SJ Issue 91, Oct. 2014

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October 2014

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room: Reailty TV isn’t what it used to be (good?) but sports has taught us how to get reality and get it done right. For reals.

Fence: 34 The Tryouts, sign-ups, fund-raisers and more!

37 Advertiser’s index 4

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S.O.S: Save Our Sports EDITOR’S NOTE: September was a rough month for professional athletes, the NFL in particular. It stirred strong feelings in our Sac-Joaquin edition coordinator and writer, Jim McCue. He sent this to me and I felt it deserving of this page this month. Hopefully you do too.

I

am reaching out to high school student-athletes, particularly male athletes, with a desperate plea.

Professional sports are a mess and the public’s trust in its leaders, stars and everyday players is dwindling due to scandals erupting in most of the major sports over the last several years. While the NFL is at the forefront of the numerous disasters threatening to bring down pro sports as we know it, the problems persist in most sports leagues and competitions.

The root of the problem seems to be the misbehavior, bad decisions and illegal actions of numerous “adult” athletes. Domestic violence. Child abuse. Performanceenhancing drugs. Racism. The list of ugly transgressions goes on and on.

Because the adults in professional sports are seemingly unable to correct their ways, I am calling on the next generation of student-athletes to save professional sports for future generations to enjoy. Athletes—even high school athletes—are role models that can shape the way that future generations of athletes act and transform the image of amateur and professional sports.

Because it would be weak to call out student-athletes and provide no suggested solutions, I offer the following ideas to improve the image of sports and the trust and faith that spectators and fans have in them. ›› Be a man. Respect parents and authority, using reason and logic to voice a difference in opinion rather than force. Treat your girlfriend (future wife) with respect and never lay a hand on her. Love and respect young children, especially your own. If you were raised in an abusive environment or were disciplined with force, you can learn different ways to act. You are the one who can break that cycle. ›› Lead with actions. Not everyone is a team captain that calls a team into action, but everyone can display leadership without speaking a word. Be inclusive on campus and on the field/court. If you see someone being bullied in person or online, step up and bring it to an

end if you can. Reach out to students outside of your social circle and discover people interested in music, art and engineering, as well as students in special education classes with diverse abilities. You might learn some new things, including some things about yourself. ›› Work hard and compete naturally. Physical training/therapy, time, and hard work is what will make you better in your sport. Resist shortcuts. If you achieve success through hard work and determination, others will notice and follow your work ethic. ›› You are a student-athlete. Period. On the playing field and off, be color blind and accepting of different beliefs, cultures and languages. Compete with a display good sportsmanship toward opponents regardless of what they look like, what they say to you or how they act. Hold the high ground. ›› Behave like someone is always watching. Don’t think that you can be a model citizen in the classroom, on the playing field and in the community while acting foolishly online. What you do and say on social media sites and apps matters. Recruiters are watching, the media is watching, parents are watching, and the next generation of athletes is watching what you do and say on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.

These are just a few things that you can do. Today’s student-athletes fortunately have the mistakes of current and past professional athletes and amateur studentathletes to learn from at their disposal. They also have excellent resources such as the Character Combine to teach student-athletes how to improve sportsmanship and reputation through character lessons.

I believe the future of professional and amateur sports can be saved from today’s scandals and tragedies by today’s student-athletes — from the state record-breaking quarterback to the third-string outfielder that may not get a single at-bat, but shows up and works hard every practice. I have seen many of the actions I call for, but hope that they might be more openly or consciously displayed.

I believe that you can do these things, not because it is good PR or looks good on a transcript, but because it is the right thing to do. For you, your family, your friends, your teammates, your classmates and your community. And maybe even for the future of sports. ✪

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, Ben Enos, Dave Kiefer, Liz Elliott, Tim Rudd, Trevor Horn Copy Editor Bill Kruissink Photography Bob Larson, Jonathan Hawthorne, James K. Leash, Norbert von der Groeben, Phillip Walton, Doug Guler, Dean Coppola, Berry Evans, III Marketing/Events Ryan Arter Editorial Intern Mike Young 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 • dwissner@wordeventssports.com Reader Resources/Administration Subscription, Calendar, Credit Services Angela Paradise • 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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Elizabeth

Got Send your nominations to: Next? Editor@SportStarsOnline.com or tweet us using #SSOTW

Cameron Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills - Volleyball - Junior The junior setter has helped the Trojans to a 14-0 start as they set sights on battling for a title in the newly-aligned Sierra Foothill League. Cameron, who split the setting duties with Moira McVicar last year, was charged with being Oak Ridge’s primary setter as a junior and has responded with an excellent start.

She has 386 assists through 14 matches and is averaging 9.4 assists per set. Cameron has plenty of offensive weapons to choose from, including seniors Kimmy Tuttle and Marissa Quilici, and junior Olivia Reid on the Trojans’ powerful front line. Oak Ridge has quality wins over St. Francis, Christian Brothers and Oakmont already. They will face SFL powers Rocklin and Granite Bay the week of Oct. 7 to begin sorting out the league and section rankings. ›› IN HER OWN WORDS: “I am comfortable setting whoever I need to get the ball to. I have faith in all of my hitters, especially the front three, because they don’t make many errors and put the ball away when we need it.”

honorable mention Kristian Heptner: The Christian Brothers senior scored two goals and assisted on a third in the Falcons’ 3-2 soccer upset of defending SJS Div. I champion Granite Bay. The forward leads the section with 19 goals.

Mikaela Nocetti: The El Camino senior recorded 13 kills and 14 digs in a recent 3-0 victory over St. FrancisSacramento. The outside hitter leads the 22-0 Eagles volleyball team with 152 kills.

Donovan Brown: Grant’s senior QB had four TD passes in the Pacers’ 43-14 rout of FranklinElk Grove in a Delta League opener.

Brown’s night included scoring strikes of 30, 68, 30 and 25 yards.

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Rapid Fire

Giovanni Panameno Clayton Valley Charter Lacrosse

JOHNNY CAPRA Placer-Auburn Football

What tv show's return do you most anticipate Supernatural

Trending What’s hot this week in the world of stuff that’s hot Apple gave every iTunes user a free U2 album. Your dad doesn’t get why you aren’t more excited.

The University of Baltimore is offering a course in the spring on Marvel Comics. In conjunction with this announcement they’ll now be known as The ‘University’ of Baltimore.

Turns out your iPhone 6 can bend if you keep in your back pocket and their latest software update was dead on arrival. But on the plus side, it’s got U2.

halloween costume plans Batman

My head coach, Joey Montoya

Favorite scary movie

The Conjuring

Sharknado

best thing about homecoming week Football game

Everyone dressing up each day

top bucket list sporting event World Series

We were gonna write something about how the NFL hasn’t had another embarrassing scandal in a few days but by time we write this, it gets printed and then delivered they probably will. So nevermind.

College football

FIFA World Cup

Alex Winter announced that he and Keanu Reeves will reprise their famous rolls in the upcoming ‘Bill and Ted 3.’ Your dad doesn’t get why you aren’t more excited.

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Top 5 most important elements to reality tv success (sports-style!)

Are you watching FOX’s latest stab at reality television, Utopia? Yeah. Us neither. And if the ratings are any indication, apparently the rest of America can’t really be bothered all that much. Maybe we’re burned out on reality. Maybe shows about mostly naked, loosely moraled folks frolicking in nature have jumped the shark. Or maybe there’s an easier explanation for why this one isn’t catching on: It’s too nice. Sure, sure, you can watch 24/7 on the interwebs, and there are nudie people and splinter groups and baptisms (muh?). But, unfortunately, there hasn’t been enough catfighting or backbiting or sabotage. We’re pretty sure that, if we were cooking up a reality show, we could bring the spice. Here are our Top 5 most important elements for a successful reality show (Sports Character Edition): 1. The Jackass — Somebody has to be a complete, insufferable, unapologetic boor, so that everyone has someone to root against. Leading candidates: Mark Cuban, Jim Harbaugh, Richard Sherman, The Philly Phanatic.

2. The Smooth Operator — Slick. Charming. Always says the right thing. Has great hair. Usually forms an alliance within 20 seconds of the start of the show. Invariably ends up as one of the final contestants, at which point everyone turns on him for having been too slick, charming, eloquent and coiffed. Think: Pat Riley, Tom Brady, Mel Kiper, Jr., Derek Norris. Wait. Scratch that last.

3. The Cheater — Who better than Bill Belichick to excel in an environment populated with hundreds of hidden cameras? Can’t you just imagine him stealing food, peeing in the water supply, or sabotaging his own team to get rid of his rivals? Honorable mentions to: Lance Armstrong, Gaylord Perry and the entire 1951 New York Giants team.

4. The Easy Mark — If you’re looking around the campfire and you can’t pick out the sucker, it’s probably Jerry Jones.

5. The Puppet Master — This is the devious one. The one who lies in the weeds like a snake, pulls the strings, and lets everyone else do the dirty work. The one whose most ingenious plots usually backfire in the most spectacular fashion when s/he overthinks it and over-meddles. And by s/he, we, of course, mean Billy Beane. Cespedes for Lester in the middle of your best season as GM? Really?

— Plutarch Heavensbee Kolb

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count 'em Number of touchdowns Alhambra-Martinez wide receiver Grant Hill scored in a three-game span from Sept. 12-26. Hill, who told SportStars that his pregame playlist included the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has been red hot himself. He caught five touchdown passes in a Sept. 12 win over Armijo-Fairfield and three more in defeating Washington-Fremont on Sept. 19. Then on Sept. 26, Hill had two TD catches and rushed for another two as the Bulldogs rallied from a 20-point halftime deficit to beat Miramonte-Orinda.

say what?

“We took that whole fourth quarter down. We got in our Dean Smith Four Corners offense.”

Foothill-Pleasanton coach Matt Sweeney describing the Falcons’ 13-play, 85-yard touchdown drive that milked nearly seven minutes off the game clock in a 40-28 win over San Ramon Valley-Danville on Sept. 26. It was the first time Foothill had defeated their East Bay Athletic League nemesis since 2008.

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NorCal’s Venerable Venues A look at five of the best football stadiums in the North State If anyone out there knows me from my days of working for Student Sports Magazine and ESPN, you know I’ve done columns and features about the most unique or best places to watch football games several times over the years.

But this list does change. It does because some high school stadiums have to be repaired or demolished and rebuilt entirely due to earthquake protection. New schools and new stadiums also open every year.

My favorite place I’ve ever been to see a high school football game in Northern California, in fact, is one of those stadiums that had to be taken down. That would be the one and only Napa Memorial Stadium. Before it had to be demolished, the height of its grandstands, the Quonset huts at one end zone each painted in the school colors of Napa High and Vintage High and the fact that there was no track separating the stands from the sidelines made it incredibly intense.

I had the pleasure of covering several of the Napa vs. Vintage Big Games in the 1980s and 1990s at Napa Memorial Stadium and went there several times for CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoff games. Sure, for the teams themselves, Napa Memorial Stadium was a pain because the dressing rooms were a couple blocks away at Napa High. But that only added to the experience for the fans.

Napa Memorial Stadium is still a good place to see a game, but the rebuilt version lost its charm from the old place. Imagine someone in Boston rebuilding Fenway Park or someone in Chicago doing the same to Wrigley Field. It’s hard to see how that charm could be recaptured.

Here then is my current top five list of the best places to watch a football game in Northern California: 1. Alex G. Spanos Stadium, Lincoln of Stockton Call me biased because my son, Sean, graduated from Lincoln on the field last June, but I always thought Lincoln’s home stadium was among the best in California even before I started living in Stockton in 1993. It offers the prerequisite for me of not having a running track separating the fans from the players and the stadium was improved several years ago by the addition of a college-like foyer entrance. Sycamore trees still stand tall on one end of the field while the other side is enclosed by more stands. The press box also is one of the best anywhere with more than one level. The reason Lincoln’s stadium is so nice is because it is located about two blocks from the longtime residence of San Diego Chargers’ owner Alex Spanos and many of his grandchildren played inside the

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Central Catholic takes in sunset at Spanos Stadium. stadium. He and the Spanos family obviously made such a venue possible and deserve a lot of credit for their contributions, not just to Stockton but to the entire state.

2. Prairie City Stadium, Folsom With its signature blue turf and with teams in recent years that have been among the best in the state, Folsom officials have recreated a Texas-style atmosphere for its home games. The Bulldog band is one of the best around, too. It’s bigger than my No. 1 place at Lincoln of Stockton but not as intimate.

3. Dunlavy Stadium, Sonora This venue was built in 1937 when 5,500 seats were planted on the side of a hill.

Dunlavy often is mentioned as one of the most unique places to see a game, but it’s also one of the best. A fan can easily visit a restaurant or watering hole in nearby downtown Sonora before or after a game. This season, Sonora has had to wait to have its first home game until October due to a renovation project at the stadium and track. Despite the delay and moving from the Valley Oak League to the Mother Lode League, the Wildcats still have Dunlavy Stadium as their home and nothing will ever change that.

4. George Washington High Stadium, San Francisco For stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge, and an enclosed sensation that is a must for any great place to watch a game, this place might be No. 1. So many games in the city, however, aren’t played on Friday night and aren’t heavily attended. I wish they were, but they aren’t, which makes watching games at other places more enjoyable. Still, as MaxPreps recently wrote, Washington’s stadium is one of the 10 high school football stadiums in the nation to see before you die, and I’d agree. Galileo’s George White Field doesn’t have a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, but it’s more historical (it was named O.J. Simpson Field at one time). If you can watch a game from one of the higher floors of the high-rise apartments across the street you’ll get a view of the action that you’ve never seen before.

5. Ron Calcagno Stadium, St. Francis-Mountain View What sets apart this place from just about anywhere else is a magnificent Bay Tree that dwarfs the goal post at one end of the field, not to mention the school’s gymnasium. The Bay Tree also is even considered a symbol of the school. Some teams playing at St. Francis on a Friday night, especially Serra-San Mateo, might actually also think that tree casts some sort of spell preventing them from beating the host Lancers. ✪

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California football Rankings

De La Salle’s Antoine Custer Previous ranking in parentheses; through Saturday, Sept. 27 1. (1) — St. John Bosco-Bellflower 3-1 A 34-31 loss to Bishop Gorman-Las Vegas in game with mythical national title implications isn’t enough to drop the Braves just yet.

2. (2) — De La Salle-Concord 5-0 Two toughest tests for Spartans so far were 56-28 win over Byrnes (SC) and 47-24 over Servite-Anaheim.

3. (3) — Mater Dei-Santa Ana 4-0 Some who’ve seen all the top SoCal teams in the early going think Monarchs are most complete 4. (5) ▲ Folsom 5-0 After obliterating Granite Bay 63-0, Bulldogs move up to spot previously occupied by Servite-Anaheim.

5. (6) ▲ Alemany-Mission Hills 5-0 Warriors are playing No. 6 Chaminade-West Hills in their league opener.

6. (7) ▲ Chaminade-West Hills 5-0 Eagles have been right behind Alemany since the start of the season and there was no reason to change it as teams set to face off 7. (8) ▲ Centennial-Corona 3-2 One of Huskies’ two losses was to Mater Dei; the other was to Bishop Gorman by one point 8. (9) ▲ Oceanside 5-0 After Helix-La Mesa loss, Oceanside looks like the top team in San Diego Section.

9. (10) ▲ Serra-Gardnea 1-0 The Cavs’ only loss is to Bellevue, Wash.; opened league with win over state-ranked Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks.

10. (4) ▼ Servite-Anaheim 3-1 Friars deserve to stay in the Top 10 due to the insanely difficult schedule they are playing 11. (11) — JSerra-San Juan Capistrano 5-0 Lions are in the same Trinity League as the Friars, St. John Bosco and Mater Dei. 12. (12) — Long Beach Poly 4-1 Jackrabbits have a loss to Centennial-Corona, but do have win over Westlake-Westlake Village.

13. (13) — Mission Hills-San Marcos 4-1 After a bye, the Grizzlies will take on Oceanside on Oct. 10.

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14. (14) — Lutheran-Orange 4-1 Lancers lone loss belongs to Centennial-Corona; blew out Vista Murrieta 37-3 for fourth win.

15. (15) — Grant-Sacramento 4-0 Battle for No. 2 in Sacramento behind Folsom is to be settled Oct. 3 when Pacers play Elk Grove.

16. (16) — Westlake-Westlake Village 3-1 Lions bounced back from a loss to Long Beach Poly with a 41-14 triumph over Dominguez-Compton..

17. (17) — Santa Margarita-Rancho Santa Margarita 4-1 This is the sixth of the six Trinity League teams that are all in the State 25.

18. (19) ▲ Elk Grove 4-0 Spencer Sheff rushed for three TDs as the Thundering Herd romped past Davis.

19. (18) ▼ Edison-Fresno 4-0 Own a one-point win over defending Div. I state champ Bakersfield.

20. (20) — Bakersfield 3-1 To get back to CIF Bowls, the Drillers can’t afford to lose another game.

21. (21) — Foothill-Pleasanton 4-0 No. 2 team from the Bay Area took care of business in leagueopening win over previously-ranked San Ramon Valley-Danville 22. (24) ▲ Chino Hills 4-1 Owning wins over Bishop Amat-La Puente, Hart-Newhall has pushed the Huskies up.

23. (NR) ▲ Crespi-Encino 4-0 Unbeaten Celts were an easy choice to join the rankings as a replacement for Loyola-L.A. 24. (25) ▲ Bellarmine Prep-San Jose 3-0 Bells face also-undefeated St. Ignatius-S.F. in West Catholic League opener.

25. (22) ▼ Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks 3-1 Knights’ loss last week was to No. 10 Serra-Gardena in a competitive matchup Dropped out: Previous No. 23 Loyola-L.A.

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THREE Sports? Are They A

TWO Bit Idea Whose Time Has Come?

Is It Better To Focus On

ONE?

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I love playing a lot of sports and I’m pretty good, I guess. I would like to try to play three varsity sports in high school, but my dad says I’m crazy. He says I’ll be trying to do way too much and I won’t get that good at any of them.

My granddad says it’s great, and he misses the days of three-sport athletes. I’m not sure what to do – I’m in eighth grade right now.

J.D., Pittsburg

F

irst, let’s harken back to those halcyon days of three-sport athletes that your granddad – and a bunch of other folks – seem to think were so wonderful.

Let’s assume that there’s value in playing sports. Let’s assume that it’s a benefit to learn the lessons from long days of practice and the immediate heat of competition.

If that’s true, then all those three-sport athlete do is deny opportunities to others to get those benefits.

And what is the advantage? I confess I’ve never been sure. Maybe it’s because your granddad really liked going to high school back in the day, and that’s how things were.

Maybe it’s because your granddad was a three-sport athlete. Regardless of the reason, I’ve never thought the days of three-sport athletes were anything special, and that, in a way, those all-around stars were more than a little selfish. They hogged the experience and the glory — that hardly seemed fair.

Now let’s turn to your dad’s point of view. The sad truth of modern youth sports is that specialization becomes necessary way too soon, and that acquiring skills and experience is a zero-sum game. By that I mean you only have so much time. The time you spend getting better at

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baseball, is time you can’t spend getting better at basketball.

That said, I do think playing two sports in high school makes some sense, especially in the first couple years. There are proven benefits to cross-training, and playing more than one sport helps prevent burnout and repetitive-stress injuries. But three? That’s a killer.

First, that means you start practice in midAugust and you basically never have a day off until the middle of May. You’ll be practicing or playing over every vacation break, and you’ll be expected to be 100 percent committed to each sport – and you’ll get pressure from each coach to work on their sport as much as you can.

That pressure intensifies in the summer, because what you do in the summer is where you’ll see the most improvement, and you can’t play three sports in the summer — there are only so many hours in the day.

So my advice would be to split the middle: Pick two sports as a freshman and see how it goes. It might turn out you like one more than the other, it’s pretty easy to choose one to focus on. Maybe you play both sports all four years, and maybe you don’t. But after your freshman year, you’ll most likely need to make a decision as to which one you’ll spend your summer working on. You can still play the other, but even two is too many for all but the most exceptional athletes. ✪ Clay Kallam is an assistant athletic director and girls varsity basketball coach at Bentley High in Lafayette. To submit a question for Behind the Clipboard, email him at clayk@ fullcourt.com

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Members of El Dorado’s stout defensive backfield (from L to R), Talen Van Cleave, Zach Culp, Colby Harrington and Andrew Benson.

A steely bond among the El Dorado football team only strengthened by massive King Fire Story by Mark Tennis Photos by James K. Leash

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Fire evacuees Tanner Lilland (left) and Zach Brazell

“Almost every single player on the team came up to me and offered help. We were told on a Monday we had to leave so I grabbed my football stuff and just lived at a friend’s house for a few days.”

— Zach Brazell 16

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El Dorado QB Nick Bonniksen, left, and leading running back Tyler Clanin.

A

t the height of the King Fire that raged in the El Dorado National Forest for more than two weeks of September and torched more than 97,000 acres, the family of El Dorado High junior nose guard Zach Brazell was told there was an 85 percent chance its home was going to be destroyed.

Neither Brazell, nor any other member of El Dorado’s football team ended up losing their home, but after the flames died down and after the team’s first four games, it can be calculated that there is a 100-percent chance the Placerville school is going to have a successful season.

Success for a team like the Cougars can be measured in many ways. Their 4-0 record after those first four games, and the fact they no longer have to face much bigger schools such as Cosumnes Oaks-Elk Grove or Vista del Lago-Folsom in league games, greatly improves the odds of getting a high seed in the upcoming CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.

But if success is measured by the bonds that have formed among the players at El Dorado — and just about every big-time football coach from De La Salle-Concord to anywhere else will tell you that’s what’s most important — then the fire has only served to make those bonds even stronger than they already were.

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“Almost every single player on the team came up to me and offered help,” said Brazell, who lives on a two-acre property in the Swansboro community that was among the hardest hit by the King Fire. “We were told on a Monday we had to leave so I grabbed my football stuff and just lived at a friend’s house for a few days.”

According to El Dorado head coach Joe Volek, two other players from the team — junior defensive lineman Tanner Lilland and senior free safety Devin Hern — evacuated their homes after the fire got going on Sunday, Sept. 14.

Final costs for the fire are still being determined, but after 12 days it had burned 12 homes, threatened nearly 12,000 people and was called the second largest fire in California this year.

The entire Placerville community didn’t have much smoke to deal with since the wind blew it more toward Lake Tahoe instead of back down the hill. Still, there was one day in which events in the school district had to be canceled and the general uncertainty of how bad things could get hung in the air right along with the thick ash particles.

“It was real stressful for those kids who had to leave because they didn’t know what might happen, their parents were sleeping on couches and it was hard for them to get their gear,” Volek said. “In the daytime, the Delta breeze moved the fire toward Tahoe and away from us but everything changed at night. One of the fire chiefs told me it was the weirdest fire they’ve ever had to deal with.”

The Brazell’s benefitted from the weird weather whims manipulating the fire.

“Our house was saved because the weather just changed right out of nowhere,” the junior lineman said. “We had to bulldoze a ditch around the house but in the end the closest the fire got was about a mile away.”

While the fire was still going but beginning to get under control, El Dorado played a road game on Friday, Sept. 19 at San Juan-Fair Oaks and defeated Mesa Verde-Citrus Heights 42-0.

If that had been a home game, Volek said, it likely it would have been canceled or postponed.

In its previous game, before the fire began, the Cougars erupted for a 72-28 win over Rio Americano-Sacramento.

“This was a tight group and a special senior class that we haven’t seen around here before this particular situation arose,” said Volek, who is in his third year as the team’s head coach. “It’s not like it brought them together, but coming together in the face of it has definitely helped the Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

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The KING FIRE Arson Cause 3,153 Total Fire Personnel 66 Total Fire Crews 97,099 Acres Burned

92 289 12 68

Percent Containment Structures Threatened Single Residences Destroyed Minor Structures Destroyed * All figures as of Tuesday, Sept. 30. Source: CDFdata.fire.ca.gov. Photo: Randall Benton/Sacramento Bee/ZUMA Wire

psyche of the whole program.”

Senior quarterback Nick Bonniksen is the focal point of the offense. Against Rio Americano, he passed for 348 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 62 yards and one other score.

He only had 129 yards passing against Mesa Verde but rushed for 88.

“This group has been together and we’ve been friends for a long time,” Bonniksen said. “We’ve always been there for each other. The fire just made us more unified and a lot stronger.”

Bonniksen also had to worry himself about family during the week-long siege of flames. His grandparents live in nearby Pollock Pines (where the fire allegedly began on purpose by a suspect in custody) and were on voluntary evacuation orders.

“They decided not to leave, but one night the fire went a different way and it got closer,” Bonniksen said. “That was scary because it’s your grandparents.”

In addition to Bonniksen’s abilities at quarterback, another strength of the team in the early going was its balance. Running backs Tyler Clanin and Carter Meyers both already had

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100-yard games by the fourth week and Clanin could reach 1,000 yards by the end of the regular season.

The El Dorado defense gave up four scores against both South Tahoe-South Lake Tahoe and Rio Americano, but pitched the shutout against Mesa Verde. Senior linebacker Brandon Ollar (averaging eight tackles per game) and senior defensive back Zach Culp (four interceptions) have been the individual standouts.

Volek’s son, Chris, is a quarterback on El Dorado’s JV team and hopes to follow in the family tradition. The coach himself was a quarterback at Walla Walla High in Washington and jokes that he has something in common with NFL legend Tom Brady.

“Drew Bledsoe (future NFL starter) was a sophomore behind me when I was a senior,” the coach recalled. “He became the starter when I left so Tom Brady and I both were in front of Drew for awhile.”

Volek’s younger brother, Billy, became a standout at Clovis West-Fresno after the family moved from Walla Walla to Cali-

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fornia due to father John taking over as head coach at Fresno City College. Billy later played at Fresno State and enjoyed an eight-year NFL career with the San Diego Chargers and Tennessee Titans.

For the remainder of this season, El Dorado must think about Cordova-Rancho Cordova (also started 4-0) and Gold Nugget Game rival Union Mine-El Dorado as perhaps the biggest obstacles toward winning a Sierra Valley Conference title.

“Last year, we were looking to upset teams in some of these league games,” said Bonniksen, referring to Cosumnes Oaks and Vista del Lago. “This year, people want to upset us.”

And while the King Fire may have strengthened an already tight bond, Bonniksen demonstrated it also may have ignited a burst of confidence.

“Yes, we want to play one game at a time, but we’re really looking to go 10-0 (for the regular season) and then make it to the section championship,” he said. “I know that sounds like a lot, but that’s a reasonable goal with this team this year.” ✪

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The Hoffman Files HOME COURSE

Empire Ranch Golf Club (Vista del Lago); Cameron Park Country Club (member)

FAVORITE COURSE PLAYED Spyglass Hill Golf Course, Monterey

TOP BUCKET LIST COURSE

Olympic Club, San Francisco

BEST ROUND

68 (Haggin Oaks)

COMING UP ACES

Made a hole-in-one on No. 14 at The Ridge (176-yard downhill par 3) — “I was playing in a tournament with a friend in a twosome and I made the hole-in-one on 14 and then she holed out for eagle on the par-5 15th hole.” Hoffman hit it right over the pin and spun it back in for the ace. She would win the tournament that day.

DREAM FOURSOME

Emilee, father Jeff Hoffman, Adam Scott and Rickie Fowler

FAVORITE GOLFERS

LPGA pros Stacy Lewis and Michelle Wie

MENTOR/COACH

Dad (2-handicap)

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F

For high school golfers of the Sac-Joaquin Section, it doesn’t get much better than winning the SJS Masters Tournament as a sophomore. But that is exactly what Vista del Lago’s Emilee Hoffman is striving to go beyond.

Having established herself as an elite golfer with a game that gives her the opportunity to “go low” every time she hits the links, the junior wants to further raise her golf ceiling.

“My goals for myself this year are to have fun and keep getting better,” Hoffman states simply.

She has followed up a sensational sophomore season with a promising start to her junior year that includes a career-best 31 in the Eagle’s Capital Athletic League debut. Hoffman is enjoying success on the course as she continues to improve her game, but the fun does not end with individual medalist honors and college recruitment offers.

As one of five juniors on a Vista del Lago roster without any seniors, Hoffman is having fun watching her game grow along with the games of her enthusiastic teammates as the program builds momentum.

“The team has been awesome this year,” she said of the Eagles’ young roster. “All of the girls are super nice and everyone’s games are growing.”

Growth has been necessary as the Eagles moved up to Division III and now play in the realigned CAL. So far, the move has not slowed down the emerging program that seeks to be more than just Hoffman & Company.

The Eagles are unbeaten in CAL play with Hoffman among the team’s lowest scorers in each match thus far.

Sophomore Noor Ahmed is a solid No. 2 who pushes Hoffman in practice and match play. Vista del Lago took third place in the Helen Lengfeld Tournament in Rocklin at the start of the season, with Ahmed finishing third in the individual results with an impressive 76. Hoffman birdied four of the last five holes to card a 70 and take first place in that tournament. That tournament convinced Vista del Lago it could contend as a team.

In addition to Hoffman and Ahmed, the Eagles’ low scorers include juniors Haley D’Amico, Rileigh Varga and Amanda McGuire, as well as sophomore Marina Peralta and freshman Ana Lee. With more seasoning in CAL competitions, Vista del Lago is hoping to advance to the Section Masters as a team for the second consecutive year. The Eagles finished as Division IV runners-up in 2013, but struggled at Masters — the biggest stage they had yet to play on.

“Our team goal is to win the league title and try to win a divisional title,” coach Miguel Rodriguez said. “We struggled at Section Masters last year, but I am hopeful that the experience of the Masters Tournament carries over, so that we can compete and have a good showing this year.”

Rodriguez, who is beginning his third year coaching the girls golf program, has had the pleasure of watching the team, and Hoffman in particular, make strides each year. With the numbers of participants at an all-time high, the coach believes that the potential to build a contender around Hoffman is real.

Rodriguez has witnessed Hoffman’s steady rise and sees the junior as an ideal example for the young team to follow.

“Her work ethic is second to none,” Rodriguez said. “From tee to green, she is good. She hits the ball far and sets up her second shot very well.”

Hoffman is very strong off the tee, typically outdriving the competition. But she is more than just a big hitter.

She emphasizes course management and mental strength as the greatest tools in her bag.

“Mentally I think that my course management and keeping in the moment are my strengths,” Hoffman said.

“It is important to not get too high or too low on the course because there are always lots of holes to play.”

Despite being just a junior, Hoffman has played plenty of holes during her high school career. As a freshman, she opened a lot of eyes as she narrowly missed advancing to the CIF NorCal Tournament. She shot a 77 at the Section Masters and finished fourth among individual qualifiers. Only the top three earn berths to the NorCal tourney, so Hoffman’s season ended just three strokes short of the 74 posted by the final individual qualifier, Granite Bay senior Paige Lee. “She was disappointed,” Rodriguez said of Hoffman’s reaction to the end of her freshman season. “I knew that she would have three more years to get farther, but I was a little surprised with her performance last year.”

That performance included individual medalist honors at the Div. IV tournament before besting a solid group of upperclassmen with a 2-under 70 to capture the Section Masters individual title at The Reserve at Spanos Park. She followed those victories with a top-four finish at NorCals and a top-20 result at the CIF State Championships.

“It was a great time and a great learning experience,” she said of her trip to the stater tournament. “It was awesome to get all the way to state and play against the best girls in California. I hope that I can make it back and have fun this year.”

Hoffman’s breakout sophomore season and success in American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) play — she won a pair of tournaments against national competition in 2013 — have kick-started her recruiting process.

Still in the early stages, she is focusing on more than just golf to determine where she might spend four years in the classroom and on the course.

“I definitely want to play golf in college,” she said. “I am looking for a school that is a good fit academically and with the golf program. This is a real exciting time as the process is just starting for me.”

Hoffman’s greatest golf may also just be starting as the postseason quickly approaches. The goals that Hoffman and Rodriguez have outlined include return trips to the state championships where they can compete to become the Sac Joaquin Section’s first-ever girls golf champion.

Even for the fun-seeking Hoffman, things couldn’t get much better than that. ✪ 22

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KNIGHTshift Coach’s efforts paying off at Downey High School

Story by Darin Wissner Photos by Daniel Harris­ 24

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Thomas Downey High in Modesto has a long history.

Filmmaker George Lucas is Downey’s most famous alum starting with the movie, “American Graffiti,” a film based on Lucas’ days as a teenager in Modesto (filmed in Petaluma).

Despite the 64-year-old school’s history and tradition, dominating the Modesto public high school football landscape has escaped Downey — along with every other high school within Modesto’s boundaries. Of course there have been successful runs from a few Modesto-area high schools, but dominance, pride and excitement has lacked except for those exceptions from high schools which are either parochial, or neighboring one-high school towns.

Coach Jeremy Plaa is trying to change that exception for the Downey Knights.

Plaa, who is in his eighth year running the Downey program, is a doer.

His relentless work with his student athletes, marketing the program, and fundraising efforts has infused an excitement the Modesto area has not

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Downey-Modesto seen in years. It starts with getting his student athletes out in the community.

In 2011, the Downey football program was awarded the CIF’s Community Service Award for its initiative that sends players out to several elementary schools to read short stories and play with the children at recess. The Knights players usually go to the schools they attended. They talk about the importance of being good readers and good students.

The Downey players and staff also host the annual “Knights Under the Lights” play day where area elementary students are invited to the football field for a night of games ranging from kickball to whiffle ball and tag. Typically anywhere from 80-120 children attend. Downey players do all the planning and organizing of the event, which is free to K-6 students.

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"Getting our students out in the community is a two-way street.

The kids we visit love to see our players.

Our players might as well be the 49ers because they look like grown men to them. They ask for our autographs and they think the world of our players." —Coach Jeremy Plaa

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“Getting our students out in the community is a two-way street,” Plaa explained. “The kids we visit love to see our players. Our players might as well be the 49ers because they look like grown men to them. They ask for our autographs and they think the world of our players.”

Downey football has been champs or co-champs thirteen times in their conference since opening in 1951. Plaa essentially had a .500 record over his first five seasons before before winning the Modesto Metro Conference titles the past two years.

“The marketing comes easier when you are winning,” Plaa said. “The newspapers and the word of mouth around town help. For programs that struggle, and we’ve been there, you have to make your ‘storefront’ shine. We do that with our webpage, social media, and the fundraising.

“We spend a lot of money. Some of our kids come from less advantaged situations, so being a part of our football team means they will be well treated and well dressed. All levels of our teams wear the latest Under Armor uniforms. That means we have to buy new every season to get the most trendy uniform. We feed our players breakfast and lunch every game day.”

All the marketing and fundraising will not work if you do not have the students. Just a few years ago, Plaa and members of Downey’s administration were able to convince the Modesto City Schools administrators to provide additional bus rides for students who are bussed in from Modesto’s southwest side. Busses left school at the traditional time of 2:30, but for those students who were bussed far away, they rarely had the opportunity to play sports because most did not have reliable transportation to come pick them up after practices.

The school district then started allowing 5:00 PM busses. This brought another level of talent to TOP LEFT: Sophomore Malcome Green is the program(s), which may never proving himself to be a playmaker in both the had seen the playing field. running and passing game for the Knights.

“We have a challenge in working BOTTOM LEFT: Nicholas Nickelsen (53) on being a ‘community school’ because half our population is bussed and Kimo Barron share a sack of the in from 10-15 minutes away, or Tokay quarterback. sometimes longer,” Plaa said.

ABOVE: Downey quarterback Paul Wilson can “Along with those students, we hurt defenses with both his arm and his feet. want all of the kids that live within a mile or two radius to be excited about coming to Downey and being a part of our football program.”

The Downey football program has reached some new heights recently and that is attributed to the hard work of Plaa and his staff and administration, which Plaa gives equal credit to. Not lost in all of this is Plaa’s humbleness to his approach.

“We can do all the school visits and all the marketing in the world, but it’s the growth of our student athlete as an athlete and person that makes the word of mouth work,” the coach said. “Nothing builds a program better and gets prospective 8th graders to our school than seeing our players conduct themselves the way that they do.”

According to Plaa, he knows it is tough to compete against the private schools of the area.

“If a parent wants that experience for their son, then they deserve to give them that experience.

However, I know that our football program will give their son an incredible four years with the best coaching staff that I can assemble and an administration committed to helping us get to the next level of winning a section championship.”

The plan is working.

This year’s sophomores pretty much dominated all the main sports last year as freshman. That sort of dominance by one school in the big sports has not been seen in the area for sometime.

Some of those sophomores, like running back Malcome Green, have helped the Downey varsity open the season with a 3-1 record. The Knights’ healthy roster size of 58 players is also proof of a flourishing program.

Downey began its league title defense on Sept. 26 with a 42-14 road win over Beyer-Modesto. ✪

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Vista del Lago’s high-flying offense adds ground forces

Apparently the Vista del Lago Eagles go as junior running back Colby Carrera goes.

After the team started the season with three losses, including a pair of defeats by a total of seven points, the legs of Carrera have lifted the Eagles.

The 5-foot-9, 180-pound back was seldom used in Vista’s first two games before giving the running game a boost with 9 carries for 72 yards and a touchdown, mostly in the second half of a 31-25 loss to Sacramento. Carrera was inserted as a primary ball-carrier for a Week 3 matchup with Bradshaw Christian-Sacramento, and he responded with 216 yards rushing on 22 carries and 4 touchdowns.

Head coach Mike Struebing continued to ride the legs of his new workhorse in a 62-51 upset victory over Placer-Auburn in Week 4. Carrera eclipsed 200 yards for the second consecutive game, racing for 211 yards and six touchdowns to improve the Eagles’ record to 2-3.

The newfound running game has done more than just put up points. Carrera’s running has taken pressure off of senior quarterback Matt Jimison. “(Colby) is a tough runner who allows us to be very balanced in our play calling,” Jimison said. “His success forces teams to put another defender in the box, which allows me to get a better look at the secondary for when we throw the ball.”

The highly-recruited Jimison, who threw for more than 3,200 yards while completing 65 percent of his passes as a junior, has seen his efficiency and completion percentage skyrocket in the Eagles’ two wins. While Jimision connected on just 55 percent of his 128 pass attempts in three shootout losses, he has completed 28-of-33 passes (85%) in two wins for 370 yards.

The increase in efficiency has translated into fewer intercep-

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James Leash photo

Colby Carrera tions and fewer sacks. Jimison was picked off four times and sacked 12 times in Vista’s three losses before going INT-free and sacked just twice in two wins.

“A lot of our success comes from our offensive line, who have been pretty dominant,” Jimison said. “Those guys are putting in the real work which allows me and Colby to make plays.”

WELL-USED TIMEOUT

Foothill-Pleasanton coach Matt Sweeney watched his offense take nearly seven minutes off the game clock as his team clung tightly to a 34-28 lead against a San Ramon Valley-Danville team that had the Falcons’ number for five straight seasons.

Faced with a 3rd-and-4 and 3:03 left on clock, and San Ramon Valley out of time outs, Sweeney called the play knowing a first down essentially ends the game. Then just before the snap, he called timeout. And he changed the play.

The new play resulted in a 26-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Kearns to Parker Moberg, clinching a 40-28 East Bay Athletic League-opening win and taking the Falcons to a 4-0 start.

“I just kept waiting for their safety to come up (to defend the run),” Sweeney said of his decision to call timeout. “I figured we’d go for it. The kids still got to make the plays, and Kyle hit him in stride. If it works great. If it doesn’t you go ‘What the heck are you doing? The clock’s stopped.’”

RUSH STREET

After the performance put on by the De La Salle running game against the then-No. 4 team in the state, Servite-Anaheim, it’s hard not to figure that the Spartans may have one of their deepest backfields in quite tome time. Antoine Custer ripped off 259 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries while Andrew Hernandez added 110 yards and three more touchdowns. Je’Vari Anderson added some hard running in limited carries and quarterback Anthony Sweeney did as well. The total was a dominant 461-yard rushing effort that lead to a 47-24 win and a 5-0 start to the season. ✪ — Jim McCue & Chace Bryson

Records are through Sept. 26 1. (1) — De La Salle-Concord 5-0 2. (2) — Folsom 5-0 3. (3) — Elk Grove 4-0 4. (4) — Grant-Sacramento 4-0 5. (5) — Serra-San Mateo 1-2 6. (6) — Milpitas 4-0 7. (7) — Valley Christian-San Jose 2-1 8. (8) — Clayton Valley Charter-Concord 5-0 9. (9) — Foothill-Pleasanton 4-0 10. (12) ▲ Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills 4-1 11. (13) ▲ Bellarmine-San Jose 3-0 12. (15) ▲ Vacaville 3-1 13. (14) ▲ Campolindo-Moraga 5-0 14. (10) ▼ Pittsburg 3-2 15. (18) ▲ California-San Ramon 3-1 16. (20) ▲ Rocklin 4-0 17. (NR) ▲ St. Ignatius-S.F. 3-0 18. (19) ▲ Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton 2-0 19. (NR) ▲ St. Mary’s-Stockton 3-1 20. (11) ▼ Los Gatos 3-1 DROPPED OUT: No. 16 Granite Bay and No. 17 San Ramon Valley-Danville BIGGEST MOVER: Rocklin and St. Ignatius-S.F. both hopped four spots as the bottom half of the rankings got a majority of the shake-up. Rocklin moved from No. 20 to No. 16 after a strong win in its Sierra Foothill Leagueopener against a previously unbeaten Woodcreek-Roseville team. The SFL does the Thunder no favors as it will take on No. 10 Oak Ridge on Oct. 3. St. Ignatius jumped into the rankings without playing thanks to St. Mary’sStockton knocking off previous No. 11 Los Gatos 35-32.

The win put St. Mary’s into the ranks at No. 20 and St. Ignatius in at No. 17, thanks to the Wildcats holding a 27-24 OT win over the Rams earlier this season.

NEXT TEAM UP: McClymonds-Oakland (4-0). After a dominant 55-14 win over Analy-Sebastopol, the Warriors seem almost assured of a 10-0 regular season and another Silver Bowl appearance. Mack is poised to be ranked before long.

KNOCKING ON THE DOOR (alphabetically): Alhambra-Martinez (5-0), Analy-Sebastopol (3-1), Archbishop Mitty-San Jose (2-1), Central Catholic-Modesto (3-1), Del Oro-Loomis (2-3), Enterprise-Redding (3-1), James Logan-Union City (3-1), Liberty-Brentwood (5-0), McClymonds-Oakland (4-0), Palma-Salinas (4-0) and St. Mary’s-Berkeley (5-0).

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training time: tim rudd for iyca

In my last column I discussed the history of Heart Rate Variability and how it can be used to customize the training process, helping athletes reach new levels of performance.

The first thing HRV can be used for is to measure the current aerobic fitness level of the athlete.

Why is this important? Well, with HRV we measure athletes’ adaptability to stress (HRV) and their resting heart rate, this is a measure of their cardiovascular efficiency.

So at first, I use it to measure the current state of an athlete’s fitness and adaptability threshold. I then use it as a method to customize their strength and conditioning program.

As a trainer, my goal for team-sport athletes is to have them reach a resting heart rate under 60. Depending on the sport, using soccer as an example, I want the athlete’s HRV to be in the 90’s. I then know the athlete will have an efficient cardiovascular system that other qualities of fitness — such as power, speed, strength and power endurance — which can be built on.

When you look at these two numbers, think of them as your athlete’s fitness and adaptability-to-stress gap: Resting Heart Rate: 58 HRV: 90 This is a good indicator of an athlete who has a high adaptability to stress and is also cardiovascularly efficient. The aerobic system plays a big role in how fast and how efficiently athletes recover from each play, which will take them above their anaerobic threshold. This is a very inefficient system, but it is this system that provides the power which allows athletes to make explosive plays on the court or field of play. With a more efficient aerobic base, they will drop below this threshold quickly, recovering faster and allowing them to continue to make more plays throughout the game.

On the flip side, here’s an example of an athlete with a lower HRV score and a higher resting heart rate: Resting Heart Rate: 68 HRV: 74 This is either an indication of chronically stressed athlete, or an athlete who has a very inefficient aerobic base and thus a smaller adaptability stress threshold.

In this case the athlete will struggle to recover after each play and rely too much on his or her anaerobic system (inefficient), greatly reducing his or her ability to make explosive plays throughout a game. If athletes stay too long in their anaerobic system, power output will greatly decrease and so will performance and health — also making them at greater risk of injury.

With a high resting heart rate and low HRV score, you realize that the heart is very inefficient, so low-intensity cardiac output training can be of significant value.

With a strong aerobic base, the athlete can move to high-intensity training protocols such as Anaerobic Threshold Training, High Intensity Interval and Glycolytic Intervals. Then trainer and athlete can start to focus on sport-specific qualities of the athlete’s sport. These strategies require specific heart rate parameters for intensity and recovery to maximize effectiveness.

Outside factors of training and playing can also be managed this way. The HRV and RHR scores give us the readiness score of the athletes, telling us how much stress an athlete is ready to adapt to on any given day. If the athlete’s readiness is low, the training program is adjusted to a recovery workout aimed at raising that readiness. If readiness is high, than it’s Go Time. This training process can be key to maximizing athletes’ performance potential, health and helps to ensure they peak on game day.

In the next column I will go over a case study of an athlete where I use HRV to maximize fitness and performance. ✪ Tim Rudd is an IYCA specialist in youth conditioning and owner of Fit2TheCore.

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notsoSUDDEN

health watch: Elisha Cusumano

Becoming aware of overuse injuries that can sneak up on the always-active young athlete

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When you think of a sports injury, most athletes are thinking of an acute injury resulting in swelling, sudden pain and maybe even deformity. However, not all injuries are caused by a single sudden incident.

Another type of injury known as overuse injuries can occur gradually over time when an activity is repeated so often that the body does not have adequate time to repair and heal. These injuries can affect bones, muscles, tendons and even growth plates in the young athlete. A couple examples of an overuse injuries include plantar fasciitis and stress fractures.

Plantar fasciitis is present when the plantar fascia — the fibrous band of tissue that reaches from the heel to the toes — becomes progressively tight due to constant use. Early detection signs include general soreness on the heel and plantar fascia which increases in significance over time. Pain, which can be quite significant, will eventually settle near the attachment to the heal bone (calcaneus). A tell-tale sign is sharp pain upon the young athlete’s first step out of bed in the morning or after long periods of sitting.

This is due to the lengthening and weight loading of the plantar fascia after it has spent significant time in a shortened, non-weight bearing state.

Plantar pain can severely limit an athlete’s ability to train, especially since the majority of the pain is felt at the beginning of a workout, making it hard to progress beyond the first 10-15 minutes. It is important that young athletes, parents and coaches recognize that

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pain in the heel is a major indicator that it’s time to stop activity and see your physician. Immediate interventions should include; stretching the plantar by applying pressure to the toes and pulling them back towards the shin and rolling the plantar out. You can freeze a bottle with water and use that to roll the foot and ice at the same time.

A stress fracture is a small crack in the bone that slowly forms over time. Bone is consistently being broken down with activity and being rebuilt during the rest period, a process called remodeling. As new bone develops it replaces older bone. However, if an athlete’s activity is too constant, the breakdown of older bone occurs faster than the body can make new bone. This results in the bone becoming weak, which can lead to a stress fracture. These occur most often in the shin (or tibia bone) and the various bones of the feet.

The most common sign is pain that develops over time in an isolated area, increases with weight-bearing activity and is pain free or near pain free when at rest. If you believe you may have a stress fracture, seek the advice of your physician immediately, as further diagnosis will be needed to assist your recovery.

Keep in mind rest and recovery are an extremely important in remaining healthy. ✪ Elisha Cusumano is a certified athletic trainer for USCF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland and its Sports Medicine Center for Young Athletes. She is also an assistant trainer for Holy Names University.

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powered by trucks: anthony trucks

There are steps to good strength training. Don’t skip any Most athletes, at least the ones I train, primarily are looking to develop as much power as possible.

Whether its lower body power for sprinting or upper body power for discus throwing, the goal is to produce as much power as you can. I have noticed over my last 12 years in the industry that people want to shortcut the process to develop that power, and in doing so they hinder their ability to actually create the best power possible.

They do this by going directly into the power phase of training by working on muscle firing speed, and never developing the physical attributes necessary to increase the underlying factor of power: strength.

In order to increase strength, one must start from the ground up and take part in the cumulative effect of training. There is always a base that underlies everything right down to the smallest intricacies. I have found that when you start at that small base and build up, you exponentially increase your ability to develop great strength and explosive power.

For example, if I want to increase my lower body power, a great exercise is the power clean. Once you develop the correct technique of the lift, you can add much more weight and increase power — but that takes great strength. In order to increase the weight on the bar, you have to be able to hold more weight on the bar. In order to be able hold more weight on the bar, you have to have great grip strength. So the underlying base is grip strength in this area.

Most people would skip right to doing plyometrics and jumping without developing this area first. So instead of jumping right to the end training point, start to think about how you can take it right down to the base to increase the results you can get ten fold. ✪

Build a base Anthony Trucks is an IYCA-certified trainer who covers weight training for SportStars.

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flexor tendons: scott tanaka

DIGITDANGER

With football and other fall sports in full swing, its a good time to focus on flexor tendon injuries, specifically jersey finger. Jersey finger is an injury that can happen in tackle sports when one player grabs another’s jersey and a finger gets caught. As a result, the tendon is pulled off the bone. The type of tendon affected by jersey finger is known as a flexor tendon. These tendons are on the palm side of the hand and control finger movement. When one of the flexor tendons is partially or completely torn, the resulting injury is jersey finger.

SYMPTOMS

›› An open injury, such as a cut, on the palm side of the hand, often where the skin folds as the finger bends ›› An inability to bend one or more joints of your finger ›› Pain when your finger is bent ›› Tenderness along your finger on the palm side of your hand ›› Numbness in your fingertip

DIAGNOSING

In addition to applying a bandage for any cuts, as well as elevation and icing, it’s important to see a doctor as soon as possible if you suspect jersey finger. The hands are very delicate, full of nerves, bones, muscles and tendons, and untreated injuries may lead to long-term damage and loss of function. Your doctor will perform a physical examination, testing for finger strength, ability to flex the finger, and nerve damage. You may also have an X-ray to see if there is damage to the bone.

TREATMENT

Your doctor may place your hand in a splint for protection. If the the tendon is completely torn, it often must be repaired surgically. Partial tears may be treated in a splint or cast. An orthopedic surgeon who is specially trained in hand and upper extremity care typically performs the surgery within 7 to 10 days after the injury. If your injury is restricting blood flow to your hand or finger, your doctor will schedule an immediate surgery. Recovery from surgery usually takes several months. Specialized therapy is required early on to prevent stiffness and to regain finger strength and full range of motion. ✪ Scott Tanaka, M.D., is an orthopedic surgeon with Summit Orthopedic Specialists in Carmichael, who is fellowship-trained in upper extremity care. Dr. Tanaka provides specialty treatment for orthopedic conditions of the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder.

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get mental: erika carlson

Times have changed. Coaches, parents and athletes better understand the need for mental training more than ever before. The field of sport psychology has worked diligently to overcome many of the myths and stigmas related to doing this type of work. Back in June, I discussed the Top Four Myths of Mental Training. You can read all about those myths by visiting the SportStarsOnline. com link at the end of this column.

A quick reminder: ›› Myth #1: Good physical training is enough ›› Myth #2: Good focus means, “really pay attention to the game.” ›› Myth #3: If you can see it (visualize it), it will happen. ›› Myth #4: “I play better mad.” ›› Myth #5: “We lost because we were over confident.” — This is a common statement, especially in team sports like soccer. It generally infers that we had too much confidence. The truth is, when a team feels they were “over confident,” it’s more likely they had false confidence. They thought they were prepared and therefore confident, but they were not. You can’t have too much confidence when you’re talking about real, true confidence. ›› Myth #6: “I already have goals, so I don’t need to set them.” — If you’re like most of the athletes I see, you already have outcome goals. These include wins, times, cuts, making a team and earning a scholarship. However, you probably don’t have performance and process goals. These are the “how-to” goals you need to achieve your outcomes. A detailed goal plan helps get athletes engaged and accountable to developing their best preparation and performance every week. ›› Myth #7: “If I think more carefully about how to execute properly, my performance will get better.” — The correct answer here is, sometimes. This holds up in training (learning mode) but not in game performance. Many decades of sport psychology research tells us that best performances are strongly correlated with less thinking. Having to think through how to properly execute skills slows down response time. Under the pressure of the game, you need to switch to right-brained, autopilot mode to perform your best. This is a skill that great athletes know how to do well.

Great athletes train physically, technically, tactically…AND MENTALLY!! ✪ Erika Carlson is a certified mental trainer and owner of Excellence in Sports Performance in Pleasanton. Visit her first column on mental training myths at SportStarsOnline.com/columns/Mental/ Myths-1

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BEATING THE BIG C Ok, so we know the topic of cancer can be a bit depressing.

However, it never hurts to get all the knowledge you can about about it. And who better to draw knowledge from than actual physicians?

Our friends at Sutter Health East Bay are hosting a Physician Panel on Cancer Prevention and Treatment. Sutter Delta’s surgeons and oncologists will join together to talk with you about cancer prevention, strategies, treatment and recovery. It happens on Oct. 11 from 9 a.m. to noon at Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch. And the best part? It’s free! For more info, email kellyki@sutterhealth.org

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build your brand

Ok, you’re not Vernon Davis yet, and nobody is buying stock in your athletic endeavors. But, if you’re trying to get your name out there to coaches at the next level, we might suggest creating your own web site at PrepStarsOnline.com. Everything is customized, so you’re not stuck with the same cookie cutter look. You can choose your own URL, add video highlights, stats, incorporate your social media accounts — you name it! And, we even have a coupon code (SPORTSTARS) for you to save $50. Get to it and then send us your web address so we can promote your brand.

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master the mental We often ask athletes their career aspirations and “a career in sports” is definitely the most popular answer. And if you think about the direction of sports and athletic performance, you can’t ignore the growing emphasis on mental training and sports psychology. Which is why we think some of you may want to check out the Sports Psychology degree program at John F. Kennedy University, which features campuses in Pleasant Hilll, Berkeley and San Jose. Look it up at www. jfku.edu.

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Coverage of NorCal Rugby About to Get a Boost It won’t be high school rugby season until January, but the Northern California Youth Rugby Association made news on Sept. 29 when it announced a media partnership with SportStars Magazine. That’s right, get ready to see a lot more rugby coverage here in Club Scene and throughout the magazine.

The NCYRA turned 4-years old this past August and has established itself as the premier organization for rugby from 8U up to the high school level. Club programs from throughout the Bay Area and Greater Sacramento Region compete within the NCYRA, which made the partnership a no-brainer on both ends.

The partnership makes this magazine and its digital extensions the voice of the NCYRA, which will include features, a NCYRA-generated column, team rankings and more. Most of that coverage will begin with the 31st annual Sacramento KickOff Tournament on Jan. 25-26 at Rancho Cordova High.

“Our vision is to continually build the sport and enjoyment of rugby,” NCYRA Executive Director Mark Carney said in a press release. “We are looking beyond our own communication vehicles for a partner reaching larger and broader audiences. ... Rugby has experienced tremendous growth throughout the U.S. in recent years and generated excitement and participation throughout California. Northern California especially is at a high point. Having the ability to reach beyond our usual audience via coverage and columns in SportStars is an attractive growth strategy for us.”

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There won’t be any action on the pitch in October, but the NCYRA is holding two college fairs for players interested in playing collegiately. The fairs are scheduled for Oct. 25 at AcalanesLafayette and Oct. 26 at McClatchy-Sacramento. Both events will take place between 6:30-8:30 p.m.

SYNCHRONIZED SWIM

The Santra Clara Aquamaids shined in international waters once again in September. The club sent 10 swimmers to the 2014 Mediterranean Cup in Alexandroupolis, Greece, from Sept.

4-7 and helped the U.S. Team finished fourth overall.

It was the Aquamaids squad which earned the first U.S. bronze medal of the event with its performance in the 10-swimmer free combination routine. It was the first time that a U.S. team has reached the podium at the Mediterranean Cup in more than five years. The team consisted of Emily Anger, Camryn Carrasco, Nikki Dzurko, Hailee Heinrich, Rachel Lau, Emily Lu, Jacklyn Luu, Anna Piskun, Rachel Ye and Gracie Young.

SOCCER

The Diablo Futbol Club recently began its U5 and U7 Recreational League. The season continues with Saturday games throughout Octobert at Boatwright Sports Complex in Concord.

The club is now preparing to begin its regular season sign-up period. The first tryout dates begin Jan. 18. ✪

James K. Leash

Matt Ternan of the Jesuit High rugby team takes the ball upfield against Granite Bay last May.

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A Higher Perspective........................................................................................................37 Bay Area Rhino Court.......................................................................................................16 Big O Tires Northern California/ Nevada.............................................................................2 Bigfoot Hoops............................................................................................................23, 40 Borge U S A Indoor Soccer League....................................................................................26 Catchflame.Com...............................................................................................................33 Championship Athletic Fundraising.................................................................................22 Cheergyms.Com...............................................................................................................18 Club Sport..........................................................................................................................5 Community Youth Center.................................................................................................37 Core Performance.......................................................................................................33, 35 Core Volleyball Club..........................................................................................................34 Diablo Futbol Club............................................................................................................38 Diablo Rock Gym..............................................................................................................33 Diablo Trophies & Awards.................................................................................................33 East Bay Bulldogs Basketball............................................................................................35 East Bay Parks..................................................................................................................33 East Bay Sports Academy.................................................................................................12 Excellence In Sport Performance......................................................................................27 Foundry............................................................................................................................39 Halo Headband................................................................................................................37 Home Team Sports Photography......................................................................................33 Kangazoom......................................................................................................................32 M L B Scout Online...........................................................................................................35 Mountain Mike’s Pizza......................................................................................................17 Muir Orthopaedic Specialists............................................................................................30 Passthaball.......................................................................................................................37 Prepstarsonline.Com........................................................................................................24 Renaissance Club Sport....................................................................................................31 Rhino Sports Of Northern California.................................................................................16 Rocco’s Pizza.....................................................................................................................33 San Ramon Slammers Baseball........................................................................................34 Sky High Sports................................................................................................................33 Sport Clips........................................................................................................................25 Sports Gallery Authenticated...........................................................................................34 Sports Stars Magazine......................................................................................................33 Sportstars Magazine Wing Stop.......................................................................................36 Stevens Creek Toyota........................................................................................................19 Sutter Health East Bay........................................................................................................3 The First Tee Of The Tri Valley............................................................................................34 The Golf Club At Roddy Ranch..........................................................................................32 Tpc / The Pitching Center..................................................................................................16 U C Davis Health System...................................................................................................29 U C S F Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland......................................................................29 U S Cryotherapy................................................................................................................18 United States Youth Volleyball League.............................................................................36 Wingstop.........................................................................................................................13

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