Some feeder programs are a must, others are a luxury

In the realm of high school athletics, among the biggest buzz phrases you
will hear revolves around the importance of having a feeder program. 

The feeder program is commonly known as the junior varsity and/or
freshmen teams. Feeder programs can also refer to youth sports teams
including but not limited to football, little league baseball/softball and
soccer. 

I am a huge believer in that regardless of which level of competition, kids
need to know there is a scoreboard. They need to know that one team
wins, the other team loses. However, what is more important is that there
is a right and a wrong way to preach the importance of winning. 

At the younger levels, or what I like to identify as non varsity, the
emphasis is mostly about development, such as learning responsibility,
fundamentals, preparation, sportsmanship, putting academics ahead of
athletics, etc. 

With high school football games beginning in earnest in Napa Valley, CA,
on Friday, one hot topic of conversation has been how Napa does not
have a freshmen team while crosstown rival Vintage does. Neither
American Canyon nor Justin-Siena have such teams either though they
had them in past years. The reason it is significant why Vintage has one
while Napa does not is because the latter could not field one last year
because the roster size did not allow for such. In the offseason, the
members of the coaching strongly suggested that freshmen football would
return only to recently say it was not returning. 

I can understand the disappointment in part because it is a buzzkill not
having another level the Big Game, which the Napa/Vintage rivalry is
known as. While I can also understand the desire to have another level
of a feeder program, I ask, “Is it really that big of a deal not to have
freshmen football?” I would say in today’s climate of football participation
declining, it’s a luxury to have it but not necessarily a minus if you don’t
have it. 

According to forbes.com, the National Federation of High School
Associations reported the number of 11-player football participants is down
6.5 percent from its 2009-10 peak. That's still more than 1 million
participants, making it the most popular sport played by high school boys.
While the death of football has been exaggerated to a certain degree, the
declines are getting to be big enough to be noticeable at some schools.

The reasons for the decline have been addressed ad nauseum, including but
not limited to concussion fears. However, given the increased awareness of
concussion diagnosis, equipment upgrades, emphasis on teaching tackling
as opposed to hitting, etc. have made the game safer, it’s not enough to
convince some parents. As a father of a 10-year old son, I have no qualms
about him playing the sport but I’ll leave that decision in his hands. He’s
happy playing soccer, which is fine by me. 

Unless there is a sudden trend of the declining numbers reversing, that factor
is likely to contribute to fewer schools fielding freshmen football. 

On Saturday, while running errands, I had a chance to listen to Vintage High
athletic director Cam Neal being interviewed on the KVON (1440 AM)
Sportsvine with Ira Smith and Dino Alessio. Among the issues Neal
addressed was finding games in lieu of discovering that only a certain number
of teams are fielding freshmen football. Neal added that Vintage, despite this
problem has a full slate of games, which could be attributable to Neal and
the Vintage coaching staff being well apprised of which schools carry
freshmen football and are looking for games. 

The ability to have a feeder program comes down to supply and demand,
not just supply. You need a dance partner in order to dance. The viability of
freshmen and/or JV sport not only lies in does your program have enough
numbers but are you able to find enough games to justify having a season? 

One such situation I witnessed up close was my years covering St. Helena
and Calistoga. Granted, those two schools don’t even combine for 1,000
students, but for a moment, never mind the big school vs. small school
issue. I remember in the mid 2000s, St. Helena had both JV and varsity
soccer teams, both boys and girls. However, since so few teams in its league
had JV teams, the Saints would play maybe 10 games per year at most in a
sport that mostly has 20 plus on the varsity side. That amount after a period
of time became too few to justify having a team. 

In the same span, I remember the Calistoga boys having enough players for
both JV and varsity but opted not to field the former because it could not
find remotely enough opponents. Again, this is not a football or soccer
issue. It is about the principle of you have the bodies but not enough
opponents.  

Relative to the initial subjects, Napa and Vintage football, the former has
seen its program numbers dwindle in large part to four coaching changes
in as many years, fallout from an alleged hazing scandal as well as the
Indians mascot name being replaced by the Grizzlies. In the meantime,
Vintage has seen an uptick in momentum since 1992 graduate Dylan
Leach became the head coach in 2016 thanks to its on-field success
coinciding with a side order of Napa’s downfall. Napa, however, has a
talented varsity roster coupled with a favorable nonleague schedule?
Expect Napa to have a drastic turnaround season. I’m on record saying
the Grizzlies will go 6-4 if they have a bad year but 8-2 is a strong
possibility. Can it reverse the downward momentum enough to give a
whisper of hope at freshmen football returning? We shall see. 

When it comes to feeder programs, I believe they are necessary. Others,
however, are simply a plus but not a must. 

Sometimes passions must be paused

Sometimes the best decision is a difficult decision. 

Yours truly encountered that reality earlier this week as my freelance
sports reporting life will be on pause for the time being. To set the
scene, I was a sports reporter in the newspaper industry for 18 years
before changing careers in December 2014. That process actually
began two years earlier but I exited the newspaper industry on my
own accord at the aforementioned time. 

After the career change, I kept my writing passion afloat by
establishing this blog but also continuing to help my former employer,
the Napa Valley Register and on occasion the Lake County Record
Bee, with Friday Night high school football coverage. After leaving
the industry, I had planned on going to games as a spectator but my
former colleague, Andy Wilcox, asked if I would be interested in
covering games. I obliged because I would have gone to games as
a spectator so why not get something out of it. 

High school football coverage became my mistress, for lack of a
better term. However, it was not entirely about Team A beating Team
B with Johnny rushing for 255 yards. Granted, witnessing the game
and articulating it was the job I was getting paid to do but it was also
about the camaraderie. Those relationships included everyone from
coaches, student-athletes, parents, game crew, etc. It was also
about that post-work pregame meal at Napoli Pizza in Vallejo, CA.
Yes, that is free advertising for my cousins but I’m doing it because
I can. Shoutout to my Guerrera cousins. 

The days were ungodly long. Getting up at 4:15a to run my route for
Alhambra water (my current job), working eight-plus hours of
physical work, eat dinner, take stats for both JV and varsity games
and write my story when I got home, enjoying fermented grape juice
in the process. Even though I was often spent from work 16 hours,
I felt fulfilled. 

I hoped against hope for that trend to continue this year but it
simply is not in the cards. The reason I am going to have to put my
freelance sports reporting duties on pause based on having three
kids (ages 12, 10 and 10) involved in sports this fall. One of which
will involve taking one to practice at a time that coincides with high
school football games. I had prepared myself for this scenario but
did not want to opt out of football coverage until necessary. This is
not the first year my kids have been involved in sports but in the
past their activities never coincided with high school football. 

While my reasons for leaving the newspaper industry centered
around its decline and the scattershot schedule making family life
more challenging, kids involved in activities is yet another reason.
I could not look my kids in the eye and say, “I have a game to
cover.” Kids’ reply, “But daddy, I am playing in a game.” I know
newspaper reporters that have been able to make it work but that
would be too maddening for my taste. 

For those who know me, I’m not a hobby oriented person. I never
took to hunting, fishing or working on cars. Therefore, my former
career became my hobby. Although I have recently taken up
making my own homemade pasta sauce. 

I'm not going to lie, there will be a void in my life not regularly
covering high school football on Friday nights in the fall. It has
been a central part of my life since moving back to California from
Nebraska in 1998. However, I only get one chance at this father
thing and high school sports aren’t going anywhere. The decision
was purely mine. No one, including my wife or kids, had to ask me.
I was hoping to remain involved in high school football coverage
but given the circumstances, it was probably wishful thinking. If my
schedule changes, however, I will reach out to my former employer.
I will also remain a fan and supporter by listening to games on the
radio and following Twitter feeds. 

I don’t need to be convinced this is the right decision but I will find
a way to keep my passion going. Anything you leave on your terms,
you can return in similar fashion. 

Sometimes difficult decisions are a no-brainer to make. 

Managing preseason optimism as a fan

Is the glass half full, half empty or is it a matter of what is in the
glass?

That question is another way of asking, are you an optimist, a
pessimist or a realist?

To be a sports fan (high school, college or professional) before
the season is about being an optimist, even if you know that your
team does not have a snowball’s chance in Tempe at a winning
season, let alone a championship. Some fans will be pessimists
or realists no matter what kind of team most expect. Point being,
if you can’t be optimistic when the team is 0-0, when can you be
feeling good?

Then once you see the team go about one-third of the way
through the season, there are flaws that get revealed. Some of
those shortcomings, you foresaw, others you did not anticipate.
The most unpredictable thing is injuries. You can help your
chances at limiting soft tissue injuries by diligently stretching but
you have no control of someone landing awkwardly on your leg,
tearing ligaments and/or breaking bones in the process. 

When the season begins, you have your own idea of what the
team can achieve from a win-loss perspective. If the team attains
that record, then you play it out in real time and play the “what if”
game. Let’s say you are a fan of an NFL team that goes 8-8. I
can only speak for how I feel but if I expected 4-12, I won’t be
satisfied but pleasantly surprised. If I expected 12-4, short of
having multiple starters miss most of the season with injuries,
I’m going to be disappointed. 

Another favorite preseason talking point is when someone asks,
“How does the team look in practice?” When I covered the
Oakland Raiders for a fan magazine from 1999-2005, that
question was exceedingly popular and even trickled into the
high school ranks. My sardonic witted answer was pretty similar
each time: a) No one tripped or fell down and b) They are
undefeated in practice and they look like they know what they
are doing. 

The overarching theory about preseason optimism regardless
of sport is that as a fan, unless you are in the Negative Nancy
category, you see your team and envision the best version of
what they can become. If you are a media member covering
the team, you play both sides of the fence to appease your
readers. You present what you believe the team can be as well
as the worst version. Then, you split the difference. 

As a San Francisco 49ers fan, the best I see the 2019 team
becoming is 10-6, the worst is 6-10. So I’ll split the difference
and say 8-8. As a Nebraska Cornhuskers fan, the best I see
the 2019 team becoming is 10-2. The worst record I envision
is 7-5. To split the difference, I’ll say 8-4 or 9-3. 

As a San Francisco Giants fan, I anticipated the 2019 team
to win 75 games. As of this writing, the team is 60-61 and still
on the outskirts of playoff contention thanks to a 19-6 record in
July. That mark, however, appears to be an outlier of what
defines this team. 

Preseason optimism is great, just be sure to sprinkle in some
realism. 

Time Out with Mike Krzyzewski -- Duke men's basketball head coach

By G.S. Whitt

Editor’s note: Duke University head men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski has played a key role in the Jimmy V Foundation for the past several decades as the organization helps try to an end to cancer with research funding.

This year’s V Foundation Wine Celebration raised this past weekend raised $7 million, all of which will go towards cancer research.

This is a Q and A with the legendary Coach K. This story originally appeared in the St. Helena Star. 

G.S. Whitt: What are your memories of Coach Valvano’s speech at the 1993 ESPY Awards?

Coach Mike Krzyzewski: Well, Jimmy and I were like brothers and whatever he did does not surprise and when he spoke, and when he gave that speech it was his farewell. And so, he knew it and but what he did was not only inspire us, but he set the stage to form the V Foundation and fight this dreadful disease. And it was remarkable really. I actually always think it’s like divine intervention.

(Editor’s note: The V Foundation was founded by ESPN and champion basketball coach Jim Valvano to help fund cancer research. Valvano passed away from cancer in 1993, two months after giving a now legendary speech at the ESPY Awards.)

GW: Can you talk about the birth of the V Foundation and conversations you had with Coach Valvano?

MK: What he did the last four or five months of his life he was at Duke Medical Center. We became close when he became an announcer. We weren’t close when he was a coach. But when he was in the hospital there, I would visit him maybe three times a week or so and he eventually told me of his vision of ‘I want to beat cancer’ and he said ‘I want you to be part of it,’ and he recruited me. I wasn’t a five-star guy or maybe in his mind I was. But he said I want to win, and I’m not going to win. He knew already that there was no cure. And for him to have the attitude that he had was simply sensational. Not good, sensational. And I truly believe there was divine intervention and I’m so proud of him that he was able to look (beyond himself).

GW: So, where are we in that battle against cancer?

MK: We’re in a good place. We’re winning, but we haven’t won. But the Wine Celebration has been a huge part of all this. It’s raised over $108 million dollars in 20 years, and what’s even more important is it’s raised over S40 million in the last three years, so it’s a key thing in bringing money, for research, but also for awareness and a belief that we can win. Obviously, cancer is being beaten at certain levels, it’s just not being beaten at every level, and so we’re making amazing strides and The V Foundation wants to be part of that. But The V Foundation wants to be a part of it when we win.

GW: So what do you want the people who attend the event (Saturday night) to take away from their experience?

MK: Well, one we have been so successful in raising money the last few years at an extraordinary level, $40 million in the last three years, but we can’t get complacent. Cancer is not complacent. Cancer is a dirty dog and so not to be happy, but to be proud. If you’re happy, you may not go further. But if you’re proud you may take it to another level.

GW: So, don’t be satisfied.

MK: Don’t be satisfied. … Cancer hates Napa.

GW: That’s true.

MK: No, it does. It hates Napa because Napa is passionate. It’s persistent. It’s tough. It seeks excellence and it’s not going to go away.

GW: So you’re going into your 40th year coaching at Duke, we talk about the brotherhood (of Duke Basketball) that’s a big thing for Duke.

MK: It is, that’s right.

GW: In a word or two, can you describe what the brotherhood is like?

MK: The Brotherhood has been an amazing thing and the fact that I’ve been there for forty straight years helps. We have a fantasy camp where we bring back 35 of our former players. We try to blend the guys of every era together and the thing that they find is that they’re very much alike. They’re good guys. They love being at Duke, and they love our program. And then if we can blend them, they help one another. It’s not a family. It’s a brotherhood. It’s different. A family’s different than a brotherhood. And I’m very proud of my guys that they want that.

GW: What do the words brotherhood and family mean to you in this context of fighting cancer and nights like tonight?

MK: Cancer is only going to be beaten if you have a team effort. It’s a horrible disease but horrible is only beaten by togetherness and passion. First of all, wine is the only drink that evokes emotion. You can drink beer and scotch and all that. It doesn’t evoke emotion. That doesn’t mean people don’t enjoy [beer and scotch] but wine does that.

GW: It brings people together.

MK: It does, and the only way you do this is to be emotionally involved and that’s why I’ve loved it as a member of the Board of Directors (of The V Foundation). I said I want The Wine Celebration and I believe that this is the most important thing of The V Foundation.

GW: Why do you think it is the most important thing?

MK: Well, one: it raises the most money. But the other thing is we can celebrate The Scientific Advisory Committee by being here. We can announce whatever accomplishments we’ve done here. It gives us a forum that is unique and high class. So, I’m really happy about it. I’m very, very, proud.

CIF North Coast Section Div. VII five-year trends

This is the fourth story in a series looking at the re-alignment of the CIF
North Coast Section football playoff format as it pertains to Napa Valley
high school football programs. Today, the focus is on Div. VII, where the
St. Helena Saints will compete. 

The St. Helena Saints got back to the business of winning seasons and
recording playoff games in 2018, something they did quite regularly in the
first half of the 2010s. 

The 2018 Saints went 7-5 including a 48-22 win over Hoopa Valley in the
NCS Div. V playoffs. Two of the Saints five defeats came against teams that
played for the NCS Div. V title (Middletown and Salesian). 

St. Helena’s seven wins came against teams that had a combined 28-46 record.
The five defeats came against teams that combined for a 46-17 mark.
Translation, the Saints beat the teams they should beat and had trouble against
the quality teams, which is the norm for most fair-to-midland teams. Last
season also included the 100th victory in head coach Brandon Farrell’s career. 

The 2019 version of St. Helena football comes with a lot of optimism. Thanks
to a potentially dominant of backfield foursome of Luis Robledo, Ivan
Robledo and Cody DiTomaso at running back and Daniel Martinez at
quarterback. IvanRobledo was called up from the JV team as a freshman and
rushed for 439yards on 48 carries and six touchdowns in two playoff games.

The other part of the optimism is rooted in the JV program going 18-2 the

previous two seasons under head coach Ian MacMillan, who was the Saints

varsity head coach from 2004-2006. MacMillan had multiple coaching stops

since that time before returning to St. Helena. While JV success comes with

no guarantees on the varsity level, in this case since Farrell’s program is a

proven commodity from the top on down, one would be inclined to think

that success is translatable.

The NCS made wholesale changes to its playoff format. Refer to this column: 

http://vincedadamo.blogspot.com/2019/04/ncs-football-playoff-format-
changes.html

Today, we look at the landscape of the NCS Div. VII, not so much to break
down the upcoming season but to look at how the programs have fared the
last five seasons. There are 16 teams in Div. IV with the playoff bracket
reaching up to eight teams. Here’s a closer look: 

Berean Christian (Walnut Creek)

League -- Diablo Valley

Last five seasons -- 6-6 in 2014, 11-2 in 2015, 8-4 in 2016, 4-5 in 2016, 5-5
in 2018. Five playoff appearances, five wins. 

California School for the Deaf (Fremont)

League -- Freelance

Last five seasons -- 8-3 in 2014, 5-5 in 2015, 11-2 in 2016, 5-4 in 2017, 8-3
in 2018. Four playoff appearances, two wins. 

Clear Lake (Lakeport)

League -- North Central League I

Last five seasons -- 3-7 in 2014, 2-8 in 2015, 5-6 in 2016, 7-4 in 2017, 2-8
in 2018. Two playoff appearances, two wins. 

Cloverdale 

League -- North Central League I

Last five seasons -- 6-5 in 2014, 7-4 in 2015, 2-8 in 2016, 3-7 in 2017, 7-5
in 2018. Four playoff appearances, one win. 

El Molino (Forestville)

League -- North Bay (Redwood)

Last five seasons -- 6-5 in 2014, 1-8 in 2015, 5-6 in 2016, 4-6 in 2017, 3-7
in 2018. Four playoff appearances, no wins. 

Ferndale

League -- Humbolt Del Norte (Little 4)

Last five seasons -- 5-7 in 2014, 5-5 in 2015, 7-5 in 2016, 5-7, 4-7 in 2018.
Four playoff appearances, three wins. 

Healdsburg

League -- North Bay (Redwood)

Last five seasons -- 1-9 in 2014, 3-8 in 2015, 5-6 in 2016, 3-6 in 2017, 0-2
in 2018. One playoff appearance, no wins. 

Hoopa Valley

League -- Humbolt Del Norte (Little 4)

Last five seasons -- 1-10 in 2014, 2-8 in 2015, 3-7 in 2016, 1-9 in 2017, 6-5
in 2018. Two playoff appearances, no wins. 

John Swett (Crockett)

League -- Tri County (Stone)

Last five seasons -- 9-2 in 2014, 8-3 in 2015, 6-5 in 2016, 1-8 in 2017, 1-9 in
2018. Three playoff appearances, no wins. 

McKinleyville

League -- Humbolt Del Norte (Little 4)

Last five seasons -- 5-7 in 2014, 4-7 in 2015, 2-8 in 2016, 0-9 in 2017, 2-8 in
2018. Two playoff appearances, one win. 

Oakland Military Institute

League -- West Alameda County (Shoreline)

Last five seasons -- No information found. 

Salesian (Richmond)

League -- Tri County (Rock)

Last five seasons -- 12-1 in 2014, 4-7 in 2015, 8-4 in 2016, 3-6 in 2017, 8-5
in 2018. Four playoff appearances, seven wins, one section title. 

St. Helena

League -- North Central League I

Last five seasons -- 12-2 in 2014, 9-2 in 2015, 6-5 in 2016, 3-5 in 2017, 7-5
in 2018. Four playoff appearances, four wins. 

St. Vincent (Petaluma)

League -- Freelance

Last five seasons -- 7-5 in 2014, 3-6 in 2015, 2-8 in 2016, 1-8 in 2017, 6-5
in 2018. Two playoff appearances, one win. 

Stellar Prep (Oakland)

League -- Freelance

Last five seasons -- 9-4 in 2014, 7-4 in 2015, 6-4 in 2016, 4-8 in 2017, 4-7
in 2018. Four playoff appearances, four wins. 

Willits

League -- North Central League I

Last five seasons -- 4-6 in 2014, 5-6 in 2015, 1-9 in 2016, 2-8 in 2017, 2-8
in 2018. One playoff appearance, no wins.