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December 27, 2005 VOLUME 1 ISSUE NO.5
Inside...
6 Smoking in the Boy’s room Editorial/Opinion
Coaches get slammed dunk by own players.
Going for Two... Cameron Gatling of Nikki Rowe High School goes airbourne for two points. The Warriors are picked by HSSM to win the 30-5A District title in 2006.
8 Weslaco Panthers Loaded Top 10 Boy’s Action
Panthers picked by HSSM to win title. Edinburg Bobcats could run the table untouched. Raiders? Girl’s Basketball Roundup
Polls 22 LaTheFeria, Edinburg, Harlingen
South all looking for titles in 2006. Can other teams surprise?
27 Players of the Month MVEC Awards
Valley View H.S. Memo Cienfuegos scores 40 points in OT loss to La Villa 83-80.
Top Student Athletes 28 Los Fresnos Twins maintain COSTEP Academic Players
4.0 GPA and play multiple sports. JC Herebia also awarded.
34 The CORE Values
Get The Ultimate Fitness
How to build a strong foundation with your life.
On the COVER... HSSM Photos by DAVID A. AMADOR and Tony Williams
Next issue: Jan. 22nd! RGV HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINE is published monthly, beginning in August through June with extra issues printed in November, and January, with a total combine issue of 13 by HSSM Media Communications L.L.C., located at our Corporate Home Office, 2416 Frontera Road, McAllen, Texas 78504. David A. Amador, Publisher/CEO; Julian Garcia, Executive Vice President, CFO. U.S. subscriptions are available annually for 13 issues/$29.95 plus postage and handling of $2.95 per issue. 2005 Copyright HSSM Media Communications L.L.C.. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Printed in Mexico. Customer Service and subscriptions available 24/7 service, please use our website at www.HSSMOnline.com. You can also call 956.739.3362 or write to HSSM at 5111 North 10th Street #158, McAllen, Texas 78504.
HSSM Views
happened to two rookie coaches in their first year at Roma. As parents, we put our trust with any adult supervising our children. Did the Roma H.S. administration do the right thing by kicking these players off the team? Yes. Will it ever happen again? You bet. Leaving students Unsupervised while you
Editorial hssmonline@yahoo.com
Smoking in the Boys Room Roads trips. School road trips. Coaches and sponsors deal with a lot of stress when traveling to other cities for UIL events. Most schools would rather not allow out-of-area trips in order to prevent disasters like the one that occurred with the Roma H.S. varsity boy’s basketball team recently. One source, who wished not to be identified told HSSM that “we made a mistake” referring to this weekends encounter. Yes, these Roma athletes did drink alcohol and “Yes” they were caught smoking “Marijuana” or grass, pot, weed, or Cannabis sativa in their rooms. Call it whatever you choose to call it, it is still an illegal drug. Punishable by the law with probation or jail time. So who was responsible for this mischief happening? It would be fair to say that this would not be the first time that these teens had ever tried drinking or smoking pot. After all, they were “celebrating a teammate’s birthday. Unfortunately, this had to have
watch “ESPN” only creates temptation. Like in basketball, these coaches were “slam dunked” by their own players. A hard lesson learned. In sports, sex, drugs, and alcohol play strong influences for many young athletes. That’s why ESPN sportscaster Chris Bergman would say it best by adding, he-could-go-all-the-way!
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December 2005
1
RGV HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2005-2006
Weslaco
With two transfers in, the Panthers just might take the 31-5A title
Weslaco-Basketball fans from the Rio Grande Valley may not think that the Weslaco Panthers are swift enough to win the 31-5A District title in 2006. After all, these Panthers play in a district comprised of stated-ranked PSJA North, two-time Sweet 16 finalists Edinburg, and the up and coming PSJA Bears. So why would RGV High School Sports Magazine pick the Weslaco Panthers to win it all? That is simple: they are beginning to gel at the right time. “We are a very young team. With two new players added to our roster this past summer, we are beginning to gel,” says Panther head coach Roy Swift. The Panthers welcomed Mexico native-transfer Francisco Rodriguez, a 6’9 center who probably wears the shoe size of SHAQ and weighs just as much. His teammate, Edgar Segura, a 5’10 Mexico-native transfer is a point guard, they have brought their up tempo game to the Valley and are now trying to mix it in with starters Isaac Cabrera, David Gonzalez, and Tommy Sotuyo. “I know we are a young team. We keep making simple mistakes, but once we overcome these obstacles, we will be able to feel more confident in our playing abilities,” says Swift. The Panthers are led by 6’2 Cabrera, who has scored more than 240 points in 13 non-district games and maintains a 18.5 point average. At the Sharyland tournament held recently, Weslaco played as was expected by Swift: Not as “swift”. Nevertheless, they made it to the finals with Rodriguez crashing the boards and Segura adding some flair on the court with his “Steve Nash” dazzling passes, but against the Bobcats, they gave up the lead, only to lose to district counterpart, Edinburg. “We missed too many shots. I know our team will be ready once district comes around,” added Swift. Look for the Panthers to remain as the No.1 ranked team in the Valley as they begin district play. (hssmonline@yahoo.com)
WESLACO LINEUP PLAYER
JERSEY NO.
A.B. OLIVAREZ DAVID GONZALEZ ALBERT ROYAS ROBERT TREJO EDGAR SEGURA TOMMY SOTUYO ISAAC CABRERA LIONEL VEGA FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ JOE MARTINEZ PEPE CABRERA ANTHONY MARTINEZ JOHN SOLIS JERRY GUERRA DAVID CHAPA
1 3 4 10 12 20 23 24 25 32 33 34 42 44 50
Albert Rojas (4) of the Weslaco Panthers will lead his 31-5A team this season coming off the bench. (HSSM Photo/Tony Williams)
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December 2005
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2
RGV HS BASKETBALL 2005-2006
Ed-Elsa
Yellowjackets Are Shootin’ Away
Edcouch-Elsa-Now you know why RGV High School Sports Magazine ranks Edcouch-Elsa at No.2 in the poll. They completely dismantled the Edinburg Bobcats 73-64 before a sellout crowd at Yellowjacket Gym. Robert Capello could only watch in admiration as Gabriel Silva hit eight shots from downtown to lead his Jackets to their 13th win of the year. After Silva drained his eighth 3 for a 63-54 E-E lead with 4:16 left in the game, Edinburg (12-3) called for time. At this point, about 10 Edinburg students were asked to leave the gym. In a big disappointing loss, the Yellowjackets found themselves losing in double overtime to San Antonio Fox Tech 65-63 in the first game of the Josten’s City of Palms Basketball Classic. “We forgot to play our game and we started to play theirs,” said Capello. “After we lost to Fox Tech (in the first round of the City of Palms), we just wanted to come out and beat a good team, which is Edinburg High,” Silva said. “They are a good team. They can shoot, they can rebound and they hustle, so we wanted to come out and beat these guys.” “The game of basketball is a fascinating sport,” E-E coach Robert Capello said. “Sometimes you’re on, sometimes you’re not. Luckily we were on early, we hit some big 3s, and they were YELLOWJACKET PLAYER hitting a lot of 3s as RICHARD GONZALEZ well, so it became a real exciting game for VICTOR OROZCO JULIAN RAMIREZ both sides.” The Yellowjackets GABE SILVA are the team to beat in RENE DELGADO 32-4A in 2006. They ROMAN VERA have the height, talent, RAUL GONZALEZ and pressure, but most SERGIO GARZA of all, a legendary ANDREW GONZALEZ coach. LEO CANTU With all this intact, ALEX CANTU it would be hard for HERMAN GONZALEZ any team to come in BJ ROWELL and defeat the Gold MARK CARDENAS and Black. Look for GEORGE RUBIO the Yellowjackets to go perfect in 32-4A and make it to the Regional semifinals in the State 4A playoffs.
LINEUP JERSEY NO.
33 15 10 12 21 11 23 22 54 13 42 14 44 32 5
Andrew Gonzalez, 6’5 center for the Yellowjackets will be ready to give his coach Robert Capello more wins. (David A. Amador/HSSM Photo)
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December 2005
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RGV HS BASKETBALL 2005-2006
PSJA North
Are Raiders Ready for Real Test?
(McAllen, Tx)-Weslaco East Wildcat head coach Gabe Valdez knows what he will be wishing for this Christmas: more energy. The Wildcats dropped a heart breaking loss to the PSJA North Raiders 59-49, with senior J.C. Herebia leading the way for the Raiders (13-1)with 30 points. Despite the win, Raider head coach Jaime Gongora was not pleased with his team’s performance. “We played awful. We were just plain flat,” said Gongora. For the Wildcats, they played their best in the first half by tying the game 28-28, after trailing 17-12 at the end of the first period. Weslaco East tied the game three times in the first period as George Rodriguez scored on a fast break to make it 8-all at the 2:32 mark. Nate Salazar would tie the game again at 10-10 on a rebound but from then on, it became Herebia and fouls. Last year’s MVP started penetrating the Wildcat’s defense after a time out called by Gongora. He was heard yelling at Herebia, “whose game are you going to play?” This question stuck in Herebia’s mind for the remainder of the night. The Raider head coach Gongora feels that he is not worried about “the Mustangs”, but instead, he is worried about his Raiders whether they will show up and play tomorrow. In the championship game Saturday night, they did show up. Somewhat, sluggish too as PSJA North stalled the clock again for the third consecutive game to knock the McAllen Nikki Rowe Warriors off balance to win 55-44 victory. The Raiders (15-1) not only won their second straight City of Palms championship, but North’s senior center was again selected PSJA NORTH LINEUP as the most valuable player. PLAYER JERSEY NO. Since then, the Raiders (16-2), have lost 1 JERRY LEDESMA to Mission Veterans in non-district action. 2 DAVID GUZMAN Could this be the end or down side to 3 TJ FONSECA Gongora’s reign at being at the top? 11 ROY LEDESMA With District 31-5A filled with potential 12 ERIC DIAZ clients to claim the title, the Raiders will 15 ERIC GARCIA need to find a way to work in four new 20 HECTOR JASSO starters into the game plan. Identical twins, 24 NEO SANCHEZ Roy and Jerry Ledesma control most of the 50 JC HEREBIA action at 5’0 tall (both) and if the Raiders can somehow manage their fast breaks and outside shooting, then expect the Raiders to make more waves with No.1 Weslaco and No.4 Edinburg. PSJA could jump right into the race if they can solve their game plans. Senior JC Herebia, last year’s All-Valley Most Valuable Player averages 21 points a game along with Neo Sanchez who contributes 18 points per outing. Forward Roy Ledesma is finding holes to pass the ball to Herebia. He averages 8 assists per game, along with brother Jerry adding another 4. “We are a young team this year. Many opponents do not understand this. I’m just glad we have been able to play together,” added Gongora.
JC Herebia, 6’5 center for PSJA North will be counted on to carry the Raiders back into the playoffs in 2006. (Tony Williams/HSSM Photo) 12
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December 2005
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4
RGV HS BASKETBALL 2005-2006
Edinburg Can Bobcats Rule 31-5A?
Edinburg-The Bobcats captured their own Craig Smith Tournament with a win over McAllen Memorial, then they came from behind to beat Weslaco at the Sharyland Diamondback Classic but this streak of two tournament wins came to a short halt as they met up with Edcouch-Elsa in a non-district game losing 73-64. Edinburg was able to pull within three points, 64-61, on Lucio Rodriguez’s layup just after the timeout. But the ’Jackets (13-2) answered with a 5-0 run while forcing the Bobcats into several bad shots for a 69-61 edge with 29 seconds remaining. “It was one of those up-and-down fast-paced games, and they just out-shot us from the perimeter,” Edinburg coach Joe Filoteo said. “We came out with a lot of energy in the first, and we did a good job I thought. But in the second quarter we rushed ourselves offensively, and we missed a lot of easy shots. That was just us getting ahead of ourselves.” What might end up as a preview to the 31-5A title showdown, fans were able to get a glimpse of what might take place. The Edinburg Bobcats overcame a slow start and earned a 46-41 DISTRICT 31-5A SCHEDULE victory over the Weslaco High Panthers at the annual Sharyland TEAM DATE WHERE Diamondback Classic. Edinburg’s T 12/30 PSJA NORTH John Cantu was able to control his H EDINBURG NORTH 1/5 nerves as he sank two free throws T 1/7 PSJA with 3.7 seconds remaining to H 1/12 ECONOMEDES preserve the victory. T 1/14 DONNA Weslaco’s Edgar Segura T 1/17 WESLACO connected on a 3-pointer, his H 1/24 PSJA NORTH fourth of the game, cutting the T EDINBURG NORTH 1/27 Bobcats’ lead to 44-41. H 1/31 PSJA Edinburg coach Joe Filoteo A 2/3 ECOMOMEDES said it from the start, “we have to H 2/7 DONNA control the boards and the three H point line”. “We challenged the 2/10 WESLACO kids to play better defense in the second half. I felt Weslaco did a better job on defense in the first half.” Weslaco raced out to an 11-point lead (18-7) with 1 minute and 12 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Segura pumped in back-toback treys to open the game as the Panthers built an 8-0 advantage. This was Filoteo’s main concern. He knew that Segura had to be stopped. Segura led Weslaco with 14 points. Are the Bobcats destined to give Filoteo another Sweet 16 appearance in 2006? First, they must beat PSJA North in their district opener at Pharr, then they will meet PSJA in their third district game in Pharr again. Things might not look too bright for the Bobcats after their first three district games.
Joey Perez and the High Flyin Bobcats will open 31-5A District play at PSJA North in the RGV High School Sports Magazine’s Game of the Week on Dec. 30th. (Tony Williams/HSSM Photo)
14 14
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RGV HS BASKETBALL 2005-2006
PSJA
Bears Too Tall and Slammin’
Pharr- For the PSJA Bears, head coach Milton Galloso must have been praying all summer long hoping for a miracle to happen. In his prayer, he wanted someone tall, not too tall, just tall enough to rebound and score. Miracles do happen, especially in the Rio Grande Valley when you pray to the Virgin de Guadalupe. The Bears now welcome 6’9 Ty Gough from Missouri to their starting lineup. With the size of a “baby SHAQ”, Gough has been averaging 19 points a game along with teammate Bryan Banning who contributes 13 points. At the Sharyland Diamondback Classic, Bryan Banning and Gough combined for 25 points to lead the PSJA High Bears to a narrow 34-32 victory over the Mission Veterans Memorial Patriots. In PSJA’s win over Mission Veterans, Gough tied the contest at 32 with 2:58 remaining. The Patriots then used a stall tactic, waiting for the last shot. Junior center Archi Reyna attempted a shot with 41.6 seconds left that missed, and the Bears rebounded. Banning then converted two free throws with 35 seconds remaining to secure the victory. “We played hard, but our intensity level wasn’t what I expected,” Mission Veterans coach Romeo de la Garza said. “We didn’t execute down the stretch. We wanted that last PSJA LINEUP JERSEY NO. shot at the end to send the PLAYER game into overtime.” 1 Adrian Garza In that game, Gough finished Martin Castaneda 3 with 15 points, and Banning Andrew Castillo 5 scored 10. Reyna led the Rigo De La Cedra 11 Patriots with 10 points. “It was Mac Lopez 13 our second game of the day, Oscar Santa Maria 14 and our big guys were kind Bryan Banning 21 of worn down,” PSJA coach Josh Barrera 23 Milton Galloso said. “It was 55 Ty Gough our third game in four days. You have to give Veterans credit, they put good pressure on the ball.” Has Gough been a factor to this PSJA team in 2005 so far? With 11 wins to date, the Bears will now be vying for the 31-5A District title along with Edinburg, PSJA North,, and Weslaco. What would life be without Ty? Just ask head coach Galloso. With Ty Gough traveling back to Missouri to visit with family, his Bears were spanked by Sharyland 55-51 in in non-district action. This was a rematch of an earlier game played, which the Bears won 71-58 with Ty. “Ty makes a big difference,” said Sharyland coach Rudy Garcia, knowing that Gough is averaging 18.4 points and a Rio Grande Valley-best 17.6 rebounds per outing.
PSJA’s Adrian Garza makes his way to the basket for two points. The Bears will be favored to make the post season. (David A. Amador/HSSM Photo)
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December 2005
6 McAllen Memorial RGV HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2005-2006
Mustangs Ready to get back into the playoffs
McAllen Memorial is set to make another run for the 30-5A District title in 2006. (David A. Amador/HSSM Photo)
December 2005
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McAllen-Head coach Sam Cortez of McAllen Memorial (11-4) knows that his Mustangs could play better every night they get on the court. “If this team shows up to play, then teams will have trouble beating us down the court,” adds Cortez. So far, the Mustangs have shown up, only to lose back to back games to PSJA North and Laredo United in the City of Palms Basketball Classic sponsored by Josten’s. Memorial opened the tournament with wins over San Benito and Los Fresnos before bowing out to the other two teams. “We played horrible in these last two games. Our team will be alright once district play comes around,” says Cortez. The Mustangs are looking to get into the state playoffs after last year’s appearance. A district title might favor these Stangs, but look for Rowe and Sharyland (12-5) to cause some trouble along with McHi. The Warriors lost to Pharr North in the finals of the Josten’s City of Palms Classic last week.
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RGV HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2005-2006
McAllen Nikki Rowe Can Rowe’ Gatling Brothers Lead Warriors? Will Contend for 30-5A title.
McAllen-Manny and Cameron Gatling, brothers on the McAllen Nikki Rowe basketball team give the Warriors an opportunity to contend for the 30-5A title in 2006, along with Sharyland and McAllen Memorial. Manny, who stands at 6’2 leads the way averaging about 12 points a game, while brother Cameron is putting up about 10 points. The Warriors have posted 9-7 record to date and will enter district play on a positive note after making it to the finals of the Josten’s City of Palms Basketball Classic. Against the Raiders from PSJA North, they were able to trade baskets leading 11-10 with 1:10 remaining
NIKKI ROWE LINEUP PLAYER
ERIN RODRIGUEZ EMMANUEL GATLING OLANDO CEDILLO ENRIQUE BARRERA ALEX MUNIZ CAMERON GATLING ERIC VILLARREAL CESAR HINJOSA ALEX CHALK EDDIE PENA TYLER PEBLEY RYAN SANDERS 18
JERSEY NO.
1 2 3 5 21 22 23 31 32 33 40 50
Manny Gatling of McAllen Nikki Rowe is pictured looking for a way to score. (HSSM Photo/David A. Amador)
in the first period. Head coach Jose Yerba knows that his Warriors should be ready for the real thing come the New Year. “We are barely learning to play with one another by eliminating all those mental www.hssmOnline.com
mistakes,”says Yerba. Their biggest rival, McAllen Memorial will be the game to test the Warriors. One positive note is that they can fast break and apply pressure defense by double teaming players like JC Herebia of the Raiders. The Warriors held him to less that 17 points in the championship game. Rowe posted wins over SunnyBrook 57-54 and last year’s 32-5A champion, Brownsville Rivera 51-45. So how balanced is this Rowe team? After losing to San Benito 51-46 in overtime, Yerba might begin to wonder what surprises might be in store for his team come district play. M. Gatling did however, manage to score 18 points, while little brother Cameron added another eight points. The Warriors seemed off balance by scoring 16 points in the first period then fell apart in the second period with only six points. Is a 30-5A title waiting for the Rowe Warriors? Stay tuned. December 2005
8 Harlingen South RGV HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2005-2006
South Hawks want 32-5A title. They have the talent to make it happen too.
Mission- The Harlingen South Hawks will have to earn the right to be ranked No.1 in the RGV High School Sports Magazine’s Top 10 poll. With so much talent riding on this team, head coach Larry Kruse is probably trying to figure a way to make things happen once District 32-5A play comes. At the Sharyland Diamondback Classic, the Hawks, pegged as one of the favorites to win it all, were stunned by Laredo United 72-54. United, which barely lost to PSJA North 66-68, did not even show signs of a struggle, as Luis Guevara and Leo Romanos, pretty much dominated the inside game. The ’Horns frustrated Kruse and the Hawks by leading at halftime (34-17) and then to step it up another gear, scoring another 24 points near the end of the third quarter. With 50 seconds remaining in the period, Alvaro Garcia stole a South possession and then sent it down court to Joe Andre Firova for a quick layup and a 5733 advantage. Guevara, who made 15 of his game-high 24 points in the first half, also grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds. Firova tacked on 15 points, and Romanos added 12 points and four rebounds for the Longhorns. South’s top effort of 15 points was turned in by John Friebele. If South expects to win another district title in 2006, they must overcome blowout games and play Hawk basketball.
SOUTH HAWKS LINEUP PLAYER
PATRICK VERNOR SEAN MESSICK COREY FLOWERS MARIO RODRIGUEZ SEAN VERNOR BEN ANANIZ PETER DE LA GARZA CHARLES WRAY JOHN FRIEBELE ALBERT NAJAR RENE RODRIGUEZ BRANDON MASON JULIO TORRES JAVIER TORRES KODY DEGGES
JERSEY NO.
1 2 3 5 10 11 12 13 20 22 24 30 33 44 55
Sean Vernor will lead his Harlingen South Hawks in 32-5A. (HSSM Photo/Tony Williams)
December 2005
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9 Harlingen Cardinals RGV HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2005-2006
In 32-5A, Cards will be tested each week with new players.
La Feria-In one of the most interesting match ups of the year to date, the Harlingen Cardinals defeated the 32-1A Santa Maria Cougars 63-39, to win the 74th Annual C.E. Vail tournament title. Cardinals head coach Greg Yates and his birds were challenged by a much smaller Cougar team. “We missed some key shots early and played pretty sloppy,” said Yates. The Harlingen Cardinals described their opponents as a “scrappy team” but in the end, Harlingen finally hit the .500 mark and improved to 7-7 overall while Santa Maria fell to 12-4. HARLINGEN LINEUP Ryan Nieto-Whitaker, an all-tournament selection, tallied up 27 PLAYER JERSEY NO. points for the Cards with 25 points scored in the second half. RYAN N. WHITAKER 1 With the Cougars ahead 6-0 after big threes by Ruben Salazar and Efrain Trevino FREDY FLORES 3 with 4:16 left in the first quarter, the Cougars gave everything they had until the MARTY VILLARREAL 4 Cards went on a 5A run, showing the 1A school why it is better not to play teams GABERIEL MORENO 11 way out of their league. The Cards led at the half 29-16. 12 TOBY ESCAMILLA 15 Harlingen’s Marty Villarreal was named the Most Valuable Player of the BRUNO CONNOR 23 tournament. Villarreal felt that winning the MVP was a big accomplishment. “This HARRY CORDERO 32 is a big accomplishment, especially in a prestigious tournament like this,” he added. SEAN SPROLES 33 All-tournament selections went to Bruno Connor, Harry Cordero, and Robert JOE LOZANO 55 MIKE GARCIA Sanchez of Harlingen. 22 ROBERT SANCHEZ Yikes! If this is what Yates will expect from 32-5A. With district right around the corner, the Harlingen Cardinals must remain in top gear with teams like Harlingen South and last year’s district champions, Brownsville Rivera ready to step it up. Villarreal leads the Cards with 15 points a game and Cordero is adding another 12 points. With Sanchez in the line up, the Cards will have some height inside.
Cardinals Ready for 32-5A teams. Head coach Greg Yates is pictured with his Cards during a timeout. (HSSM Photo/Tony Williams)
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December 2005
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RGV HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2005-2006
Sharyland
In 30-5A,Rattlers will be looking to reach new heights.
Mission -No matter who was in the line up, Sharyland head coach Rudy Garcia will take a win anytime, any place too. The Rattlers took advantage of 6’9 Ty Gough’s absence, and rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the Bears 55-51 at PSJA High. For Garcia, it was pay back time. Earlier, the Bears defeated the Rattlers 71-58 in the third place game of the Diamondback Classic. “Ty makes a big difference,” said Sharyland coach Rudy Garcia. Now that Sharyland locked up win No.13 for the year, it is time to start thinking about District 30-5A and them pesky McAllen teams: Rowe and Memorial. The Rattlers have played outstanding ball against teams like Weslaco and PSJA in non-district action. Can the Rattlers out play McAllen Memorial and Nikki Rowe and win it all in 2006? On a positive note, Ricky Zarate is averaging 15 points an outing along with Fernie Rodriguez adding another 13 points. With David Garza contributing 4 assists per game, this threesome could give Sharyland a possible district title. Against the Bears, Garza finished with a game-high 28 points on 10-of-28 shooting from the court. The Rattlers connected on 21-of-27 attempts for the game. Senior forward Fernie Rodriguez led four Rattlers in double figures with 14 points. Teammates Steven Silva (13), Paul Benavidez (10) and Ricky Zarate (10) also scored in double digits for the Rattlers. Look for the Sharyland Rattlers to make the playoffs and if they can knock off Nikki SHARYLAND LINEUP PLAYER JERSEY NO. Rowe at home, PAUL BENAVIDEZ 1 then they will DANIEL LOPEZ 3 definitely become CHRIS BODNER 10 12 solid contenders DANNY MORAN 20 DAVID GARZA for the 30-5A 21 JOSE SALINAS title. 23 JOEY HINOJOSA Jose Salinas fights for a basket against Economedes. (HSSM Photo/Tony Williams)
December 2005
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STEVEN SILVA FERNIE RODRIGUEZ RICKY ZARATE DANIEL WEEKS DANIEL VELA KEVIN BROWN
25 32 35 40 42 44
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RGV Girl’s Basketball 2005-06
Lionettes, and Lady Pirates Could Meet for 32-3A Title
Kate Wolf from La Feria will lead her Lionettes in District 32-3A. Currently, they are in first place. (HSSM Photo/Tony Williams)
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McAllen-Hidalgo, La Feria, Raymondville, and Progreso could all become district contenders when this season winds its self down to the last two games. The Red Ants have been surprising 32-3A teams with their 4-12 overall record. What is surprising is their 2-1 district record. The Lady Pirates and Lionettes are both sporting 3-0 records in district while Raymondville is close behind at 2-1. Leading scorers in 32-3A are Valerie Venegas of Valley View, who averages 17 points a game, along with Brittany Watkins of Port Isabel with 15, followed by Damaris Rodriguez of Hidalgo, who leads her team with 14 points per outing. This Lady Pirate team also features two other players scoring in double figures. Abby De Anda and Mariana Mascorro are both at 10 points a piece. De Anda also tops the boards at 10 rebounds per game. The Lionettes impressed the Lady Tigers of Mercedes with their 47-39 win at the Tommie Wiesman Tournament held recently. Head coach Diana Williams of Mercedes will need to play better defense if they expect to make the post season in 32-4A. As for the Lionettes, they have the height and ball control to get them to the state tournament in March. Head coach Mary Wetegrove is grateful that her team is working together and most importantly, running her game plan. Kate Wolf is the leader of this Lionette team along with Melissa Hernandez. In 32-3A district action, Raymondville was shut down by the Lady Pirates 60-47 in a come-frombehind win. Down 23-19 after the first period, Damaris Rodriguez scored from inside the paint with 4:02 remaining in the half to bring her team back, trailing 35-29 at the half. Then all misery struck the Lady Bearkats, as they went cold in the second half scoring only 12 points, as the Lady Pirates stepped it up with 31 points in the second half. Rodriguez led all scorers with 20 points and De Anda and Nedra Rodriguez, both added 14 So will 32-3A be a toss up? Look for La Feria and Hidalgo to battle for the crown, while Progreso, Raymondville, and even Valley View play for the final third place spot.
December 2005
District 32-4A
RGV Girl’s Basketball 2005-06
Edcouch-Elsa, Mission Veterans Top Teams
December 2005
Elsa beat Lopez 59-46, while Weslaco East lost to Mercedes. Look for
Bianca Rodriguez
Mission Veterans, Roma, and EdcouchElsa to make the playoffs in 2006.
Brittney Verestegui
(HSSM Photos/Tony Williams)
Mission-The top three teams in 32-4A are on a collision course to determine who will end up as Queen of the district. Surprisingly, Roma is sitting pretty at 2-0 along with Mission Veterans. The Lady Yellowjackets are back one game at 1-1, tied with Mercedes, Brownsville Lopez, and PSJA Memorial. For the Lady Gladiators, Tanya Gonzalez leads her team in scoring with 17 points a game while Leslie Zarate is pouring in some 15 points to help guide the Lady Yellowjackets to a possible playoff berth. Melissa Chavero of Mission Veterans Memorial is also hitting double figures by averaging 10 points a game for the Lady Patriots. Terri Malone and Keila Guerra, both have combined for 20 rebounds per game, but the Lady Wolverines will need to find ways to hit the basket if they expect to make the post season tournament in Class 4A. Both PSJA Memorial and Veterans met in their district match up with the Lady Pats winning this one 45-42 to stay unbeaten in 32-4A. Jackie Lopez scored 11 points while Keila Guerra led all scorers with 13 points. Edcouch
Adri Cantu
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Brandi Taylor
Ashley Garza
Netti Alaniz
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District 32-5A
RGV Girl’s Basketball 2005-06
Harlingen South, Harlingen, Favored to Win Title? Harlingen-Anytime you talk about a South Texas high school basketball team playing in the state playoffs, most would mention the Harlingen Lady Cardinals, or should we call them the Zamarippa’s Cardinals? Head coach Nora Zamarippa is on track to win another 325A title, but with Harlingen South splitting wins with 17th ranked Edinburg this season, and then the Lady Bobcats easily defeated the Cards themselves, then Zamarippa needs to think about who might end up with this year’s title. Both squads are 3-0 in district play and Lady Hawks Chrissey Cruz leads District 32-5A with 21 points a game followed by Bianna Torre with 17 points. These two players are the workhorses for the Lady Hawks 17-win season to date. On Nov. 30th, the Lady Hawks were tripped by Edinburg 7261 when the Lady Hawks stood flying high with a perfect 7-0 record. The Lady Bobcats, led by Marah Guzman who poured in 32 points that night took the lead at the half 37-31. Torre could only watch her team lose, despite 24 points scored. The Lady Hawks would gain back their revenge against the Lady Bobcats, upsetting them by one point, in non-district action. The Lady Hawks did not fair well at Border Bash in McAllen and then they were stunned at the Diamondback
Classic held at Sharyland losing in the first game to Laredo United 72-54. At this point, they had 10 wins for the season. The South Lady Hawks would rebound with a convincing 84-49 win over San Benito to improve their district record to 2-0, 16-2 overall, while San Benito fell to 0-2 in district and 7-9 overall. Hawks head coach Dawn Engleman knows that this year’s team is very special to her. “These girls have been with me during my four years here at South,” said Engleman. South decided to up its gear to fifth by pulling away with 25 points in the second quarter as Natalie Garza, hit a three pointer to put the Lady Hawks up 42-22. Garza led all scorers with 25 points. Knowing that these seniors for the Lady Hawks have been coached into the philosophy of Engleman, then the Lady Hawks should understand the game plan each night. So the question remains: Are the Hawks good enough to take the 32-5A title in 2006, or will the Lady Cardinals continue to dominate this district. Other surprise teams that could make things difficult for both schools will be Brownsville Rivera and Brownsville Hanna.
2005-2006 Harlingen South Lady Hawks Basketball team pictured l-r sitting are Natalie Garza, Melanie Torres, Rosa Cruz, Bianca Cruz, and Jessica Mata. Back row l-r are Becky Highston, Lina De Leon , Christina Guiterrez, Lindsay Taylor, Christyne Cantu, Maddie Hayes, Heidi Hensz, Chrissey Cruz, and Meg Shed. (HSSM Photo/Tony Williams)
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December 2005
Weslaco Needs More Wins Weslaco-With only ďŹ ve recorded wins in 2005, the Weslaco Lady Panthers will have their hands full if they expect to make the post season. Already, the Lady Panthers are 0-2 in 32-5A and still have plenty of game time ahead of them to get back on track. With losses to PSJA North and Edinburg North, the Panthers still have to face league contenders Donna, Edinburg, and PSJA. Against PSJA North, Leann Carreon scored 15 points while Gatton added 5, followed by Roxi Hinojosa 4, and Becky Rodriguez 5 points in their 43-37 district loss to the Lady Raiders. If Weslaco expects a surprising turn around, they must ďŹ nd ways 2005-2006 Weslaco Lady Panthers Varsity Basketball team pictured l-r sitting are LeAnn Carreon, to score more than two points in a Roxie Hinojosa, Yesenia Villegas, Abby Reyes, and Susanna Reyna. Back Row are l-r Gabby Bernal, quarter as they did against North. Jenny Valdez, April Mundin, R. Johnson, Amanda Gatton, and Becky Rodriguez. (HSSM Photo/Tony Williams)
December 2005
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State Ranked Edinburg H.S.
RGV Girl’s Basketball 2005-06
Lady Bobcats Cruising Along
Edinburg- Rachel Carmona, head basketball coach of the State 5A 18th ranked Edinburg Lady Bobcats, enters the 31-5A season as the team to beat in district. Last year’s Regional semifinalist and 31-5A District champion posted a perfect 12-0 record in 2004-2005 and an impressive 32-6 overall record, have been cruising along with wins over Sharyland (71-52), Weslaco (86-18), Laredo United (86-46), Tulso-Midway (8051), Harlingen (80-61), and Harlingen South (72-61). At 2-0 in district play, pint-size 5’1 Marah Guzman leads the Bobcats in scoring averaging 30 points a game, 8 assists, 8 rebounds, and 7.5 steals. Teammate Liz Olvera, a 5’10 center is also hot under the basket averaging 17 points and 19 rebounds a game, along with Gina Ferrer with 16 points. The Lady Bobcats (16-3) are destined to add another 31-5A title to compliment their string of titles as champions dating back to 2001. Carmona’s Lady Bobcats have compiled an overall record of 155 wins with only 45 losses since her debut as Lady Bobcat coach in 1999 where she guided the Lady Bobcats in her first season as the third place playoff team with a 6-4 record in distict play. Carmona has watched her team go from 31-5A, then to 32-5A, before being dropped to 31-4A, and finally bounced back to 31-5A. In all, she won five district titles and made it to the Regional semifinals in her first six seasons at Edinburg. “We play hard and these girls know that winning is important,” says Carmona. Look for the Lady Bobcats to clinch another district title in 2006.
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Marah Guzman of the Edinburg Lady Bobcats leads the Valley in scoring averaging 30 points a game.(HSSM Photo/David A. Amador)
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December 2005
Players of the Month
Edcouch Elsa’s Richard Gonzales scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half and made 8-of10 free throw attempts to lead his Yellowjackets over the Mission Eagles 76-67 to win the Jackets’ 54th annual Twin-City Tournament. He also added 15 rebounds for the night. Clarissa Salinas of the Sharyland Lady Rattlers led her team with 25 points and 11 rebounds as they dominated PSJA Lady Bears 58-25 in nondistrict action. Jessica Flores scored 16 of the 27 points and connected on four key 3-pointers in the final period as the McAllen Memorial Lady Mustangs dunked the La Feria Lionettes to win the 32nd annual Tommie Wiesman Tournament 54-47. Karina Uresti, a senior scored 35 points as the Brownsville Rivera Lady Raiders defeated crosstown rival Hanna 70-60 in the championship game of the Brownsville ISD Tournament. She also had 21 rebounds and two block shots as she was named tournament Most Valuable Player. McAllen High School Bulldog Anthony Flores poured in 31 points, 17 in the first half despite losing to PSJA North 72-60. He had four three pointers for the game. Returning All-Valley MVP, Marah Guzman scored 32 points, five assists, two steals, and two rebounds to lead the Edinburg Lady Bobcats 72-61 over the Harlingen South Lady Hawks. In their prior meeting, she had 31 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists losing to the Lady Hawks 77-76. Memo Cienfuegos, a senior at 32-3A Valley View High School scored 40 points in their loss to La Villa in overtime 83-80. Cienfuegos is the second leading scorer from the Rio Grande Valley averaging more than 24 points in eleven games played to date. All winners will be awarded the RGV High School Sports Magazine/MVEC Basketball Player of the Week awards to be presented at each campus. Congratulations!
Casey Pace shoots from downtown to lead the McAllen Memorial Lady Mustangs in 30-5A District Play. (HSSM Photo/David A. Amador)
December 2005
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30-5A District
Memorial Lady Stangs Aiming for Crown McAllen-Already sporting twelve J.C. Herebia, PSJA North senior is a wins for the season, 3-year starter on the Raider Basketball the McAllen Lady team. He is ranked 37th and maintains an Mustangs would like to overall 3.46 GPA. He was voted 2004 MVP, return to the State 5A Pre-season All-State player, and averages Basketball tournament 21 points a game. His plans are to attend with a 30-5A title to go Dallas Baptist or Concordia University with it. and major in Architecture Design. It’s like ordering a Whataburger with Nathaniel Salazar, Weslaco East senior mayo, toasted buns, is a 3-year lettermen on the Wildcat’s and definitely without basketball team. He is ranked 52nd and onions, just the way maintains an overall 3.20 GPA. He was a regional finalist in the high jump and you like it. named to the 32-4A all-district basketball The Lady Bulldogs team in 2004. His plans are to attend have been the “onions” University of Texas and major in Business for the Stangs’ in recent Administration. years and hopefully, when district play Jeremy Springer, Los Fresnos junior begins, the Lady is a 6’2 identical twin. He played WR on Stangs’ will be ready the Varsity football team and QB in 2 years. to take on this combo. He is ranked in the Top 10% of his class and maintains an overall 4.0 GPA. He also In District 30-5A, the runs the 110 hurdles in track and plays Lady Mustangs know guard on the varsity basketball team. that Rio Grande City, He plans on attending Florida State and La Joya, and even major in Sports Medicine. McAllen Nikki Rowe should not even pose Justin Springer, Los Fresnos junior a threat in district play, is 6’2 1/2”, and like his twin brother, so this leaves the Lady played defensive end on the Los Fresnos Bulldogs to contend football team. He was voted All-District with at home and MVP and All-Valley. He is also ranked in the Top 10% of his class and maintains away. an overall 4.0 GPA. He has lettered in track Against Los Fresnos, and basketball. He plans to attend Texas Cassey Pace scored Tech and major in Architecture. nine points and Nancy Cariba added ten points to beat the Lady Falcons 53-51. McAllen Memorial lead at the half 24-23 and fought to a 13-13 tie in the third period. Can the Lady Mustangs win it all in 2006? We will wait and see. No onions please... 28
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RGV HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINE is published monthly, beginning in August through June with extra issues printed in November, and January, with a total combine issue of 13 by HSSM Media Communications L.L.C., located at our Corporate Home Office, 2416 Frontera Road, McAllen, Texas 78504. David A. Amador, Publisher/ CEO; Julian Garcia, Executive Vice President, CFO. U.S. subscriptions are available annually for 13 issues/$29.95 plus postage and handling of $2.95 per issue. 2005 Copyright HSSM Media Communications L.L.C.. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Printed by HSSM Publishing Company in Mexico. Customer Service and subscriptions available 24/7 service, please use our website at www.HSSMOnline.com.
You can also call 956.739.3362 or write to: RGV High School Sports Magazine 5111 North 10th Street #158 McAllen, Texas 78504.
December 2005
30-5A District
McHi Lady Bulldogs Want Another Title McAllen- Teresa Casso, McHi Lady Bulldog head basketball coach is a true Bulldog at heart. A 1964 McHi graduate, she went to Pan American College and graduated in 1968 and then came back to the McAllen School District seeking what she loves best: basketball. That was 38 years ago and for the past 28 seasons as the Lady Bulldog head coach, the winning tradition keeps getting better. “We pride ourselves in winning here at McHi. The fans know it, the players understand it, and my family has been part of it too,” says Casso. To date, the Lady Bulldogs are on track to seek another 30-5A district title in 2006, to add to the already seven she has in her trophy case. The Lady Bulldogs are 15-5 for the year and set for district play coming up. Players to look for are Tori Bills, who averages 14 points a game with teammate Jessica Martinez adding 4.3 assists, along with Rebecca
December 2005
RGV Girl’s Basketball 2005-06 Valdez, a 5’11 center giving Casso something to look for inside the paint. In the 42-team Border Bash Basketball Tournament held recently at McHi, they
took third place honors with a win over Brownsville Pace. “This tournament is becoming one of the premier sites to visit for many teams from across Texas and Louisiana,” adds Casso.
2005-2006 McAllen High Varsity Basketball team pictured l-r kneeling are Jessica Martinez, Andi Garza, Rebecca Valdez, Tori Bills, and Krystal Garza. Back row l-r are Ashley Rodriguez, Lyndsie Currie, Nicole Garcia, Amanda Delgado, and Ana Garza. (HSSM Photo/Tony Williams)
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RGV Girl’s Basketball 2005-06
District 31-5A
PSJA Lady Bears Could Pose a Threat in 31-5A
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44-49, but bounced back to beat Brownsville Lopez 4319 in another non district game. In the La Feria Tommie Weisman Tourney, the Bears faltered in the first round, showing signs of distress without their coach. Against Brownsville Hanna, the Lady Bears tamed the Eagles 60-55 with Zelinda Mata leading the way with 22 points and Carrizales adding 13 points. However, the Lady
Rattlers of Sharyland pretty much ended the Lady Bears streak of wins, domniating their opponent 58-25, on a night filled with injuries and illnesses. With Carrizales and Brasher out for this game, the Lady Bears would stumble and stay hibernating. With the entire Lady Bears healthy, including Brasher, they could contend with Edinburg and Donna for the district title.
Zelinda Mata
(HSSM Photos/Tony Williams)
Pharr- With 32-teams coming to the Josten’s Holiday Classic to be held at McAllen Memorial this weekend, one question remains: Will 17-year veteran head coach of PSJA Yvette Brasher be on the court? Longtime head coach Brasher has been ill with a severe case of the Flu and assistant coach Jose Ponce has managed her team well enough to keep the Lady Bears on track to contend for the 31-5A district title at 1-2 in district play. “We are playing well and the players have adjusted under the circumstances,” says Ponce. The Lady Bears sport an overall 14-6 record and are led by Zelinda Mata, Venessa Carrizales, Reina Lemus, and Olga Solis. Mata poured in 15 points in their 49-23 district win over Edinburg Economedes along with Carrizales adding the same count. Mata had nine steals and newcomer Lori Lopez brought down 10 rebounds. In the BISD Tournament, the Lady Bears lost to San Benito
Daniela Adame
Venessa Carrizales
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December 2005
Josten’s City of Palms Basketball Classic dominated the boards for Rowe with four of his
Raiders Stall Game In Win Over Rowe (McAllen, Tx)- PSJA North head basketball coach Jaime Gongora did it once, so he decided to do it twice, and finally, he did it again for the third straight time: stall the game. The Raiders successfully defended their title at the Josten‘s City of Palms Basketball Classic, hosted by Rowe and McAllen Memorial high schools, by deflating the McAllen Nikki Rowe Warriors 55-44. The road to the championship game started with wins over Weslaco East (59-49) and McAllen Memorial (54-35) by stalling the clock for more than four minutes in each game. Opposing defenses chose not to attack the Raiders while they were standing around doing nothing, Gongora’s plan of attack seemed to work. “We were off balance and playing with four new players in the line up this year, well, every coaching strategy comes in hand,” added Gongora. His plan worked twice, so without hesitation, he did it again to the Warriors after they were on running and gunning on the court. The top-ranked Raiders (15-1) trailed the Warriors (9-7) for most of the initial eight minutes as Erin Rodriguez (13 points)
December 2005
seven rebounds in the first period. Olando Cedillo’s 3-pointer gave Rowe its biggest advantage (14-10) at the 2:17 mark in the first quarter.
But this would be all that Rowe would gain as North maintained a comfortable 36-15 lead. “Our mental mistakes and their press bothered us,” Rowe coach Jose Yebra said.
Jim Ramirez, of Josten’s Rings sponsored the 2005 City of Palms Basketball Classic held at Nikki Rowe H.S., is pictured presenting a plaque to the winning coach of the tournament, Jamie Gongora of PSJA North High School. (HSSM Photo/David A. Amador)
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OneOnOne INTERVIEW Story and Photos by David A. Amador After 28 years of coaching the Lady Bulldogs to 20 playoff appearances and posting an impressive 709 career wins, she is not about to call it quits. HSSM: How was your first year experience of coaching at McHi? Casso: It was challenging because I came in at a time when girl’s basketball switched to a full court game. HSSM: How has it been for you to be a wife, a mother, and a coach all these years? Casso: My husband has supported my career 100% and so have my two sons, now grown up. My family always helped me succeed. At times, we would even celebrate our children’s birthdays a day late (she laughs) but we always managed to stay tight. Going to church was very important to us. HSSM: At the time, did you prefer half court or the full court game of basketball? Casso: Full court. I always use to watch boys basketball, so I learned the challenges. Making the transition allowed me to teach offense and defensive schemes, along with the mental aspects of the game. HSSM: How important was winning for you at McHi? Seven hundred plus wins is rather impressive. Casso: Tradition. Girls that come to my program expect to win because of the tradition of winning games each year. This follows our program. These players respect the tradition and they work hard to maintain it too. HSSM: With this tradition, how many of your players are coaching today? Casso: Around 15. One of my former players Leti Canales, now at Corpus Christi Carroll is a giant on the court. I still see some of my strategies instilled in her program. Playing her team gave me a sense of pride. I’m proud of her.
December 2005
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with Teresa Casso a McHi Bulldog for life...
HSSM: As a former graduate student from McHi, how does it feel to have been able to stay here so long? Casso: I am a true McHi Bulldog. It gives me joy to know that my former players can still come back and let me know how they, themselves are doing. To receive college graduations or wedding invitations really makes me feel proud. HSSM: Do you plan on retiring from coaching anytime soon? Casso: I pray everyday that as long as I can come to school and feel motivated to teach our children, then I will continue to coach. HSSM: In closing, any New Year’s resolutions? Casso: (She laughs) Wow. What I really would like to be, is a person that can provide peace to everyone. In my profession, it is so difficult to please everyone.
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Get the Ultimate Fitness with... Jason O. Martinez, B.B.A., C.P.T.
muscles. To correctly brace, you should attempt to pull your navel back in toward your spine. This action primarily recruits transverse abdominus. Be careful not to hold your breath – you should be able to breathe evenly while bracing.
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How to build a strong foundation Core stability training is essential to sports performance and injury prevention. The body’s core muscles are the foundation for all other movement. The muscles of the torso stabilize the spine and provide a solid foundation for movement in the extremities. One of the hot buzzwords flying around the gym these days is ‘core strength.’
Other exercises that develop core strength include exercises on a stability ball, work with medicine balls, wobble boards and Pilate’s exercise programs. Yoga is also an excellent way for athletes to build core strength. With this focus on core strength, the fitness industry has moved towards training the body as a whole, rather than focusing on separate muscle groups. This means incorporating torso training throughout your workout, rather than just doing the usual standard crunches. This type of functional training can be seen everywhere as more people use things like stability balls and wobble boards in their regular workouts.
Core training has many benefits including: •More functional workouts that translate into daily life activities
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•Improved performance in sports •Reduction in the risk of injury •Better ability to function each day •Interesting workouts that challenge you in new and different ways
What is the Core? Core stability training is essential to sports performance and injury prevention. The body’s core muscles are the foundation for all other movement. The muscles of the torso stabilize the spine and provide a solid foundation for movement in the extremities. When these muscles contract, we stabilize the the spine, pelvis and shoulders and create a solid base of support. Rather than isolating a specific joint as in most weight lifting, stability exercises focus on working the deep muscles of the entire torso at once. Abdominal bracing is the main technique used during core exercise training. It refers to the contraction of the abdominal
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Adding more functional training to your workouts is a simple matter. Read on to find out easy ways to increase your core strength.
Enhancing Your Core Strength Incorporating more functional training into your workouts may be as simple as changing or adding new exercises to your usual routine. The following are just some ideas for making your ab/ back workouts a little more dynamic: • Woodchops • Pikes on the ball • Side plank with oblique twist • Ball crunch with med ball
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December 2005
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