Bay Area Issue 164 May 2019

BAY AREA EDITION MAY 2019 VOL. 10 ISSUE 164

MORE DRAMA

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here’s been an internal debate at SportStars HQ lately.

Stanley Cup Playoffs or NBA Playoffs?

I think Team Stanley may be winning.

I fully admit to being a fair-weather hockey fan. I will watch Olympic hockey — men’s and women’s — and grind on every moment either USA Team is on the ice. But it’s hard for me to invest in matches that don’t involve the Red, White and Blue. Same goes for the NHL. I’ll watch the occasional regular-season Sharks match, and tend to become more invested in the postseason.

Yet I’m not sure I’ve watched more than two minutes of non-Sharks NHL action.

But I absolutely get why the die-hard hockey fans are so passionate. Especially during Stanley Cup season.

San Jose’s improbable comeback in Game 7 against Las Vegas on April 23 undoubtedly won the NHL new fans. That same night, did Oakland-native Damian Lillard win the NBA new fans with his 37-foot, seriesclinching buzzer-beater to defeat Oklahoma City? Hard to say. In both cases, it probably depends on how many people were tuned in. And the NBA probably won that battle.

As for the Sharks, they passed the Wife Test. Having to get up at 4 a.m. in order to commute to her job in San Ramon, my wife Kelli’s sports fandom often has a 10 p.m. curfew. But she, an even lesser casual hockey fan than I, stayed up to see Barclay Goodrow’s epic golden goal.

Admittedly, none of this has to do with high school sports. But sports give us drama that can’t be equaled very often. And I’m having a hard time dismissing the drama that the NHL postseason provides.

More work for my remote control, I guess.

There will be plenty of local drama throughout May, as we’ve finally reached the last playoff season of the 2018-19 school year.

And I’m excited to announce here for the first time that our coverage of those playoffs will include a new home. In fact, all SportStars Magazine content moving forward can be viewed online at both SportStarsMag.com AND SFGate.com — the award-winning online home of the San Francisco Chronicle.

SFGate.com reaches 35 million readers monthly, which means our content is getting a serious signal boost. It’s an awesome development.

Which is something that everyone at SportStars HQ can agree on. ✪

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San Jose forward Barclay Goodwrow celebreates his overtime game-winner in Game 7 against Las Vegas on April 23.

Chris Brown/CSM via ZUMA Wire

YOUR TICKET TO CALIFORNIA SPORTS ADMIT ONE; RAIN OR SHINE This Vol. #10, May 2019 Whole No. 164 is published by Caliente! Communications, LLC, PO Box 741, Clayton, CA 94517. SportStars™© 20102014 by Caliente! Communications, LLC. All rights reserved. Receive FREE Digital Subscription in your inbox. Subscribe at SportStarsMag.com. To receive sample issues, please send $3 per copy, or $8 total for bulk. Back issues are $4 each. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of Publisher is strictly prohibited. The staff and management, including Board of Directors, of SportStars™© does not advocate or encourage the use of any product or service advertised herein for illegal purposes.

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Tips On How To Make Yourself More Recruitable he recruiting process can be an emotional rollercoaster for an unsigned/uncommitted senior volleyball athlete (and for juniors in the same situation). As the author of CollegeVolleyballCoach.com, I receive numerous emails from volleyball families who are a bit panicked because college coaches

are telling them they are done recruiting, or not responding at all.

Families must remember that the fall is the most important time of the year for college volleyball coaches; the collegiate playing season. College coaches are trying to not get fired, to secure a raise, get a contract, or pushing for a great record so they have the opportunity to move up the job ranks, etc. While recruiting never ends, the coach’s focus is almost exclusively on the players in the gym and achieving the best possible season right now.

As the collegiate playing season comes to a close, the collegiate recruiting season starts. College volleyball programs will have immediate roster spots and scholarship positions to fill for seniors and juniors.

From NCAA Division I to junior colleges, injuries, academics, homesickness, playing-time issues or job changes can all create immediate roster spots and scholarship opportunities which may not have been available one month ago.

The active collegiate recruiting season begins in late November, when the collegiate seasons come to a close. Make sure you are ready to be recruited. ›› Be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center and have your NCAA ID number listed on all your recruiting literature/profile. ›› If you are a junior or a senior, have a current copy of your high school transcript and ACT/SAT test score ready to send to colleges. ›› Use the small window of time between the end of high school volleyball and the start of club volleyball to address any injuries or physical issues. Rest does not fix problems, it only masks them. ›› As a senior, you need to be at the top of your game early in the club season. College coaches are looking to make immediate recruiting decisions on seniors, so you don’t have time to play your way into shape. ›› Use practice to improve your weaknesses, but always play to your strengths in early tournaments: Show your best skills to watching college coaches. ›› Re-examine your list of outreach schools. If you have been contacting a certain level of program and no school is getting back to you, then it is time to adjust. Responses, or lack of responses, from a grouping of schools provides valuable feedback. ›› Create a five-minute highlight or skills video of your most recent court time to have available for collegiate coaches. Don’t show clips/repetitions from September of your high school season, as it will be too old. Film the last matches of high school, or better yet, film the first few club volleyball practices. ›› Stay active in your outreach to colleges and communication. Roster openings will be occurring all through the holidays. Even though you may have already written a school, college coaches don’t go back through all of their emails when they have an opening, they respond to the next incoming email.

There is still time on the recruiting clock for seniors (and definitely juniors), but no more time to let slip by. ✪ — Matt Sonnichsen for NCVA

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State of Baseball Playoffs

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he last official CIF state baseball championship was conducted in 1922 in Los Angeles when Sacramento High blanked Franklin-Los Angeles 3-0. San Diego High had won the year before at Chico with a 10-4 win over the host school, and also had won CIF state titles in 1918 (the first one) and in 1920. The only other school to win a CIF state baseball title was Oakland Tech, which topped Fullerton 2-1 in 1919.

Since the Boras Classic tournament began seven years ago it’s been a stated goal that it become an unofficial or de-facto state championship.

While there hasn’t been enough elite teams entered in the Boras Classic to truly make it a de-facto state championship, it has helped move the momentum around the state for the CIF to have regional and state playoffs in baseball. During a recent visit to the CIF state office, one conversation made it seem almost inevitable that an upcoming state championship event is going to take place within the next several years. This also is in keeping with the CIF continuing to add more state and regional championship events in all sports. It’s also doubtful that the retirement of current CIF executive director Roger Blake will hinder these objectives no matter who is selected as the next executive director.

At Cal-Hi Sports, we’ve talked to many coaches over the years about the possibilities of state baseball championships and the consensus has always been that the season is already too long and that the addition of more playoffs at the end of section playoffs with schools graduating its seniors and other activities would be too complicated.

There was a first reading proposal for CIF state playoffs in both baseball and softball for the 2020-21 school year that came from the CIF Central Section during this April’s CIF Federated Council meeting.

We don’t know the details, but before the sections start to weigh in, there also could be some changes, too.

As for the concerns about the season being too long, it’s already been moved up for both baseball and softball — the CIF Southern Section championships are two weeks earlier than before, coming on May 16-17. It appears as though it may only require moving it up one more week for a legitimate baseball playoff bracket to get added.

So what would we like to see as the best aspects of a CIF state baseball format? First, let’s start by envisioning what the final event should be. That would be a format similar to Texas, which is bringing the final four teams to one place for semifinals on a Friday night and then a championship game on Saturday.

In baseball, teams can clearly play on back-to-back nights but you wouldn’t be able to have games earlier in the week so that each of the final four teams would have all of its best pitchers available.

Having a Final Four format for CIF baseball also would make a lot of sense if the state finals were held in the CIF Central Section, which already hosts state championship events in Clovis (cross country, track & field, swimming) and Bakersfield (wrestling). With a Final Four format, the odds of a baseball team from Clovis or another CIF Central Section team being one of the final four is obviously much greater than just the usual north vs. south final and would therefore increase the odds of the local fans getting more pumped up for the event.

The two top-seeded teams from each of the traditional Northern and Southern California regions could also host four-team playoff events to quickly whittle down the brackets. That’s similar to how the NCAA does it for the first round of its baseball championships.

It’s also quite obvious that there wouldn’t be enough time for the CIF state baseball playoffs to be double-elimination like playoffs currently are in the CIF San Diego and CIF Sac-Joaquin Sections. It would have to be win-or-go-home, which is exciting, but in baseball often results in the best teams not winning.

We doubt it wouldn’t take long for some team coming out of the woodwork and winning the whole thing with nine, 10 or even more losses on the season.

All of the complicating factors aside, adding CIF state baseball onto the calendar would make it much easier for folks to really start to learn just how great the state has been in the sport. As we wrote in an e-book several years back: California is the baseball capital of the world. Some of the stories and columns we could do about that history prior to the first state championships in 100 years would almost be worth the effort to get the darn thing approved. ✪ Mark Tennis is the co-founder of Cal-Hi Sports and publisher of CalHiSports.com. Contact him at markjtennis@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter at @CalHiSports

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The College Park Falcons Are Spreading Their Wings, Turning Some Heads 10

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ISE From left, Morgan Crosby, Megan Downing, Jenna Piro, Lauren Firman and Sierra Lees

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Story by Mike Wood Photos by Berry Evans III

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Morgan Crosby

C

ollege Park High-Pleasant Hill’s softball team is growing confident. Winning 11 of your first 12 games will do that.

But let’s not go too crazy.

“Yes, we are confident, but we are still just going to keep a humbleness to us,” Falcons sophomore pitcher Sofia Berryhill said. “We are not just going to go out there and think we are all that and a bag of chips. But we have got pretty high hopes.”

After years of teetering around the .500 mark, College Park has soared up the softball ranks, sitting at 11-1 overall through midApril. The rapid progress has been instigated by an aggressive style instilled by its new coaching staff.

Impressive, but don’t call this surprising.

“It feels good, it’s something that we’ve worked for,” catcher Jenna Piro, another of the team’s seven sophomores, said. “It’s not something unexpected by any means. We have known what we have this year; we have the talent and what it takes. It’s no surprise; we’ve known we have had it within us.”

Confident yet grounded and steady, the Falcons have shown that they are for real with a trio of impressive wins.

After staging a dramatic rally to defeat Clayton Valley Charter-Concord 5-4, College Park came out and walloped Concord High 10-0 in a game that ended after six-innings via the 10run rule. Pitcher Sofia Berryhill threw a perfect game over those six innings.

The April 15 win over Clayton Valley showed the Falcons’ ability to come back, down 4-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning and trailing 4-1 in the final frame. The next day came their decisive victory over Concord, winners of four North Coast Section championships in the past eight years and the defending Diablo Athletic League Foothill Division champ.

They concluded the week with a 2-0 win on April 18 over Alhambra-Martinez, winners of three straight NCS Division II championships from 2014-16. That win brought them to 6-0 atop the Diablo-Foothill Division.

But it’s not just what the Falcons did over that three-game stretch. All spring they have been applying their take-any-and-every-base approach.

“The girls have done a good job with staying aggressive on the base paths, trying to put pressure on the defense and stay hungry,” said College Park first-year varsity coach Scott Wood.

“Not be satisfied until they hit that final base, which is home plate.”

Wood, who coached the Falcons JVs for the previous two years, has brought in a new coaching staff. Former major league infielder Kiko Garcia, who coached College Park to its only NCS softball championship in 2001, is among Wood’s assistants.

“Kiko has been around a long time and is very knowledgeable,” Concord coach Megan Coddington said. “Many of our girls have played on travel ball with his or played against his team.

So that is a positive for them, having that coaching staff there.”

Their approach is, seize any base you can: stolen bases, moving on wild pitches and passed balls. It’s been a winning approach this spring.

“I think it’s a great improvement,” Berryhill said. “I love the way they run practices and teach us everything we know, to win these games. It really does show in the game. The plays we run in practice, show up right in the game. And we know how to execute them well because of them.

They taught us how to be aggressive.”

Added Piro: “Our team has a lot of talent. We have so much potential, and these coaches have really brought it out this year. And let us shine.”

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Alison Hess

Sofia Berryhill

Megan Downing Piro is one of three sophomore regulars batting over .400, hitting at a .500 clip over her first 24 at-bats. Morgan Crosby was hitting .475 over 40 plate appearances, also leading the team in RBI with 12 and stolen bases with 11. Hana Elawady was hitting .417 through 24 at-bats.

“We have three seniors, a make-up of juniors that do a good job and then a good solid core in the sophomore class,” Wood said. “Everybody’s contributing. Good leadership is developing and the girls are really responding to each other and feeding off one another and playing their roles to the best of their ability.”

Berryhill’s six-inning perfect game in the win over Concord was her first of this season and her second of her young career.

“She’s a great pitcher,” Piro said. “She takes the game seriously. She wants to win and she expects her defense to back her up. In games like this, they are showing that. That’s what they do.”

Berryhill isn’t one to get rattled in the circle.

“I just practice and keep my head up,” she said. “I keep my emotions in check and I take the game by every pitch.”

The win over Concord was an example of all facets of the game coming together.

“Sofia did a great job in the circle,” Wood said. “She was able to get the strong defense behind her. Because there were some great defensive plays out there. And timely hitting.”

“She had good movement on her rise ball, her screwball,” Coddington said. “But the name of the game for us is we didn’t make the adjustments.”

Now comes the chance for College Park to realize more of its potential, with the NCS playoffs around the corner. They would be happy to string together some postseason wins and eclipse what last year’s Falcons did, which was to win one Division I playoff game before falling in the quarterfinals.

“I want to see more of what I think our team can do,” Berryhill said. “I think this is a good preview of what we can step up to do.” ✪ 14

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Ta tu m

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Ge ist

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t ot ton Sc h ing na arr n a C Al tie Ca

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A

s the sun set on the first seasonably warm April evening in Danville, the San Ramon Valley High girls lacrosse team took the field to host Granada-Livermore.

After 25 minutes of relentless attack, the Wolves led the visiting Matadors 18-0.

It was a good night for San Ramon Valley. There have been several during the 2019 season.

The Wolves’ 23-0 shutout win over Granada was the team’s 15th straight overall and their seventh straight with a margin of 10 goals or more. As of April 19, there were no losses on their record to speak of.

With just three regular-season games remaining before the North Coast Section playoffs begin May 7, that zero in the loss column grows even bigger by the day.

“We just use that as motivation,” sophomore Annie Kuester siad. “Keep working hard. Keep being our best. ... Playing each other is the best team we’re ever going to play.”

It’s not the only thing motivating the Wolves.

Regardless of how the team’s final three regular-season games play out, the last loss that truly mattered for this team came on May 15, 2018 — in the North Coast Section Division I semifinal. That night, in the waning seconds of the game, Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills scored the game-winner in a 14-13 victory.

“How we lost in the semis last year made us really want to work to win this year,” said senior captain and San Diego State-bound midfielder, McKenna Nichols said. “You can tell that by our Oak Ridge game this year.”

That was a 20-4 win for San Ramon Valley on March 2, just the second game of the regular season. Through mid-April, Oak Ridge had only lost twice more since then.

“When we beat them like that, we knew we were going to just keep getting better,” Georgetown-bound junior midfielder Tatum Geist said.

Confidence is not in short supply on the Wolves. Neither is chemistry.

Six players were interviewed for this feature — three juniors, two sophomores and a senior.

Each and every one raved about the bond that had been formed among the team.

“The culture of our team is really a family-oriented one,” junior Becka Baker said. “We treat each other like sisters instead of friends or teammates. It makes us really want to be here and work together.”

Catie Grace Carrington is a junior attacker in her ninth year of playing lacrosse. This team stands out more than any previous one.

“Definitely one of the most fun teams I’ve ever played with,” Carrington said. “It’s one of the most talented teams for sure, but I’ve never had a team with this much chemistry between every single player.”

Second-year Wolves coach Tess Kevorkian saw that chemistry developing as early as tryouts in February. Kevorkian, a San Ramon Valley graduate who played four years of varsity lacrosse

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Goalkeeper Mikayla Thornburg

before attending and playing at UC Davis, says all 27 players contribute to that cohesiveness.

“If they didn’t buy in and have that expectation of themselves then it (that chemistry) wouldn’t come together so easily,” the coach said. “Their attitudes and the way they treat each other allows chemistry to take off. When they feel supported, they feel part of the team. ... It really is 1 through 27 that have allowed us to be successful.”

But as Carrington mentioned, it’s a pretty gosh darn talented roster, too.

Six players have already committed to play lacrosse at the next level. In addition to Geist (Georgetown) and Nichols (San Diego State), senior captain Bailey Smith is bound for Oregon and senior goalkeeper Mikayla Thornburg will head to Colorado. Another senior captain, Mel Evans, will play for Colorado-Mesa and senior Avery High is ticketed for Chapman.

That list doesn’t even account for the sophomore class that includes Carrington and Alannah (like “Banana”, she said) Scott. The two lead the team in goals after 15 games. Scott has netted 46 and Carrington 43.

“She’s one of the best sophomore players I’ve ever seen,” Geist said of Scott. “She works so hard. Watching her play is so much fun. She’s such a beast.”

It’s been the development, and overall leap, of this sophomore class that has helped propel this Wolves team to the next level, according to Kevorkian.

“As young freshmen last year they were competitive and excited,” Kevorkian said. “But this year they’re just lights-out. They really came back for year two ready to go.”

Scott is in her sixth year of lacrosse after her former nanny introduced her to the game. She has a team-best 65 points when calculating in her 19 assists. It’s three better than Geist’s 62 points (23 goals, 39 assists).

“As a freshman I was a little nervous but I couldn’t really find my place,” Scott admitted. “This year I’m trying to make a bigger impact on the team, like assisting and not just scoring. I’m really trying to step up and fill some big shoes … I can’t wait to compete at NCS and hopefully go farther than we did last year.”

San Ramon Valley closes out the regular season with three road games, including two against strong opponents in Foothill-Pleasanton and St. Ignatius-S.F. If the Wolves’ current trend continues, they’d enter the NCS Div. I field as the top seed and the favorite to win the title.

While the San Ramon Valley boys program has four titles, including last year’s, an NCS crown would only make the second overall for the girls — and their first since 2006.

“The biggest key the rest of the way is to simply have no drama,” sophomore Annie Kuester said. “Staying on task and having fun at the same time. Working hard and grinding. That’s what it will take.”

Said Nichols: “We just need to stay together. Stay strong. Keep working hard and not slow down. We’re hitting such a high right now, we just need to keep riding it.” ✪ Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

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MITTY

Mastery

Monarchs March To Boras Baseball Classic NorCal Championship Story by Mark Tennis Photos by David Gershon

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ity the poor Archbishop Mitty-San Jose baseball players. They didn’t get a one-week spring break that was showing on their schedule since the beginning of the 2019 season.

Instead, the Monarchs and a traveling party of nearly 30 people were planning to get on a plane for a trip to San Diego, where they were going to play in the state championship game of the Boras Baseball Classic.

And for a head coach like Brian Yocke, who stresses gaining the most memorable baseball experiences for himself and the players, heading down to Bordertown to face Serra-San Juan Capistrano for the April 27 contest was going to be about as great an experience as they can get.

“This is something our guys have been drooling over,” Yocke said after his team earned that trip by winning the Northern California bracket of the Boras Classic on April 18 at McAuliffe Field (located across the street from Sacramento State). “Getting this experience in San Diego is going to be awesome. We only get four months of high school baseball with these guys anymore, if we’re lucky, so these are the kinds of experiences we’re looking for.”

It also took a memorable experience for Mitty to win the game that qualified it for the state final.

Facing West Catholic Athletic League-rival Bellarmine-San Jose in the championship of the NorCal Boras Classic, winning 2-0 despite only managing one hit is an experience not many in baseball get to have.

The Bells, who were the two-time defending champions of the NorCal Boras Classic and won the state title game last year at Santa Clara University over Serra, sent out senior Derrick Turner to the mound in an attempt to shut down a Mitty offense that scored 10 runs in a semifinal victory over St. Mary’s-Stockton.

Turner certainly did his job. Mitty had no hits in its first three innings with two runners thrown out on the bases. In the fourth, with two outs, and Nick Yorke at first base after a walk, Connor Leaverton hit a fly ball to left field that should have been the third out of the inning. The Bells’ leftfielder, however, slipped on the grass, which enabled the ball to trickle away from him. Yorke, running on contact, scored the first run of the game.

Mitty scored its second run of the game without getting a hit. That sequence began when senior outfielder Jonah Advincula reached on an error. Later, Advincula stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a wild pitch.

Andrew McCann The Bells, who edged Granite Bay 3-2 in the semifinals, loaded the Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

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Jonah Advincula, right, and Brian Yocke bases in the first and sixth innings and didn’t score. In the fifth inning, they also had a runner thrown out at home plate on a throw by Mitty right fielder to catcher Andrew Vo. “No, I don’t know if I’ve ever had a game like this,” said Turner, who gave up just that one hit on the double by Leaverton. “It’s just a tough game sometimes. I liked how our guys competed.

We’ve just going to use this game to work harder and just try to get better so it doesn’t happen like this again.”

The NorCal field at this year’s Boras Classic was led by previous state No. 9 Franklin-Elk Grove, which was 12-1 at the start of the week and also has been No. 1 in the Sacramento Bee’s rankings since the beginning of the season. The SoCal field was even more loaded. Serra won out in a group that included nationally ranked Orange Lutheran, La Mirada, Cypress and Huntington Beach. Orange Lutheran later won the National High School Invitational tourney in North Carolina and then swept Serra in three Trinity League games.

Mitty had high expectations at the start of the season, and was forecast by many to be the primary challenger to Valley Christian-San Jose in the Central Coast Section. There have been some bumps along the way, since the pitching staff lost one key member before the season to an injury and there wasn’t that much experience back to begin with.

At 17-6 and heading to San Diego, however, all of the goals are still in front of the Monarchs, including a CCS Open Division title.

“Compared to last year, this team is a lot more together,” said Nick Yorke, the reigning WCAL Player of the Year and one of the top juniors in California with a verbal commitment to Arizona. “We know that we’ve got each other’s backs. If one guy slips up, the next guy is going to be there to pick each other up.”

Older brother Joe Yorke, a senior who picked up the save against Bellarmine and who is one of the team’s other leading hitters, and younger brother Zach Yorke, a freshman who is on the Mitty varsity this year, are hard to miss.

With one senior, one junior and one freshman as brothers on the same elite team, it’s also easy to throw out the names of California’s most famous recent trio of brothers — Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball in basketball — to see how the Yorkes compare.

“Our dad isn’t like theirs,” chuckled Zach. “But it has been a lot of fun to play with them. It’s 24

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Zach Yorke

Nick Yorke been challenging and I’m pushed every day.”

“We just spend so much time together,” Joe said. “We know (the season) is going by fast and we’re trying to get the most out of it.”

Yocke is in his fourth season since taking over from previous 600-win head coach Bill Hutton and switching from being the head coach Mitty’s softball team.

“The big thing we talk about is mistakes,” he said. “Joe came in mid-count in that inning and did a great job. And Vo caught 28 innings the last few days. He really deserved to be the defensive player of the tournament.”

It also hasn’t been lost since the first practice that seniors like Joe Yorke, Leaverton, Advincula and pitcher Andrew McCann were freshmen when Yocke began coaching them.

“I’m so proud of these guys to win it,” Yocke said. “We only had two seniors on last year’s team, but we lost our projected ace and have had some other injuries. I also think having just 22 players instead of the 27 from last year has helped a lot with our camaraderie.” ✪

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All camps are coed and offer instruction and coaching Monday-Friday for each session.

Info: rrafeh@bentleyschool.net Branham Bruins Baseball Camps Varsity baseball coach Tony Pianto runs this camp for boys and girls ages 5-14. Camp is excellent for all skill levels. Opportunity to participate in age and skill appropriate drills and scrimmages. Two June sessions. 9am-1pm.

Info: baseball.branhamsportscamps.com/ summer-camps.cfm; aepianto@yahoo.com City of Walnut Creek Baseball Camp Camp Age: 8-13 offers a fully staffed and supervised camp. Summer Camps: Registration opened Feb. 28. For more information: walnutcreekrec.org or call (925) 943-5858 De La Salle Youth Baseball Camp Offers four sessions for incoming 4th-9th graders. Emphasize proper techniques for running, stealing, throwing, receiving, hitting, bunting, pitching, catching, outfield and infield. Staff will analyze the camper in real game situations and scenarios. Info: dlshs.org/athletics/ camps-clinics; summercamps@dlshs.org or call 925.288.8100 ext. 7090 Golden Era Spring Baseball Academies Choose between our Hitting, Pitching or Infield Academies. Golden Era is also home to the Oakland Immortals Club team. Info: (925) 339-1078; goldenerabaseballclub.com/springacademy-2018 Headfirst Baseball Academy & Camps Headfirst camps are known throughout NorCal for player development. Players will learn the correct mechanics of each position. Info: Coach Michael, MJi0209@aol.com; Coach Mario, Mario74iglesias@aol.com Moreau Catholic Baseball Camps Provides customized program tailored to individuals. Begin in weight room or on the field working on strength training or agility, then work on defensive and offensive work on the baseball field. Open to grades 2-9. Info: 510.881.4300; OSailors@moreaucatholic.org Nike Baseball Camps Offer athletes a variety of youth baseball camp options. Depending on the camp and its unique schedule, our campers can spend the entire week at one of our many locations

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nationwide. Info: 1-800-NIKE-CAMP Performance Pitching With Matt Jarvis Performance Pitching offers structured methods of training designed specifically to the develop core skills players need. We have more than 25 years of experience in private instruction. We teach you the fundamentals of the game, how to improve your play, and a passion for baseball. Info: info@performancepitching.net; (877) 797-6174 Salesian Red & Gold Baseball Camp One week camp for 4th-8th graders includes offensive, defensive and mental drills. Includes position-specific and team defensive skill competitions, offensive skill competitions and team competitions. Also includes ways to improve the mental approach with former college baseball guest speakers. July 8-12. Cost: $175.

Info: salesian.com/athletics/sportscamps St. Patrick-St. Vincent HS Camps A camp that provides the opportunity to learn new techniques, improve individual abilities, make new friends and have fun! Develop skills and reach a new level of play and selfconfidence. All areas of the game are covered.

Campers grouped by age and skill level. Info: 707-644-4425; m.delgado@spsv.org TPC Baseball & Softball Camps Spring-winter camps feature skills, drills and competitions in all major areas (hitting, pitching, throwing, fielding). Players will have blast while improving their skills with our TPC staff and often guest appearances from former and current professional baseball players. Info: 925-416-1600 info@thepitchingcenter.com,” BASKETBALL De La Salle Basketball Camp Five sessions aimed at teaching shooting, ball handling, passing, rebounding, defense, footwork, 1-on-1 moves and big man moves will all be covered. Our camps stress having proper attitude, teamwork and listening skills. . Coed camp is open to K-incoming 9th graders. Info: dlshs.org/athletics/camps-clinics; summercamps@dlshs.org or call 925.288.8100 x7090 Nike Basketball Camps Offering day and overnight camps all over the country. Enjoy the ultimate basketball camp experience at some of our nation’s most beautiful college campuses. Or get better each day with one of our high-level coaches at a location closer to you. Info: 1-800-NIKE-CAMP Moreau Catholic Frank Knight Camp Improve your skills with Coach Frank Knight III, who coached the Mariner Team to the 2017 and 2019 NCS Championships. Campers may attend 1 or 2 sessions. Open to boys and girls, entering grades 2-9. Info: fknight@moreaucatholic.org; 510.881.4300 Moreau Catholic Girls Basketball Camps Coach Jose Alvarez teaches skills needed both on and off the court, using our progressional

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See hundreds of more camps like these at SportStarsMag.com/Camps curriculum and focusing on the whole player.

Open to girls, grades 3- 8. Focus on respect, teamwork and responsibility. Info: JAlvarez@ moreaucatholic.org. (510) 881-4300 Modesto Magic Basketball Association If you are a girl ages 4-17, we can take your game to the next level. We offer leagues, camps, clinics, tournaments, private lessons and AAU traveling teams. Open to all skill levels. Info: Stan Silva, 209-765-5107; ssilva1920@aol.com Salesian Basketball Camps For 4th-8th graders, led by Salesian boys basketball coach and former California Coach of the Year, Bill Mellis. We provide outstanding instruction, including individual fundamentals and building confidence through drills and team play for boys and girls. Session I: June 24—28; Session II: July 8—12; Session III: July 15—19, 2019. Cost: $175.00 per session. Info: salesian.com/athletics/sportscamps Salesian Girls Half-Day Skills Clinic For 4th-8th grade girls to improve fundamentals. Staff expected to include Dustin Hirashima, Bernard Brown, Justin Reid, Greg Ginsburg, Alana Horton, Isabell Ampon, Richard Rincon, Justin Rollolazo, Sam Sims & guest coaches and members of the Pride varsity team. Info: salesian.com/athletics/sportscamps St. Patrick-St. Vincent Intro To Basketball Great introduction for boys and girls. The focus is on fun and fundamentals. Campers work with smaller basketballs and lowered rims which help ensure proper form. Campers participate in offensive and defensive drills and station work, followed by team games. Info: 707-644-4425; m.delgado@spsv.org St. Patrick-St. Vincent Girls Camp Campers participate in offensive and defensive drills and station work, followed by games.

Additionally, players are provided preparation for summer leagues and tournaments. Info: 707-644-4425; m.delgado@spsv.org St. Patrick-St. Vincent Boys Camp Campers participate in offensive and defensive drills and station work, followed by games.

Additionally, players are provided preparation for summer leagues and tournaments. Info: 707-644-4425; m.delgado@spsv.org Bentley School Summer Boys Camp The complete skills camp covers a wide range of skills from ball handling, passing, shooting, and defensive principles. Rising 6th-9th graders will play small games and have competitions. Info: (925) 283-2101 ext. 3241 rrafeh@ bentleyschool.net City of Walnut Creek Basketball Camp Age: 8-13, fully staffed and supervised camp.

Learn fundamentals of basketball and let you show off your skills in games. Info: walnutcreekrec.org or call (925) 943-5858

Cal Basketball Camp For Girls Our camps provide instruction for players of all skill levels, as each camp is designed to emphasize individual improvement, fundamental skills, teamwork, sportsmanship and enjoyment. Info: 1-800-GO-BEARS FOOTBALL City of Walnut Creek Flag Football Camp Age: 8-13 offers a fully staffed and supervised flag football camp. In this fun and recreational, non-contact version of football the skill development and games will allow kids the opportunity to explore football. Info: walnutcreekrec. org or call (925) 943-5858 Jesse Sapolu Men In The Trenches Academy We are one of the premier camps in the nation dedicated to teaching the fundamentals of playing the offensive and defensive lines. MITT gives young athletes the opportunity to learn all the nuances about the Offensive and Defensive Line while getting to compete against other top linemen in the country. Camps are open for all players grades 5th-12th in various cities. Info: mittnorcal.com California Football Academy Camps Contact and non-contact camps available for ages 6-14 during and June. The camps take place in Oakley. CFA offers flag football leagues and tournaments also. Oakley, Concord and San Ramon. Info and registration: see our website or call 925-625-2222; email californiafootballacademy@hotmail.com DLS’s Bob Ladouceur Championship Camp Learn sound, fundamental offensive and defensive techniques for pre-high school player.

Demonstration, individual drills teach basic skills to both beginning, experienced players.

Warm-up, physical conditioning, skills drills and review. Full contact is not a priority. June 17-20.

Info: dlshs.org/athletics/camps-clinics; summercamps@dlshs.org or 925.288.8100 x7090 St. Patrick-St. Vincent HS Football Camp California State Champion Coach Lane Hawkins and his experienced staff provide skill development in a fun and competitive environment. Campers grouped by age and experience. Campers will participate in skill drill followed by 7 on 7 flag football games.

Info: 707-644-4425; m.delgado@spsv.org Campolindo Cougar Camps Full Gear Camp We develop fundamentals and techniques for tackle football. Quantity of contact based on appropriate skill level or readiness. Grades 4-8.

Camp staffed by full complement of experienced coaches and certified trainer. Info: (925) 280-3950 X 5163; kmacy@acalanes.k12.ca.us Moreau Catholic Football Camps One of the unique Moreau Catholic Football traditions is attending this 6-9th grade Summer Camp. This non-contact camp is a great way to learn fundamentals of football. Info: rgatrell@moreaucatholic.org; 510-881-4333

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See hundreds of more camps like these at SportStarsMag.com/Camps SOCCER Berean Christian Girls Camp For girls, 4th-8th grade, hosted by Berean Christian coach Breanna Burtt, girl’s varsity players & college players. Fundamentals, shortsided work, and full field scrimmages. June 1012, 9am-12pm. Info: bereansummercamps@ gmail.com; 925-945-6464 De La Salle Soccer Camp Terrific opportunity for boys and girls who look to excel. Athletes can expect to participate in competitive drills, skill development exercises and daily competitions between campers.

June 10-13, 8:30am-12:30 pm. Open to incoming 6th-9th graders. Info: www.dlshs.org/ athletics/camps-clinics;summercamps@dlshs. org or 925.288.8100 x7090 De La Salle Academy/Advanced Training Open to ALL elite players 8th-12th grade.

Focus is on technique, increasing tactical awareness and position specific functional training. Premier-Gold level players preferred as camp is designed for an advanced level of training/competition. July 29-Aug. 1, 8:30-10:30am. Info: www.dlshs.org/athletics/ camps-clinics;summercamps@dlshs.org or 925.288.8100 x7090 City of Walnut Creek Soccer Camp Ages: 8-13 offers a fully staffed and supervised camp. The beautiful game has never looked better than through the fun and challenging skill development and games that assist the experienced player to improve, as well as teach the basics to the new player. Info: www. walnutcreekrec.org or call (925) 943-5858 East Bay Sports Lil’ Kickers Lil’ Kickers is a national, non-competitive child development program for boys and girls ages 18 months to 12. Your children will not only learn the fundamentals of soccer, but have fun and create new friendships in the process. Info: chris@sanramonsports.com. 925-831-9050 Menlo School Boys Soccer Camps The Menlo School boys soccer camp develops players’ fundamental technical skills, allowing them to better enjoy the game. These skills will be developed through a series of progressive drills, then applied to game situations. Players will benefit from the Menlo soccer program’s fun team-building environment. Open to grades 8-12, all levels. Info: www.menloschool. org/athletics/camps-and-clinics.php; info@ menloschool.org; 650.330.2000 Walnut Creek Surf Development Days/Skills Clinics Summer Camps and Clinics for players entering 1st-8th grades. We offer camps and clinics at Arbolado. Each fun week will include new objectives to improve the technical and tactical skills of all players. Camps are run by WCSC Professional Training Staff and are fun and engaging. Info: wcsc_info@wcsc.org

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St. Francis Catholic High School Camps Led by Maryclaire Robinson, St. Francis Varsity head coach. Provides opportunity to become familiar with the St. Francis program and train in individual techniques and striking and tactical awareness. All elements emphasized: warm-up, trapping, dribbling, passing, shooting, small-sided games and stretching.

Info: www.stfrancishs.org/sports-camps; summer@stfrancishs.org; (916) 737-5050 Olympus Soccer Summer Training Program Programs offered are for ages 8-12 and 13+.

Drills, skills and complete understanding of the game are taught by experienced coaches.

Info: 530-567-5200, polito.olympus@gmail. com or miguelsandoval.olympus@gmail.com Nike Soccer Camps For soccer enthusiast looking to improve skills, work hard and have fun! Offering coed, girls, and boys only programs at fantastic soccer venues with a safe, healthy and fun learning environment for all ability levels. Info: 1-800-NIKE-CAMP Diablo Futbol Club Camps & Clinics Diablo FC is committed to instilling passion and enjoyment in a positive, safe, competitive environment. Our comprehensive program and professional staff train players in the mental, physical, technical and tactical aspects of soccer in order to reach their individual potential and compete at the highest level of play. Info: www.diablofc.org; 925-7988-GOAL Bladium Soccer Camps Fun and challenging skill-intensive games structured to improve fundamental soccer skills and knowledge. Designed for all players ages 7-10 who want to improve their fundamental soccer skills and knowledge in preparation for the Bladium West Ham United International Academy’s more advanced training. Info 510814-4999 x111 or AlamedaSA@Bladium.com Heritage Summer Clinics & Player I.D. Camp Heritage is a Pleasant Hill/Martinez based competitive soccer club. Players 8-18 can try out and compete at the highest levels. We are always looking for qualified boys and girls to play on our competitive teams. Tryouts happening in May. Clinics and I.D. Camps during the summer. Find us on Facebook, Instagram or www.HeritageSC.com. Info: info@ HeritageSC.com Moreau Catholic Coed Soccer Camps Our youth summer day camps are designed for players of all levels who want to learn and improve their fundamental skills in a fun and encouraging environment. Small-sided games to encourage personal involvement and enhance the understanding of team concepts; technical and ball mastery skills sessions; shooting drills, and much more!

Info: ABaillou@moreaucatholic.org or CoachDanielVazquez@gmail.com ✪

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Behind the Clipboard by Clay Kallam

CULTURE SHIFTS: How Sports Evolve

I don’t get it. Why is it OK to yell at the ump or basketball referees, but not OK to yell at volleyball referees? And why are parents at basketball games so much louder than at volleyball games? It’s all high school sports, so how come there’s such a big difference?

R.J., Lafayette

“C

ulture,” for lack of a better word, is a funny thing. Human beings like to form groups, and when they do, they like to make those groups different from other groups. Though it’s often not a conscious thing, over time, the differences cross over and become a kind of culture.

For example, take volleyball vs. basketball. Volleyball is a very genteel sport, for the most part, and the culture is that, for one thing, when the teams switch sides of the net, so do the fans. That never happens in basketball. Why? No reason, except that’s how volleyball people act, and that’s how basketball people act.

And then there’s the diving soccer player, whose response to a near-miss by a defender in the penalty box is a dismount that would make an Olympic gymnast proud. A football player who did the same thing would be laughed off the field.

In baseball, it’s always been traditional to yell at the umpires. (Even in the 19th century, fans vented their frustrations on the men who are called “Blue” no matter what color they’re wearing. Why “Blue”?) In lacrosse, the fans are much more restrained, though to be fair that may be because somes fans may still be learning the rules of the game.

What’s interesting, too, is that old-timers like me can see how these cultures have changed over time. Way back in the day, basketball referees were required to run over to a player who committed a foul, and point at the player with one hand. The player was required to politely raise his hand so the scorer would know who had been bad.

Needless to say, this would not go over that well today, as the overall culture has changed dramatically, and so has basketball.

Another big change has taken place in the officiating culture, and it’s trickled down to almost all sports. Again, a couple decades ago, if one ref (or umpire) made a call, that was the call – there was no consultation, no asking a partner for another opinion. The whistle blew, the thumb went up, and that was it, for better or for worse. Today, officials will huddle, as the goal is as much to get the call right than to uphold the authority of the ref.

At the professional level, of course, we’re all accustomed to video reviews, but really, how long will it be until we start seeing them in high school playoff games? In 2019, we wouldn’t even think twice if the officials huddled around a TV monitor to verify a call; in 1989, that would have been not only fantasy, but completely unacceptable.

Of course, we all tend to think that what we grew up with is the true natural order of things, and changes almost always are for the bad. That’s why older baseball fans (which is redundant, really) don’t like batflipping or slow strolls around the bases. There’s no real reason for such animosity, except that baseball’s culture decided long ago that kind of behavior isn’t acceptable.

But screaming at the ump is totally fine … go figure. ✪ Clay Kallam has been an assistant athletic director and has coached numerous sports at a handful of high schools throughout the Bay Area. To submit a question for Behind the Clipboard, email him at claykallam@gmail.com.

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