NorCal Issue 120, August 2016

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AUGUST 2016 VOL. 7 ISSUE 120

NORCAL EDITION

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SUN & GAMES

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espite a weird affinity for curling, I’ve always been more of a Summer Olympics guy.

Certainly part of it has to do with the region I grew up. Lots of sun. Not a ton of winter sports to experiment with beyond the occasional ski trip to Mt. Lassen (when it was still open) or Mt. Shasta. Primarily, though, the summer games contained sports that I played or had experience with. And being able to relate to the incredible performances I was watching, obviously, made it more attractive.

Furthermore, the number of sports icons and dramatic moments provided by the Summer Olympics during my most formative years were seemingly off the charts.

There was, of course, the original Dream Team in 1992.

Raise your hand if you collected the special edition cups from McDonalds. When my family and I moved this past winter, I came across the seven I had collected. I discarded six but the Michael Jordan cup got to make the move. Then in 1996, there was sprinter Michael Johnson and his gold shoes as well as Kerri Strug’s gritty, golden vault.

Those two Olympics sucked me in and I’ve been a junkie ever since. But the London Games in 2012 added an entirely new level of excitement for me. Those were the first Summer Games where I personally had met and interviewed some of the athletes I was watching.

In just the second month of SportStars’ existence, myself and a photographer paid a visit to the home of then De La Salle-Concord diver, Kristian Ipsen (right), to watch him train in his backyard. So watching him secure a bronze medal in the 3-meter synchronized diving was beyond cool. There was also Monte Vista-Danville’s Maggie Steffens, who I spent an afternoon with at Blackhawk Plaza when she was the first SportStars Female Athlete of the Year (the only East Bay publication to name her athlete of the year, by the way). All Maggie did was set the women’s water polo Olympic record for total goals in a tournament, be named MVP and lead the Americans to a gold medal.

Ipsen and Steffens are both part of Team USA once again, as well as about 30 more athletes who have graduated from high schools covered by SportStars. While some graduated before we were around, we’re still excited to watch them compete. We know some of you are as well.

Later in this issue we’ve put together a list of those athletes, so that you can know to keep an eye out for them as you watch. Some of the events probably aren’t likely to make the primetime telecasts, but we checked with your bosses and they said it’s totally OK for you to stream the Greco-Roman wrestling matches, rugby competition and various rowing heats at work. (They did ask that you refrain from “U-S-A” chants in your cubicle, however.)

Wherever you’re watching, enjoy. And here’s hoping one of our own NorCal athletes can do their part to lead impressionable young sports fans to gain a passion for Olympic competition. ✪

JOIN OUR TEAM PHONE 925.566.8500 FAX 925.566.8507 EDITORIAL Editor@SportStarsOnline.com Editor Chace Bryson • Chace@SportStarsOnline.com Staff Writer Jim McCue • JimMcCue16@gmail.com Contributors Bill Kolb, Matt Smith, Clay Kallam, Dave Kiefer, Tim Rudd, Trevor Horn Copy Editor Bill Kruissink Photography Bob Larson, Jonathan Hawthorne, James K. Leash, Norbert von der Groeben, Phillip Walton, Doug Guler, Berry Evans, III Marketing/Events Ryan Arter CREATIVE DEPARTMENT Art@SportStarsOnline.com Production Manager Mike DeCicco • MikeD@SportStarsOnline.com PUBLISHER/PRESIDENT Mike Calamusa • Mike@SportStarsOnline.com ADVERTISING Sales@SportStarsOnline.com, 925.566.8500 Account Executives Camps & Clinics: Ryan Arter • Camps@SportStarsOnline.com Alameda County: Berry Evans • Berry@foto-pros.com Central Valley, World Events: Anthony Grigsby • Area Director anthony.grigsby@worldeventssports.com Darin Wissner • JustAGameEvents@gmail.com READER RESOURCES/ADMINISTRATION Subscription, Calendar, Credit Services Info@SportStarsOnline.com DISTRIBUTION/DELIVERY Phillip Walton • Mags@SportStarsOnline.com INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY John Bonilla CFO Sharon Calamusa • Sharon@SportStarsOnline.com COMMUNITY SPORTSTARS™ MAGAZINE A division of Caliente! Communications, LLC 5356 Clayton Rd., Ste. 222 • Concord, CA 94521 • info@SportStarsOnline.com www.SportStarsOnline.com

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honorable mention OAK RIDGE-EL DORADO HILLS - PITCHER - SENIOR The Trojans‘ right-hander was selected to the Athletics‘ Northern California team that will compete in the 2016 Area Code Games during the second week of August. Denholm was outstanding in his junior season for Oak Ridge, compiling a 10-1 record and 0.71 ERA to go along with three shutouts and one save. Those efforts helped lead his team to a Sierra Foothill League title and a berth in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I North finals against Elk Grove. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound hurler earned a spot on the Area Code Games roster by impressing scouts during the tryout process. The Area Code Games features eight regional teams that will play Aug. 6-10 at Blair Field in Long Beach to determine a sole winner. Denholm was one of 12 pitchers selected from Northern California and the Central Valley.

In all, Sac-Joaquin Section players made up nearly half of the Athletics’ roster as 13 of 28 NorCal propsects chosen hailed from the SJS. Vacaville landed three stars on the roster (catchers Braydon Altorfer and Troy Claunch and SS/OF Tyler Bosetti), and Granite Bay (LHP Chris Daniels and RHP/1B Darren Nelson) had a pair of stars selected for the event. Other notable SJS players selected included Elk Grove right-hander and USC-commit Riley Lamb and Jesuit 2B/OF Darren Baker, who could follow father Dusty Baker’s path to Major League Baseball.

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Aquira DeCosta: The soon-to-be St. Mary’s-Stockton junior helped the U17 Junior National Basketball Team win bronze at the U17 World Championships in Spain. She set a U17 World Championships record with 71 rebounds during the tournament.

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Madeline Holland: Before the 6-foot wing begins her senior year at Archbishop MittySan Jose, Holland has been starring for the San Jose Cagers Blue volleyball club team. Her double-double of 10 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and two assists helped the Cagers defeat the Wiggins Waves 17’s 52-47 in a Las Vegas event in late July.

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Kevin Sullivan/The Orange County Register via ZUMA Wire

TOP 5 SUGGESTIONS TO BE THE NEW FACE OF THE A’S

Oh man, so, what a relief! The Major League Baseball trade deadline came and went, and our favorite Oakland A, the guy who’s finally healthy and delivering the breakout season we’ve been waiting for, Mr. Pie Face himself, Josh Reddick is still with the club. Whatsat? The Dodgers, you say? Oh gosh.

We just threw up in our mouth a little. Well. Poopemoji. That’s Donaldson, Cespedes, and Careless Whisper all in 2+ seasons, for those of you scoring along at home. Who’s next? The Red Rope guy?

Fine. Here are our top five candidates for the next face of the A’s franchise.

1. Billy Burns — He was traded too? Damn.

2. Billy Butler — Maybe Ol’ Country Breakfast has a little something left in the tank. Or maybe that’s just a vat of sausage gravy.

3. Billy Dee Williams? — Lando digs the long ball.

4. Billy Martin — One more time, with feeling?

5. Billy Beane — Oh right. Him. Still.

— (not) Billy ‘At least we still have Sonny’ Kolb

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TRENDING

NORCAL GOES TO RIO

What’s hot in the world of stuff that’s hot Headline on billboard. com: Ikea Has ‘No Plans’ to Work With Kanye West.

Sorry, Kanye. You have to assemble your Nornäs all by yourself like a commoner.

Well, if you ever wanted to know what would happen if a Mad Libs book became self aware and decided to run for president, you have your answer.

Here are the Team USA athletes competing in the 2016 Rio Summer Games who have graduated from NorCal high schools.

HALEY ANDERSON, Swimming, Granite Bay ’09 , 10K Open Water DANNY BARRETT, Men’s Rugby , Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F. ’08 , , Prop KATE BERTKO, Women’s Rowing , Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland ’02, Lightweight Double Sculls KK CLARK, Women’s Water Polo , Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton ’08 , Defender MAYA DIRADO, Swimming, Maria Carrillo-Santa Rosa’10, 200m Back, 200m IM, 400m IM SAM DOMMER, Rowing, Folsom’09, Men’s Eight NANA FA’AVESI, Women’s Rugby, Burbank-Sac. ’10, Prop ANTHONY FAHDEN, Rowing, Acalanes-Lafayette ’04, Lightweight Men’s Four KELLY GRIFFIN, Women’s Rugby, Berkeley ’04, Prop MOLLY HANNIS, Swimming, Santa Rosa ’11, 200m Breast KRISTIAN IPSEN, Diving, De La Salle-Concord ’11, 3m Individual MARIYA KOROLEVA, Synchro Swim, Las Lomas ’10, Duet/Team ALEXANDER MASSIALAS, Fencing, Drew School-S.F. ’12, Foil GEREK MEINHARDT, Fencing, Lick-Wilmerding-San Francisco’08, Foil FOLAU NIUA, Men’s Rugby, Woodside ’02, Fly-Half ALEX OBER, Men’s Water Polo, Del Oro-Loomis ‚10, Center KASEY PERRY-GLASS, Equestrian, Capital Christian-Sac. ’06, Dressage MEGAN RAPINOE, Soccer, Foothill-Palo Cedro ’04, Midfield ››››››››››››››››››››››››››››››››››››››››››››››› SHANNON ROWBURY, Track and Field, Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F. ’02, 1,500m MELISSA SEIDEMANN, Women’s Water Polo, College Park-Pleasant Hill ’08, Defender CALE SIMMONS, Track and Field, Rocklin ’09, Pole Vault ROBBY SMITH, Wrestling, San Ramon Valley-Danville ’05 , Greco-Roman 130 kg.

MAGGIE STEFFENS, Women’s Water Polo , Monte Vista-Danville ’12, Defender ZACK TEST, Men’s Rugby, Woodside ’07 , Hooker KERRI WALSH JENNINGS, Beach Volleyball, Archbishop Mitty-San Jose ’96 , Beach SETH WEIL, Rowing, Menlo-Atherton-Atherton ’05, Men’s Four LILY ZHANG, Table Tennis, Palo Alto ’14, Women’s Singles, Women’s Team

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Sean Brown/CSM via ZUMA Wire

MARION LEPERT, Sailing, Castilleja-Palo Alto ’07, RS:X (Sail Board) Does Pokemon Go! have 15 minutes of fame, or is that just for people?

Everybody calm down. The NFL is back. We can all breathe again.

“Game of Thrones” has announced that the TV series will end in two more seasons. You’ll be dead before the next book even comes out.

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The Fear of Football I wanted to play football this year — I’m going to be a freshman — but my parents won’t let me. They said it’s too dangerous. But if it’s that dangerous, why are all my friends playing? Why do so many kids play football? It just doesn’t seem fair.

—L.L., Livermore

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’ve answered this question before, but it’s worth going over it again because it’s such an important one.

First, football is by far the most popular American sport, and it’s also by far the biggest sport at the high school level. Boys want to play on the team not only because they enjoy it, but because it gives them status at school — and that’s an important aspect of high school life.

Second, football is a dangerous sport. Some say it’s a contact sport, but it’s not: It’s a collision sport, and the more violent the collision, from the perspective of at least one team, the better.

Of course, everyone’s always known this, but what hadn’t come out — thanks in great part to the NCAA and NFL refusing to acknowledge the truth — was the risk of long-term damage due to head injuries. And it’s important to remember that many researchers believe that it’s not just major incidents (obvious concussions) that can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), but an accumulation of minor bumps to the head as well. (This is especially troubling in the sport of soccer, too.)

Why are the researchers uncertain? Because the NCAA and NFL have done their best to make sure that the cash cow of football has been protected from anything that might harm its image, and thus the billions of dollars the sport generates. And note that Gary Bettman, the commissioner of the NHL, recently claimed there was no connection between head injuries and CTE because he too presides over a billiondollar corporation that does not want to learn its players are vulnerable to mental

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issues later in life.

The phrase “����������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������ later in life” is the key. Former 49ers QB Steve Young suffered multiple concussions in his career, yet he has suffered no apparent consequences so far. But he’s only 54, and lots of evidence suggests that by the time he’s 64, he will be feeling noticeable effects .

So unlike a knee injury, say, there’s no obvious immediate trauma, and thus there’s no way to know what the long-term impact will be. Some players will be fine; others could start suffering in their 40s; and others not until their 70s.

By the way, a serious knee injury is nothing to treat lightly either. That can have lifetime consequences, and lead to early knee replacements and severe arthritis. Football’s injury spectrum is wide, from ankles to shoulders to necks, and more than a few of the injuries never really go away.

Still, the most critical issue is potential brain damage, and before all this information became available (despite the best efforts of the NCAA and NFL) in the past few years, I would have most likely allowed my son (if I had had one) to play football.

Now, I don’t think that in all good conscience, I could. There are plenty of other sports, and though injury is possible in all of them, nothing is more threatening to a long and happy life than a brain injury. And what makes it worse is that there’s no way to tell exactly how much damage has occurred at any point, so unlike an ankle injury, say, there’s no clearcut diagnosis, or prognosis.

So sadly, I’m with your parents on this one. I think high school football is simply too dangerous, and the risk too high, for teenage athletes. I would not allow a son of mine to play. ✪ Clay Kallam was an assistant athletic director and girls varsity basketball coach at Bentley High in Lafayette. To submit a question, email him at clayk@fullcourt.com

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Sweeney Shining Longtime Foothill Coach Gets Honorary Spotlight From S.F. Giants, Former Player

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his year’s family vacation had a definite San Francisco Giants’ theme with four games seen in a two-week span, but it was watching a different Giants’ game on the tube that brought the biggest smile to my face.

Sure, the Giants struggled mightily during the two weeks in which we saw them lose twice in San Diego and then two more times back home at AT&T Park. In one game, we saw just the 20th balk-off win in MLB history — in which a balk by the pitcher results in the winning run being scored — and in another we saw the first triple play in Washington Nationals’ history.

No one knows it, but part of the reason for the Giants going south after the All-Star break is that whenever my 20-year-old son, Sean, sees them in person, they lose and go into a long funk. It’s happened now every season since 2008 — even in the three World Series years — and we believe they’ve now lost 15 times in a row with him in attendance. The next time he goes, we’ll have to place some bets on the team the Giants are playing because that may be the only thing that breaks the curse. He wasn’t at the triple play game but was in San Diego.

Foothill-Pleasanton grad Brandon Crawford hfad the misfortune of hitting into that triple play — the first one scored as 3-3-5 in MLB history — but three nights earlier it was simply awesome to see him walk side-by-side down the steps of the dugout toward the Giants’ clubhouse with Matt Sweeney, his Foothill High football coach.

Sweeney was the Giants’ ball dude for their 9-7 win over the Cincinnati Reds and was a primary focus throughout the night on the TV broadcast. If you don’t know, ball dudes get in uniform, get a glove and are responsible for foul balls hit down each side of the field. There’s a different one each night.

The last time I saw him in person was at his 251st win as Foothill’s football coach. That was when the Falcons topped Antioch, 55-54, in the CIF North Coast Section Division I semifinals in which both teams entered at 11-0. I know he’s been battling throat cancer and he looked thinner than before, but according to the broadcast he’s improving and ready for another Foothill football season.

Sweeney’s first season at Foothill came in 1986. He left for a few years between 2006 and 2010 to coach and spend time with his softball-playing daughters and later returned. His teams have only lost 84 times with five ties and he could move to No. 2 this season on the all-time NCS list.

Sweeney also just got done coaching Brandon Crawford’s youngest sister, Jenna, for Foothill’s softball team. With the UCLA-bound Jenna in the outfield and teammates such as pitcher Nalani Scates and outfielder Alana Mendez, the Falcons had a great season in which they played in the NCS Div. I finals and lost to a Freedom-Oakley squad that also was playing with a lot of emotion for a coach. For the Freedom girls, it wasn’t cancer but wanting to raise a plaque in memory of a former assistant coach, Scott Lunger, a Hayward police office killed in the line of duty last summer.

Sweeney has said that even though Brandon went on to become a baseball star, that he’s 12

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been perhaps the best all-around football player he’s ever coached. As a junior, Crawford was an all-league defensive back and then switched to quarterback as a senior.

We picked Brandon as a Cal-Hi Sports NorCal Athlete of the Week in 2004 after a threetouchdown pass performance in a 31-17 win over Monte Vista, but the biggest headlines came earlier that season when he and teammate Neima Khaila combined for 329 yards in a win against San Ramon Valley. Khaila’s 329 yards of receiving set a Northern California single game record and is still one of the best totals in state history.

Like a lot of other great football coaches in Northern California, it’s hard for Sweeney to escape the shadow of the greatest football coach in U.S. history, De La Salle’s Bob Ladouceur, so when there are opportunities to blast a spotlight on him — like the Giants did on that night in late July — all you can do is make the lights shine even more. ✪ 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, @CalHiSports.

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NORCAL’S ALL-TIME WINNINGEST FOOTBALL COACHES 256 — Bill Gray, Oceana-Pacifica, 1972-1990 & Pacifica Terra Nova-Pacifica, 1991-2013 (176 losses, 6 ties) COMMENT: We covered what turned out to be his final game when unbeaten Tigers were forced to play in CCS Open Division against Valley Christian-San Jose.

253 — Norm Costa, Holy Cross-Santa Cruz, 1964-1969, & Marello Prep-Santa Cruz, 1970-76, & Palma-Salinas, 1977-1999 (65 losses, 4 ties) COMMENT: He’s the one who put Palma football on the map.

253 — Bill Foltmer, Princeton, 1980-1984 & Middletown, 1985-2015 (110 losses, 1 tie) (current) COMMENT: What a job he did last season in the aftermath of the terrible Middletown fire.

251 — Matt Sweeney, Foothill-Pleasanton, 1986-2006, 20102015 (84 losses, 5 ties) (current) COMMENT: If Foothill were in the CCS instead of the NCS, wonder if his legacy would be even harder to beat.

The following list does not consider the CIF Central Section as being in the North, and is based on reported win totals.

399 — Bob Ladouceur, De La Salle-Concord, 1979-2012 (24 losses, 3 ties), pictured above COMMENT: He’s still contributing mightily as an assistant coach for the Spartans under head coach Justin Alumbaugh.

271 — Mark Loureiro, Escalon, 1989-2015 (56 losses, 1 tie) (current) COMMENT: Sac-Joaquin Section’s win leader guided team to CIF Division III state title in 2010.

270 — Mike Janda, Bellarmine-San Jose, 1984-2015 (losses, ties not reported) (current) COMMENT: Our Cal-Hi Sports State Coach of the Year for last season.

269 — Benny Pierce, Saratoga, 1961-1994 (84 losses, 4 ties) COMMENT: It was a pleasure helping Pierce once coach in the North-South Shrine Game.

266 — Butch Cattolico, Los Gatos, 1986-2012 (62 losses, 7 ties) COMMENT: His son, Joe, will be returning to coach this season at Sheldon-Sacramento.

264 — Max Miller, Costa Mesa, 1969-70 & Rio AmericanoSacramento, 1974-80, 2012-13 & Rancho Cordova, 1981-1993, 1999-2007 & Johnson-Sacramento, 1996-97 (114 losses, 4 ties) COMMENT: Max still serves the coaching community through his amazing football clinic held in Reno each year.

259 — Randy Blankenship, Nevada Union-Grass Valley, 19841990 & Clovis West-Fresno, 1991-98 & Fallbrook, 1999-2000 & Granbury (Texas), 2001 & Capistrano Valley-Mission Viejo, 2002 & Madera, 2003-08 & Aptos, 2010-15 (90 losses, 6 ties) (current) COMMENT: He’s a graduate of Mira Loma-Sacramento, which also is where Mike Alberghini and Kevin Rooney (one of the winningest head coaches in SoCal history from Notre DameSherman Oaks) are both from.

258 — Mike Alberghini, Grant-Sacramento Grant, 1991-2015 (50 losses) (current) COMMENT: His dedication to the Del Paso Heights community has been amazing over the years.

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248 — Dan Shaughnessy, St. Mary’s-Berkeley, 1964-65 & Salesian-Richmond,1968-1984 & St. Mary’s-Berkeley, 19852000 & Albany, 2004-05 (131 losses, 6 ties) COMMENT: Yes, he’s one of the few who can say he got a win against De La Salle.

248 — Frank Negri, Foothill-Sacramento, 1965-2006 & Natomas-Sacramento, 2009-2011 (167 losses, 10 ties) COMMENT: He didn’t turn Natomas into a winner, but it says a lot when a coach like Negri takes over a team with one of the longest losing streaks in the state and makes them respectable.

247 — Dan Carmazzi, Jesuit-Carmichael, 1981-2011 & Christian Brothers-Sacramento, 2014-15 (109 losses, 3 ties) (current) COMMENT: The Holy Bowl between Jesuit and CBS the last two years must have felt strange for him after being on the Marauder sidelines for 30 years.

239 – Kim Jorgensen, Ferndale, 1991-2015 (57 losses) (current) COMMENT: This small town, small school has been a powerhouse from long before even Jorgensen arrived and he’s made the Wildcats even better.

234 — Paul Perenon, Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland, 1985-2009 & Hayward Mt. Eden, 2010-15 (111 losses, 3 ties) (current) COMMENT: He coached some great players at O’Dowd, like Tarik Glenn and Kirk Morrison.

233 — Ron Calcagno, Mountain View St. Francis, 1972-1995 (59 losses, 3 ties) }COMMENT: His son, Greg, is now leading the Lancers. If Ron had coached for as long as some of the others on this list, he’d be much higher.

232 – Jason Franci, Montgomery-Santa Rosa 1979-2012 (125 losses, 10 ties) COMMENT: He’s still the winningest head coach ever from the Redwood Empire.

NOTE: Only other one on the list with 230 or more wins is Jim Ingram (Washington-Fremont) 1960-1975 and 1979-2002; only coaches with 220 or more wins are Jack Moyer (Fort Bragg), Wayne Schneider (Tracy) & Al Cementina (San Jose-Independence).

Source: Cal-Hi Sports State Record Book.

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get hands on

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afety and playing by the rules is paramount in all sports — especially when you’re involved in dirt bike or ATV riding. If you’re interested in off-highway vehicle operation, there’s great news: The Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division has a Mobile Safety Education Program for youth to learn about recreating safely in the great outdoors.

The OHMVR Division outreach staff travels statewide with interactive off-highway vehicle learning opportunities, promoting fun and responsible OHV riding adventures. You might find this innovative safety program at state or county fairs, sporting or community events, or even schools.

Through interactive programs and exhibits, you can learn about many different aspects of proper OHV recreation. The OHV safety simulator is a great way to gain riding experience and learn safety basics through a simulated ride while on an actively controlled ATV. It’s also an awesome opportunity to 14

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get fully geared-up in some cutting-edge safety equipment.

Who knew being safe could also make you look so cool?

Another interactive program to keep an eye out for is the “Tread Lightly!” remote control Jeeps. With this experience, the public learns “�������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������� Tread Lightly!” principles that not only apply to using the RC Jeeps as they navigate through simulated cross-country terrain that 4x4 drivers are likely to encounter, but can be also applied to just about any outdoor experience.

Plus, let’s not forget about the animals whose homes we’re riding in. Over at the skull, scat and fur display, explorers can get hands-on experience petting a taxidermy coyote, skunk and bobcat, find out about their favorite featured animal, or find out, “Is that real?”, as people commonly ask about the scat.

The mobile education program is a resource for learning about off-road opportunities on public lands and educating yourself on resource protection through “Tread Lightly!” and Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

other programs. All visitors at the educational displays can find relevant information to help enjoy and protect resources and riding opportunities. You can also find lots of information on OHV recreation, safety training, events, State Vehicle Recreation Areas and much more at ohv.parks.ca.gov.

To find out if the OHV Education Program will be at a location near you, check the OHMVR Division’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages often. Depending on which event you’re planning to attend, you may be able to take part in one or all of the awesome interactive programs. The OHMVR Division of California State Parks is here to make your outdoor and off-highway fun an even more rewarding experience.

Through educational and informative interactive experiences, your enjoyment of epic off-highway adventures can become a reality! ✪ — All copy and photos provided by CA State Parks Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

Monarchs Set Up For Magnificent Season

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es, Archibishop Mitty High of San Jose will miss senior Jahnay Anderson. The diminutive guard made 36 percent of her 3-pointers and contributed leadership and 6.1 points a game to a team that spent most of last season in the MaxPreps’ Xcellent 25.

But Anderson is the only one missing from last year’s girls team, which went 23-3 before being upset in the first round of the NorCal Regionals.

So with four seniors to lead the way, Sue Phillips’ steady hand at the wheel, and a budding superstar in sophomore Haley Jones, look for Mitty to be the team to beat in NorCal — and maybe the state. Though there are plenty of excellent teams down south, only Long Beach Poly appears to be at the national level (though watch out for La Jolla Country Day), and Mitty could easily be cutting down the nets at the Golden 1 Center next March.

Mitty is deep as well as talented, and looks to be ahead of usual suspect St. Mary’s-Stockton for the preseason top spot in Northern California.

POSTSEASON SHIFTS: Speaking of postseason, here’s a little land mine for those hoping to play deep into the NorCal Regionals: CIF now has the option of shifting a Central Section team from the Southern California Regionals to the NorCal bracket at the very last minute.

The decision would be made, according to CIF, on the basis of geography, and there’s a precedent from last year’s football playoffs.

Imagine it’s the Sunday after section playoffs have ended, and teams have been preparing for and scouting teams they might face in the first round — and CIF decides, you know, Chowchilla really belongs in the D5 NorCal bracket, so they’re going to put them in. Or Clovis West is suddenly dropped into the Open.

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One reason for the move, however, is logical. The SoCal folks have made a commitment to filling every regional bracket, something that didn’t happen in the North last year. There were, after all, five empty spots in the 16-team NorCal Division V bracket, and four each in the Division II and Division IV brackets, so it would make a modicum of sense to shift some schools around to fill brackets.

TOUGH ROAD: Michelle Sasaki has a big job ahead of her, but she’s got credentials few high school coaches can match.

Sasaki’s résumé includes six seasons as head coach at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, plus 11 years as a Division I assistant, so she obviously will bring a lot to the table when she starts practice with the Las LomasWalnut Creek girls program in November. But Sasaki (who used her married name of Jacoby at SMC) has a Mt. Everest-like mountain to climb.

Las Lomas has not had a winning season in that time and its overall record is 63-166. The Diablo Foothill Athletic league mark for those nine years is a symmetrical, though not attractive, 9-99.

In addition, the newly realigned Diablo Athletic League has split into two conferences for basketball, so Las Lomas gets to play Acalanes (NorCals last year), Campolindo (NorCals), Northgate (North Coast Section playoffs), College Park and, oh, that team from Orinda that was No. 12 in the nation last year. Twice.

In addition, no returning player is taller than 5-8, so whatever Division I magic Sasaki can conjure up will be welcome. ✪ — Clay Kallam

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Archbishop Mitty’s Madeline Holland

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Beach And Indoor Volleyball Star, Kate Formico, Is The Latest To Blossom From A Family Tree Of Staggering Athletic Success Story by David Kiefer | Photos by Norbert von der Groeben 18

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hen Kate Formico unwinds, she grabs a volleyball.

When she was younger, Kate used the outside wall under the kitchen window to set, serve, and spike the ball off of. The thumping became a regular sound in the family symphony. However, now the wall is off limits, as a precaution from a cave-in.

The present target is a backyard backboard. The ceaseless pounding against it, and the feel of the ball against her fingers keeps Kate from getting bored. The sport is never a chore.

“I just love to play volleyball,” Formico said.

Formico is one of the top volleyball players in the Bay Area, and beyond. She has been an integral part of two state championship teams at San Jose’s Archbishop Mitty High School, and is among the best young beach players in the country.

But despite the time and devotion she puts toward the

game, there’s no questioning its value. It’s part of her DNA. Kate’s first cousin is Kerri Walsh Jennings, perhaps the most recognizable volleyball player on the planet. Walsh Jennings, now 37 and a Mitty grad, has won three Olympic beach volleyball gold medals and will be competing for her fourth in Rio. But when asked about role models, Formico said that they go far beyond just Kerri. A glance at her family tree explains why.

Let’s start with Marte Formico II, the Abraham of this clan.

Marte was a star during the heyday of Santa Clara University football, when the Broncos beat Bear Bryant’s Kentucky in the 1950 Orange Bowl. Formico was inducted into the SCU Hall of Fame in 1984.

Formico wasn’t very big – one report had him under 140

pounds – but he was an elusive back. Teammates called him, ‘Splendid Splinter,’ a nickname originally bestowed on baseball star Ted Williams. While the origins of Williams’ nickname are unclear, for Marte Formico, his nickname started “because he wasn’t any bigger than a splinter,” said one teammate.

Well, Marte begat eight children, all with first names starting with ‘M,” including Margie, who begat volleyball-playing sisters Kerri, K.C., and Kelli. Among Margie’s siblings are Maureen Formico, Pepperdine’s all-time leading scorer in basketball, and Kate’s dad, Marte III. There actually is a Marte IV, Kate’s brother who starred in soccer at San Jose’s Bellarmine College Prep and was regarded as the Central Coast Section’s best player. He will play at UC Davis this fall.

Among their cousins are UCLA volleyball star Taylor Formico, the Pac-12 Libero of the Year last fall, former University of Arizona libero Ronni Lewis, and Joan Caloairo, who played setter at University of San Francisco and Cal. More cousins: Marcia Wallis, an All-America in both soccer and golf at Stanford, Brian Bernard, formerly of the U.S. national rugby team, and Angelo Caloiaro, who plays professional basketball in Turkey.

“How do you explain it?” Mitty coach Bret Almazan-Cezar

Kate Formico, right, digs a ball in front of Archbishop Mitty teammate MacKenzie Savage. said. “It’s their culture. They are going to compete and do their best.”

Family athletic success can have its pros and cons. On one side, there can be pressure to live up to the achievements of others, and that may be magnified with a three-time Olympic gold medalist attending to the same family barbecues. There also can be the false assumption that talent is God-given, rather than the product of hard work.

On the other side, there seem to be standards in focus, preparation, and competitiveness that already are long established in the family and can hardly be taught.

“She reads the game better than anyone we’ve ever had,” Almazan-Cezar said, “with the exception of Kerri.”

Kate is a 5-foot-9 libero, who is superb defensively, an adroit passer, and has proven on the beach that she can hit.

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But her primary skills are on defense. Formico’s familiarity with the game, and understanding of it, pay off in her ability to know where the set is going and how to anticipate where a swing is coming from.

“I watch the hitter’s arm,” Formico said. “I’ll watch them in the hitting lineup or during the game. You watch their swing and try to pick up different tendencies. Maybe they like to hit it down or to the deep corner. You can pick up a lot that helps you during a game.”

For some players, the excitement of a big hit is what motivates them. But for Formico, it’s the opposite: “I love digging,” she said. “The best thing is to dig a ball against a big hitter.”

Almazan-Cezar’s praise of Formico is high considering he has coached Mitty to 15 Central Coast Section championships in 23 years and has had great liberos, such as Lewis and Anne Marie Schmidt, now at USC. Formico’s defense is only part of the reason Mitty doesn’t have to concern itself with a good portion of the court defensively. The other is Formico’s passing skills. Almazan-Cezar likens Formico to a shutdown cornerback in football. Opponents don’t want to serve to Formico and limit their serving to smaller areas, making it easier for Mitty to cover, allowing Mitty to more easily transition into its offense.

or defensive systems, she puts her head down and wants to go.

Mentally, she’s at a different level.”

While the naturally-shy Walsh found her voice, so must Formico. Mitty lost seven seniors from a program that won its fourth consecutive state title and 12th overall. She is one of three seniors and perhaps the most prominent.

She knows her leadership will be vital toward a fifth consecutive state title run and that her encouragement or blessing can go a long way in the development of the Monarch’s newcomers.

“At the beginning of the season, my role will be really big,” Formico said. “I’d love to teach them the ways we do things, and to stay positive. It should be a fun year. I expect great things for Mitty. Everyone still expects us to do well.”

Almazan-Cezar likened Formico’s leadership to her play.

“She’s very steady, she’s very calm, and she’s very present,” he said. “She doesn’t look to be flashy, but Kate always seems to be where the ball is.”

With the growth of beach volleyball as an NCAA-sponsored scholarship sport, players now have the option to play one or the other, or both.

Formico isn’t ready to make a commitment, to a season or a school. She can see different scenarios, but likely will stay on the West Coast.

Walsh Jennings continues to be an inspiration, especially as she attempts to capture her fourth Olympic gold medal.

“Kerri is my role model on the beach,” Formico said. “But I love to watch all my cousins play.”

Despite a crowded family tree, there definitely seems to be room for at least one more volleyball star in the family. ✪

“We know we can take 2/3 of the court away on serve-receive because of Kate,” Almazan-Cezar said.

But Formico also gives Mitty an advantage partly because of the skills she has honed on the beach, where only two players must cover half a court – as opposed to six-a-side indoors.

The demands of the beach make her quicker and more mobile.

And the constantly pushing and jumping off sand has made her legs all that much stronger.

Almazan-Cezar said that when Formico was a freshman, she reminded him of a “mini-Kerri.” She had the same tall lean athletic build along with a quiet yet driven personality.

The drive manifests itself in her unquestioning desire to trust her coaches and do whatever they ask.

“Kate never has an excuse,” said Jen Agresti, Formico’s coach with the Encore club team. “If you talk about strategies Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

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College Prepares To Play Host To Multiple Water Polo Tournaments After Labor Day

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he high school water polo season gets underway just as a new school year is beginning and the Sierra ShootOut Water Polo Tournaments are the perfect way to kickoff the season. Placer Valley Tourism is thrilled to be teaming up again with the Sierra College Aquatics Department to bring these two tournaments to Placer Valley.

Traditionally they start the weekend after Labor Day and are divided into two separate weekends where the boys play the first weekend and the girls play the second weekend. This year will follow suit as the tournaments will host the boys water polo teams on Sept. 9-10 and the girls teams on Sept. 16-17.

Typically more than 50 teams will compete each weekend and they will utilize the Sierra College Aquatics Complex, as well as the Whitney, Rocklin and Oakmont High School pool facilities. The action is scheduled to start at 7 a.m. on both Friday and Saturday each weekend.

The Sierra ShootOut Tournaments serve as fundraisers for the Sierra College Aquatics programs and it loves playing host each year.

“It is considered the best and biggest high school water polo tournament in the west and we are very proud of that,” Sierra College Aquatics Director Scott Decker said. ✪

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PLACER UNITED GIRLS CUP NEARS Placer United will be hosting its annual Girls Cup on October 2223 where more than 200 soccer teams in the U11 to U19 age groups will be competing in this elite all-girls, U.S. Club Soccer-sanctioned tournament.

Placer Valley Tourism, in conjunction with Placer United and Adidas, are thrilled to host a tournament of this caliber. With a twentyplus year history, the Girls Cup has earned a reputation as being the most competitive fall girls soccer event in Northern California. The event brings in teams from all over California, Nevada and Oregon.

In previous years, this tournament has featured numerous state cup champions, finalists and semi-finalists. The caliber of teams who compete in this event allows other teams the opportunity to play at the highest level, and attracts many up-and-coming teams in California and beyond.

Last year the tournament utilized 32 fields throughout Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln, Loomis and Elverta due to the sheer number of teams competing. Jodi Tarr, Placer United Club Administrator, expects this year to bring as many, if not more, teams than last year.

The deadline to register is September 15. Don’t delay — go to www. placerunited.com to get your team signed up today. ✪ — All copy and photos provided by Placer Valley Tourism Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

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Jake Costa (left) and Nick Barnett celebrate during Citrus Height’s Senior West Regional game vs. San Lorenzo

Story by Jim McCue Photos by James K. Leash

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Citrus Heights’ Collin Quisenberry

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ith Major League Baseball pennant races still developing, July and August bring focus to the true boys of summer as Little League Baseball’s youngsters forego vacations in the hopes of making trips to World Series host cities like Williamsport, Pennsylvania and Bangor, Maine.

Bangor is the home of the Senior League World Series for players age 14 to 16. Recently, Sacramento played host to the West Region Championships of the Senior League World Series as teams from Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Montana, Oregon and Washington converged on Sacramento’s American River College. Little League District 5 secured a three-year agreement to host the Western Regional tourney with 2016 bringing the World Series qualifying games to Northern California for the first time.

As the host, District 5’s champion, Citrus Heights Little League, was allowed to bypass further qualifying tournament play after claiming the district title in late June. San Lorenzo Little League won the District 45 championship and qualified for the eight-team field as well. For the NorCal teams, it was a chance to save some money on travel while showcasing local talent against the best in the West.

But as the host, Citrus Heights and District 5 had the eyes of Little League Baseball and the Western United States looking closely to see how Sacramento fared as a Senior League ambassador in its first year as home base for World Series qualifying.

“It is a big responsibility plus an incredible honor to be the face of the tournament,” said Citrus Heights Little League President Mara Crist. “It was important for the league to be there talent-wise, but also to display the integrity and sportsmanship necessary for the host team and league.”

The Citrus Heights team — which featured high school players from Del Campo-Fair Oaks, Mesa Verde-Citrus Heights, Casa Roble-Orangevale, Delta-Clarksburg, El Camino-Sacramento, Foothill-Sacramento and Oakmont-Roseville — might not have been expected to advance far in the regional tournament due to the perceived short cut to the World Series qualifier. However, the District 5 champions had their own expectations.

“We really thought we had a good team and we wanted to make a good showing playing against the best teams in the West,” Citrus Heights manager Jerry Garcia said. “We thought that we might have a chance to do something and we finished with a very respectable effort.”

Citrus Heights won its opener and finished 2-2 in the championship bracket before closing the week in the consolation bracket. In all, the team played seven games, taking the field on every day that the West Regional was held.

Despite the heavy workload, Citrus Heights showed the visiting teams and Little League officials outstanding play and sportsmanship.

“I have always had a saying for the kids to ‘fear none, but respect all,’” said Garcia, who has coached in Citrus Heights Little League for 46 years. “I demand that my players respect every team and show good sportsmanship, and I believe that they represented the league and the district well.”

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San Lorenzo’s Bryan Tan With the host team playing every day of the week-long tourney, local support was evident and necessary to pull off a successful inaugural event in Sacramento. Crist pointed to league members volunteering to work at the tournament and scores of others coming out to support the team even when its games were played in the middle of the day — and extreme heat — on week/work days. Garcia lauded the league and district’s assistance to allow him and his players to be model hosts and competitors on the playing field.

With the demanding schedule, Garcia also praised his full roster for playing hard from the first game to the last.

“At some point in the week, everyone on the roster stepped up and contributed,” Garcia said of his team. “Collin Quisenberry had a real good tournament, and my number one pitcher Max Mrizek had a rubber arm and just kept coming out and throwing. But you could put the whole roster down as players who stepped up in the regional tournament.”

Some players on the roster will age out of the Senior League to the Big League in search of a fourth consecutive district title, but Crist is eyeing a repeat for the league as hosts of the West Regional at American River College.

“We hope to be a part of the tournament again as the host league,” Crist said while also mentioning that District 5 is hoping to extend its time as West Region host beyond 2018. “It is such an honor to be on the road to Bangor, Maine, and having the games in Sacramento made it a really great time for our league and community.”

The team from Central East Maui Little League in Hawaii eventually earned the trip to Bangor where the Senior League World Series will conclude with a champion on August 6. The Hawaii squad went 6-1 in Sacramento, defeating both Northern California teams before beating Arizona for the title of Best in the West. In Bangor, Hawaii will represent the West and compete against domestic teams from Maine, Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia and Texas, and international squads from Australia, Spain, Canada and Puerto Rico.

San Lorenzo, NorCal’s other representative at the West Regional, also posted a 2-2 mark in championship bracket play and added two more games in the consolation bracket. The two teams faced off early in the tournament with San Lorenzo dealing the hosts a 12-4 defeat before succumbing to eventual champion Hawaii 7-2 to get eliminated from the championship. San Lorenzo’s other championship bracket loss came at the hands of the other finalist, Arizona.

San Lorenzo earned its trip to Sacramento with titles in District 45, Section 3, and State Division 2 finals. ✪ Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

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summer notes

Olivehurst-Linda Little League Junior Softball Making History One year removed from much of its roster nearly reaching the Little League Softball World Series, the Olivehurt-Linda Little League Junior All-Stars finally broke through to reach a Little League World Series.

And they weren’t going to waste their opportunity.

As the West Region representative at the Little League Junior Softball World Series in Kirkland, Washington, Olivehurst-Linda opened pool play with a pair of dominating victories — a 10-1 thrashing of the East All-Stars (Rhode Island) and a 14-1 pasting of the Europe-Africa All-Stars (Czech Republic).

Of the 10-team tournament, Olivehurst-Linda was one of just three who remained unbeaten after the first two days. Pool play ended Aug. 3 and the top four teams from each group advance into a single elimination bracket that concludes in a final on Aug. 6.

The Olivehurst-Linda roster includes: Mattie Cheever, Chloe Smotherman, Alexis Steele, Hailey Schamanski, Alix Wofford, Marissa Tracey, Danika Martin, Arika Elliott, Izzy Mendoza, Gracie Villalobos, Myra Hinojosa and Emma McConville.

volleyball The Northern California Volleyball Association’s Boys Junior Red team claimed a gold medal at the USA Volleyball High Performances Championships in Ft. Lauderdale from July 19-23.

NCVA compiled a perfect 9-0 record during the tourna-

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Youth Team and outlasted it despite falling down two sets to none early. After dropping sets one and two by identical 25-19 scores, NCVA stormed back to win three straight, 2523, 25-21 and 15-12. NCVA’s setter Randy DeWeese, a UC Santa Barbara-bound Natomas Charter-Sacramento grad was named the tournament MVP. Three others were placed on the All-Tournament team — Kyle Bugee (Homestead-Cupertino ’16), David Lehman (Bentley-Lafayette ’16) and Avery Aylsworth (St. Francis-Mountain View ’15)

soccer

ment and dropped just five of 32 total sets en route to winning the Youth Boys International Division. After going 7-0 in pool play, NCVA was placed in the top flight Gold Bracket and won its semifinal 3-1 over SCVA Youth International from Southern California.

In the Gold Medal match, NCVA faced Team Canada’s

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A pair of Northern California clubs sent teams to Frisco, Texas, from July 26-31 for the U.S. Youth Soccer Nationals.

The USA Stars ’02 girls squad out of El Dorado Hills advanced to the 14U championship bracket after finishing second in their group with a 2-1 mark. The Stars then battled BRYC ’01 Elite (Virginia) to a 1-1 draw before losing the semifinal in a penalty-kick shootout. The Stars were led by Janae DeFazio, who will be a sophomore at St. Francis-Sacramento this fall. She played varsity for the Troubadours as a freshman this past spring and compiled eight goals and eight assists.

The SC Sporting ’00 U15 boys from Santa Clara went 1-2 on the week and narrowly missed advancing out of pool play.

In a do-or-die third pool play match, SC Sporting lost 2-1 to the CFA Raiders from Illinois. CFA would eventually reach the final before falling 7-6 McLean ’00 Green of Virginia. ✪ — SportStars Staff

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NorCal High Schools Have No Shortage Of Olympic Athletes To Pull For This Summer

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hen it comes to East Bay’s wrestling coaches, few names carry more weight than Mark Halvorson.

Whether it’s producing youth and cadet national champions as the program director at Concord’s Community Youth Center, building a Bay Area dynasty at De La Salle High, or leading various Team USA squads in international competitions, Halvorson has crafted a very impressive résumé over the past two decades.

On July 21, that résumé grew once more. His newest assignment came with a destination of Rio de Janiero, Brazil and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, which began with soccer matches on Aug. 3 while the majority of the Games opened Aug. 6.

Halvorson was named to one of two Greco-Roman volunteer coaching positions for Team USA. “I have been blessed over the past two years to work with Mark,” National Greco-Roman coach Matt Lindland said in a Team USA press release.

“I refer to Mark as ‘The Scientist.’ When it comes to wrestling, Mark really understands the sports’ physiology, the demands on the body and how an athlete’s body responds to specific training. I have had the opportunity to learn so much from Mark.

I trust Mark and so do the athletes, which is important at this elite level.”

Perhaps no one on the Team USA’s Rio-bound Greco-Roman roster trusts Halvorson more than his own CYC-product, Robby Smith. Smith, a 2005 graduate of San Ramon Valley, is the nation’s No. 1 ranked Greco-Roman heavyweight (286 pounds).

“I have not seen a heavyweight wrestler that is as technically skilled as Robby,” Lindland said.

“That is also a testament to Mark’s coaching skills and knowledge of our sport.”

As for the often understated Halvorson, it was clear how much the appointment meant.

“I am very humbled,” Halvorson said in the release. “I really enjoy working with the staff and the wrestlers. I have had quite a journey, coaching at Cadet Worlds, Junior Worlds, Youth Olympic Games, Pan American Games and Senior World Championships. Now getting to work at the Olympic Games is icing on the cake.”

Smith is one of four Greco-Roman wrestlers being sent by the United States. The wrestling competition begins Aug. 14.

There are several other Bay Area high schools with ties to athletes competing in the Summer Games. Three of them — Melissa Seidemann (College Park-Pleasant Hill ’08), Maggie Steffens (Monte Vista-Danville ’12) and Kristian Ipsen (De La Salle-Concord ’11) — are attempting to add to medals earned in London in 2012.

Steffens returns with the U.S. Women’s Water Polo team, the defending golf medal champions.

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Maggie Steffens

She was the darling of the 2012 water polo competition, being named the tournament MVP after leading the Americans with an Olympic-record 21 goals. Seidemann was also a member of that gold medal-winning team.

Ipsen was a bronze medalist in London when he paired with Troy Dumais in 3-meter synchro diving. In Rio, he will be flying solo in the 3-meter platform event.

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The North Bay will be dialed into the swimming competition as Maria Carrillo-Santa Rosa ’10 grad, Maya DiRado, is qualified in three events (200-meter backstroke, 200 IM and 400 IM). There’s also Santa Rosa High ’11 grad Molly Hannis who will be competing in the 200 breaststroke.

In synchronized swimming, highly-decorated Walnut Creek Aquabear Mariya Koroleva is attending her second Games as part of the team duet competition. Koroleva, who was born in Russia and maintains dual citizenship, finished 11th in duets at the London Games. ✪ —­Chace Bryson, Editor

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You Don’t Have To Be A Weekend Warrior To Enjoy Redding’s Big League Dreams Park

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tination

For those die-hard diamond rats, the year-round travel baseball and softballers, odds are pretty high they’ve found a way to a Big League Dreams Park by now.

And if they haven’t, then they are missing out. Big time.

Redding’s Big League Dreams Park location is a world-class sports facility features replicas of three historic major-league baseball stadiums: Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Yankee Stadium. The entire family can enjoy batting cages, an indoor roller hockey rink, indoor soccer, outdoor sand volleyball courts and a children’s play area.

The stadium restaurant offers views of the fields where families can enjoy a full bar with their food as well as access to full-service restrooms.

And because the park is so much more than baseball diamonds, there’s a lot more that the staff and facility at Big League Dreams Park can offer teams. And not just the teams who wear uniforms.

Are you a supervisor who wants to re-energize your office? Big League Dreams offers a variety of challenges and outdoor activities that can help develop unity, build team spirit, improve productivity and enhance company morale. The teambuilding activities provided by the park — which are fully customizable — can be great tools to promote positive attitudes and most importantly, TEAMWORK. The Big League Dreams Park staff will help organizers select which activities would be most beneficial to their group as well as provide experience and leadership.

Now, what if you wanted to parlay the teambuilding activities with business meetings? Well, Big League Dreams Park has you covered there too.

Say goodbye to the stuffy conference room, and hello to their Stadium Club restaurant — a perfect location for a meeting or presentation. The 20,000 sq. ft. indoor multi-purpose pavilion can accommodate any size and type of meeting or presentation.

Finally, Big League Dreams Park is perfectly suited for the company picnic thing as well. Celebrate a big achievement or the end of major project on over 30 acres of manicured usable space. The replica fields set the mood for a day filled with fun, excitement and entertainment. The entire facility can be available for use, and an additional “Fun Zone” can be created with activities like rock walls, water slides, dunk tanks, face painters, scavenger hunts or even hot dog eating contests.

Don’t delay, check out BigLeagueDreams.com to see what Big League Dreams Park has available for your team — whether you wear uniforms or office apparel. ✪ Copy and photos provided by VisitRedding.com and BigLeagueDreams.com

Caldwell Park Triathalon Get active with the Caldwell Park Triathlon!

All participants receive a T-shirt and a gift bag, medals to the top three finishers in each division (ages 5-8, 9-12, 13-16 and 17-andolder). Separate divisions for boys & girls. August 13 at Redding Aquatic Center, 9 a.m. www.visitredding.com/eventdetail/1628/ caldwell-park-triathlon

Redding Soccer Park

HUNTER TROY CLEGG MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT: Sept. 24-25, Competitive U10, U11, U12 and Recreation U10-U19 soccer tournament. Five teams max per division, guarantee of four games. $425 per team. www.ReddingSoccerPark.com

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Sac River Trail Marathon, 15K, 5K October 22: 9 a.m.: Sac River Trail Marathon, 15K & 5K

Redding Youth Lacrosse Registration Now Open! September-December: Register individual team(s) with a $50 deposit. RSVP now to avoid a wait list. Visit team registration page for more information.

November-January: Once game schedule is published in late November or early December teams must pay balance of their registration fees and may Pre-Order Jamboree Apparel through out online store.

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Shedding Weight IN THE WEIGHT ROOM powered by trucks: anthony trucks

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bout this time of the year everyone is trying to find a way to bust their belly fat and trim down.

The problem is that very few people enjoy steady state cardio like running for miles outside or on a treadmill — or anything that requires hours of heavy breathing. While that kind of exercise is in fact beneficial to your cardiovascular system, it’s actually not the most effective way to burn body fat.

You can do a better job of burning body fat faster and more efficiently in the weight room. The reason is because of a fat-burning trifecta that your body goes through when you incorporate the right structure to your weight training sessions.

The first concept to understand in the trifecta is that using resistance training draws more energy from your body because you use type II muscle fibers — which have a high power output but fatigue quickly. This means you have to output more energy to use these fibers. So doing powerful movements, or using strength, activates these fibers. This means you can burn more calories faster this way than just running for miles on end. So the first part of the trifecta is that weighted resistance is an overall better bang-for-your-buck workout choice.

You can also include cardio work in the weight room by incorporating a few adjustments. You can move the weight faster through the movement while making sure not to sacrifice form. You can use higher reps and lighter weight. You can also reduce the rest time in between sets so your heart rate stays elevated.

The second phase of the trifecta is that, having completed a resistance-training workout, you’re going to be sore. Usually this soreness is delayed, which is why it’s called ‘delayed onset muscle soreness’. What then happens inside your body is it begins rebuilding the muscular tissue. This can last for days and allows your body to burn calories for up to 42 hours after the workout. So the second part of the trifecta is the time it takes to recover the muscles you worked out in the weight room.

Finally, the last part of the trifecta is the result you get from lifting weights and recovering.

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One of the major necessities for burning fat and keeping it off is having a higher resting metabolic rate. This is the rate our “inner furnace” burns at when we’re just sitting still doing nothing.

This runs at a higher rate when we have more muscle on our body. So the training you do in the weight room forces your body to adapt to make the weights easier to move because our bodies desire efficiency. The adaptation our body chooses is to increase our lean muscle mass. Increasing our lean mass then increases our resting metabolic rate.

So that’s how it works. Lift weights faster and with less rest. Then rest as hard as you work out so your body can burn calories while recovering. Finally, let your body build the muscle that turns you into a fat-burning machine. ✪ Anthony Trucks is an IYCA-certified trainer who covers weight training for SportStars.

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Defining Commitment

get mental: erika carlson

The term ‘commitment’ is thrown around a lot in sports. It can be a tricky topic to address with coaches, players and parents. Especially since each may have their own definition, and practice, of what it means to be committed. It can simply mean that commitment is a promise to do or give something.

Coaches are most often coaching as a second job for little money. Motivation to coach is often about wanting to stay involved in the sport they love and to help give advice and knowledge to the next generation. To say they are committed is usually a gross understatement.

Sport-parent commitment is often defined in two ways — time and money. I don’t have to tell you that year-round youth sports are expensive and exhausting.

Commuting to and from practice, traveling most weekends to games and tournaments asks a lot of the family.

Eating on the run, gas, hotels … it all adds up. No doubt parents are obviously committed to helping their kids succeed.

So what does it mean for a player to be committed?

The answer may vary a little bit from team to team, but here is consistent advice on how to get and stay committed.

Teams and individual sport athletes are usually pretty good at setting goals for the season ahead. Outcome goals (win league, make it to NCS or beat our rival) are

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the goals that are typically set but are tough to stay committed to because they are largely uncontrollable.

Teams and athletes can set goals about how to perform better during training and games. For example, a quarterback might have a goal for 80 percent pass completion or a receiver to catch 90 percent of targeted passes.

These are a little easier to track and measure, but still challenging to fully commit to since they are only moderately controllable, like the quality of passes or blocking that allows you to do your job well.

So that leaves us with process goals. Process goals are personal daily or weekly goals that are 100 percent controllable. Examples include run two miles, three times per week or lift weights two days per week or eat every 3-4 hours on game day. Because these goals are fully under your control, staying highly committed to carefully considered process goals leads to better performance, which helps to eventually reach your desired outcome. ✪ Erika Carlson is a CEO and certified mental trainer at Mental Training, Inc. in Pleasanton.

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eat your

VEGGIES! nutrition: jill daniels

Parents are famous for telling their growing kids, “Eat your veggies!!”

Well, kids, I hate to break this to you, but those parents are right! Vegetables are especially beneficial for athletes, because they have some nutrients crucial for good health and recovery that you can’t get anywhere else.

Check out some of these nutrient-rich ideas to help keep your body feeling and performing its best.

Spinach and other dark green vegetables have many important nutrients for athletes, such as vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, vitamin K, zinc and iron. Enjoy them in a salad, or put them into your sandwich or scrambled eggs.

Sweet potatoes are a great source of carbohydrates, which will boost your endurance for both training and competition.

They are also high in potassium, vitamins and fiber, which help keep your body healthy and strong.

Onions and garlic contain flavonoids which give your im-

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mune system a boost. Sauté these flavorful foods with other veggies, add them to your spaghetti sauce, or include them in your homemade salsa or guacamole for a yummy treat.

Beets contain compounds called nitrates and betalains which have anti-inflammatory properties, and also help promote cell repair and regeneration. All of which is great for any hard-working athlete! You can roast them with some olive oil, salt and pepper, or throw them into a smoothie for a refreshing post-workout reward.

Include these veggies and others into your daily routine, and experience the benefits yourself. You’ll not only make your parents proud, but also your coach and fans too. ✪ Maximize your performance by seeking out personalized advice from Nutrition Coach Jill Daniels, MS, RD, CSSD, Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. www.JillDanielsRD.com

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ANKLE INSURANCE PROGRAM GET THE A.I.P. NOW

1

Roll the bottom of feet with lacrosse or golf ball x30 sec/each

2

Roll calves, shin and Achilles with foam roller or stick x 30 sec/each

3

Dorsiflexion calf stretch against wall x10 each

4

Multi-planar wall ankle mobilizations x5 each way

5

Sitting band ankle eversion and inversion with band x10-20 each way.

6

Wear a minimalist shoe to train.

training time: tim rudd

Sports are extremely stressful to the body, and the ankle joint is no exception. Over the course of a practice or competition, each foot contacts the ground hundreds or thousands of times and goes into plantar flexion for propulsion equally as many times.

This repetitive strain can shorten the plantar flexors (calf, plantar fascia), and over time the jarring of the joint causes natural gliding to become restricted. The ankle is the most commonly injured joint in sports — and coupled with countless taping jobs and elevated heel shoes, you get a nasty mixture of muscular and joint restrictions that limits movement.

If your athlete loses any amount of flexibility, or dorsiflexion, in the ankle it will create an inability to actively dissipate force in their lower extremities and can lead to problems both locally (in the joint) and up the chain (knee, lower back) as the force must go somewhere.

Furthermore, poor ankle dorsiflexion can lead to a negative impact on performance. Beyond risk of injury, athletes need to be able to have appropriate ankle movement to absorb and produce forces necessary to accelerate, jump, throw and make multidirectional movements.

If they can’t efficiently absorb force into their tendons then much of the force will be dissipated into the ground or joints, resulting in less- than-optimal force production to accelerate, jump or change direction.

Secondary to performance on the field, lack of dorsiflexion can also have a negative impact on strength exercises. Just as in sport-specific movements, if the joint lacks mobility then the stress will travel up the body to the knees and lower back. Certain lifts like squats, cleans, snatches, lunges, jump squats, hopping, bounding, etc. cannot be performed safely or effectively without an appropriate level of ankle mobility.

To get your athlete performing optimally we need to take a proactive approach to counteract the stress that is placed on the ankle joint.

Tim Rudd is an IYCA specialist in youth conditioning and owner of Fit2TheCore.

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ACCENTUATING THE

POSITIVE peak performance: jeff MCMillan

Let’s face it: Your performance is 90 percent mental.

Assuming you have the ability to do what you are trying to do, your success is 90 percent dependent on your mindset.

“Everyone is a genius,” Albert Einstein once said. “But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

You are not a fish trying to climb a tree. You are an athlete, competing in your sport. You know what to do, and are totally capable of doing it. But something keeps you from performing at your full potential. That thing — is your brain.

Don’t worry. It‘s normal. Everyone has negative, performancelimiting thoughts. Even the pros. Winners learn to recognize them, and turn them into fuel that empowers great performances. Just as you train your body for competition, you MUST train your brain to win it! The Winning State of mind is the missing link when it comes time to perform your best, especially when it really counts.

Here’s the problem: We average 70,000 thoughts per day. And 80 percent of those (56,000) are negative thoughts. Futhermore, 95 percent of those 56,000 negative thoughts (53,200) recur on a daily basis. We put much more focus on negative things. The silly thing is, our brain does this to protect us from embarrassment, failure, potentially dangerous situations, etc. These thoughts can be so powerful, they can stop us from even trying to succeed in the

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first place. You’re beat, before you even compete.

Now, factor in the MIT study that shows that it takes 17 positive thoughts to counteract just 1 negative thought, and you can see where the problem lies. How can we perform at our peak potential, when we have negative thoughts pulsing through our mind and body?

Luckily, I have many techniques and solutions.

One technique is deep breathing. Some clients have told me this has made the biggest difference in their performance.

But, like anything else you do, it has to be done right in order to work. When you get nervous, your breathing shortens. That reduces oxygen to your brain, and muscles. Your muscles tighten, and alter your range of motion, your grip, swing, stroke, stride, throw, etc. You may not notice it. But you see it in the results, over and over again. Then you think, “I need more practice!” Perhaps you do; perhaps you don’t. But you definitely need to practice mental toughness techniques.

Deep abdominal breathing increases the flow of oxygen to the brain and muscles. More importantly, it slows negative thought production, allows you to relax, reframe your thoughts, and empower new peak performances. ✪ Jeff MacMillan is the founder and peak performance coach of The Winning State, 510-566-3263.

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