Jan 29, 2004

Team Feet Racing has checkered history with Almaden's Les Oldenbrook on the gas

By Karl Laucher
Staff Writer

Les Oldenbrook, the lead-footed podiatrist at the helm of Team Feet Racing, fortunately has a dual nature. He's a swashbuckling risk taker when hunkered down in his sports car or on his motorcycle. He's also the gentle person you would hope personifies the medical profession.

As a longtime motorsports enthusiast
with a overworked passing gear, he usually can be seen at the head of the class, but he may now have to rev up the skill saw to build a trophy case just for his 2003 achievements. In the next month, Oldenbrook, 58, will be accepting awards for winning the D Sports Racer championship in the San Francisco Region of the Sports Car Club of America, and as an age-division winner Southern California Section of the American Motorcycle Association's Big 6 Grand Prix Series (age50-plus motocross); he also was runner-up in the Los Angeles Old Timer's Motocross (OTMX) Association International Series (50-plus division).

The good doctor, whose medical practice is located next to the Los Gatos Medical Center, begins his quest for more checkered flags in the name of rest and relaxation this weekend as a motocross entry in competition near Pairndale in South California. Some people might want to sleep for a week after a weekend of ripping over sand dunes and jagged boulders in a suit of armor, but it's recreational business as usual for Oldenbrook.

Despite his successes, his ambition would seem to be rather modest: "My goal in racing is just to have a good time," he said. "I want to do as well as I can and load up the car or bike at the end of the weekend, with the car or bike in one piece, and me being able to walk back to the office Monday morning under my own power."

His investment in motorsports and his results tell us another story. He has about $60,000 invested in his race car, a sports car known as a Cheetah, but that's a bargain compared the Indy-car style Formula Atlantic machine he drove to a SCCA championship in 1996. Racing on the SCCA circuit might cost as much as $3,000 per weekend for tires, gas, mechanical help, transportation, housing, etc. Motorcycle racing is cheaper, but more dangerous. He had to be carried out of the Hollister all-terrain vehicle park with a brace of broken bones a few years ago.

Nevertheless, Oldenbrook has found the racing life quite compatible with the career and his family life. His sons Brad, 35, and Steve, 31, also have the competitive additive as motorsports racers. Les’s wife, Georgia, seems to feel her husband's avocation fits like a foot in a sock. "We've been together since we were 16 years old, and he's always had a love for cars and motorcycles/' she said. "He has .worked hard to pursue his ideals, and I'm happy to see him enjoy himself. And I worked hard to help him do that."

Yeah, Les successfully made racing a family activity, thus enhancing the glow of his great escape. "I enjoy the challenge of the racing and the feeling of accomplishment when doing well," he said. "I really enjoy the driving and riding fast, speeding down the straights going thru the corners at speeds we shouldn't be, flying thru the air over jumps on the motorcycle, working my way up to catch and then pass someone, the whole thing. What's not to like!" Oldenbrook obviously is proud of his double life, one apparently nurturing the other. "I am a very calm, have a very laid-back kind of personality and am very soft spoken." he notes. "With this and that I am a doctor, people are surprised that I race either one (cars or motorcycles). And, if they show up at a race, they are surprised at the aggressive racing and 'race face' I exhibit on the track."

He's a doctor responsible for keeping his patients on their feet, who also has a degree in engineering. I think we can can conclude that Les Oldenbrook knows something about locomotion.

Leland cheerleaders take roller coaster ride to nationals
Despite losing coach, girls will defend title

By Miranda Schultz
Sports Editor

The award-winning Leland High School spirit squad voted Monday against going to nationals this year to defend their championship title after their coach resigned. The next day, Tuesday, a meeting with parents and administration concluded with a vote in favor of the trip to the National Championship at the U.S.A. Nationals in Anaheim on March 19.

The change of heart only gives the administration at Leland a little over a month to hire a new coach, and it gives the girls only that much time to prepare, especially considering they haven’t practiced with a coach in over a month.

Lyndsay Hunt, a former Leland and Bret Harte cheerleader, was in her first year as the cheer coach at Leland. Hunt, 22, previously coached at Bret Harte and led them to two consecutive national championships. Her “departure” from Leland wasn’t something she considers to have been her choice, though administration at Leland confirms that she resigned.

Yet another flip flop
Hunt said that she resigned because, “some parents really wanted me out and weren’t going to stop until their wishes were granted. It wasn’t fun anymore; it was more of a struggle.”

Concerned parents compiled a list of injuries and presented it to the school board and threatened a lawsuit, claiming that in comparison to other spirit squads Leland had an abundance of injuries. Also, they claimed Hunt never filled out the required paperwork for injuries.

”I think they recorded 17 injuries,” says Hunt, “Some of those so-called injuries were things like broken nails and scraped knees. There are going to be injuries when people are being thrown in the air.” Then there was talk about a non-parent advisor being hired. Some parents felt that Hunt was too young, didn’t follow the rules and an advisor would be helpful for guidance in areas such as correctly reporting injuries.

Hunt says the administration at Leland told her that an advisor would be hired, and that after that she wouldn’t be allowed to make any coaching decisions. Feeling helpless, she resigned after speaking to the girls about it. Later that day, supportive parents approached Hunt and asked her to rethink her decision. Hunt agreed, and promptly rescinded her resignation.

Then on Jan. 9, Hunt received a call from a school board member, announcing they would accept her resignation. “I told the person that I wasn’t resigning, that I was resuming practice because I didn’t resign and I wasn’t fired,” she says, “I told them that if they were firing me, I needed paperwork in the mail.” Hunt received her termination letter shortly thereafter.

One team member states, “I think that some of the parents and girls were really selfish, and put what they wanted in front of the [needs of the] team. If Lyndsay was still with us, we wouldn’t have to rush to get ready for nationals. Now we only have a month to practice.”

Back to basics
Sides were chosen, those against Hunt, and those for the coach. It was over, but it wasn’t over, leaving the real victims—the members of the spirit squad—in the balance. They had to sit back and witness what one parent considers, “evil in their hometown.”
After Tuesday’s meeting, it was confirmed that Leland was close to hiring a new coach and that they would practice four days a week instead of two, for the time remaining before nationals.

One parent felt that allowing the girls to vote on a trip to nationals wasn’t the right thing to do. “It was obvious, the state the girls were in, without a coach, without practicing, without support of administration, of course they are going to vote not to go, they were frustrated and tired,” she said. “That isn’t right. We don’t teach our children to give up, and allowing them to vote gave them a choice, showing them that giving up was OK.”

The parent, who asked that her name not be disclosed, also added, “I think Leland handled the situation in an unprofessional manner, and without the best interest of the girls at hand, even though we’re going to nationals, I’m still really disappointed in the way they handled it.”

Through all of their ups and downs this season, the Leland spirit squad will take the journey to Anaheim in March to defend their first place title. Hunt says she wishes she could be with the girls. “I really care about them, and I hope they do well and find a way to make some good out of this season.”

The one bright spot in the whole chain of events is that the girls finally feel appreciated by the teams they cheer for. “My daughter told me that in all the years she’s cheered she’s never had a team come over and thank them for cheering,” said one mom. “When they did that after a game recently that really made her feel good.”

Wrestling at Pioneer, Leland numerically challenged
It appears Almaden Valley is in dire need of a pee wee wrestling program to help kids understand the balance of power early in life. How about a clinic by Hulk Hogan, or The Rock? Anything. Anything to get high school wrestling back in a contender mode. Let’s face it, the only thing more grim than Pioneer High School’s 61-14 loss to Westmont High last week was the 62-11 crushing applied to Leland High School by Mt. Pleasant High.

OK, let’s count the positives. For Pioneer it was pins by Armando Apolinar at 275 pounds and Tuan Nguyen at 125 pounds, plus a “technical” win by sophomore Brian Watts at 112 pounds. Watts was the shining light for the Mustangs in the prestigious Mid-Cal Tournament in Gilroy over the weekend, finishing with two wins and two losses, earning fourth place overall.

Leland got only a pin by Mark Azzarello at 121 pounds and a 21-1 decision by junior Brian Herz at 137 pounds while being dismantled by Mt. Pleasant. Herz gave the Chargers something else to lift their spirits by upsetting the No. 3 and No. 4 seeded wrestlers in the weekend Overfelt tournament. He apparently then ran out of inspiration and lost his final two matches to settle for fourth place.

Leland returned to action Wednesday night, hosting Branham High, but, like Pioneer, hopes to find future hard-core wrestlers in the Blossom Valley Junior Varsity Championships at San Jose High Academy on Saturday, Jan. 31. The Chargers wind up BVAL play at Leigh High School on Feb. 5, 6:30 p.m., and host the BVAL Varsity Championships Feb. 7. Pioneer finishes its BVAL season hosting Andrew Hill High on Thursday, Feb. 5, 6:30 p.m.

--By Karl Laucher

Player of the week

Shawn Killin, forward
Class: Senior
Sport: Pioneer Basketball

As Pioneer continues its sweep of the Blossom Valley Athletic League, Santa Teresa Division, senior Shawn Killin appears to play a larger and larger role in each victory.

This week, Killin poured in 21 points, and grabbed 12 rebounds in the Mustangs’ victory over Independence High School. Then, versus Gunderson High School in a battle for first place, Killin lead Pioneer in scoring connecting for another 13, helping Pioneer to a 6-0 start in league.

“Shawn’s performance is really peeking at the right time,” says Pioneer head coach, Blaine Hashimoto. “There is nothing more I could ask of her at this point.”

Meaghan Kabatsos #11
Class: Junior
Sport: Leland Soccer

“Meaghan scored two goals this season against Piedmont Hills, which pushed us ahead for the win,” said Leland Coach John Vasquez.
Kabatsos, an outside halfback, has two goals and two assists for the season.

* Due to an editorial error, this players name was printed incorrectly last week.

Sports Schedules

Pioneer
Thursday 1/29/04
Girls basketball vs. Branham 5:30/7
Girls soccer @ Santa Teresa 3:15

Friday 1/30/04
Boys basketball @ Andrew Hill 6/7:30
Boys soccer @ Overfelt 3:15

Saturday 1/31/04
Wrestling JV finals hosted by San Jose

Tuesday 2/3/04
Girls basketball vs. Andrew Hill 5:30/7
Girls soccer @ Leland 3:15

Wednesday 2/4/04
Boys basketball vs. Gunderson 5:30/7

Leland
Thursday 1/29/04
Girls soccer @ Prospect 3:15

Friday 1/30/04
Boys soccer @ Oak Grove 3:15
Boys freshman basketball @ Silver Creek 4pm
Boys basketball @ Mt. Pleasant 3, 4:30, 8
Girls basketball @ Piedmont Hills 5:30/7

Tuesday 2/3/04
Boys basketball vs. Overfelt 5:30/7
Girls soccer @ Leland 3:15

Wednesday 2/4/04
Boys freshman basketball vs. Piedmont Hills 3:30
Boys soccer vs. Andrew Hill 3:15
Girls basketball vs. Westmont 5:30/7

Another achiever
Brandon Shilling, 12, a seventh grader at Valley Christian Junior High, one of eight Northern California junior swimmers selected to participate last weekend in the Pacific Swimming All-Star competition in Olympia, Wash., where he was a top-10 finisher in the 100-meter individual medley. Macedo happened to have coached Brandon’s father, Ken, at the Santa Clara Swim Club more than three decades ago.

SPORTS BRIEFS

Special Olympics needs volunteers to coach athletes

Special Olympic athletes will soon embark on a busy sports season and they need your help. Training sessions for runners, jumpers, swimmers and other athletes will be held at various sites throughout the valley and coaches, assistants and sport volunteers are needed to train, assess and assist these athletes to learn new skills and improve their game.

There are 17 different sports to choose from and no experience is necessary, just enthusiasm and a sense of humor.

The next new volunteer orientation is Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. at Hoover Community Center, 1677 Park Ave., San Jose.

For more information visit www.sonc.org, or call (408) 392-0170.

San Jose Earthquakes name former MLS and U.S. national team star Alexi Lalas president and general manager

At a press conference held on Tuesday, Timothy J. Leiweke, president and CEO of AEG, announced that former United States national team member and seven-year MLS veteran Alexi Lalas would oversee all business and soccer operations for the club as general manager.

Lalas, a five-time MLS all-star player becomes the first former player to serve as president of a league team.
“There is no one as qualified to help us take the sport and franchise to the next level as Alexi,” said Leiweke, “He’s been a national team star, the first true American-born star in the MLS and now has the opportunity to make history as he demonstrates the integration of American soccer’s impact on the sport by serving as the first MLS player to be named a club president.”

Lalas, 33, is a Detriot, Mich. native and has long been one of the leading figures in United States soccer, cementing his place in MLS history by making five all-star appearances and being selected to the 2002 Best XI squad. He represented the U.S. in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics and the 1994 World Cup. In 1995 he was named U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year, and earned a sport on the Gannett U.S. Soccer “All-Century Team” and he was a finalist for the Honda Player of the Decade award.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to join an already established, championship team and to direct their continued growth from both the business end as well as the player personnel. I pledge to the entire San Jose Earthquake organization and their fans that we will continue to build a club that will be successful, profitable and respected both on and off the field,” says Lalas of joining the two-time defending MLS cup team.

Leiweke confirmed that a solution is necessary to better facilitate the Earthquakes in San Jose and said that AEG was prepared to invest in facility construction.

“We are committed to the San Jose Earthquakes, and to the community,” says Leiweke, “and we have yet to give this organization its best shot in this community.”

-By Miranda Schultz

Leland girls bounce back from loss with a decisive victory over Santa Teresa

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Leland girls basketball
A wise man once said that “an iron man never falls,” inferring that no adversity is so great that an iron man should remain beat. Well, let’s not be sexist, wise man. Obviously, the same goes for women. This week, the lady Chargers of Leland High School refused to stay down, showing Santa Teresa High School how warriors respond to a surface wound.

Suffering their first loss in Blossom Valley Athletic League Mount Hamilton Division competition coming at the hands of Del Mar High School on Jan. 16, the Chargers came out firing Jan. 23, taking no prisoners, and, frankly, humiliating S.T. by a score of 67-37.

“We used the bye (Jan. 21) to work on changing the style of our game,” explained Leland coach Wade Nakamura. “I felt we’d been a little stagnant on both ends of the court.”

Leland appeared anything but stagnant on Friday. The new look proved to be more up-tempo than the half-court, post-up game the Chargers have relied on in the past.

“I’d say this is the best we’ve played all season,” said junior forward Jackie Jones, who dumped in 12 points before being pulled for the entire fourth quarter, saving the Saints from further trauma. “After the Del Mar game, we wanted to come out and show everybody we’re the best team in the league.”

Mission accomplished. Heading into the second half of a tough MHAL season, Leland is in first place with a 12-5, 4-1 league record.

“Of course we weren’t planning on losing in the first half,” said Nakamura. “But we’re still in great shape. Del Mar was a good wake-up call. We’re going to continue to work on our attitudes and approach to the game. We aren’t going to take our success for granted.”

After finishing out the top half of the league schedule on Jan. 28 at Piedmont Hills High School, Leland will return home to battle with Oak Grove High School on Friday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Leland boys basketball continues year-long battle

The Chinese New Year has arrived and I know where the monkey is hiding. The Leland High School boys basketball team has stowed him at their place, carrying the primate on their backs throughout this season of repair.

Last week, Leland extended its losing streak in league competition to five games, dropping an ugly one to lowly Prospect High School, 62-48, before over achieving versus league-leader Willow Glen High School, hanging around till late in the fourth quarter, where Leland finally fell, 59-51.

But we knew it would be a tough year for the Chargers, who return no starters from last year’s squad and are currently lead by two sophomores, David Farsai and James Kogura, in both spirit and scoring.

Versus Prospect and Willow Glen, Farsai continued his campaign for Blossom Valley Athletic League, Santa Teresa Division (STAL) Sophomore of the Year. The 6-1 guard tallied 35 points over two games, bringing his team-leading average to 12.2 points per game, overall.

After seven games and one bye in league competition, Leland is 5-12, 2-5 in league, and sits in a fairly respectable fifth place position amongst the other seven teams in the STAL.

Throughout the last seven games, look for Charger sage Dave Frandsen to have the boys whipped into shape and finishing strong securing something to build on for his 2004-2005 team.

Next, Leland faces Mount Pleasant High School at Mount Pleasant tonight. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Pioneer boys basketball team finally falls, girls remain balanced

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Pioneer suffers first loss in league
Maybe it’s a blessing. Like a straight right in the first round, the boys basketball team suffered their first loss in league last week. They’ve since adjusted, and remain ready for whatever ever else their opponents can dish out. You’ve got to figure it’s less than whatever Pioneer High School, with senior point guard Ceylon Elgin-Taylor, can summon.

On Jan 21, with Elgin-Taylor, who currently leads the CCS in scoring with 420 points, the Pioneer Mustangs fell victim to the Eagles of Oak Grove High School at Oak Grove, losing 71-64 in overtime.

“We had our opportunities,” admitted Pioneer Coach Joe Berticevich. “Oak Grove played very well, but we had our opportunities.”

After jumping out to a 16-11 first-quarter lead, Pioneer got used in the second quarter going into the locker room behind, 22-29. However, they fought back in the second half, leading by as many as five points towards the end of the third.

But for every action by Pioneer, O.G. had a reaction.

When Pioneer forward Mike Kaufman hit a three-point play to secure the five-point lead and invaluable momentum, Oak Grove responded with a three-point basket of its own epitomizing the Eagles’ effort on the night.

At the end of regulation Pioneer missed two shots, sending the game into overtime, where the Eagles took control, finally edging out the Mustangs.

“It was a very hard-fought game by both teams,” said Berticevich.

After having faced Leigh High School on Jan. 28, Pioneer returns to the top of its schedule to play Andrew Hill High School at Andrew Hill on Jan. 30. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

“No matter if we’re 5-1 or 4-2 going into the second half of league, we’re still doing real well,” said Berticevich. We’re taking it one game at a time, and, frankly, our league is probably as tough as competing in the CCS playoffs. That’s our ultimate goal. To be ready for CCS.”

Alone at last: Pioneer girls secure first place with victory over Gunderson

Nothing good lasts forever…unless you play on Pioneer High School’s girls basketball team. Then your winning streak lasts forever. At least six games into league, anyway.

After beating Independence High School 68-53 on Jan. 22, the lady Mustangs of Pioneer High marched into Gunderson High School Jan. 27 and declared first place their own, beating the previously undefeated Grizzlies, score.

Now all alone atop the Blossom Valley Athletic League Santa Teresa Division (STAL), Pioneer remains 17-3, 6-0, and can’t remember what it’s like to lose.

“Gunderson was a great showing for us,” says Pioneer Coach, Blaine Hashimoto. “It was a very tough game. It lived up to all the expectations of a first place showdown.”

Senior forward and Gunderson transfer Brenae Perkins wielded the guiding light and, overcoming the Grizzlies’ top defensive performer, Bianca Macey’s hounding scored 12 points in her unofficial homecoming.

“They came out more fired up than us,” said Perkins of her former teammates at Gunderson. “But after the first time out we adjusted.”

Pioneer lived up to their reputation, maintaining a balanced attack, finally boasting three players in double figured scoring. Senior forward Shawn Killin finished with 13, while junior guard Camille Brown dropped in 11.

Next for the Mustangs are the Bruins of Branham High School, whom they play at home tonight at 7 p.m. The girls follow with a contest versus Andrew Hill High School on Feb. 3.