (512) 280-0520

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Operation Enduring Respect: Local Non-Profit Takes

by Austin Soldiers, Marines, Families to Football Games Article SportsXpress Proudly supported by

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1. At the Texas-UTEP game at DKR Memorial Stadium. 2. In suite at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. 3. At the Texas-OU game this year in Dallas. 4. Sgt. Ralph Flores and Operation Enduring Respect founder, Kevin Phelps in front of a flag that was flown at a US camp in Afghanistan. The flag is displayed in the Russell family suite at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Sgt. Ralph Flores spent 16 years in the United States Army. His career included three tours overseas in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait. All told, he spent years away from his family and his three teenage boys.

“Spending time away from family is very hard,” said Flores. “But coming back home and trying to pick up where you left off is even harder.”

After Flores retired from the military, he returned to his hometown of Robstown, Texas.

“My boys were no longer teenagers.

They were young men and they were angry at me for not being there. I had missed a lot.”

In 2011, Flores was looking for something to bring him and his boys closer together. He tried hunting, but the boys weren’t interested. Flores felt his sons slipping away. While in San Antonio at Fort Sam Houston, he discovered Operation Enduring Respect, a nonprofit that brings soldiers, Marines and their families to football games around

Enduring Respect eight years ago. The organization has taken more than 2,000 soldiers to games in Austin, Dallas, Nashville, Washington D.C. and to several Super Bowls.

“What we do is life-changing for these soldiers. Just by taking them to a game helps them in that transition to civilian life,” said Phelps. “During one Cowboys game, Sgt. Flores told me, ‘just a month ago, I had bombs going off all around me while in Afghanistan, now I’m watching the Dallas Cowboys! I appreciate what you’ve done for me, my family and other soldiers.”

Operation Enduring Respect is based in Austin and is a 100 per cent direct non-profit organization with an allvolunteer staff. If you’d like to help the group support our wounded men and women of the armed forces, please donate to: Operation Enduring Respect, 504 Westmorland, Austin, Texas 78745.

All donations are tax deductible.

the country. That year, the group took 25 soldiers and Marines to the Cowboys annual Thanksgiving game in Arlington.

Flores made the trip.

Thomas and Pam Russell hosted the group in their suite at AT&T Stadium.

Flores struck up a friendship with the Russells and the next year, the couple invited Flores back and told him to bring his sons.

“That first trip to the Cowboys game with my three boys allowed me to re-open my relationship with them.

Operation Enduring Respect isn’t just about taking soldiers to football games, it is about helping soldiers and their families get back together again.”

Flores and his sons have watched the last five Thanksgiving games as guests of the Russells. On a recent visit, Flores presented the couple with a flag that flew over his camp in Afghanistan. The flag now hangs on a wall in the Russells suite.

President of Phelps Properties, Kevin Phelps, started Operation

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health&fitness

Hope4Minds Starts a concussion group in Austin Article and photos by Hope4Minds

Hope4Minds, a 501(c)(3) public charity serving children with an acquired brain injury through support and education, has partnered with former UT Cheerleader, Kaitlyn Behnke, to start a concussion support group.

Kaitlyn started gymnastics at age three, and she fell in love with competitive cheerleading at the age of six. She dedicated much of her life to cheer and ended up finishing her cheerleading career at The University of Texas at Austin. She has had six concussions, five of them from cheerleading. After suffering her sixth concussion on August of 2015, she made a decision to quit cheerleading.

This was a very difficult decision for her! To this day, she still has headaches nearly every day, along with a list of other symptoms. There are so many other stories similar to hers, yet not enough resources are available.

Kaitlyn is excited to partner with Hope4Minds to start a concussion support group to connect concussion sufferers.

She comments, “I truly think our experiences can lead each other to new approaches, and renewed hope.”

The group meets every second Wednesday from 7:00 to 8:30 pm in Austin. Locations will vary.

Upcoming Events Hope4Minds is recruiting runners/ walkers to join their team for the Austin Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K on February 19, 2017. Individuals can choose to run in honor of a child who has suffered a brain injury. There are great incentives for the team members!

Hope4Minds is once again participating in I Live Here, I Give Here’s Amplify Austin on March 2, 2017. Their goal is to raise $30,000. 100 percent of donations scheduled during Amplify Austin will go to fund their programs and services.

The 7th Annual Hope4Minds Golf Tournament is scheduled for April 24, 2017 at Grey Rock Golf Club. Registration is open!

Sponsors and volunteers are needed!

For more information on these events and Hope4Minds, please visit www.hope4minds.org

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Record turnout for Circle C Turkey Trot Article and photos by Austin SportsXpress Under picture-perfect skies, hundreds of Circle C residents turned out for the annual neighborhood Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. Most of the runners and walkers chose the 5K route, while dozens decided to go for the 10K option. In all, this fourth annual tradition was a huge success.

“Thank you so much to our neighborhood and its wonderful people (800) for allowing us to do this turkey trot for the fourth time. Now a tradition.

See you next year,” said David and Ana Bosada, organizers of the event.

Nathan Poland finished first in the 10K in 39:16. Dillon Boldt was the first to come across the finish line in the 5K in 22:14. He was followed by Eric Atwell (22:44) and Marshall Ferguson. All times are unofficial.

“Another great turnout! I ran the inaugural Turkey Trot four years ago...

I love how it’s grown!” said Julie Sallenbach Smith.

Runners and walkers, young and old, cruised up and down LaCrosse and Spruce Canyon during the race. Some adorable pooches also joined in as well.

Spero Rehab, Barre3 Circle C, ATX Bikes, and Camp Gladiator all helped out on race day.

“Thank you to Ana Cecilia Bosada, the volunteers, and donors for organizing the Turkey trot today,” said Clarissa Rincon Flores. “It was our first time participating in the event and we loved starting the day with our family and friends.”

(above) Marshall Ferguson, Eric Atwell, Dillon Boldt were the top finishers in the 5K race.

FREE INJURY SCREENING Nagging pain? Sports injury? Mention SportsXpress and come see us for a free injury screeening

We are YOUR neighborhood Physical and Occupational Therapy Clinic in Circle C 5401 La Crosse Ave, Bldg C, Suite 101 (next to Kiker Elementary)

Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapy www.sperorehab.com 512.852.8134

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