SportsXpress Austin May/June 2017

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Diving Into Summer Inside the Capital City Summer League Champions Austin.SportsXpress.com Plus‌ Austin to Boston (Marathon) and 1826!1

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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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Veritas Soccer wins again; Tennis also claims state title Bowie Baseball fighting for playoff spot First Tee Ace students sign letters of intent to play college

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Summer sports & outdoor camp guide From Austin to Boston Capital City Summer League Swim, Bike, Run, FUN! Champions comes to our community Three Austin Juniors Teams heading to Nationals

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So why are we doing this again?

Late spring and summer is a time where seemingly our kids are involved in all kinds of sports. When your child is busy with practices and games, you may want to take a “time out” and remind your child exactly why he or she is putting on that uniform. Here are some great tips from Dr. Carol Dweck, a Stanford University Professor and a board member with Positive Coaching Alliance:

Winning is great — but joyful, meaningful winning comes from a good team process.

First and foremost, teach children the purpose of youth sports: 1. Having fun. Win-at-all-cost parents and coaches spoil the fun for kids and cause many to drop out of sports entirely. Sports should be something they look forward to and then feel good about.

2. Growing their skills. The serious part of sports is inspiring kids to grow their skills though mentoring and practice. It’s a good lesson for life — teaching them to work on weaknesses (and existing strengths) and pointing out how they’re progressing.

3. Becoming a great team member. On a win-at-all-cost team, it’s often every team member for themselves. Yet, great teams have great “chemistry” — team members support, root for, and help each other whenever possible. Parents and coaches should encourage and reward this.

What you expect in a game: 4. Full effort and commitment. Winning is secondary, but often follows from having both of these things What to do when the team loses: 5. Analyze and learn. You can share the team’s disappointment, but then get down to work. What happened?

What did we learn from it? No fingerpointing, no blaming, but no excuses either — just learning.

What to do when the team wins: 6. Analyze and learn. Often after a win, we just rest on our laurels. But wins can teach us a lot. What did we do that worked? How can we capitalize on that in the future? Let as much as possible come from the kids.

Final tips: 7. Educate the other parents. Many of the other parents may still be in the win-at-all-cost mentality. Bring them on board with your goals of having fun, growing skills, and building team spirit.

They should understand that in the long run, this will serve their children best.

8. Minimize talk about “talent.” Many parents may want to hear that their child is talented, more talented than the others. This kind of thinking can limit kids, both the ones with higher skills and the ones with lower skills at the moment.

9. Highlight developing skills. It gives more highly skilled children permission to take on challenges and make mistakes, without jeopardizing their “talented” status. And it gives students who currently have lower skill levels the motivation to learn and improve.

10. Stay mindful of one of my mantras.

“I have always been deeply moved by outstanding achievement and saddened by wasted potential.”

Yours in sport, Derek Castillo

Spencer Trygg, Partnership Manager Spencer_trygg@positivecoach.org 512-270-8380

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May/June 2017 PUBLISHERS Derek Castillo Derek@SportsXpress.com 512-560-4286 EDITOR Jane Penteker GRAPHIC DESIGN Alyssa MacLeod alyssa@sportsxpress.com CONTRIBUTORS Lindsey J. Baker, Carrie Barrett, Phillip Cantrell, Kayla Chalmers, Rachel Corbelli, Katie Dinwiddie, Mary Elliott, J.R. Flores, Hans Landel, Jenny Leeds, Susan Lien, Katie Luevano, Jennifer MacCurrach, Angelo Milicia, Mike Reed and the Austin SportsXpress team Fort Wayne FRANCHISE Austin EDITION Rochester Syracuse FRANCHISE Contact SportsXpress at: INQUIRY 1.877.588.8856 or email Franchise@SportsXpress.com NATIONAL AND 315-263-8771 REGIONAL SALES

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Reproduction or transmission of any article, photograph or artwork in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher is prohibited. SportsXpress is published six times per year. SportsXpress Inc. is committed to protecting your privacy as our customer. We may collect personal information only if it is required for the proper functioning of our business and only share this information with our business partners. The editors and contributors who write for SportsXpress Inc. attempt to provide accurate and useful information and commentary. However the editors, contributors and SportsXpress Inc. cannot and do not guarantee the accuracy of this information. We assume no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any readers based on the information provided.

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sports@school

Veritas Soccer wins again; Tennis also claims state title Article by Austin SportsXpress When it comes to excellence on the soccer field, there’s no bigger dynasty in the state’s private school ranks than Veritas Academy. This year, the girls’ team won its third straight TAPPS Division III state championship.

“We had really hard workers and outstanding senior leadership on this team for the last four years,” said Veritas Academy Athletic Director Jonathan Hatfield. “These girls were dominant all season long.”

Veritas beat Colleyville Covenant Christian, 8–0 to win the state title.

The win capped off a 27–1 season.

The Defenders were led by Summerlyn Heller who scored 60 goals on the season and had 47 assists. In her four year career, Heller tallied an astounding 213 goals. She’s heading to Dallas Baptist to continue her academic and soccer career.

The Defenders were also led by three other talented seniors. All will continue playing soccer at the next level. Elianna Chavez racked up 21 goals; she’ll play at St. Edward’s next year. Sarah Edwards, who contributed 11 goals and seven assists, will play at Texas State next year.

Cayla Gonzalez signed with Concordia.

She tallied 16 goals and 17 assists.

“The key is getting good coaches who

(left) Cayla Gonzalez advances the ball upfield against Colleyville Covenant in the state title game.

buy into the direction of the program,” said Hatfield.

“Consistency is key, and we are building a winning culture here at Veritas.”

The Defenders girls’ tennis team also is bringing a state championship trophy back to Austin. Summer Apostalo and Ellie Yellitz finished second, and Hannah Ramirez and Jayne Richardson finished third in doubles. That was enough to give the Defenders the state team title.

It’s been a stellar athletic year for Veritas Academy. In addition to soccer and girls’ tennis, the boys’ swim team won state, and the football team captured a TAPPS Division I six-man title last winter.

Veritas Academy is a private school in Southwest Austin with an enrollment of 166 students. About 75 percent of them participate in athletics.

The state champs celebrating their win at Waco ISD Stadium.

Head Coach Michele Yellitz, Beth Perry, Summer Apostalo, Ellie Yellitz, Summerlyn Heller, Hannah Ramirez, and Assistant Coach Stacey Lundeen hoist the championship trophy.

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From Austin to Boston Article by Austin SportsXpress It’s the ultimate race for many distance runners… the Boston Marathon.

We tracked down four runners from Southwest Austin who ran in the race.

They traveled to Boston during Easter weekend, went to a Red Sox game, drank some local ales and took in the sights.

Come Monday, April 17th, they hit the streets with 30,000 other runners for a race unlike any other.

Joe Jarosek Male 45-49 3:55:03 Describe your overall impressions and feelings while running the Boston Marathon.

I know what they mean by Boston strong now. It is such an event here. It is almost indescribable. It is a part of the Boston culture and everyone embraces it.

You don’t feel like an outsider — you run and everyone in Boston appreciates you.

What was your favorite moment?

Turning right on Hereford and left on Boylston Street is when I realized I did it. I ran the Boston Marathon!

I feel so honored to have run with the elites and with the man who ran his 50th marathon. Running by the Starbucks where the bomb went off really put everything into perspective.

For someone like me who isn’t very emotional, it made all of those early morning runs worth it.

What part of your training regimen best prepared you for the race?

Consistency is the key to training.

Getting your miles in and trust your training. Your mind will give out long before your body does. Being part of a running group keeps me accountable.

I’m not just running for me; I’m running for the whole group. I run with the morning show from Rogue.

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Four local runners take on the Boston Marathon

Daphne Weyand Female 40-44 4:05:45 Describe your overall impressions and feelings while running the Boston Marathon.

Running Boston is an incredible & humbling experience.

Being a part of such an elite group of runners in such a historical race is something you will never forget.

What was your favorite moment?

Wow, there are so many... The energy from the crowd as you run through Wellesley or up Heartbreak Hill is awesome, but this year, the cheering and crowds along the last two miles into Boston were the best!

What was your most difficult moment? What obstacle(s) did you have to overcome?

My most difficult moment was waiting for hours to start the race. You could feel it getting warmer by the minute and you knew 26.2 miles lay ahead. I would say staying cool and hydrated during the race was a big obstacle this year.

Dana Stanley Female 45-49 3:20:53 Describe your overall impressions and feelings while running the Boston Marathon.

The amount of supporters cheering us on the whole way from the start in Hopkinton to the finish line on Boylston Street is like no other marathon. Walls of people line the streets with signs encouraging the runners, supporting and lifting us up all the way to the finish line. The energy and excitement in the air is palpable! Many of us wear our name on the front of our tops or shorts so that the crowd can personally

cheer us on. This seems to always give me a little extra boost along the way especially through the hills!

What was your favorite moment?

My favorite moment is always turning the corner onto Boylston Street and seeing the finish line in the distance.

It’s a time I give thanks to God for the journey and to the people who helped me get through it all. I think about the tragedy of 2013 and those who lost their lives on that day. It’s a very emotional moment.

What part of your training regimen best prepared you for the race?

I always feel ready for Boston after training with Gilbert’s Gazelles. Our Saturday long runs consist of multiple hills with tempo at the end which helps prepare us for Mile 16-21 (hills). Our running group is more like a family as we support each other and help each other achieve our goals.

Helen Yee Female 18-39 4:11:35 What was your favorite moment?

Crossing the finish line!

Did you run with friends, running partners?

Yes, Daphne Weyand helped so much for the majority of the run since my quads were so tired. Just mentally it was awesome to have someone there even though we weren’t chatting the whole time.

What part of your training regimen best prepared you for the race?

Ha! No part will ever prepare you for a day like race day. Hills always are difficult and when combined with heat in the middle of the day, that makes it even worse, but you just have to push through it because crossing that finish line is the best feeling ever since you work so hard just to qualify for Boston.

sports@school

Bowie Baseball fighting for playoff spot Article by Austin SportsXpress, photos

by SportsXpress, Hans Landel A hitting slump couldn’t have come at worse time for the Bowie baseball team. During a stretch of four games, the Bulldogs could only muster three runs and that added up to four straight losses. The Dawgs did bounce back with a win over Manor on April 18th to stay in the postseason hunt.

“We have stayed positive throughout the losing streak,” said head coach Sam Degelia. “We need to dig down deep and turn this thing around.”

Despite the Bulldogs hitting woes, they have had some stellar pitching.

Senior Collin Beville delivered with a one-hitter against Del Valle. He followed that up with a strong outing against Anderson, allowing one run, two hits and striking out seven. Beville also pitched well in the rematch against Del Valle. He went seven and third innings, giving up one run, three hits and striking out nine. But the Cardinals rallied to win the game, 1–0, with a walk-off single in the eighth.

“Our pitching was a big question mark coming into the season, but Beville and Jordan Landel have pitched very well in district play,” said Degelia.

“They have really stepped it up. Our

Degelia. “They say hitting is contagious.

We’re keeping it simple and hoping we can put something together and string some wins together.”

The Dawgs did have some impressive wins early in the season with victories against Hendrickson, San Antonio O’Connor and Cedar Ridge. All teams with strong chances to make the playoffs. Bowie also lost to state-ranked Lake Travis, 5–4 in late February.

team ERA is low. You can’t beat that.

Our defense has been good, too, in the .970 range.”

The Bulldogs are looking to make the playoffs for the 17th straight year. As of April 18th, the Dawgs are 14–9 and 3–4 in district play. They sit in fourth place in the district. The top four teams make postseason play.

“It’s baseball. We’re waiting for someone to step up at the plate,” said

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Capital City Summer League

Article by Austin SportsXpress For the last 11 years, most Saturdays in the summer have meant one thing in the Chalmers household — swim meets. For more than a decade, Kayla and Cory Chalmers have watched their children swim for the South Austin Area Barracudas, a recreational swim team based in the Villages of Shady Hollow.

“What is really unique is that all of our kids have been part of the team all at the same time,” said Kayla. “When my husband and I are at the meets, we can watch all of our children compete at once. Instead of traveling to different

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parts of town to see each kid play a different sport, we get to see them swim together on the same team.

Everybody is together as a family.”

The Barracudas and seven other neighborhood teams make up the Capital City Summer League, a recreational swim league with eight teams from South Austin and Buda.

Swimmers ages 4 to 18 years compete on each team. The league started in 2005 and is now home to nearly 2,000 swimmers.

“It’s all about fun,” said Katie Dinwiddie, President of the Circle C Seals. “Sure, there’s competition,

Summer Swim Program going strong for 12 years

but the focus is on learning strokes, sportsmanship, and learning how to be a good teammate.”

Dinwiddie has three daughters who swim for the Seals and is the team’s league representative this year.

“My girls fell in love with the sport at six years old. They have learned so many life lessons, like working hard to achieve a goal, how to handle winning and losing, dedication, and sportsmanship. They have also made lifelong friendships,” said Dinwiddie.

The league is run by parent volunteers. Coaches are the only people being paid. Practices begin at the

sportsfiles beginning of May and meets begin two weeks later. The season culminates with a champs meet where all teams come together and compete against each other. This year’s champs meet will take place at Texas A&M University in College Station.

“We like to say the meets are organized chaos,” said Chalmers. “But they are a lot of fun. Volunteers start setting up the night before. When the meet gets going there’s music and cheers. Sometimes you’ll see the kids dancing at the starting line.”

Chalmers has also seen some league swimmers come full circle.

“One of my daughters started swimming when she was five years old,” said Chalmers. “Now she’s 16 and going on her third year as a junior coach for the team. For many kids, they look forward to coming back and giving back to the program.”

For more information on the Capital City Summer league visit www. capitalcitysummerleague.com

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Swim, Bike, Run, FUN! Article by Carrie Barrett, photos by Lindsay J. Baker Photography It’s a Tuesday afternoon at Austin Aquatics and Sports Academy. Dozens of kids stream through the doors; it’s a human hurricane of after-school activity. A growing number of kids huddle near the pool waiting for instruction. Their spot in the grass near the pool deck resembles race morning at a triathlon. Transition towels are lined up with shoes and race belts strategically placed for speed and efficiency. Suits, swim caps, and goggles are on and awaiting that first plunge. It’s time for another Junior Triathlon practice at Austin Aquatics and Sports Academy.

The facility hosts twice weekly practices and summer camps to attract

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at Austin Aquatics and Sports Academy’s Junior Triathlon Training

existing and budding triathletes to their program. Membership went from about a dozen kids to almost 40 in the last year, creating a need for two coaches and separate groups for developmental and more advanced athletes.

“It started out as a fun and organized afterschool activity for kids,” says Program Director Jeff Raines. “But as skills and competition have developed, so, too, has the need for more strategy and training periodization,

sportsfiles especially as the older more experienced kids get into more racing.”

Coach Raines encourages fun with the sport, and practices often include team relays and even ultimate frisbee games to enhance interval work and teamwork.

The advanced kids are now bringing their own bikes and training with power on the center’s 10 Wahoo Kickr bikes.

This unique atmosphere also allows for regular benchmark testing, which is another staple of this program’s success. The facility also hosts an onsite crushed granite trail for run drills and run workouts.

“The kids and parents can actually monitor and track progress,” says Raines.

“We post all of their times, workouts, and tests so that parents can understand our process and follow along.”

Lindsey Baker, mother of two junior triathlon athletes, has been one of the team’s biggest advocates from the beginning, and she knows, first-hand, the benefits of this training.

“In addition to achieving specific physical goals like making the podium, our kids have developed more responsibility and organization skills,” said Baker. “The sense of pride and confidence our kids have for their sport, team, and personal accomplishments is intangible.”

Interested in AASA’s Summer Junior Triathlon Camps? Contact Jeff Raines at jeff@aasa-atx.com.

For Top 10 Reasons Triathlons Are Great For Kids, visit www.austin. sportsxpress.com

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First Tee Ace students sign letters of intent to play in college Article and photos by First Tee of Greater Austin

At the First Tee of Greater Austin, the mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill lifeenhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. If young golfers earn college scholarships through golf, that’s a bonus. Two of the First Tee’s top golfers will be taking their golf game to the next level next fall. Ben Constancio (Hyde Park Baptist) and Rishi Kejriwel (Westwood) have signed letters of intent to play college golf.

“The First Tee of Greater Austin is all about character development and teaching young people how to build life (left) Rich Kejriwel with legendary golfer, Tom Kite, at the First Tee Open in Pebble Beach.

(right) Ben Constancio at Pebble Beach for the First Tee Open

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skills which will help them beyond the program,” said First Tee of Greater Austin Executive Director, Jennifer MacCurrach.

“And if they also have a strong golf game or a coach sees potential in their game, First Tee youth are a perfect candidate for a college golf team.”

Constancio will play golf at St. Edward’s University. Kejriwel will continue his game at Rice University.

“Besides athletic talent, coaches are looking for high school athletes who can manage themselves and successfully navigate all that is thrown at them in college, especially golf where college players compete year-round,” said MacCurrach.

Both Constancio and Rishi are First Tee Ace Students, which means they have reached the highest level of achievement in the program. Over the summer, both will be completing Ace projects to join a small fraternity of youth nationwide who have achieved the distinction.

The First Tee of Greater Austin has been serving Austin youth since 1999 and is headquartered at its own golf course, the

Harvey Penick Golf Campus in east Austin. In addition to its after-school and summer camp program, The First Tee of Greater Austin also hosts its own tournament series called The Foundation Tour. It also participates in PGA Junior League, a city-wide team competition. The organization provides participation, tournament and secondary education scholarships to its participants.

The First Tee of Greater Austin works closely with the City of Austin in teaching its program at twelve Parks and Recreation sites. The First Tee also hosts a program specifically for girls, the LPGAUSGA Girls Golf program, and works with both the Scottish Rite Hospital and the Els for Autism programs to help make the game more accessible to all kids. To learn more about The First Tee of Greater Austin, visit www.thefirstteeaustin.org or email Derrick Elstob, Manager of Programs and Outreach at destob@ firstteeaustin.org.

sportsfiles

Champions comes to our community

Crush Cheer

$5 Preschool Playdate/Free Baby Gym

Planning Vacation Time This Summer?

Champions 1826 offers summer classes that work around individual family schedules! Up to 10 weeks of classes for the price of 7 giving you wiggle room in your summer schedule!

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Champ Camp: Ages 2-10, Crew Camp: Jr. Counselors ages 11-14, Skills Camps in Gymnastics, Cheer, Tumbling or Parkour: Ages 6+

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Article and photos by Champions 1826

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Tyro Recreational Gymnastics

Owner of Champions Westlake Gymnastics & Cheer, Gretchen Huddleston, has brought the “Champions experience” back home to her Southwest Austin roots with the January opening of Champions Ranch Road 1826. For more than 20 years, Huddleston has presented a tried and true approach to coaching, inspiring successful athletes, and sharing a labor of love that has benefitted thousands.

“These sports opened so many doors for me and I have seen that happen for countless others,” said Huddleston. “My son once told me, ‘I’m the only boy at my elementary school that can do a backhandspring on the playground!’ It was such a moment of realization that he had something special. The core strength and muscle awareness he gained from tumbling paved the way for successes in other sports as well. Witnessing that same level of accomplishment in the successes of the athletes at Champions Westlake has been equally rewarding.”

If Champions is new to you, you’ll soon find out that their coaches pride themselves in teaching children in a safe, fun, and nurturing environment where support and encouragement foster confidence. Students conquer new skills, learning valuable life lessons through victories both large and small. With programs for all ages, the Champions 1826 sparkling, newly renovated facility

is an ideal setting for your children to develop a passion for athletics through a multitude of offerings.

Registration for spring and summer classes is underway and enrollment for summer camps is filling up fast. From parent/tot group sessions to high level tumbling, Champions Ranch Road 1826 offers a variety of classes including Gymnastics, Tumbling, Parkour and All-Star Cheerleading. Cheer tryouts for the 1826 teams were held in April, but it’s not too late to become a Crush Cheer All-Star! If you have an aspiring gymnast in your family, Bravo Performance Gymnastics team is in the works at this new South location for the fall!

Beyond just classes and camps, Champions also offers programs that bring the community together, like Preschool Playdates and FREE Baby Gym, Fun Friday Nights and Birthday Parties. Gym Manager, Randi Zimmermann says they’ve received a super warm welcome from the Champions 1826 families and are excited to watch all of these young athletes grow up through the sports they offer.

Champions Ranch Road 1826 Gymnastics & Cheer 360 Lotus Circle, Austin, TX, 78737 512-960-5050 Frontdesk@Champions1826.com

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Three Austin Juniors Teams heading to Nationals Article by Rachel Corbelli, photos by Austin Junior Volleyball Three Austin Junior Volleyball teams will compete against the nation’s top teams this summer at the Girls Junior National Championships (GJNC) in Minneapolis. AJV 17 Mizuno, AJV 16 Mizuno, and AJV 15 Mizuno have all secured bids to GJNC in the Open division, an honor that only 36 teams per age group can earn.

16 Mizuno and 15 Mizuno both had stellar showings at the Disney Classic National Qualifier in Orlando. 16 Mizuno finished in second place, losing only to a team from their own region.

15 Mizuno won the Disney Classic’s USA division, setting them up for an Open bid the following weekend in Dallas, Texas. 17 Mizuno secured their bid in Dallas at the Lone Star Classic as well, finishing third in the largest qualifier in the nation.

All three teams will compete for Austin Juniors’ third Open National Championship. The club last won the division in 2011.

Several other Austin Junior squads have earned top-10 finishes in other out-ofstate national qualifiers and will compete for more GJNC bids at the Lone Star Regional Championships in late spring.

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(left) Austin Juniors 16 Mizuno finishes second at the Disney Classic in Orlando. (right) Austin Juniors 15 Mizuno finishes first at the Disney Classic in Orlando. (below) Austin Juniors 17 Mizuno finishes third in the Lone Star Classic in Dallas.

Austin Junior Volleyball 2017-2018 tryout dates Want to be a part of the tradition of excellence at Austin Juniors? They’ll be holding tryouts for the 2017-2018 season this summer! Tryouts begin on July 6 and wrap up August 13. Visit www. austinjuniors.com/tryouts for more information.

Those who want a taste of the Austin Juniors environment before attending a tryout can register for summer camps and clinics. Camps offer several days of individual and group training that cover every volleyball skill, while clinics are usually only a few hours long and focus on fine-tuning a single skill. Athletes aged 8 to 18 at any level can find a camp or clinic that will suit their needs. Visit www. austinsportscenter.com/programs for dates and prices. Don’t wait to register — prices will rise seven days before each program!

Age Groups and Tryout Dates 10s: Aug 7 (Day 1), Aug 13 (Day 2) 11s: Aug 7 (Day 1), Aug 13 (Day 2) 12s: Aug 8 (Day 1), Aug 13 (Day 2) 13s: Aug 9 (Day 1), Aug 12 (Day 2) 14s: Aug 10 (Day 1), Aug 12 (Day 2) 15s: July 26 (Day 1), July 29 (Day 2) 16s: July 27 (Day 1), July 29 (Day 2) 17s: July 6 (Day 1), July 8 (Day 2) 18s: July 6 (Day 1), July 8 (Day 2)

sportsfiles

Austin SportsXpress Supports Local Sports: Oak Hill Youth Sports Association, Bowie Track & Field, Bowie Boys Golf, Impact Gold Softball - Johns 10U Photos by J.R. Flores, Susan Lien, Angelo Milicia, Phillip Cantrell

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