SPORTS

Macedo retirement signals end of era

Coach will continue to instruct at Almaden Swim & Racquet Club

By Ken Lotich
Times Intern

Gerald Macedo officially retired as manager of the Almaden Swim & Racquet Club on March 1. Macedo plans to remain on staff as a swimming coach.

Although Gerald Macedo has retired as manager of the Almaden Swim & Racquet Club, he has not lost any sleep over it. In fact, he’s still getting up at 4:20 a.m.

That’s because Macedo, known as “Jerry” or “Jer” to club members and friends, will still continue to coach at the club—with morning swimming workouts that start at 5 a.m.

Macedo officially retired as manager on March 1. Macedo has been the manager of the club since its opening in 1970. “It’s the end of an era,” said Pete Bucter, current swim committee chair. “Jerry was practically the personality of the club for so many years.”

Coaching has always been Macedo’s passion. Macedo, who placed third in the 400-meter freestyle Olympic trials at Detroit in 1960 and third in the national championships in the 440-yard freestyle at Yale University in 1961, began his coaching career at Foothill College, where he was a coach for the club team.

In 1966, Macedo joined the Army and was stationed at West Point. There he got a job as a coach for the freshman swim team.

Macedo met his wife Peggy while at West Point, where she was going to school at Ladycliff College.

Macedo and his wife moved back to California shortly after they were married. Peggy went on to become a teacher for the San Jose Unified School District. Peggy currently is the discipline coordinator at Castillero Middle School. She has worked at Castillero since its opening in 1975.

In 1970, Macedo had just finished his first year as a coach at the Santa Clara Swim Club, when he heard about an opening for a manager’s position at a new swim club that was opening up in south San Jose. The rest is history.

Macedo said while he was manager of the club, he would fulfill many duties, including scheduling, supervising staff, writing the club’s newsletter, paying the bills and doing invoices.

“I didn’t have a secretary, I was the secretary,” Macedo said.

Macedo said he’s even had to fill in as a lifeguard on some occasions if no one was available to work. He believes the Almaden Swim & Racquet Club has stood the test of time because swimming and tennis are activities that are accessible to people at any age.

“There aren’t many 45-year-olds still playing basketball,” Macedo said. “But swimming and tennis are sports that one can compete in at any age.”

Macedo points out a woman in a green shirt who is playing tennis.

“She joined the club when her kids were 2 and 6,” Macedo said. “Now her oldest daughter has kids and is a member of the club.”

Macedo has a knack of remembering specific details about members’ lives, and his hospitability is what has kept many families at the club for decades.

“He has an incredible memory for people who’ve been at the club,” Bucter said. “He does a fantastic job of keeping in touch with kids on the teams after years and years.”

There are approximately 300 families that are currently members at the club. Macedo said he knows all of the members—up until his retirement of March 1.

There is one thing Macedo has forgotten though. He can’t remember how many people he’s met in his tenure at the club.

“Talking to people is an important part of the job.” Macedo said. “I’ve met tons of great people here.”
Macedo’s friendly and welcoming demeanor has been one of the key factors in the welcoming environment the club presents.

“Jer is such a people-person,” said Rocki Kramer, executive director of the Almaden Valley Counseling Service, who’s been a member of the club for 29 years. “He’s touched a lot of kids lives.”

Kramer said Macedo has been to both of her daughters’ weddings, who are also members of the club.

Although Macedo is still around as a coach, Kramer said that when he does decide to fully retire, the club will be left with a void.

“It’ll be strange to not see him around here anymore. It’ll be hard for everyone to adjust,” Kramer said.

Linda Nollette, a current board member, said when she was a teenager she worked at the Almaden Swim & Racquet Club. She said Macedo remains the same man she knew years ago.

“His personality has stayed the same,” Nollette said. “Nothing ever changed, he was always Jer.” Nollette said Macedo is the main reason the club has been successful and why families remain members for decades.

“It’s a family place, where I can go with or without my kids. It’s safe and it’s fun, and it’s this way because of Jer,” Nollette said. “Entire generations have grown up there.”

Devil Rays in Tournament of Champs

Congratulations to the Devil Rays, who won the Majors North division of Almaden Little League. They will now represent Almaden, along with the South Division’s Orioles, in the District12 Tournament of Champions.

Sports Briefs

Almaden Ladybugs host soccer tryouts
Almaden Ladybugs Premier/Class 1, U17 girls, hold tryouts for state cup and spring/fall season, every Tuesday and Thursday.  Date of birth after 7/31/88. Contact Roger Haupt (408) 779-7697, Linda Urzi (408) 723-0928.     

Soccer tryouts scheduled for Almaden Quicksilver
Almaden Quicksilver Class 3, U12 girls, is holding tryouts for spring/fall season every Tuesday and Thursday. Date of birth must be after 7/31/93. Contact John (408) 323-8768 or john@politoski.com.

Leland High School Spirit Squad hosts Junior Spirit Camp June 20-24
“Give me an L!” Leland Junior Spirit Camp is set for June 20-24 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Leland High School Quad, 6677 Camden Ave., San Jose, for students entering K-8 in fall of 2005. Age-appropriate cheers and routines. Daily snacks provided. Space is limited so sign up early. Registration fees are $125 and will be accepted on the first day of camp.

All participants invited to perform at a Leland High School football game.

Participants should wear comfortable clothing and shoes appropriate for athletics. Light jacket or sweater in case of cool weather (labeled with name) and bring a water bottle (labeled with name). Wear your sunscreen!

For more information on Leland Junior Spirit Camp, contact Angelica Niklowitz (408) 268-5549 or e-mail aniklowitz@yahoo.com.

South Valley Lacrosse Chiefs offer free clinics July 23 and Aug. 20
South Valley Lacrosse Chiefs are offering free clinics during the summer for kids in grades three through eight. The dates are July 23 and Aug. 20 from 10 a.m. to noon at Williams Elementary School in San Jose. 
The Chiefs are adding a seventh/eighth grade team in spring, 2005. The free summer clinics give newcomers a chance to try the sport before they purchase equipment (loaner sticks available on first-come, first-served basis). So bring a friend and come have some fun with lacrosse.

Please RSVP to joy.bender@prodigy.net.  The Web site is www.svlax.com.

Central Valley Edge holds youth soccer tryouts
CV Edge, a Class 3/U17 girls’ soccer team, is offering Monday/Wednesday tryouts to girls born after 7/31/88 for the fall season for all positions. Contact Patty Rashid (408) 267-2740 or Afsari at (650) 771-6213 for more information.

Almaden Metro holds soccer tryouts
Almaden Metro Class 3, U17 boys, is holding tryouts for fall season most Sundays. Date of birth after 7/31/88. Contact Jeff Earl at (408) 268-5125 or jesvo11@yahoo.com.

Pioneer summer basketball camp set for June 20-24
The Pioneer boys’ basketball coaching staff will host a summer basketball camp June 20 to 24 from 9 a.m. to noon for children ages 7 to 12. Under the direction of Mustang Head Coach Joe Berticevich and assistant coaches Doug Nishijima and Kevin Mack, the Mustang Summer Basketball Camp will emphasize fundamentals in shooting, passing, dribbling, defense and team play with daily drills and scrimmages.

The camp will also feature guest speakers from the Pioneer High School basketball team. The camp will conclude with individual competitions and prizes on the final day. Each participant will receive a camp T-shirt. The camp will be at Pioneer High School in the main gym and the cost is $100. Please make checks payable to Mustang Basketball Club and mail to: Pioneer High School c/o Joe Berticevich, 1290 Blossom Hill Road, San Jose, Calif., 95118. For more information, contact Coach Berticevich at (408) 489-3082.

Gators make a splash with 38th year of summer swimming

Kids, parents spend time and effort making Crossgates the family destination for summer

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

With school out and the summer here, the kids from the Crossgates community in Almaden are right where they should be—at the pool.

This summer, like the past 37 summers before, the Crossgates community pool will play host to the Crossgates Gators swim team, comprised of 132 neighborhood swimmers ranging in age from 3 to 18.

“It’s been a challenge, but we have an excellent coaching staff,” said Joyce Takaki, a co-parent representative for the Crossgates Gators. “We have extra coaches on duty this year, which is helping us out a lot.”

The team will compete against other swim clubs in San Jose throughout mid July and has already gotten off to a rousing start, winning the first dual meet of the season on June 4 against the Pine Hurst Piranhas.

Although the team lost its second meet on June 11 to the Almaden Dolphins, winning isn’t the overall goal for coaches Melissa Miller and David Tannaci. With a wide array of ages on the team, Miller and Tannaci focus on teaching competitive swimming the right way.

“What we coach and how we coach varies with each age group,” said Miller, who swam competitively at Presentation High and now swims on the college level at Penn State. “There’s technical concentration on all levels. The younger ones, we focus on getting their strokes legal, whereas the older ones focus on speed as well.”

Crossgates is more than just about swimming however. While the kids spend the majority of their summer at the pool with their friends learning how to swim competitively, the parents are also getting in on the act, albeit out of the pool.

Two of those parents, Takaki and Michelle Takeuchi, serve to make Crossgates a fun and thriving family destination throughout the summer.

“It’s an excellent program,” said Takaki. “It’s pretty much all neighborhood involvement and a lot of parent participation. The kids have a great time learning to swim and learning to race. And the coaches get a lot of satisfaction out of coaching because they see improvement every week.”

Takeuchi spends her time as family night and champs parade coordinator, helping put together a potluck dinner hosted by a different Crossgates family each Wednesday night. In addition, she coordinates the champs parade at the end of the swim season, a decorative celebration for the kids and parents alike.

Recently, Takeuchi and the owners of Baja Fresh on Blossom Hill Road sponsored a fund-raiser in hopes of raising money for the champs parade decorations. A portion of the proceeds of food purchases on June 8 from 5 to 9 p.m. went directly to funding the parade, with a total of $128 raised for various décor such as balloons, hats and other items.

Regardless of the time and effort spent on the part of parents, Takeuchi said the experience for both parent and child is worth the trouble.

“Every Saturday is a big commitment on the parents, to come here (Crossgates) every day and to go to every meet,” Takeuchi said. “We have to volunteer a lot, but it’s a lot of fun because you see the value in it.”

Tannaci, who has spent countless summers at Crossgates since the age of 8, isn’t surprised with the overwhelming family support and friendly atmosphere at Crossgates. Even now at the age of 20, Tannaci said he still looks forward to spending his summers there, among the people he calls friends.

“It’s like that reunion feeling you get every summer,” Tannaci said. “… I couldn’t imagine not having Crossgates around.”

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!

On May 22, Leland seniors Danny Hamouie and Isaias Asfaha coached their team to a win in the championship game of the Leland Spring Basketball League for valley middle schoolers. Players on the team included, from left, Mihir Bhaskar, Phil Habte, Suraj Dave, Matt Froehlich, Alex Rorie, Alex Ramos, and Evan Droz. Hamouie, left, and Asfaha, right, are pictured in the back. Photo courtesy www.mikejanes.com.

Athletes honored at Senior Awards Night

12 Pioneer athletes receive scholarship awards for performances on and off the field

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

Season-long efforts on the athletic fields and in the classroom were rewarded on June 9 when Pioneer held its annual Senior Awards Night for outgoing students and athletes.

Among the 176 students honored at the ceremony, a handful of Pioneer athletes were also honored by the Pioneer Athletic Booster Club for their efforts in their respective sports, as voted on by Pioneer coaches.

“I’ve seen many of these kids succeed not only on the field, but in the classroom,” said Pioneer Athletic Booster Club President Gary Nelson. “…It’s great to be able to give back to them.”

Twelve athletes received scholarships for their roles in athletics at Pioneer. Misa Tanaka received the General Excellence award for girls for her efforts in both tennis and badminton, while Collin McCarthy (football and track) and David Grometer (water polo and swimming) shared the General Excellence award handed out for the boys.

In the Outstanding Single Sport Athlete category, Amy Cusick (soccer) and Mark Bundlie (basketball) received honors as well. Cusick served as co-captain for the Pioneer girls’ soccer team, which won the Mt. Hamilton Division title and advanced into the CCS playoffs. Bundlie helped lead the boys’ basketball team into the CCS playoffs as the starting point guard and was one of the team’s leading scorers.

For the Most Inspirational Athlete award, Akalin Abulkhanou (water polo) and Andrew Schulz (football and baseball) got the nod for their efforts in overcoming adversities on and off the field.

“The inspiration in that award doesn’t have to do with what most people think,” Nelson said. “It’s about overcoming obstacles as well as the distractions and adversities.”

Nelson also received a surprise when his own son, Robbie, was nominated as a co-recipient for All-Around Athlete, along with baseball teammate Steve Matos. Nelson served as staff ace on the Pioneer baseball team’s pitching staff, compiling a 9-1 record and also served as a starting forward/guard for the basketball team. Matos was rewarded for his efforts as the starting first baseman on the baseball team and as a lineman on the football team.

“I’m very proud of my son,” Nelson said. “I was very surprised. … When I saw his name, and being a part of the process, I wanted to excuse myself from it for obvious reasons. They were very gracious with it and I think his performances on the basketball court and on the baseball field support it.”

The brotherly Pioneer athletic duo of Justin and Mike Kaufmann were mentioned as well, along with several other Pioneer students, for their performances in the Golden State Examinations. The twins were also honored with the Presidential Award for Academic Excellence.

Mike Kaufmann, who will head to Santa Clara University after starring as a starting forward in basketball and as a designated hitter in baseball, was also honored by the Marine Corps with the Most Distinguished Athlete Award. Mike Kaufmann said it was special to share the spotlight with his brother one last time.

“It’s just great,” Mike Kaufmann said of the ceremony. “This is kind of the pinnacle of our athletic careers since we’re both not going to play next year. It’s a good way to end things for Justin and I, considering how we started together.”

Justin Kaufmann, who starred in football and in baseball alongside his twin, will head to UC Santa Barbara in the fall.

Among the other athletes honored were Camille Brown (tennis and track) for All-Around Female Athlete, while Angela Nguyen and Nam Nguyen were honored with the Randee Sparrer Memorial Service Award, giving each of them a $500 scholarship. All of the other athletes honored by the Athletic Booster Club received $350 scholarships.

Almaden Little League Cubs win with 17-6 rout in Tournament of Champions opener

“Cardiac Cubs” keep slugging away toward title

By Ken Lotich
Times Intern

Although the Chicago Cubs are known as the “Lovable Losers” in Major League Baseball, one of their Little League counterparts is far from that.

The Almaden Cubs are currently in competition in the Tournament of Champions, which pits champions of several different leagues against one another.

On Saturday, the Cubs beat up on one of their own kind in their first game of the Tournament of Champions. The Cubs clubbed the Los Gatos version of the Cubs in a 17-6 rout.

Jared Ferguson led Almaden with five RBIs and two doubles. Nick Bachmeier and Andrew Wakefield each had an inside-the-park home run. Third baseman Doug Frazier, second baseman Roland Schmidt and left fielder Kenton Assadi all dished out strong defensive performances in the victory.

The Cubs have proved their dominance in the AAA North Division with a 12-8 overall record, which sealed the deal for a first-place finish. The Cubs were awarded the Tournament of Champions berth with a dominating 14-3 playoff win against the Almaden Giants on June 4. Cubs pitchers Nick Bachmeier and Jared Ferguson combined for three strikeouts with only one walk.

Manager Dave Ferguson said these kinds of wins have not been easy in the regular season, as the Cubs had a pattern of keeping games close until the last out.

Due to this trait, the Almaden team became known as the “Cardiac Cubs.”

Such an instance occurred in the Cubs first Almaden Little League AAA playoff game.

Against the Red Sox, the Cubs were down 13-5 in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Cubs rallied to score eight runs to tie the game—with two outs nonetheless.

The Cubs would claim victory with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 14-13 score.

“These kids know how to cause heartburn,” Ferguson said. “But, in the end, they would pull together as a team to make the plays and get the hits needed to win.”

The Cubs led the way in the Almaden AAA division, being the only squad to score more than 200 runs, with a grand total of 233 at the end of the regular season. The average team batting average was .398, while the average team slugging percentage was .568. The average team on base percentage was .559.

Bachmeier, Ferguson, Frazier and Assadi led the Cubs on the hill this season, combining for 161 strikeouts in the 22-game season. Daniel Raley led the team with a .604 batting average for the season.

“The key to this year’s success was getting contributions from all 12 kids, in the field and at the plate,” Ferguson said.

Leland honors six athletes for feats on and off field of play

Steven Beitashour and Kellee Quane receive Pat Tillman Award

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

THE BEST OF THE BEST. Top, from left, Andrew Mason, Jackie George and Alex Bynum; front, from left, Kellee Quane, Steven Beitashour, Casey Armstrong. Photo courtesy www.mikejanes.com

At the recent Leland Senior Award Night, Athletic Director Chris Hansen presented the Leland Athletic Awards for 2005, sponsored by the Leland Booster Club, with the following comments:

“The Gordon Leland Award is given to the most outstanding single sports male and female athlete,” said Hansen. “Criteria for this award are athletic achievement, sportsmanship, academic achievement, and leadership.”

The recipients are:
JACKIE GEORGE: “Jackie has been a four-year letterman in basketball. She earned Freshman of the Year, Sophomore of the Year, Junior of the Year, and MVP in the Mt. Hamilton division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League. Jackie was selected as First-team All League as a junior and a senior. She was selected as team captain and earned team MVP honors this year. She was also selected to play in the Reebok All Star Game. Jackie has maintained a 3.2 GPA and will be attending Chico State in the fall.”

ANDREW MASON: “Andrew is a three-year letterman in lacrosse. He was selected as First-team All League as a junior and a senior in the Peninsula Athletic League. Andrew was also selected to play on the “17 and under” All Stars as a junior and the “19 and under” All Stars as a senior. He was the recipient of the team Top Gun Award this year and has been nominated as a High School All-American. Andrew has maintained a 3.4 GPA and will attend Sonoma State in the fall.”

“The Raymond Leland Award is given to the best all around male and female athlete,” Hansen said. “Criteria for this award are athletic achievement in more than one sport, sportsmanship, leadership, and academic achievement.”

The recipients are:
CASEY ARMSTRONG: “Casey has been a four-year varsity letterman in swimming and water polo. In water polo, she was First-team All League, team MVP, and Honorable Mention in the Central Coast Section (CCS). In swimming, she has qualified for CCS competition ever year. Casey has been the league champion in the 100m breaststroke for three years, and on the league champion 200m Medley relay team. As a junior and a senior, she finished sixth and eighth in CCS on the 200m freestyle relay team. Casey has maintained a 3.8 GPA and will be attending U.C. San Diego in the fall.”

ALEX BYNUM: “Alex is a two-year varsity starter in football and a one-year letterman in track. In track, he competed in the hurdles and the shot put, qualifying for League Finals in both events. As a football player, Alex was selected to First-team All League in his junior and senior years in the Blossom Valley Athletic League. This year he won League honors as the Defensive Back of the Year and CCS Honorable Mention. He was the team captain and team MVP. Alex has maintained a 3.8 GPA and will be attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.”

“The Pat Tillman Award, presented in memory of former Charger athlete Pat Tillman, is given to the graduating senior student-athlete that best exemplifies outstanding integrity, fairness, character, athletic accomplishments, and academic achievement,” Hansen said. “This year there are two deserving recipients.”

STEVEN BEITASHOUR: “Steven is a two-year varsity soccer player who earned First-team All League honors and CCS Honorable Mention. He has maintained a 3.6 GPA but what sets Steven apart from the others is his work ethic, dedication and sportsmanship. Steven is the athlete that plays the sport for the love of the game. His character and integrity have made him a leader in his sport. Steven will be attending San Diego State in the fall. It is truly fitting for him to receive the Pat Tillman award.”

KELLEE QUANE: “Kellee is a three-year varsity field hockey player and a two-year varsity lacrosse player. In field hockey, she earned Second-team All League honors as a sophomore and First-team All League honors as a junior and a senior. In lacrosse, Kellee earned First-team All League honors as a junior and a senior and was selected to play on the NorCal All-Star team. She was team MVP in both sports and is a natural leader both on and off the field. Kellee has maintained a 3.8 GPA and will be attending UCLA in the fall. She has shown great character and integrity and for this is deserving of the Pat Tillman Award.”

Leland and Pioneer BVAL All-League selections for spring sports

Leland baseball – Mt. Hamilton Division:
Lance Gemette: Co-Sophomore of the year
Danny Dyer: First-team All-League
Matt Slaton: First-team All-League
Kevin Battipede: Second-team All-League

Leland softball – Mt. Hamilton Division:
Christina Saenz: First-team All-League
Vanessa Truan: Second-team All-League
Jessica Talaugon: Second-team All-League

Leland boys’ volleyball – Mt. Hamilton Division:
Scott Lucas: Junior of the Year
Tommy Phan: First-team All-League
Sam Lee: First-team All-League
Derrick Truong: Second-team All-League
Chris Hong: Second-team All-League

Pioneer baseball – Santa Teresa Division:
Robbie Nelson: League MVP
Steve Matos: Senior of the Year
Head Coach Jake Hernandez: Coach of the Year
Zane Bailey: First-team All-League
Mike Kaufmann: First-team All-League
Andrew Schulz: First-team All-League
Danny Ventura: First-team All-League
Eddie Hsieh: First-team All-League
Andy Wright: Second-team All-League
Shaun Souza: Second-team All-League

Pioneer softball – Mt. Hamilton Division:
Nicki Rebhan: First-team All-League
Katie Town: Second-team All-League

Pioneer boys’ volleyball – Mt. Hamilton Division:
Nam Nguyen: First-team All-League

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