NorCal Issue 148, May 2018

NORCAL EDITION MAY 2018 VOL. 9 ISSUE 147

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The WCAL is as good a baseball league as you’ll find in the nation

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Cal-Hi Sports baseball and softcall state Top 10 rankings

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Berkeley baseball calls him The Freak. You can call him Michael Dixon

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Which teams could be the surprise contenders in NCS postseason softball?

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Elk Grove softball can talk a good game. Their play can back it all up

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A group of NorCal volleyball stars found a new side of the game in Italy

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Roseville’s Jacob Cole has fought back from injury and is stronger than ever

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UFC champ Daniel Cormier will take over as wrestling coach at Gilroy

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Get an inside peek into Freedom-Oakley softball’s perfect start in our recent SportStars NOW edition.

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Cal-Hi Sports’ 40th Annual All-State Basketball Is Out. Discover Who Made The Cut For The 2017-18 Season.

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christian encarnacion-Strand COLLEGE PARK-PLEASANT HILL - SENIOR - BASEBALL It’s been an up and down season for the Falcons, but not for their senior shortstop. The four-year varsity player recently went 1-for-2 with an RBI double to help fuel a 9-5 Diablo Athletic League win over Campolindo-Moraga on May 1. The double was his 10th of the season and his 25th hit in 63 at-bats, good for a .397 average. Through 18 games he leads College Park with 15 extra base hits, including four homers to go with the 10 doubles, and 24 RBI. The Falcons were 10-8

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overall through May 1, but tied for the DAL Foothill Conference lead with Northgate-Walnut Creek. Northgate won the first meeting 6-3 on April 24 in Pleasant Hill. They meet again on May 10.

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JOIN OUR TEAM PHONE 925.566.8500 FAX 925.566.8507 EDITORIAL Editor@SportStarsMag.com Editor Chace Bryson • Chace@SportStarsMag.com Assistant Editor Mike Wood Staff Writer Jim McCue • JimMcCue16@gmail.com Contributors Clay Kallam, Tim Rudd, Mark Tennis, James G. Kane, Harold Abend, Jill Daniels, Anthony Trucks, Erika Westhoff, Ike Dodson, Steven Wilson Copy Editor Bill Kruissink Photography James K. Leash, Phillip Walton, Doug Guler, Berry Evans III, Samuel Stringer, Jim Johnson, Dennis Lee, Dave Lawicka Interns Joshua Howser, Krishna Gomatam Marketing/Events Ryan Arter CREATIVE DEPARTMENT Art@SportStarsMag.com Production Manager Mike DeCicco • MikeD@SportStarsMag.com

Joe Mixon, right, and Gary Conn

REDEMPTION I

t was a little over a year ago that I used this space to defend the character of a kid I once covered as a high school athlete for Freedom High in Oakley.

In March of 2017, weeks before the NFL Draft, Joe Mixon — because of his legal issues as a freshman at Oklahoma University in 2014 — was among the most polarizing names. National hottake artists salivated at their chances to paint him as another delinquent player who they wouldn’t let near THEIR football team.

That wasn’t the Joe Mixon I knew in high school.

I believed he was still that person, and said so.

I’m glad Marvin Lewis and the Cincinnati Bengals agreed.

Mixon stayed out of trouble and only got better as the 2017 season progressed. A late-season concussion may have cost him his chance at reaching 1,000 yards from scrimmage. He rushed for 626 yards and caught 30 passes for 287 more.

And everyone stopped talking about his character.

Well I’m here to start talking about it again.

Because he deserves it.

In mid-January, I got a tip that Mixon was going stop by his former elementary school in Antioch to make a donation. I dropped by Mission Elementary that morning to catch up with him and find out what kind of donation it might be.

It turns out it was a check for $3,000 to pay for a

month’s worth of school lunches.

“I know it’s hard for parents nowadays,” Mixon said. “I just felt that it was the right thing to do.

Just wanted to find a way to somehow give back to our community and help the little kids who aren’t that fortunate. I was once in that position, so I know what it’s like.”

Gary Conn is finishing his 25th year as a physical education teacher at Mission. He remembers what Mixon was like when the NFL back was in that position.

“Joe was a typical Mission kid,” said Conn, who accepted the check on the school’s behalf. “I remember telling his mom during after-school pick-up, ‘You’ve got to keep this one out of trouble because I think he’s got a lot of potential.”

Conn, like many Antioch and Oakley educators who shepherded Mixon through his formative years, had a hard time with the Oklahoma incident. They’re happy to see the Mixon they knew come out the other side.

“I’m just mostly proud of him,” Conn said. “He had some rough times and he’s really working hard to show people that that’s not him. What happened is not Joe Mixon. He’s a better person than that, and he knows that. He’s done everything to show people that. That’s what I’m most proud of.”

Count me among those. He could play for MY team. Oh wait, he did! Maybe next year we’ll get that Fantasy Trophy, Joe. ✪

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DIAMOND RATED WCAL Belongs With Nation’s Best Baseball Leagues

I

t’s a debate that changes every year in every sport: What’s the toughest league in the state?

For baseball, there are several that are usually in the discussion and they include three from Northern California: the West Catholic Athletic League of the CIF Central Coast Section, the Delta League from the Sac-Joaquin Section and the East Bay Athletic League of the North Coast Section.

But if you are looking at it from an all-time perspective, such as the last 50 years or even further back than that for the schools in the league, it’s not much a debate. The WCAL is the best all-time league for California high school baseball — and it’s probably the best in the nation.

Heading into May, the 2018 season has been impressive for the WCAL even by its usual standards. There were five teams from the league that appeared in the Cal-Hi Sports State Top 20. That had to be done after St. Francis-Mountain View had a win against Valley Christian-San Jose and was before the Lancers were scheduled to face Serra-San Mateo.

Valley Christian still only had three losses on the season after that defeat and was No. 5 in the state. Serra had risen to No. 8, Mitty was sitting at No. 10 after being as high as No. 4 while Bellarmine was at No. 18. St. Francis was showing at No. 20.

There have been five teams from one league in the State Top 20 before in football, but it’s doubtful that five from one league had not happened before in baseball.

Earlier this season, Valley Christian hosted Bellarmine in a WCAL game in which the two teams were No. 1 and No. 2 in the state. The Warriors prevailed 5-2 as they scored all of their runs in one inning. Stanford commit Eddie Park had two hits in that one inning and also pitched the final two plus innings for a save.

To get to the top two in state rankings, one would assume that both Valley Christian and Bellarmine had done well in preseason games and tournaments. That assumption would be correct. The Warriors went to Southern California and won the Hard 9 National Classic and were 12-0-1 in games outside the WCAL. Bellarmine won the preseason Northern California edition of the Boras Baseball Classic and in its games outside of the WCAL it was 12-0.

In fact, if you add up all of the results from all of the teams in the WCAL in nonleague games, it comes to 76-18-2 for a winning percentage of more than 80 percent. A great example of a top team going against the WCAL is De La Salle-Concord. The Spartans were 21-3 as of April 30 but were 0-2 in games against St. Francis and Bellarmine. In addition, the Bells began the season with a doubleheader in Southern California against highly regarded Huntington Beach. They won both games. Huntington Beach then won 21 of its next 22 games and was No. 1 in Southern California until it lost a game to Fountain Valley.

All of those totals are great, but mean little in the procedure to fill berths in the CCS Open Division playoffs. There are five leagues in which the winner will be going to the Open Division and since co-champions are a distinct possibility in any and all of the five leagues there is a chance that only the WCAL champion will be in that bracket. In likelihood, more than one

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Valley Christian’s Dawson Brigman and possibly three from the league will be in the Open Division.

For the WCAL, the difference compared to all other leagues in California is that the upand-down nature of the league standings and the tremendous competition is an annual occurrence that goes back to 50 years ago when the league was formed. And the San Francisco parochial schools that are in the league have baseball traditions that stretch back more than 100 years.

Sacred Heart Cathedral is one of just a handful of schools in the nation to have two alums in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Those two were from way before Sacred Heart was merged with a girls school and became Sacred Heart Cathedral, but Harry Heilmann and Joe Cronin were both early 20th century MLB perennial all-stars. The 1941 National League MVP, Dolph Camilli, also is from Sacred Heart.

Every year it seems another WCAL alum is breaking out in MLB and this year is no different with the Seattle Mariners’ Mitch Haniger of Archbishop Mitty-San Jose. The league’s all-time best player, of course, would be MLB all-time home run leader Barry Bonds of Serra.

The Padres also can boast MLB All-Stars like Jim Fregosi and Gregg Jefferies.

Others that would have to be on a list of all-time best WCAL players would include Bellarmine’s Pat Burrell, Mark Canha, Kevin Frandsen, Leo Righetti and Erik Goeddel; Mitty’s Chris Codiroli; St. Francis’ Daniel Descalso, Daniel Nava and Eric Byrnes; Valley Christian’s Mike Rouse and St. Ignatius’ Charlie Silveira, Dutch Ruether and Frank Bertaina.

There may be a different league in the state better next year and the year after that, but it’ll take a league many, many years to catch up to the WCAL for all-time baseball greatness. ✪ 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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BASEBALL STATE TOP 10 After games of Saturday, April 28 1. (3)

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Harvard Westlake-N. Hollywood 20-3

A recent three-game sweep of Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks pushed the Wolverines near the top and they’ve kept winning ever since.

2. (4)

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Eastlake-Chula Vista 19-3-1

The Titans remain in prime position to repeat as the top divisional champion in San Diego and also to repeat last year’s No. 1 in the state finish.

3. (1)

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Huntington Beach 22-4

A bizarre 20-4 loss to Fountain Valley cost the Oilers the No. 1 ranking. They had won 21 of 22 before that and have played an elite level schedule.

4. (5)

▲

Arcadia 21-0

The Apaches don’t play in the top division of the CIF Southern Section, but they have wins over Mater Dei, Etiwanda and two against a San Dimas team that is 22-1 against every other opponent it has played.

5. (2)

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Valley Christian-San Jose 21-3-1

Warriors drop from Top 2 perch after 2-1 loss to St. FrancisMountain View. Head coach John Diatte also has picked up his 600th career win this season.

6. (6)

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De La Salle-Concord 17-3

Some may have the Spartans No. 1 in the Bay Area and for NorCal, but we can’t get over their 0-2 record against the WCAL. 7. (10)

▲

Lutheran-Orange 17-6

The Lancers took control of the Trinity League with a threegame sweep last week over Servite. Earlier, they won the National High School Invitational in North Carolina.

Trace Tammaro, De La Salle 8. (14) ▲ Serra-San Mateo 18-5 Getting two big wins over Valley Christian and then a dramatic win against Mitty pushed the Padres into a tie with VC for the WCAL lead heading into the final few games of the regular season.

9. (11) ▲ La Mirada 21-3-1 Watch out for junior pitcher Jared Jones, who has been reaching 95 mph this spring.

10. (7) ▼ Archbishop Mitty-San Jose 18-5 The Monarchs hung on to a top 10 spot with a win over Bellarmine. Note that the Bells have five league losses but are unbeaten in non-league games.

SOFTBALL STATE TOP 10 After games of Saturday, April 28

6. (6)

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Clovis 22-2

1. (1) — Cathedral Catholic-San Diego 19-3 With UCLA-bound Megan Faraimo leading the way, the Dons won the Michelle Carew Classic against the best of the CIF Southern Section and haven’t lost since then, either.

Fresno State-bound Danielle Lung has been impressive in the

2. (2) — Los Alamitos 23-1 There’s been much turnover in the roster for the Griffins, but their only loss has been at the Michelle Carew Classic and they won their bracket at the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions in Arizona.

The Cougars split with Orange Lutheran early in the season,

3. (3) — Gahr-Cerritos 18-4 When Vanessa Foreman (Arizona) is throwing well, the Gladiators have a power-packed lineup that can beat anybody.

Ole Miss recruit Savannah Dietrich has been delightful, and

4. (4) — Lutheran-Orange 22-3 A recent 9-8 loss in 10 innings to Mater Dei-Santa Ana dropped the Lancers from No. 2 to No. 4 in the rankings.

They also have a split with Norco with their only other loss to Cathedral Catholic.

9. (9)

5. (5) — San Marcos 20-2 This team should be the primary threat to Cathedral Catholic in the CIF San Diego Section playoffs. A recent win over Norco put the Knights in the top five.

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circle for the Cougars, who will be hard-pressed to move much higher as other teams will be playing each other.

7. (7)

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Norco 22-3

but have had to take some rankings hits for losses to Gahr and San Marcos. They are playing Los Alamitos on May 5.

8. (8)

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Los Altos-Hacienda Heights 22-2

recently helped push up the Conquerors after they beat Mater Dei-Santa Ana for the Dugard Classic title.

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Chino Hills 24-4

Head coach Mike Southworth’s girls have been solid, including a top finish at the Michelle Carew Classic.

10. (10)

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Mater Dei-Santa Ana 19-5

Although the Monarchs have been a bit inconsistent, they’ve shown their speedy lineup can cause problems for everyone.

They won the CIF Southern Section Div. I title two years ago with a similar approach.

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Behind the Clipboard by Clay Kallam

High School Baseball: Trust The Eye Test We have a new baseball coach this year, and he’s a young guy.

He loves stats and uses all sorts of numbers to explain why he does things. My dad says the stats don’t mean that much, and the coach should be looking at how the players play, not what their OPS is. Who’s right?

J.P., San Francisco

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T

hree words: Small sample size.

Baseball is a very complicated game, but it’s also one that, in the short run, heavily rewards luck. With enough data, the luck starts to filter out, but in a season as short as a high school baseball one, the statistics are heavily impacted by simple twists of fate.

Way back in 1999, a man named Voros McCracken revolutionized baseball’s received wisdom by realizing that pitchers have zero control over a ball once it’s in play. That weak popup that drops just behind third base is a double, just like the rocket that bounces off the fence after one hop, right into the hands of the outfielder. And a line shot caught by a diving shortstop is an out, just like a 14-hopper to the second baseman.

Over time, of course, hard-hit balls are more likely to be base hits than popups, but there’s not much time in a high school season. A guy who has three line drives caught and another hit stolen by a great defensive play could see his average drop 20 points in April, while another one living in luck could appear to be a much better hitter. Of course, if someone is 1-for-27 on May 1, they very likely can’t hit, and the cleanup hitter with a .610 average is clearly the real deal, but a .200 hitter in high school doesn’t equate to a .200 hitter at higher levels unless the number of plate appearances are the same.

Now all that said, I’m a huge stat guy, and I believe the underlying numbers reveal a great deal about the effectiveness

of a baseball player. Batting average and pitcher wins are just two statistics that really don’t mean as much as they appear to, but it takes a long time for the numbers to reflect reality – and high school baseball and softball coaches don’t have a long time to adjust their lineups to get the most out of their players.

So though I’m usually on the side of the latest developments in sports, I’m with your dad on this one: The eye test is probably the best predictor of success in a single season of high school baseball. The harder the ball jumps off the bat, the better the hitter, even if he’s hitting 100 points less than the guy with two bunt singles. The more strikeouts, swings and misses, and weak contact, the better the pitcher, regardless of the number of runs scored on bloops and errors.

Along with “small sample size,” here’s another caveat, this one from professional scouts: Don’t scout the stat line. Over a couple years, and a thousand plate appearances, the stats can determine if the guy who looks like a player really is one, but after 40 at-bats, the numbers don’t reveal much at all.

So dad’s right, and the young coach will most likely learn the hard way that WAR isn’t a real good guide for determining his lineup in the game that decides whether you make it to postseason or not. Stats are important, but at this level, with this small a sample size, raw talent trumps everything else. ✪

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centerof attention With Talented Center Fielder Michael Dixon Leading The Charge, Berkeley Baseball Is Turning Heads In 2018

Story By James G. Kane Photos By Berry Evans III 14

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‘talking about the freak?’

B

erkeley High School baseball coach Curtis Sandeford put his chin to his hand and gazed his glance downward. A few seconds later, he took a step back, rubbed his chin a couple of times and looked back to the sky.

For another second or two, he was lost in thought.

It really is just that hard to pick out something that Berkeley High School center fielder Michael Dixon has done on a baseball field that stands out above the rest. Dixon’s skills and feats would fit well in a treasure chest, because well, there’s just so many to treasure.

“Hmm,” Sandeford says. “One thing?”

He gazes down again and taps his foot.

“Talking about the The Freak?” one player says, smiling, as he walks by.

Always — at least, it seems that way lately for Sandeford, the second-year coach of the Yellowjackets who not only is coaching a player with enough tools to make any normal coach freak out, but a team that is emerging as one of the area’s best.

“We’re excited about how good we can become, and what we can do,” Dixon said. “It’s a really good all-around team. We do everything pretty well.”

That reality has translated on the scoreboard through the season’s early weeks. The Yellowjackets have already rolled out a 10-game winning streak, and entered a critical home-and-home showdown in the West Alameda County Foothill League against Alameda on April 25 with 14 victories over their first 16 games.

Alameda had the conference lead. Berkeley has the leading man.

“He’s pretty amazing to watch,” senior shortstop Caleb Millikan said.

The numbers do him some justice.

The junior hit .441 through his team’s first 13 games and clubbed four home runs early before “teams starting giving him the Barry Bonds treatment,” pitching coach Don Dennett said. Dixon makes pitchers pay for the approach; he also led the Yellowjackets with seven stolen bases.

That said, his numbers are not nearly as big as his rep.

Dixon earned a spot as a MaxPreps.com Underclass AllAmerican last season after hitting eight home runs and driving in 28. He also played in the prestigious Area Code Underclass Games, a showcase for California’s best talent.

Dixon’s is immense. A right-handed hitter, he packs a short, compact swing that produces a wickedly fast stroke.

He’s ridiculously strong, too, with thick biceps and a bar-

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rel chest on a 6-foot, 190-pound frame that is supported by tree trunk thighs. The ball flies off his bat like a rocket sent into orbit, as evidenced by the atom ball Dixon sent to the right-field fence 280-feet away at a recent practice — despite hitting it off the very end of the bat.

“He’s powerful,” Sandeford said.

Hitting the ball is one thing. But just ask Dixon about the moment that stands out the most in his mind.

“Little League,” he said. “I really admired (Los Angeles Angels superstar) Mike Trout, and the way he would rob home runs in the outfield. I usually was shortstop in Little League, but one day I was out in center field. Somebody hit one, and I just ran and ran and ran and then jumped and put my glove up. I robbed a home run.”

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It’s not only the world’s greatest players who inspire him.

“Make sure you mention (Daniel Martinez-Krams), our other center fielder,” he says. “He’s going to Stanford. He’s a real high achiever. He inspires me every day. He told me, ‘You help me with baseball. I’ll help you with school.’ That’s the kind of guy he is.”

It’s the kind of way this team is.

“Our biggest strength, in my opinion, is our camaraderie,” Millikan said. “Before the games, there’s music, and we have the best DJ, and we kind of dance around. Don’t get me wrong, we’re ready to play, but that’s kind of how we get ready to play.

We like being around one another. It gets us loose and keeps us loose. You can’t play this game well if you’re not relaxed and loose.”

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Millikan is a bit of an inspiration himself. He entered the weekend hitting .333 and had brought stability to Berkeley’s infield, a season after having surgery on the labrum of his right throwing shoulder. The injury to the right-handed thrower did not cost him a season; Millikan played as a lefthanded thrower.

There is plenty of other talent, too. Pitchers Justice ParaisoCaceres and Will Moscato had combined to produce seven victories, a 1.95 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 64.2 innings, leading a staff that won’t win any pitch-speed contests.

Behind the plate, catcher Max Joseph anchors the pitchers with the kind of steady, self-assured mentality you’d expect from someone who’s weighing whether to attend Cal or Harvard in the fall.

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‘(dixon’s) the real deal. he’s the best talent to come out of this area in a long, long time. he’ll do something every time you see him play that’ll make you remember him.’

— Berkeley coach Curtis Sandeford

Caleb Millikan “We throw strikes, and we catch the ball,” Sandeford said. “We use our speed, we try to take an extra base. We’re not gonna wow you.”

Well, most of them won’t. One of them — it’s quite likely he will.

Sandeford said Dixon is a throwback to a time when the city and school regularly produced pro-caliber talent. Former A’s manager Billy Martin, current NBC Sports Bay Area A’s commentator Shooty Babitt and one-time A’s outfielder Claudell Washington all were Berkeley High products, as was Brian Quinn, an infielder the A’s traded in their acquisition of Hall of Fame reliever Dennis Eckersley.

Dixon is committed to play baseball in 2020 for the University of San Diego. What happens after that? Or before that, if a Major League Baseball team decides to draft him in an early round next June? Who knows, but people around Berkeley are dreaming big.

“He’s the real deal,” Sandeford said. “He’s the best talent to come out of this area in a long, long time. He’ll do something every time you see him play that’ll make you remember him.” ✪ 18

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SOFTBALL NOTES

Low-Key NCS Softball Title Favorites It’s already May, and that means it’s crunchtime for NorCal softball teams.

As the playoffs near, East Bay titans like defending North Coast Section Division I-champion Foothill-Pleasanton, crosstown rival Amador Valley and nationally-ranked FreedomOakley are sure to top the headlines. But we thought we’d take a look at a few NCS programs flying under the radar as the postseason dawns.

Here are four to keep an eye on.

CALIFORNIA-SAN RAMON (Division I): The Grizzlies were 16-4 entering the month and had relatively little buzz despite winning eight of their first nine East Bay Athletic League games. Their only league loss was to Amador Valley (2-0 on April 24), and though they didn’t play Foothill until May 3, they owned a 6-0 win over a Carondelet-Concord team which upset Foothill in eight innings on April 12. Cal also owned two wins over Livermore and just a 2-1 loss to Freedom.

CONCORD (Division II): While we admit that it’s hard for a defending champ to fly under the radar, buzz around the Minutemen has been rather minimal this season. Concord returned as many as seven starters from its NCS Div. II championship game lineup, and not surprisingly, it entered May 10-4 overall and undefeated in 10 games against NCS foes.

The Minutemen were hitting .346 as a team and had four players with double figures in RBI — all four were sophomores. Concord’s first loss to an NCS opponent came May 2 at San Marin-Novato.

SAN MARIN-NOVATO (Division II): And look at that, here are the Mustangs. After their win over Concord, this squad should have the inside track to Div. II’s top seed. San Marin

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Lexi San Filippo, Concord entered May a perfect 16-0. The Mustangs are the defending Div. III champions and are in Division II for the first time as part of the section’s competitive equity policy. San Marin was hitting .379 as a team and also features sophomore hitting standouts. Alexis Bishop and Madison Papenhausen have combined for 52 hits, 14 home runs and 48 RBI. Pappenhausen is also the team’s ace in the circle.

ANALY-SEBASTOPOL (Division III): The Tigers enter May with a record of 15-5 — and probably really happy that San Marin is now in Div. II. Despite a 9-4 hiccup to Sonoma Valley-Sonoma on April 19, it would be tough to have a better April than Analy. The team went 10-1 during the month and outscored opponents 101-15 (and remember nine of the runs allowed came in one game). The Tigers were hitting .385 for the season led by junior Makayla Kraemer’s 30 hits and 24 RBI. ✪

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Alexandria Hale

Masterful Communication Aids Elk Grove Softballers

C

oach Amanda Buck operates her Elk Grove High softball team like a finely-crafted marketing plan.

The team mission adjusts pitch-by-pitch to the calls of assistant coach Jake Lively, corresponding with color-coded commands on each player’s arm band.

Play is often stalled to discuss strategies with coaches, and players who finish an at-bat will often share pitching analytics with the next batter.

The campaign even has its own hashtag.

“We call it #18strong,” Buck said. “All of us are working together, players and coaches, to achieve our goals.

“If we can trust each other, we can respect one another. If we want good things to happen for each other, then they will. We have had a successful season with that motto.”

The targeted efforts are bolstered by masterful communication, in the field, at the plate, and in a stentorian dugout so loud, each pitch becomes a spectacle.

At home, the momentum builds when each player’s carefully-selected walkup music begins.

Junior slugger Angelica Cano strides to the plate to the tune of “Lean Like A Cholo,” and as she gets her elbows up and leans side to side, the clamor of raucous jeers and cheers from her dugout thunder toward the field of play.

Some girls will shout words of encouragement, a few will bellow war cries, and many will speak in a sort of never-ending cheer-language that never reaches discernible speech.

“Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!” a few girls holler, a la the “Finding Nemo” seagulls.

It doesn’t really matter what is said. The tone and volume build toward a crescendo at the fastpitch follow-through.

Each at-bat is a symphony, and base knocks earn standing ovations.

Buck and Co. directed nearly 200 of those through the first 19 games (combined .383 batting average). Elk Grove won 12 of its first 15 and knocked off section power and Delta League rival Sheldon-Sacramento on April 20. The Herd shellacked 7-0 Modesto Metro Conference leader Gregori-Modesto, blew out 7-0 Trans Valley League power Escalon, and has outscored foes at a 3-1 ratio.

Elk Grove has been as high as No. 4 in the SportStars NorCal Softball Top 20 Rankings.

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Kameron Welch “They have fun, but they work hard, too,” Buck said. “This is one of the hardest working teams I have had in 13 years.

“They can make us laugh, but they are all about getting the job done and putting in the extra work. It’s what makes us want to come to practice.”

The squad will send at least six girls to compete at the next level.

Cano, hitting .500 with 27 hits, 25 RBIs, seven doubles and two home runs as of April 24, will play at Idaho State in 2019-20.

She said the team’s competitiveness is its biggest strength.

“We just want to fight and win and get a (section championship) ring,” Cano said. “We are all coming together as a team.”

Sophomore ace Ava Hand (83 innings, 1.94 ERA, 105 strikeouts, zero home runs or triples allowed) and speedy junior leadoff Ariyana Miranda (.459 average, 30 runs, 28 hits, nine doubles, three home runs) have signed with UC Santa Barbara.

No. 4 hitter Nina Revoir, a senior batting .530 with 26 hits, 15 RBIs, six doubles and two triples, is bound for San Francisco State. Senior Alexandria Hale (.429, 15 hits, 12 RBIs, two home runs, two triples) will compete for Santa Clara, while freshman Brooklynn Pettis (.347, 17 hits, 20 RBIs, three home runs, grand slam) committed to Boise State.

The stars shine in Buck’s system, and quickly learned to navigate the play calls that adjust their defensive positioning, pitch calls and hitting strategies before every rotation at the mound. It makes the whole team look like NFL quarterbacks for a brief moment each play, but the messaging is efficient.

“The arm bands make it less likely for any chance of a miscommunication,” Buck explained.

“These are smart ball players who have been playing their whole lives, and they know how to adjust.”

Elk Grove will likely qualify for the playoffs for the 12th consecutive season this spring.

The squad dropped contests against Sheldon and Davis April 19 and 24, but closes the regular season with five foes the team has already defeated. A potential 12-2 league record and top-two seed from the league should give the Herd a favorable seed in the Division 2 bracket.

Elk Grove won a Div. I section title in 2010, was runner-up to Benicia (Div. II) in 2015 and runner-up to Sheldon (Div. I) in 2007, 2008 and 2011. Sheldon also utilizes arm-band play calls and a boisterous dugout.

It’s become the way to navigate through the Delta League, where players should earn college credit for their mastery of communications. ✪ — Story & Photos By Ike Dodson Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

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Follow The Rhythm Most high school sports fans only associate competitive marching bands with high schools — and more precisely, with football pregame or halftime shows.

Well, what if we told you, that for more than 60 years the City of Concord has been home to a number of awardwinning marching corps within the Blue Devils Performing Arts Group?

That’s right, the Blue Devils, founded in 1957, have been dazzling audiences in the East Bay and abroad for more than six decades. BDPA is an entirely community-funded program that aims to provide young men and women of ages 7 to 25 educational and performance experiences through musical and dance performance. According to BDPA, more than 450 young people currently participate in its various programs, and over 8,000 young people have been served by the BDPA. Not all of these youth performers are local, some travelling to the Bay Area for the opportunity.

The Blue Devils currently have three performance corps right now gearing up for their competitive season that begins in June. The A and B Corps have begun rehearsing six days a week as they prepare for their first appearance: the June 2 Sneak Peak at Dave Brubeck Park in Concord. The Sneak Peak is a standstill performance that serves as an introduction to the season and is aimed at families, friends and donors. It is free to the public.

Two weeks later, the ensembles hold their first field performance of the season when the Blue Devils host Family Day at the football stadium of Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill.

“Each year and it is a long lasting (Family Day) tradition to not only have each program perform for each other, but to integrate all programs and have them perform side-by-side,” BDPA Community Outreach and Development Director, Teresa Saunders said.

The full competitive schedule begins with DCI West at Stanford on June 23. This event, attended by as many as 18,000 performers and spectators, draws corps from across the West Coast and parts of the Midwest.

The Blue Devils then get to host their own event in the Diablo Valley Classic on July 21 at DVC. This also serves as the West Coast Open Class Championships and includes the top corps from the South Bay, Southern California and Utah.

The DCI World Championships — which the Blue Devils have won 18 times in their history, including three of the last four — take place in Indianapolis on the weekend of Aug. 11. A free viewing party will take place at Todos Santos Plaza. ✪ — Information and photos provided by BDPA

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UEvils L B GO e De

all Blu hased o t s c t Ticke an be pur kets tic sc .org/ event s l i v e ed at blu

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Aiden Jackman’s Dominant Season On The Hurdles Has Made Him A Favorite To Become Clayton Valley’s First Track & Field State Champion In Two Decades 26

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A

iden Jackman’s elevation up the high school hurdles ranks had been steady. But this spring, he’s taken a gigantic leap.

At one of the state’s biggest midseason stages — the Arcadia Invitational — the Clayton Valley Charter-Concord senior broke both of his personal records in hurdles. At the April 7 event, he ran 13.98 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles, bettering his previous personal record of 14.0 the week before at Stanford (taking a half-second off an earlier personal record of 14.5).

And at Arcadia, he went 37.47 in the 300 hurdles, bettering his previous record of 38.1.

Both of his hurdles times remained the best in California as of April 29. He’s blown away goals he’d set before the season, like running a 14.3 in the 110 by the state meet.

“I surpassed those goals fairly early and it’s a little bit of a surprise to even me,” he said. “It’s a little bit of a different feeling, being ranked No. 1 in California; going from not even being

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ranked very highly in NCS last year to now being No. 1 in the state. It doesn’t feel as grand as I thought it would, but it’s nice to know that you are the one everyone is looking out for.”

It’s quite a leap for someone who made the state meet a year ago in the 110 hurdles, but didn’t get past trials. Given his penchant this spring for big performances at big meets, his state championship goals of winning both hurdles appear quite attainable.

“In the early, early season, in March, I wasn’t running the fastest times, but that’s just because I didn’t have the competition,” Jackman said. “It came with the Stanfords and the Arcadias and the Mt. SACs. I think the competition definitely helps.”

At Stanford, he won the 400 hurdles with a personal record of 52.85, at that point the top high school mark in the nation. Along with the 110 personal record he set, he filled in on Clayton Valley’s 1,600 relay team and helped them to victory.

“I was in awe of him,” Clayton Valley head coach Keisha Lowe said. “Good job, hard work pays off. It was a nice feeling as a coach. And it was faster than some of the college kids.”

Jackman, who has UCLA, Cal State Fullerton and Sacramento State as potential next stops with a goal of studying film, is confident in his ability and potential in making a June return to Veterans Memorial Stadium in Clovis.

That confidence level wasn’t the case when he started in the sport at age 6.

“I’ve always been running track, but (as a kid) I just never was any good at it,” he recalled with a slight chuckle. “When I was young, I used to run the short races, like the 50 and the 100, but that was just because the shorter the race, the less distance you could lose by.”

Jackman found his niché after running in the 400 meters in middle school and then aspiring to be a high jumper.

“When I came into high school, my dad said I wasn’t fast enough to compete in the open (400) in high school, so he had me try my hand at the 300 hurdles, and it worked out all right.

And my team didn’t have a 110 hurdler at the time, so I ended up taking that on as well.”

Fatherly advice is readily available, as his father, Andrew, is his hurdles coach at Clayton Valley.

“He taught himself how to coach hurdles because he wanted me to run hurdles,” said. “And there was no hurdles coach at Clayton Valley. So he taught himself how to coach it so he could come here and coach me.”

Lowe, Clayton Valley’s head track and field coach since Jackman’s sophomore senior, has had a front-row view of his progress.

“She is definitely the toughest coach I’ve ever had in terms of what she expects from her

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athletes,” Jackman said. “But that’s the reason we have so many good runners here now. It’s because of her coaching.”

Last year, Jackman was part of an Ugly Eagles state contingent that included four qualifiers in individual events and two relays. They are aiming for a larger group this June.

“Just by his actions alone, (his teammates) are looking at him and thinking ‘Wow,’ and so they work a little bit harder just as well,” Lowe said. “When I am dealing with the rest of the team, he will get the hurdlers and get them started. He also gives them tips on things to do better,” Lowe said. “He’s very mature this year. It shows. A year makes a big difference.”

Last year he ran a 14.83 in his 110 trials heat and didn’t advance, after placing second in the 110 and fifth in both the 300 hurdles and high jump at the North Coast Section Meet of Champions as Clayton Valley won the section boys team title. At his first state meet, Jackman’s focus was on executing, not on the magnitude of the meet.

“I knew a lot of the guys in my heat, I was in with a lot of fast guys.

2018 CIF STATE And I knew if I wanted to be competitive I would have to run the race TRACK & FIELD of my life,” he said. “For me, when I walked out there and I saw where CHAMPIONSHIPS they had the speakers behind the blocks and I looked up at everyone in the stands, that’s when it got real for me. And I realized just how big a ›› Veterans Memorial Stadium stage it really was.” at Buchanan High School in Now he has set his aim on being Clayton Valley’s first state champion Clovis in track and field since Benson Jones won the triple jump in 1998. With ›› June 1-June 2 the timing of the state meet’s hurdles schedule, it’s possible to compete in and win both events. Count Lowe as one who firmly believes Jackman can do it.

“Oh, I know it (his potential to win state)! We are ready for first at state!” she said. “He has been working really hard, to improve his speed and improve his technique going over the hurdles, which has greatly helped him get over the hurdles really quick. So we are looking for a first.”

For Jackman, success at the state level would be a way of demonstrating thanks to those who worked with him to get to this level, to transform from a kid who didn’t see much potential for success to one who expects it.

“So it’s just a matter of showing all those people who believed in me — the whole way around — all the coaches who worked with me — showing them that they were right and everything they did to work with me and help me was not in vain,” he said. ✪ — Story By Mike Wood | Photos By Chace Bryson

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NCVA Boys All-Star Teams Compete In Italy

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hat better way for volleyball teams to spend 10 spring days than taking a trip to Italy? Lots of sights to see, and especially to participate in one of the most prestigious international tournaments for young men’s players.

At the end of March, the NorCal Volleyball Association, and its parent organization USA Volleyball, sent two regional volleyball teams to view the scenic country and to participate in the Cornacchia World Cup. It was a trip of a lifetime.

The NCVA White team was coached by Sean Stratton, coach and president of Diablo Valley Volleyball Club, and Roger Hauk of Pacific Rim and Core Volleyball. And the NCVA Junior Red was coached by Prima Glorioso, founder and director of Core Volleyball Club, along with Ryan Zimmerman of Bay Area Volleyball Club. The teams were a collection of the best of the best from a wide selection of club programs, spanning from Fresno to the Oregon border.

The Cornacchia World Cup, which started in 1983, takes place during the Easter holidays in Pordenone, a medieval town near Venice. It is renowned for its gathering of top national teams, particularly teams throughout Europe, and high-level club teams from five continents. Teams got to spend three days in Rome and another in Venice.

“We got to see the Spanish Steps, the Vatican, the City of Ruins, Venice, and we got to scrimmage with some pro teams,” Glorioso said. “It was neat to see their environment and neat to see how big volleyball is there. It’s like Texas is for football.”

The sights were impressive, and so was the competition. Success was measured for the NCVA, which was making its first appearance at the Cornacchia World Cup. NCVA Red, all of whose players have either signed with or committed to schools for college scholarships, beat the Croatian National Youth team in an impressive effort.

Players got to experience how volleyball is in other cultures. “There is no high school volleyball there in Italy,” Glorioso said. “The clubs play together all year round; they have four practices a week. From there, they pretty much go pro. They are the best of the best.”

And the sportsmanship exhibited was a big positive to bring back home.

“They were very welcoming for us, enjoyed our customs. The language barrier was there, but a lot of the teams spoke English,” Glorioso said. “Afterward they would take a picture and then everyone applauds each other. It felt very sincere and was impressive to see them all clap for the other players and the fans.”

This experience is one many won’t forgot.

“This trip has been memorable from me because I’ve played against some of the best competition I’ve ever played against,” said junior outside hitter Colman Chadam in a video posted on the NCVA High Performance Instagram account. “I’m learning a lot from these guys.”

“I’m really excited to be here,” added junior outside hitter JT Demure in another Instagram video. “It’s a super fun experience just to play at a really high level in a different country, so it’s awesome.”

The young players were excited to be there, and so were the parents and coaches.

“All the parents are trying to figure how it can happen again,” said Tom Donaghy, head of the NCVA delegation “Just a really good experience as they got to play some high level volleyball and got to meet and get around a lot of people whom they otherwise wouldn’t get to meet and talk to.” ✪ — Mike Wood

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COLE POWERED Undaunted By Offseason Knee Surgery Or Fourth New Coach In As Many Seasons, Jacob Cole Leads Roseville’s Push Toward A Title Defense

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njuries can be devastating for prep athletes, but timing plays a big role in how much they affect the prospects of college-bound seniors.

Post-commitment ACL tears, broken bones, ligament injuries or the like can cause universities to pull a scholarship; crushing the hopes of an otherwise bright future.

“A lot of young players That’s not always the norm, but it is with pre-commitment who experience injuries, such as the one Jacob injuries like that Cole suffered near the end of his can get discouraged junior campaign, at one of the and many don’t come most crucial times of his prep back like he did. career. Those mid-to-late career But Jacob hasn’t shown injuries risk everything these athletes work for. And univerany signs of that; sities usually have a big talent he’s worked his butt off pool to choose from, making in the weight room and the hopes of an injured athlete in practice. fade quickly.

He never complained; Cole witnessed this first-hand. he just worked hard to “It was at the Bellarmine tournament last year (when I was get back.” injured), but I just kept playing — Roseville coach Cole Williams on it throughout the season and through Junior Nationals, which made it worse,” the Roseville High senior admitted. “The doctors didn’t know how I was able to do that.”

Cole was one of four key pieces in Roseville’s first CIF Northern Regional championship in the spring of 2017, and he played through pain the entire postseason.

In fact, he avoided the doctor’s office in order to sustain dominance on the court.

“We ended up winning NorCals, so that was worth it,” he confessed.

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Cole had 12 kills, four aces and 11 digs as his squad capped off a historical playoff run by outlasting BellarmineSan Jose (25-17, 26-24, 21-25, 27-25) to capture the Division I championship.

It was the first NorCal title for a school outside the volleyball-rich Central Coast Section over the five years of the CIF tournament’s existence.

Two weeks prior, Cole (14 kills, 2 blocks) had another outstanding performance to help the top-seeded Tigers earn a straight-sets win over No. 6 seed Whitney-Rocklin in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championship (25-20, 25-20, 25-19); the club’s first section title after three straight championship berths.

“After taking second the last two years, and to win it against Whitney, that just feels great,” Cole admitted after

that game. “We wanted to beat them badly, because they beat us two years ago in the section finals, and we weren’t going to let them do that again.”

At that time, the junior standout had interest from volleyball programs such as UC Merced, UC Santa Cruz, George Mason and several East Coast schools. But he suffered an injury midseason and those hopes dwindled.

He had what is called osteo condyle defect — bone damage behind the kneecap, which caused immense pain every time he jumped and landed.

Cole was relegated to the bench in the later half of the club season, which made finding a suitable collegiate destination difficult.

Following surgery on Aug. 3, Cole eased his way back. He used crutches to get to class and hobbled around campus for

Cooper Baddley two months. He endured four months of physical therapy to get near 100 percent, but it wasn’t until the start of the 2018 prep season when he felt like himself again.

Yet despite the injury, Cole displayed tremendous resiliency and was back to work quickly. En route to a playoff berth this season and an undefeated league record, he’s posted a career-high 432 kills in less sets than any other season (87).

“I’m extremely proud of him for bouncing back the way he has,” Roseville coach Cole Williams said. “A lot of young players who experience injuries like that can get discouraged and many don’t come back like he did. But Jacob hasn’t shown any signs of that; he’s worked his butt off in the weight room and in practice.

“He never complained; he just worked hard to get back.”

Cole’s work ethic has resulted in his best all-around season. Not only has he been the focal point of the Tigers’ offensive attack, but he owns a career-high .468 hitting percentage, he’s slammed home 106 aces, and has been stellar on defense with 72 blocks and 404 digs.

“Personally, I think I’ve been doing pretty well coming off of knee surgery,” Cole stated. “I’ve definitely tried to be more of a leader on the court because I am one of two returning starters from last year.”

Cole has done his best to adapt to yet another new coach at Roseville High — the fourth in his four years.

Despite a record-setting season from Marco Salcedo last year, he stepped aside and Williams assumed duties just before the season, leaving little time for him to affect change.

Yet this group of Tigers has been stellar.

On April 30, Roseville claimed a fourth straight share of the Capital Valley Conference title with a 3-0 win over Ponderosa and the team looked primed for a deep playoff push.

“We’ve pretty much achieved what I’ve expected,” Williams said. “I knew a lot of the players coming in, especially Jacob after playing with him when we were younger, so I’ve held them to a really high expectation because I knew all of them were highly experienced players.”

Williams was 14 and Cole was 9 during their only other time together on the same team. But the pair have played against each other for many of the past seven years in club play.

“He was still excelling even though he was five years younger than everyone else,” Williams acknowledged.

When they played on the same Northern California Volleyball Club (NCVC) team, Cole was the starting libero and 34

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Williams was an outside hitter.

Fast forward nearly a decade and the two are reunited, this time as mentor and mentee.

“I’m used to it,” Cole said about the fourth coaching swap in as many years. “He’s young and this is his first time coaching a high school team, so I’ve done my best to become a leader and help the team out.”

Despite the yearly changes, Cole has helped Roseville go 131-29 in his four seasons, including 27-5 this year under Williams, who grew up in the Foothills.

Williams played five years of club volleyball and four years of prep volleyball at Nevada Union before moving on to Golden West College in Huntington Beach.

He began coaching club volleyball teams in Southern California at 19 years old.

But the jump back home to coach at Roseville High brought a few challenges.

“The boundary between being friends and having a professional-level of respect is really the only issue I’ve encountered so far,” Williams pointed out. “You have to draw the line with them sometimes, but they trust me as a coach, respect my decision-making and they know my experience and background.”

Williams is looking at Cole and others to put his plans into motion at the most important time of the year. Luckily, the first-year coach has a strong leader to lean on.

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Cole Williams is the fourth Roseville boys volleyball coach in the last four years.

The Nevada UnionGrass Valley graduate may be the youngest coach in the section, and was once a club teammate of Jacob Cole, who is five years his younger.

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Jacob Cole “I feel like our team looks up to me, especially when we’re down, hoping that I’m going to do something,” Cole said. “And I’ve definitely gotten better in situations like that.

“I have more confidence with my attack and I try and hit around the block.”

Although Cole is the most experienced, the team isn’t one dimensional. Younger role players like Nick Johnson, Hunter Hammond and junior middle blocker Miles Judd have stepped up. Cooper Baddley has also played well with a career-high 282 kills.

“Our goal is to win in the playoffs and go as far as we can in NorCals,” Cole added. “I know we all want to go back-to-back.”

Regardless of where Cole and the Tigers finish, it’s likely his work ethic paved the way to a collegiate scholarship somewhere.

One destination could be Concordia University in Irvine, where his friend Ethan Heldt is enrolled. Cole has toured the campus before but is waiting to announce his decision until it’s final.

Williams believes that decision will make one collegiate coach very happy.

“He’s definitely going to do really well at the next level, especially because he’s so humble,” Williams said. “His coaches are going to love him, not only because of that, but because he genuinely loves the sport. And he has an incredible work ethic. He’s one of the hardest working people I know, and that’s not an exaggeration. He’s going to be great.”

But first, Cole has a pair of championships to defend. ✪ 36

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Physical Training

Insurance

get mental: erika westhoff Athletes come into my office disappointed and fed up because they simply aren’t performing as well as they can. They have worked hard and have great coaching. They are fit and knowledgeable about their sport. They are experienced and have had some pretty great moments on the field/court/course.

Despite the time, effort and even money, performance just isn’t where it needs to be. Why? What’s missing? Mental skills are missing.

How do I know? Because, it’s the least practiced area of training — and your physical performance is dependent on your mental performance.

I know you practice hours every week. You probably study your sport on TV or You Tube. You push yourself and prepare yourself. Building mental skills, is a valuable insurance policy for your physical and technical skills.

Think about it for a moment. Reflect back on your best performance of all time, or even a few of your recent best performances. How was your mental performance? I’d be willing to bet that your mind was relatively calm, your confidence was high and performing well felt easier than usual. This is what strong mental performance feels like, and it allows you to fully access your physical and technical skills that you’ve been training in practice.

Without mental skills, your ability to access and execute your physical and technical skills is left to chance. Some days you can and some days you can’t.

Do you find yourself frustrated or disappointed knowing you can perform better than you did? Do you feel like you lack of control over how to create your best days? Do you strive for consistency, but not sure how to make it happen?

If this describes you, consider if mental training is a good fit for you. ✪ Erika Westhoff is a CEO and certified mental trainer at EW Performance in Pleasanton.

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On June 22-24 the USA BMX Summer Nationals are racing into Roseville, and here at Placer Valley Tourism we couldn’t be more excited!

This three- day event will bring thousands of riders and spectators from around the nation to Oak Creek BMX in Roseville.

Since 1985 Oak Creek BMX has been making dreams come true for BMXers young and old, all of which has been made possible because of the dedication of track owners and operators, Bruce and Linda Minton. Their BMX facility has continually been ranked the No. 1 track in Northern California.

Last May, Placer Valley Tourism gave a $10,000 capital improvement grant to Oak Creek BMX to help fund a track rebuild that would keep them competitive and eligible for national events. USA BMX rider and long-time champion for Oak Creek BMX Kent Elliot explained, “We got the nation’s best in the BMX track-rebuild business, Billy Allen, to head up this project with the focus being to bring Olympic BMX riders and national events back to Roseville — mission completed!”

“We are so excited to bring the Summer Nationals back to Oak Creek BMX,” Chris Luna said. Luna is USA BMX National Coordinator. “Bruce and Linda Minton have done so much for the sport of BMX and we are fortunate to have them as track operators at this facility, This event will attract over 1,000 participants from all over the country as well as other parts of the world, and would not be possible without our great partners at PVT.” Mark your calendars for June 22-24 if you want to see some of the fastest BMX riders nationwide tear it up on the track! Friday, June 22 the racing will take place from noon to 9 p.m., Saturday, June 23 the schedule is 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, June 24 these champion riders will race from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Parking is $10 daily. Oak Creek BMX is located at 648 Riverside Ave., in Roseville. ✪ — All copy and photos provided by Placer Valley Tourism

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UFC Light Heavyweight Champ Daniel Cormier (above right) Takes Over Gilroy Wrestling Program Story By Ike Dodson

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ne of the biggest names in combat sports — shortened to just two syllables for fight fans — is trading his fame and fortune to take the reigns of one of California’s most prolific prep wrestling programs.

Daniel “DC” Cormier, the 39-year-old Ultimate Fighting Championships star and reigning Light Heavyweight Champion, is the new head coach of Gilroy High wrestling. He adds tremendous excitement to a program already soaring on the riches of a sensational 2017-18 season — California Interscholastic Federation state runners-up and record-setting Central Coast Section champs (10 titles, 12 state berths).

Cormier will seek to expand the brand that nine-year Mustangs coach Greg Varela elevated into a CIF juggernaut before stepping down last month.

“Coach Greg has done a tremendous job,” Cormier said April 23. “I want to take the foundation he has built and try to build off that, critique and work on some areas that need improvement.

“Right now the team is ready to make a run for the state championship.”

Cormier’s first step is to shed the hype and fame of a prolific mixed martial arts (MMA) career and reach youth wrestlers on the brink of their own achievements.

“They have to eliminate the idea of me as the fighter,” Cormier said. “I am not going in there as Daniel Cormier the fighter, ‘DC.’ I am going in there as a coach. I’m just a coach and I’m going to try and make my mark on them, motivate them to excel on the mat and in the classroom.

“You have to be a aware to apply yourself as much in academics as athletics.”

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Meddi Kabirzadeh/Bildbyran via ZUMA Press

Cormier said he hopes Gilroy’s wrestlers will be more interested in his career on the mat than in the Octagon.

After his father was shot and killed when he was just 7 years old, Cormier found his way onto a youth wrestling team, and ultimately Northside High’s wrestling program in Lafayette, Louisiana, where he won three state championships. He wrestled for John Smith at Oklahoma State and reached the NCAA championship finals his senior year — only to be bested by the unbeatable Cael Sanderson.

Cormier graduated from OSU with a degree in sociology, competed on the U.S. National team from 2003-2008 and qualified for two Olympics. He was fourth in Athens in 2004 and pulled from the 2008 games in Beijing with an injury. He was the U.S. team captain and a gold medal favorite.

Cormier began fighting for the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) in 2009. The UFC champ is 20-1, sporting a lone defeat to rival Jon Jones and impressive wins over MMA stars Anderson Silva, Anthony Johnson, Alexander Gustafsson, Dan Henderson, Roy Nelson, Frank Mir, Josh Barnett, Antonio Silva and most recently, Volkan Oezdemir, to defend the UFC Light Heavyweight title.

Cormier is slated to fight Stipe Miocic for the UFC Heavyweight title July 7 in Paradise, Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

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Nevada, the main event of UFC 226: Miocic vs. Cormier. If Cormier wins, he will be only the second fighter in combat history to hold UFC titles in two different divisions, and he will cement his status as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters of all time.

It’s not usually what a wrestling coach will do in the offseason.

“I’m no UFC champ — no celebrity — I’m just Daniel,” Cormier said. “I think that when the kids truly get a chance to know me, they will embrace me.

“I love to coach. It’s what I do.”

Cormier and Miocic are opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter: Undefeated, a Fox Sports 1 series that began airing episodes April 18. Cormier also trains fighters at AKA and coaches youth wrestling. He said he hopes his youth wrestlers wrestle for him at Gilroy.

Cormier lives in Gilroy with his wife, Salina, and their two children. He’s actually the neighbor of 2018 CIF fourth-place medalist Chase Saldate, a Gilroy sophomore.

“I watched Chase and supported him and the entire team last season,” Cormier said. “This is a small town, not a big place, and when you see something as special as what these kids did last year, you take notice.

“People think fighters are dudes on TV that don’t pay attention to the little things, but we do. We support these kids, albeit from afar.”

Not any more.

Cormier will lead an already reputable staff at Gilroy, and AKA fighters and college All-Americans Kyle Crutchmer, Shawn Bunch and Deron Winn will join the staff as well. If a fighting commitment or Cormier’s side-job as a FOX Sports and UFC analyst takes him away from the wrestling room, he knows the team is in good hands. And he won’t be missing practices for fight camps for very long. Cormier says he plans to retire from MMA before his 40th birthday next March.

“We will take away a lot from every one of these coaching philosophies,” Cormier said.

“We have a team full of great coaches more than qualified to lead this program when I am not around.”

Gilroy is aflame with anticipation.

“The buzz is pretty widespread on campus,” Mustangs Principal Dr. Marco Sanchez said.

“National and local newspapers have been calling and kids everywhere are fired up. They are training now, already working for next year.

“I think we have a pretty decent shot at making a run (at the state title) next year.”

— Daniel Gilroy returns state medalists Jayden Gomez (fifth at 106), Joseph Barnes (eighth at 160), Nick Villarreal (sixth at 285) and Saldate. CIF qualifiers Dallas Gutierrez (170), Johnny Fox (152), Nathan Villarreal (145), Daniel Vizcarra (138) and Nathan Aguilar (113) will also populate a lineup that should include Noah Castro and Victor Jacinto, state-caliber wrestlers who didn’t make Gilroy’s final 14 because of other stars in their weight classes.

Dr. Sanchez believes Cormier is committed to leading that talented roster to greatness.

“Nothing gets your wrestlers better than wrestling against better competition,” Dr. Sanchez said. “There is a lot of value added into that room and it will step their game up.

“Myself, athletic director Jami Reynolds, and all the staff support those coaches.”

It’s a demanding position, but Cormier is ready.

“I told him what the schedule demands of the job, looked him in the eye and and asked him if he wanted such a big commitment and he didn’t blink,” Dr. Sanchez said. “He said ‘Sign me up.’”

Cormier told Dr. Sanchez he will forgo his coaching stipend to his assistant staff.

It’s a humble concession considering Cormier has career fight earnings of over $4 million.

“He apparently wants to be the most underpaid and overqualified coach in the league,” Dr. Sanchez said with a laugh.

It’s a side of Cormier the California wrestling community is going to get used to.

“I’m excited,” Cormier said. “We have all come from wrestling and we are going to give back to wrestling.” ✪

“I’m no UFC champ — no celebrity — I’m just Daniel. I think that when the kids truly get a chance to know me, they will embrace me. I love to coach.

It’s what I do.”

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Expanded Listings at SportStarsMag.com The following schools/clubs have multiple camp offerings over a wide variety of sports. For full listings of individual camps, plus hundreds more, click over to our website and make this summer one you’ll never forget!

BENTLEY SCHOOL: Baseball, Basketball CITY OF WALNUT CREEK: Baseball, Basketball, Flag Football, Multi-Sports, Soccer, Tennis DE LA SALLE HS: Baseball, Basketball, Bob Ladouceur Football Camp, Lacrosse, Soccer, Advanced Training Soccer, Varsity Water Polo, Age Group Water Polo, Strength/ Conditioning, Volleyball, Track & Field, Wrestling MOREAU CATHOLIC HS: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Volleyball UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA: Girls Basketball, Boys Lacrosse, Swimming, Volleyball BADMINTON East Bay Badminton Spring Camp Elite. Intermediate. Beginner? I doesn’t matter. If you are interested in badminton, you have to come to our spring camps! We have age groupings from 19 and under to adult classes. Badminton is a sport for the masses Info: (510) 655-8989 or info@eastbaybadminton.com BASEBALL Headfirst Baseball Academy & Summer Camps Headfirst camps are known throughout Northern California for player development.

Players will learn the correct mechanics of each position to achieve more success on the diamond. They will also focus on hitting, pitching and much more! Most importantly, they will have a great time! Info: Coach Michael, MJi0209@aol.com; Coach Mario, Mario74iglesias@aol.com San Ramon Slammers Baseball The Slammers are a highly competitive program that competes against some of the Bay Area’s top programs. We have been around since 2003 and are a 680 Diablo League (680diabloleague.com) participant. Our objective is to develop fundamentally sound baseball players who will compete at the high school levels and beyond. Info: Marco Cartagena, 925.209.1564 TPC Baseball & Softball Camps Spring-Winter Camps feature skills, drills and competitions in all areas of major areas of the game (hitting, pitching, throwing, fielding).

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Info: 925-570-1334; leaguelineup.com/ ebbulldogs Modesto Magic Basketball Association Let us help you take your game to the next level. If you are a girl (ages 4-17) and you love basketball, then you’re at the right place. We offer leagues, camps, clinics, tournaments, private lessons and AAU traveling teams. If your just beginning your basketball experience or if your a very skilled player, we have something for you. Info: Stan Silva, 209-7655107; ssilva1920@aol.com Level Up Select Basketball Camps At Level Up Select Basketball Camps (LevelUpBasketball.org) we focus on the most important Athletes will learn the (1.) 5 biggest mistakes that keep players from shooting consistently. (2.) An simple technique that allows athletes to quickly dominate on defense.

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William Jessup University Nike Girls Basketball Camp Provides a fantastic opportunity for players of all abilities to improve skills and enhance their fundamentals. Open to ages 8-18. Work on the fundamentals, develop proper mechanics and gain valuable game experience. All aspect of the game is covered, giving you a solid skill foundation. Visit jessupathletics. com/camps or 1-800-NIKE CAMP William Jessup University Warrior Nike Boys Basketball Camps Offering both a complete skills camp and shooting camp. Open to ages 8-18, camps are overnight and include breakfast, lunch and dinner. All camps run Monday-Thursday.

To register visit jessupathletics.com/camps or call 1-800-NIKE CAMP Fastbreak Basketball Camps With us, your daughter will learn the fundamentals of basketball, gain valuable game experience and work with some of the area’s most knowledgeable female basketball players. Celebrated coach, Margaret Gartner will expose your daughter to the same drills she has used throughout her 24 years of coaching at the high school level. Info: fastbreak_club@ icloud.com. or (925) 933-9115

Ygnacio Valley HS NIKE Future Warriors Youth Football Camp The Future Warriors Football Camp is for any students entering 5th thru 8th grade. It is a FREE camp to help educate and enhance our community with the basic knowledge to be prepared to be successful. The Camp is held at Ygnacio Valley HS in June. Info: byrdc@ mdusd.org; 510-812-9181 Acalanes High School The Football Academy will take place at Acalanes High, July 9-12 and is open to all athletes entering 5th-9th grade in the Fall of 2018. The goal of the DONS Youth Football Academy is to teach fundamentals, develop skills and help kids with the transition to tackle football in a fun, fastpaced and non-contact environment.

Contact: 925-280-3970; acalanesdonsfootball.com Campolindo Cougar Camps Full Gear Youth Football Camp The goal is to develop fundamentals and techniques associated with tackle football.

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top linemen in the country. Camps are open

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OUTDOOR / ADVENTURE East Bay Regional Park Park’n It Day Camp The East Bay Regional Park District offers fun and affordable outdoor day camps for youth at a number of convenient locations. Park’N It Day Camp takes place in a different Regional Park each week and offers hiking, fishing, arts & crafts, sports, environmental education and swimming. This camp is designed for children ages 5 to 12. Info: (510) 5442566 or MEAvery@ebparks.org Friends of Camp Concord Camp Concord gives young people one of the most meaningful camp experiences available and does so in one of the most beautiful settings in the world— Lake Tahoe. Through Friends of Camp Concord, kids who otherwise couldn’t afford it get the same chance to enjoy a week in the wilderness as anyone else.

Every child should have the opportunity to spend a week at a camp like this. info: 925-671-2267; youthcamp@friendsofcampconcord.org RUGBY Danville Oaks “Try On Rugby” Try On Rugby is a focused initiative dedicated to growing the number of girls and women participating in rugby. Try on Rugby uses comprehensive, educational materials for introducing rugby from U8 to Middle School for young girls and involves inter-squad flag rugby with the possibility to play other girls flag rugby teams in the East Bay in tournament play. Info: 925-368-5689 SOCCER Walnut Creek Soccer Club Development Days/Skills Clinics Summer camps and clinics for players entering 1st-8th grades. We offer camps and clinics at Arbolado for players in elementary and middle school. 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 Diablo Futbol Club Camps & Clinics Diablo FC is committed to instilling passion and enjoyment of soccer in a positive, safe, competitive environment.

Our comprehensive club program and professional staff train players and teams 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: diablofc.org; 925-7988-GOAL

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Heritage Soccer Clinics & Player I.D.

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TRAINING / FITNESS Muir Orthopedic Specialists Pass To Play Pass to Play: Annual Sports Physical Event for Youth Athletes. Muir Orthopeadic Specialists annual event provides pre-participation evaluation and optional baseline concussion screenings to area youth. Optional cardiac screenings provided in collaboration with American Medical Response (AMR) and the Darius Jones Foundation. Info: 925-210-8539 Kenion Training Coach Nathan Kenion leads multiple programs, all geared to help athletes achieve. He works with everyone to make sure you have the right motivation, skills and knowledge to take your game to the next level. Info: 707-704-8003, nathan@keniontraining.com VOLLEYBALL Diablo Valley Volleyball Club Founded to provide junior boys and girls the opportunity to improve their knowledge and skills. The majority of our players have shown incredible dedication to the sport as well as to Diablo VBC – the players are wonderful and things seem to be getting better every year! Info: diablovbc@yahoo.com or 925 451-6581 Bay Area Volleyball Club Skills Clinics Bay Area Volleyball Club is a communitybased organization which provides a place for players of all ages and levels to develop their volleyball skills. Our primary goal is to build character and develop sportsmanship among players all while putting competitive teams on the court.

Info: tracyfeldmann@gmail.com Core Volleyball Club Clinics At Core we want to offer you and your daughter a quality experience. We offer a competitive and fun environment where your daughter will enjoy competing at a high level not only in games, but in practices as well. Info: info@teamcvc. com; Phone: 925-230-9795 City Beach Volleyball Club Our training and management structure helps coaches collaborate and ensures each player is being provided the highest level of coaching. We teach players how to learn, apply themselves fully, develop habits that will make them successful and how to play the game of volleyball. Info: info@citybeach.com U.S. Youth Volleyball League The United States Youth Volleyball League is the leader in developing and maintaining youth leagues for boys and girls ages 7-15. The USYVL will be hosting a series of camps this summer in several NorCal and SoCal. Info: 1-888-9887985 or email questions@usyvl.org ✪

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Camp Summer is a beautiful time to play the game with the Heritage and FC Wolverhampton Wanderers North America. Their 2018 Player ID Camp is overseen by senior members of the Wolverhampton Wanderers American Academy coaching staff. June 18-20 at Tesoro Fields in Concord, CA. Info: info@ HeritageSC.com SOFTBALL San Ramon Slammers Softball Clinics Collegiate player/coaches teach strength and conditioning, hitting, defense, pitching and catching and hold scrimmages to get you ready for spring softball.

Classes held at Slammers training facility on Camino Tassajara. Info: Marco Cartagena-925.209.1564; coachmtraining@ gmail.com SWIMMING / AQUATICS Santa Clara Aquamaids Come learn synchronized swimming from the World Renowned Santa Clara Aquamaids! Our staff, led by 3-time Olympic Coach Chris Carver, includes Olympic medalists, National Champions and current athletes. Includes conditioning, flexibility training, synchronized swimming skills and performance techniques. Info: info@aquamaids.org, 408-727-8496 Sherman Swim & Diving School Sherman Swim School has taught more than 39,000 students to swim and turned out numerous diving champions. Our teachers love to work with children and receive extensive in-water training.

One-on-one instruction with patient, encouraging teachers and extremely comfortable water, create an ideal learning environment. Voted “Best of East Bay”, Diablo Magazine. Info: Website: Shermanswim.com Phone: 925-2832100.

TENNIS Tompkins Tennis Located at Ohlone College, ClubSport San Ramon, Livermore Valley Tennis Club and Hyatt Regency Hotel and Spa in Monterey we produce more nationally ranked juniors than any other program!

Info: (510)-573-4025 sandy@tompkins-

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