Ervin should be remembered as a difference maker

Sometimes you see a scenario that has played out thousands of times. While you
understand the spirit of the rule, you cannot wrap your head around the politics of
the matter.

You also take a step back and say, you hope for the best as the powers that be seek a
replacement but you see the reality. Perhaps, I can sell you beachfront property in
Wyoming or Montana.

The Napa Valley Register, which is the parent publication of the Weekly Calistogan,
reported that Mike Ervin is not returning as Calistoga High’s football head coach. Whether
that decision is his or the powers that be is up for discussion. All we can go by is what was
said publically.

Call me old-school. Call me “get off my lawn” but I view high school sports as a perfect
sanctuary for dirty laundry not being aired. Except the dirty laundry reared its head. I
want to make a couple of things very clear. For openers, I spent a lot of time covering
Ervin’s Wildcats. I consider him a friend. We have stayed in contact over the years, even
after I changed careers in Dec. 2014. We still talk via phone, text and email. I have never
met Calistoga High principal Craig Wycoff or athletic director Karen Yoder. Therefore I
have no opinions about them as people.

The 74-year old Ervin resigned based on what he considered a declining relationship with
the Calistoga High administration. The Register reported that the partnership began to shift
off course during an exit interview with Wycoff after the 2017 season. Such conversations
are commonplace. The season ends. The parties involved discuss the season. What went
well? What can be better, etc.”

Since he is an off-campus coach, Ervin is required via the California Teachers Association
to reapply for his job every season. If an on-campus employee applies for the job, said
candidate becomes top consideration. Whether said candidate gets the job is another matter.
Every district operates differently but that is another story for another day. In California,
coaches do not perform that duty based on money. They get about a $3,000 stipend per year.
That gets you about a year supplies of eggs and Linguica. Point being, they coach because
it is a labor of love.

The long and short what was reported about Ervin’s squabble with the administration is that
in past years, no one wanted to come near the job so Ervin had a clear path. Wycoff and
Yoder wanted to see if they could get a teacher/coach. Well, Yoder once coached and taught
at Napa High. Might she reach out to Troy Mott? That would be a best case scenario but
that is one big fish to land for a little pond. Mott resigned amid an alleged hazing scandal
and over a power struggle to retain his coaching staff in March 2017. Getting Mott might be
a tall order because keep in mind, he has two daughters playing softball for Napa and
commuting to Calistoga from Napa takes about 35 minutes, I doubt it. OK, I’ll stop the
hypothetical game.

Both Wycoff and Yoder told the Register they would welcome Ervin to apply for the job.
They simply stated their desire to find an on-campus coach. To that end, my argument has
been very steadfast. I don’t fault administrators for wanting an on-campus coach. It's the
reality of how they think. The person is there if a problem arises but in the age of endless
ways to communicate, that issue is not so prevalent today. With cell phones, text messaging,
skyping, etc., hell, e-mail is so 2005, communication options are endless.

The Calistoga administration's desire to find an on-campus coach is well-intentioned on the
surface but they need to understand reality. Calistoga is a landlocked area. Teachers are not
bringing in a bankroll. Plus, the cost of living is very high in the Napa Valley. They could
lure a teacher/coach but the chances of that happening are slim and none and slim left the
building.

Ervin’s legacy, however, does not change even with this tete-a-tete that went public.

Ervin has nearly 50 years’ experience coaching football at the high school, junior college,
four-year college, and semi-pro level. Either as head coach or an assistant, he has coached
at Anderson Valley High, Ukiah High, Reed High in Sparks, Nevada, Santa Rosa JC,
Sonoma State, Analy High, Cardinal Newman High and the North Bay Rattlers.

At Calistoga, he sparked two rebuild jobs. Calistoga went 1-7 but only played four games
on the field in 2005. Believe me, that situation was a hot mess. The Wildcats went 7-5 in
2006. Ervin resigned after the 2010 campaign. The Paul Harrell era lasted from 2011-2014.
The middle was very good, going 14-7. The beginning and end were ugly, going 2-18.
Ervin came back for 2015 as Calistoga committed to 2015. I remember telling him, “Coach,
I love you but what the hell are you thinking?” Well, the Wildcats were 17-7 from 2015-2017.

Ervin’s impact, however, goes beyond the win-loss record. For many of these kids, Ervin
was a father-figure they lacked. The biggest impact he made was having after school study
hall programs that helped kids stay academically eligible. I get that competing in athletics
is a privilege, not a right, but without athletics, there are youngsters that fall by the wayside.

As someone that covered Calistoga while on the Upvalley beat from 2004-2014, I hope they
get their desired candidate that teaches and coaches but Frank Stagnaro is not walking
through that door. Neither is Jim Hunt. Neither is Dan Connor. Neither is Marty Sherrin.

Then again, at 74, maybe Ervin doesn’t need this headache. Coach, your legacy is more
than secure.

Time out with Ron Duvall (2001 Justin-Siena High graduate)

Vince D’Adamo: What did you enjoy most about competing in athletics throughout
your life?

Ron Duvall: I didn’t know it when I was competing, looking back, the part I most enjoyed
was the mental and physical preparation. I believe it is this part of athletic competition that
has allowed me to be successful in life.

D’Adamo: What have you been doing since graduating from high school?

Duvall: A couple of years after graduation, I moved to Anchorage, Alaska.  I received a
Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Alaska
Anchorage and have since received a Master’s Degree in Information Security from Boston
University.  I now live in Sitka, Alaska with my wife and two children, where I work as the
IT Director for the City of Sitka. I am also the Captain of Sitka Mountain Rescue, which
conducts wilderness search and rescue operations in the region. My family and I enjoy
getting out as much as we can; fishing, hunting, camping, and exploring.

D’Adamo: What was your favorite class at Justin-Siena High?

Duvall: Mr. Chapman’s Chemistry Class, there is something more soothing than a well
balance chemical equations.

D’Adamo: What was your favorite athletic moment at Justin-Siena High?

Duvall: Can I say my three favorite? This is fun, I really have not thought back to this time
in my life in a really long time. 1. Winning Baseball Sections my junior year, we were
expected to win and we did so in dominant fashion. 2. Winning Football Sections my senior
year. We were not expected to win, but we did so in dominate fashion anyway. 3. Breaking
a 4-5 year drought of losing our Homecoming Game my senior year.

D’Adamo: How much do you feel you have grown personally since graduating from
high school and how much of that do you trace to athletics?

Duvall: I have to say, this is the hardest question for me in this deck. I would like to think
that I have grown significantly since High School, I know I have matured for sure. Looking
back at high school and the athletics I participated in during that time and after, I was really
focused on the little things. I was focused on my own little world; how many times did I get
a base hit, how many times did I strike out, how many tackles or catches, and even who will
go to prom with me. To a certain extent that has not changed much, except the focus is now
on my family and providing for them. However, I do feel that I have gained the ability to
see big picture and have a better understanding how a single person affects the environment
they are in.  While I may not have known it then, the preparation for each and every game
was practice in preparing for real life. I take some of the same preparation principles from
Coach Rossi and Coach Cotruvo and apply them to my everyday life.

D’Adamo: Within your family, who have been the most influential people?

Duvall: Growing up, most definitely my Dad. He was the person I always wanted to grow up
to be. While I still look up to him and appreciate his influence on my kiddos, my wife is now
the most influential person in my life.  She is my best friend and my own personal motivator.

D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would most
like to meet.

Duvall: Vin Scully. He has witnessed so many moments in sports that an evening with him
would be a dream come true.

Changing mascot names are a slippery slope

While an earthquake did not hit Napa, CA, Thursday night like it did in August 2014,
there was definitely a seismic shift on another front.

To the non-surprise but chagrin of some and delight of others, the Napa Valley Unified
School District Board of Education voted unanimously to change the mascot name of
both the Napa High Indians and Redwood Middle School Warriors. Within the past year,
school board meetings have been amplified with both supporters and detractors of the
change.

The Indian mascot will be officially retired on June 30, 2018. The new name is not decided
at the present time.  

Napa High will have until next February to identify a new name and logo, and it must
replace all Indian imagery by June 30, 2021.

Redwood Middle School will also have until June 2021 to replace the current Warriors
imagery with something else.

Changes such as this one have occurred throughout the United States in recent years. Those
in favor of such moves normally make arguments that include but are not limited to using
Native American names and images being offensive and racist to indigenous people.

Supporters of such mascot names insist that the names honor Native Americans rather than
stereotyping them. Such people also lambaste those in favor of the change because of
political correctness.

The view on mascots and what they represent is in the eye of the beholder. That said, I am
not in favor of changing such mascots but to those who oppose my view, I’m not going to
change them. While I’m a firm believer in everyone having the right to their point of view,
the pitfalls are that regardless of issue, too many people think their opinion represents all.
It does not, it only represents yours and those who share your point of view. I have met
those with Native American roots say they don’t like what the mascot depictions represent.
However, I have met countless other utter things to the effect of “I’m part Choctaw, Mayan
Indian, etc, and I don’t find it offensive.” My point is, if it doesn’t bother them, why should
it bother me?

Some of the changes seen in Northern California include but are not limited to Salesian
(Richmond) High going from Chieftons to Pride. Kelseyville went from Indians to Knights.
Vallejo High went from Apaches to Redhawks. Napa Valley College went from Superchiefs
to Storm. Sonoma State went from Cossacks to Seawolves.

Changes like this appear well-intended on the surface but serve as an opening to undraw
other lines. What’s next, bird lovers don’t want names like Cardinals or Eagles? Atheists
don’t want names like Saints? Can you say “slippery slope?” I could name countless other
examples but in the interest of space, I won’t.

As one who graduated from the University of Nebraska, I was there when the marketing
staff began making a push to go from Cornhuskers to Huskers. The perception was that
those on the coastal states thought of Nebraskans as a bunch of hayseeds. As if changing
the mascot name was going to suddenly change people’s perceptions.

The timing of the change for Napa High and Redwood Middle School also shows the
NVUSD’s stupidity. The district is $12 million in debt and with enrollment on the sharp
decline because of housing costs driving families out, that figure is not likely to be in the
black any time soon.

Changing murals, gym floors, band/athletic uniforms and more will cost $150,000 on the
low end and $220,000 on the high end per year for the next three years. Does the phrase,
“putting the cart before the horse” mean anything to you? While we’re at it, does the
phrase of “spending money you don’t have” mean anything to you?

The controversy began when members of the Vallejo-based Sacred Sites Protection & Rights
of Indigenous Tribes (SSPIRIT) showed up at a school board meeting in October 2015 and
demanded the Indian be replaced.

Suffice it to say, the change rigged the game of a board being stacked with those in favor
of the mascot name.

This change is also bound to have some other unintended consequences. Here’s a story that
should serve as a cautionary tale.

I was talking to the Vallejo High Athletic Director Josh Ramos last October when covering
the American Canyon-Vallejo football game as a freelance writer for the Napa Valley Register.
I covered Ramos at a different point in my career (early 2000s) when he was a student-athlete
at Vallejo while his father (Tony) was the athletic director at crosstown rival Jesse Bethel.
Ramos told me that Vallejo High lost a lot of alumni support as a result of their mascot change
from Apaches to Redhawks. It made me think of what we are facing here in Napa.

Loss of support also adds up to loss of dollars. It could also lead to more votes of “No” on
any measures pertaining to NVUSD tax bonds. The lost support could take multiple decades
to regain.

If you don't think it can happen in Napa, you are naive. Look no further than a half hour
South of us.

Time Out with Kelli Connolly Larose -- 1992 Justin-Siena High graduate

Vince D’Adamo: What did you enjoy most about competing in athletics
throughout your life?

Kelli Connolly Larose: I have loved sports, both as a fan and a player, since I was
very young. I am a competitive person by nature, so athletics allowed me to use
that quality in a productive way. Being on the field helped me to mentally enter a
zone that provided a unique sense of calm and contentment. I enjoy being part of
a team, striving to be a leader by example and contribute to something greater than
myself. The exhilarating and euphoric adrenaline rush from a big victory is the best
feeling I have ever experienced.

D’Adamo: What have you been doing since graduating from high school?

Larose: I went to UCSD after high school and played softball for the Tritons for
three years. After earning my degree, I worked in the golf club RD department at
Titleist while I went to graduate school. I received a Master’s Degree in Counseling
Psychology and became licensed as both a Marriage and Family Therapist and
Licensed Professional Counselor. I have been working for a hospital in north
county San Diego for the past 13 years, and am the Clinical Supervisor for the
intensive outpatient behavioral health program that treats individuals with various
Mood Disorders, Schizophrenia, and PTSD. My husband and I have been together
for almost 22 years, and we will celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary this year.
We have a son who turns 16 this year and always keeps us busy. The family’s
shared passion for sports has us on a quest to visit all 30 major league ballparks.
We are just about half way there.

D’Adamo: What was your favorite class at Justin-Siena High?

Larose: It is very difficult to pick just one. I loved my academic experience at

Justin, and have fond memories of Religion with Ms. Clarke, Math/Computer
Programming with Mrs. Digiacomo, History with Mr. Foletta, and of course English
with Bob Morrish. I was the only person in Latin with Mr. Tres during my senior
year, which was definitely an interesting experience.These teachers greatly helped
prepare me for both college academics and life in general.

D’Adamo: What was your favorite athletic moment at Justin-Siena High?

Larose: I would have to say it was going to CIF sections during my senior year.
That was a great season, with memorable wins and the opportunity to play with
a greatteam. Having the honor of being coached by John O’Connor was an athletic

experience like no other that I have ever had, and I am grateful to have been

given the blessing of playing for him.

D’Adamo: How much do you feel you have grown personally since graduating
from high school and how much of that do you trace to athletics?

Larose: I think I have grown quite a bit since high school in a variety of areas. Work

ethic, determination, perseverance and loyalty are qualities that were

fostered in athletics and have aided me through many life experiences.

D’Adamo: Within your family, who have been the most influential people?

Larose: Without a doubt, my parents. Their unconditional love and support for my

sister and me, coupled with their hard work as providers, gave me a strong

foundation for life. My father has continuously taught me how to overcome

adversity, to never give up and to be confident in myself. My love for

athletics as both a player and fan stems from him. He was a great athlete

himself, as was my grandfather who played minor league ball in the

Cardinals Organization in the early 1940’s. My mother taught me about

selflessness and helping others, to not be so serious all of the time, to be

kind to myself and others, and to treat everyone with respect. She was an

amazing person. Sadly, she passed away eight years ago, and I miss her

presence in my life daily. They both conveyed the ability to use humor in

the ups and downs in life. My grandparents were role models for me in

many areas. My grandmother was an amazing and strong woman who

exemplified a unique quality of elegance, a love for family, assertiveness,

courage, selflessness and determination. I couldn’t have asked for a more

blessed upbringing. Finally, there is my husband. Being with him for

almost half of my life now has been one of the greatest gifts I have been

given. He has helped me grow in so many ways by being a loving role

model that embodies loyalty, integrity and determination. He has a unique

balance of emotion and reason that I admire and try to learn from.

D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you
would most like to meet.

Larose: This is another tough one. I guess I would have to say either Martin Luther

or Eleanor Roosevelt. Both made a tremendous impact for people in very different
ways, but provided a message of hope, courage, determination and faith.

Time Out with Mike Savage -- 1999 Justin-Siena graduate

Vince D’Adamo: What did you enjoy most about competing in athletics
throughout your life?

Mike Savage: I enjoyed putting my best efforts forward with my teammates for the
common goal.

D’Adamo: What have you been doing since graduating from high school?

Savage: I went to UC Davis and competed in Track and Field specializing in the
Javelin. I graduated with a degree in Communication and minor in Education. After
college, I moved back to Napa and got involved with Niebaum-Coppola Winery (now
Inglenook) and have been there ever since.

D’Adamo: What was your favorite class at Justin-Siena High?

Savage: While Bob Morrish's honors English would be an easy choice, I would say
that I really enjoyed Mrs. Birkmyer’s Human Physiology class. I enjoyed learning
about our bodies in that class.

D’Adamo: What was your favorite athletic moment at Justin-Siena High?

Savage: I've had a lot of favorites between basketball with Coach (Tom) Bonfigli
and our soccer team at Justin. I think the favorite moment was, in our senior year,
finally beating Dixon at home with our first night game under the lights. I recall our
team really playing well and our German exchange student scoring a diving header
from a crossing pass to put the game away 2-0. That game put us into playoffs for
the first time in a long time at Justin.  Beating Napa High in a preseason soccer
game that year was pretty nice too.

D’Adamo: How much do you feel you have grown personally since graduating
from high school and how much of that do you trace to athletics?

Savage: I feel like I understand how good preparation puts you in a position for
success.  Success isn't awarded, it is attained. I feel that within that mentality there
is the motivation for taking advantage of every chance you are given in life and to
enjoy the journey.

D’Adamo: Within your family, who have been the most influential people?

Savage: There are so many people in my family that have influenced me.  I would
not be the person that I am without the influence and experiences from my rather
close family.

If there needs to be one major influence, it would be my father, Tom Savage. He
instilled a love of sports, a understanding of what a commitment means, and how
to be a gentleman.  It would also be wise to mention that my father wouldn't have
been all of these things to me and others without the support of my mother, Michele.

D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would
most like to meet.

Savage: I'm going to place my faith in Larry Bird. I have always admired his
commitment to the sport and how he was as a competitor. I think we have a better
opportunity to learn from losses and I really admire how he demonstrated that within
the rivalries between the Lakers and the Celtics.  I think he showed that you don't
have to enjoy losing, but you better have respect for your opponents in their victory.