Time Out with Arik Housley -- 1992 Vintage High graduate

Vince D’Adamo: What did you enjoy most about competing in athletics throughout your life?   Arik Housley: I was born into a competitive family. While my father was not an athlete, he was a competitive businessman. I also grew up the only caucasian boy in my class at Yountville Elementary, and found myself competing to fit in with my friends on the soccer field. I continued to play soccer and always loved it, as I was pretty fast, but we lacked much coaching. I still play today if I can do it without pulling something. D’Adamo: What have you been doing since graduating from high school?   Housley: I graduated from Pepperdine and had studied in Italy. While there I went to a Fiorentina soccer match and watched a man Gabriel Battistuta. The guy was unbelievable and the environment was awesome. I came home after graduation and began running Ranch Market Too in Yountville, where my wife and I are now the sole owners. About 12 years ago, I began running Ranch Market Napa as well. My family started a winery in the central valley, which I help when I can but primarily I do all the label design and marketing. I am very proud of Napa United as I am the Director of Coach and Player Development.   Basically, I run the club travel side. As I mentioned, I only had a couple good coaches growing up. I am a firm believer, if the talent in soccer in the Napa Valley can be given an environment to keep their grades up, and get good coaching to become even better on the field, the doors will open past high school for many of Napa’ players. Because of this, myself with a Josh Goss, we wanted to inspire local players to push for more, so we started the 1 year old Napa Valley 1839 FC. This team plays in the NPSL which is 4th division US. If we paid our players, it would be considered professional but to allow them opportunity to choose NCAA options, no one can get paid, so we remain Amateur (semi-professional) status. D’Adamo: What was your favorite class at Vintage High?   Housley: Spanish, Mr. Nelson really made me love learning the language.   Since I was the only non-spanish speaking boy at Yountville I always wanted to learn. I didn’t understand why I didn’t have a Piñata and tacos for my 6th birthday and it wasn’t long after I was always wanting to learn the language.   Mr. Nelson made it fun. Of course, the first words I learned were probably not the most appropriate, but over time I became pretty proficient in the language. I use it daily with the families of Napa United and at my stores. D’Adamo: What was your favorite athletic moment at Vintage High?   Housley: I would say two things, first, playing in the old stadium against Napa.   Some of our friends and teammates from Napa Valley Soccer Club (Now Napa United) like Eric Techel (Mayor Jill Techel’s son) it was fun to play against them at that venue. Second, was getting to section finals in tennis. The Vintage tennis team my junior year had over 50 players on it, so there was a lot of competition. A bunch of the soccer team decided to stay in 6th period PE so we took up tennis. We started out No. 13 doubles and worked our way up freshmen year. Every year we were challenging to get better. I played varsity my junior year and singles my senior year. We had a good competition and great group of players. I believe competition is healthy to make us all get stronger, in athletics and in business. 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?   Housley: Studying abroad was probably my biggest maturing experience. I love my country, and I learned how to love it while respecting other cultures at the same time. It is funny when I watch the game of soccer of how similar that is. Players from all different backgrounds, be it ethnic, race, financial, etc can come together to play the beautiful game. They have to learn to communicate on the fly. We don’t come in and think of a play and go back out, it is constant communication. This is the way I believe the business environment works in many ways as well. You must be fluid and flexible, yet stick to the plan.   Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you always can walk away with your head held high when you gave it everything you have got. D’Adamo: Within your family, who have been the most influential people?   Housley: My wife, Hannah calms me, she is my best friend. What makes her influential, is her sincerity. She cannot lie, and growing up in a small business I struggle with people that lie as well. Hannah has taught me so many things, but she always does what is right, even when it is harder and she knows someone will get upset. As the Leadership teacher and activities director at VHS, she works her tail off, going in early and leaving late. It isn’t a full-time position, but she always gives more than full-time. She does it because she loves it and she loves working with the kids and watching them grow. She inspires me to always be better. D’Adamo: Name a historical figure, dead or alive, in or out of sports you would most like to meet.   Housley: It takes a real leader to be a catalyst for change. Someone that might appear crazy in their actions, but they make a statement that changes society.  Think if Lincoln wouldn’t have fought to end slavery. If I could meet a leader, it would be Cesar Chavez. I would love to just have a conversation with him. Some might see controversy, others might see him a hero. I love that he would make a statement of starvation or doing something that would get attention to start to change the way field workers were being treated. I believe the Hispanic youth should understand and respect what their parents and grandparents sacrificed for their families. I also want to help build a program that truly is helping inspire and guide the youth of the Napa Valley to use soccer as a path for their future.

Time Machine: 2011 American Canyon High football varsity debut

In 1977, Foreigner came out with a hit song called “Feels Like The First Time.”

Fast forward the clock to 2011 and one could say the same thing about the American
Canyon Wolves and Pacheco (Los Banos) Panthers making their varsity high school
debuts. I don’t remember the contest because it was so memorable as American Canyon
dominated the proceedings 49-18. I remember it mainly because of the double varsity
debut factor. If this game was played in Week 2, I probably would not remember so
readily. Both schools were also similar in that they opened in 2010-2011 with grades
9 and 10. Grade 11 was added in 2011-2012 and all four grades were in play in 2012-2013.

The narrative was also similar in that Napa and Vintage, two public high schools North
of American Canyon were bursting at the seams, which built the demand to build
American Canyon High. Thanks to Measure G passing in 2006, the road was paved.

Los Banos, like many Central Valley communities, saw an influx of Bay Area relocation.
As a result, these towns that normally could accommodate one high school could no long
do so.  

On a Napa Valley local level, there was American Canyon head coach Ian MacMillan.
He had labored in the vines as a JV head coach at Justin-Siena, varsity head coach at
St. Helena and assistant coach at Napa High. The Wolves were his show now and were
until 2013, when he resigned.

The two teams met in the JV debut one season earlier at American Canyon with the
Wolves winning that game 32-21. The tale of that game was American Canyon winning
the takeaway battle 4-1.

Trips to the Central Valley are different in that physical geography suggests you are in
California but the landscape is strikingly similar to Mid-American states like Kansas,
Nebraska or Iowa. The weather can be similar as well. On this day, temperatures
approached triple digits during the day and remained sultry into the night.

The margin of victory could have been much bigger, as the Wolves had three touchdowns
nullified by penalty. The only Pacheco offensive score came with 3.2 seconds left in the
game against American Canyon backups.

The Wolves outgained the Panthers 470-159 in offensive yardage. Throughout the night,
Pacheco had no answer for the American Canyon three-headed monster of Robert Wilkes
(151 on seven carries), Justin Corpus (114 on 12 carries) and Charles Spencer (107 on
seven carries).

Behind the starting offensive line of Bailey Gardner, Jeremiah Johnson, Yacoub
Hammoudeh, Riley Williams, Jonathan Bade and tight end Ike Pittman, the Wolves gained
456 yards on the ground.  

Wilkes scored touchdowns from 21, 29 and 88 yards. Corpus scored from 25 and 66 yards
away. Jomon Dotson had a 73-yard kickoff return to paydirt and a 10-yard scoring run.
Michael Rapacon had seven PATs.

For the Panthers, Paul Parks had a 77-yard kickoff return for a score and a 3-yard scoring
run. Michael Dumaghen added a 26-yard fumble recovery for a score.

Defensively, the Wolves did not yield a first down until 7:01 remained in the second
quarter. Jonathan Bade had three sacks while Spencer had one. Bade added a fumble
recovery. Seisay and Dotson each had interceptions.

The biggest thing I remember about this contest was the incredible speed advantage that
the Wolves had not only that night but have had for much of their existence.

List of firsts: Part of the beauty of covering a team making its debut is noting the list of
firsts. The first offensive play in varsity history was a 40-yard run by Spencer, while Wilkes
scored the first touchdown with 10:54 left in the first quarter from 21 yards away.

Chris Seisay recorded the first interception in school history. Bade posted the first fumble
recovery. The first pass completion was a 12-yard Corpus to Seisay connection.

The short resume: The two teams have not played each other since that contest and are not
likely to meet in the foreseeable future. American Canyon is moving from the CIF Sac
Joaquin Section to North Coast Section where trips heading East on Interstate 80 are going
to be far less frequent.

Both programs have put together good resumes with the biggest difference being Pacheco’s
has been more of a work in progress. American Canyon has a seven-year mark of 55-26 and
won six straight Solano County Athletic Conference titles, either shared or sole possession.
The Wolves have won six playoff games. The only season American Canyon did not make
the postseason was 2011 when it went 4-6. The Wolves will compete in the Vine Valley
Athletic League beginning in 2018.

The Panthers have a seven-year record 43-33 in the Western League, none of which finished
in a league crown. Pacheco has qualified for the postseason five times with one victory. The
Panthers went 7-14 their first two seasons, 36-19 thereafter.

You're only as old as a jersey number

Age. Some say it’s just a number. Some say it’s about how you feel. Some say it’s how
you act.

At 45, I am squarely in the middle. I’m young and vibrant enough to where senior citizens
will call me, “a spunky kid.” Yet, I’m old and cranky enough to be in the “get off my lawn”
category. I’m young enough to say that I heard those older than me utter, “Generation
Xers, they don’t get it.” Yet, I’m old and cranky enough to say, “these damn millennials
don’t get it!”

My colleagues of 10 years for the St. Helena Star, Garrett Whitt, and I have a unique
relationship on that front. The GMan (as I call him) has had cerebral palsy since birth.
Since he has been through more in 49 years of his life than others have been through
in 70, he carries himself as an old wise man. In fact, I kiddingly call him, “Old Man River.”
When I mention a story involving someone he is not familiar with, The GMan notoriously
asks, “Is he a young guy?” I’ll jab back, “GMan, considering you are 85, everyone is
young.” To GMan’s credit, he plays along and chuckles.

Within the last five years, I have experienced the irony of all ironies. From February
2013-December 2014, I was a bus driver for the Springs of Napa, which is a retirement
home in Napa, CA. The establishment is primarily comprised of women. Being a 40-year
old driving around passengers ranging from 70 to 90 plus, I frequently got called “kid.”
One of my passengers in the 90-plus category even called her fellow 90-year olds “kid.”

Since I began my career as a driver for Alhambra Water, I am around many guys in their
20s and 30s, to some them I am considered old at 45. I give it back to them and say, “I
filed for social security in 1995.” Why let these whipper-snappers have control. If they
call me “old” I’m going to run with it. In fact, I might bop said 28-year old over the head
with my cane.

The funnest part of talking about age is putting a positive spin. The idea hit me when I
turned 32. I thought, “my goodness, it seems like a lot of great players wore No. 32.” Jim
Brown, O.J. Simpson (when he was known as a football player), Magic Johnson, Kevin
McHale, Marcus Allen, Franco Harris, Edgerrin James, and Karl Malone.

Every year since I turned 32, I create the same narrative about my new age. On Facebook,
there is usually a listing of your friend’s birthday. Sometimes, they are bold enough to list
their age. For the sake of discussion, my friend Steve turned 55. So I wish him happy
birthday by saying, “Happy birthday, Steve. Your age now matches Matt Millen’s jersey
number. That puts a positive spin on aging. Don’t worry, we’ll limit the comparisons to
Millen’s playing career, not his failed GM stint with the Detroit Lions.”

I actually find this a fun game to play because it does not leave a negative connotation on
age. In fact, my father, the one and only Joe D’Adamo, turned 80 in 2015. He actually
asked for a party, which has been against his nature but when you turn 80, you have
earned the right to ask for a party. I kidded my father by saying, “well, you’ve gone from an
offensive lineman’s number to a wide receiver’s number.”

So, the next time you, a family member, friend, etc., celebrates a birthday, challenge
yourself to link their new age to a jersey number.

Age is not “just a number” -- in fact, it’s just another jersey number. However, I doubt I will
live long enough to reach the jersey number of Dan Hampton -- 99.

Illinois passes bill banning tackle football until 12, others likely to follow

Sometimes, life has tough issues to tackle -- in more ways than one.

Quite the bombshell was dropped when a bill banning tackle football for children
under the age of 12 passed out of committee, and is now set to be called for a
vote in the Illinois House of Representatives.

House Bill 4341, which would create the CTE Prevention Act, passed out of the
House Mental Health Committee on an 11-9 on Thursday. State Rep. Carol Sente,
D-Vernon Hills, filed the bill Jan. 25.

The bill would prevent kids under the age of 12 from participating in any “tackle
football offered by an organized youth sports program.”

The ban would cover public and private schools, athletic associations and park
districts, among other organizations.

Children under 12 would, however, be allowed to play flag and touch football, as
well as “all other athletic activities offered by an organized youth sports program.”

Sente has dubbed the bill the “Dave Duerson Act” after the former Chicago Bears
player who committed suicide in 2011. After his death, it was determined Duerson
was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.

Illinois is among only four states to introduce legislation regulating tackle football,
according to ESPN. The others are New York, California and Maryland. Could more
states follow suit? Perhaps so.

As I look at this issue in a vacuum, I can hear the grovels on both extremes. The
overprotective parents will say, “It’s about time they did something.” The
old-schoolers will grovel with, “The wussification of America.”

Those in the latter camp, however, lose credibility when saying that it is strictly
overprotective parents not wanting their sons to play football that are driving this
movement. There are also numerous retired NFL players that have openly said
they would not want their sons playing football including Troy Aikman, Bart Scott,
Adrian Peterson, Terry Bradshaw, Drew Brees, and Brett Favre. All but two of
such players are quarterbacks but none are/were shrinking violets.

Personally, I don’t see an upside or downside to banning tackle football until age 12.
It simply reflects having more information available and adjusting with the times
accordingly. There are youth soccer leagues that do not allow headers for kids
under 11 and there are hockey leagues that do not allow body checking. There are
little league organizations that do not allow pitchers to throw curveballs.

My first reaction is, “Doesn’t the government have bigger things to address?” Aren’t
these decisions better left in the hands of parents? Plus, the parents have the
freedom to choose whether or not they want their kid to play football. After all, this
is the United States of America even though political acrimony makes it resemble
Divided States but I digress.

The sport of football has received much negative attention on the national level.

The reasons are semi-vast including various retired players having been diagnosed
with head trauma that includes but is not limited to early onset of dementia as a
result of concussions suffered in their playing days.

It is also widely believed that head trauma led to the death of former All-Pro
linebacker Junior Seau, who committed suicide, in 2013.

In a sense, I would contend part of the problem that precipitated throughout the
years was that television highlight shows would promote blow up shots rather than
textbook tackles. It makes sense because sensationalized blow up shots sell
viewership and perhaps led youngsters to emulate such acts. Textbook tackles are
viewed as ordinary.

I am all in favor of educating proper techniques. Youngsters need to understand that
just because they are wearing pads and helmets, they are not invincible. The
problem lies in that just because your kid operates with proper fundamentals, does
not mean a kid he makes contact with will do the same.

There are some youth football leagues that promote tackle football by the age of 5.
That age is way too soon in my judgment. I can’t speak for other areas of the country
but here in Northern California, the common age range has been beginning at third
grade, where most youngsters are 9. To that end, wouldn’t it make sense to get rid
of leagues that promote tackle football at 5? Why then should we move the age to
12? Isn’t that why we have weight limits? Although, I would contend that colliding
with a slow 145-pounder is less of a concern that a 115-pound heat-seeking missile.

I have even heard arguments that kids should not be allowed to play tackle football
until high school. Recently, former NFL linebackers Harry Carson, Nick Buoniconti
and Phil Villapiano, the Concussion Legacy Foundation launched the “Flag Football
Under 14.”

Though I respect the views of Carson, Buoniconti and Villapiano, 14 would be too
late. I can rationalize moving the age to 12 but I think a youngster should at least
have a taste of tackle football before he gets to high school.

When I first started hearing arguments of banning tackle football until certain ages,
I became dismissive, “Overprotective, wussification of America” but when I hear
retired NFL players expressing their concerns, I became more receptive because
they played the game at levels most of us can only dream.

I have a 9-year old son and I love football. I played three years in high school and
would not have reservations about him playing. However, I’m going to let him make
that call.

In my previous career as a sports reporter, I heard two arguments from parents and
football. Some wanted their sons to get exposure to youth so they would understand
it better in high school. Others would not want their son playing until high school if
at all. I have yet to see evidence of what approach works better.

The younger levels of youth football, I can live with eliminating tackle football but by
sixth grade they should be getting exposure tacking. It’s simple, you have to practice
a skill in order to get better. At the younger level I’d be in favor of tackling with shells
and no helmets. Pads and helmets make a kid think they are bulletproof.

California state wrestling tournament is a gauntlet

Sometimes an upcoming event can spark memories of a past column or
discussion.

The CIF State wrestling meet takes place Friday-Saturday at Rabobank Arena
in Bakersfield. I had the opportunity to cover the event five times (1999-2003) at
the Spanos Center at the University of the Pacific in Stockton. The event is the
Yankee Stadium of high school wrestling and moved to Bakersfield after 2003
because the Spanos Center did not have the space to meet the growing demand
for attendance, thus moving to a bigger venue.

States such as Iowa, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania are widely
regarded as high school wrestling hotbeds. That notion is largely based on depth
of nationally ranked wrestlers, in same cases on a per capita basis.

During my tenure as a sports reporter, I wrote a column about how California has
a more difficult high school state wrestling tournament than any of the
aforementioned states. Not once in that column did I say California had better
wrestlers but I had a few readers reply vehemently to the effect of “how dare you
say California has the best high school wrestlers! Pennsylvania has more nationally
ranked wrestlers!” I had the same discussion with an old college friend nearly 20
years ago while in Las Vegas for Super Bowl weekend. This friend, who is from
Ohio, vehemently says, “Ohio! Ohio! Ohio!”

Which state has the best wrestlers? I’m not even remotely qualified to answer. Plus,
that term is subjective. If a certain college football program sends more players to
the NFL, does that make them the best program? No because it is not a college
football program’s job to be an NFL proving ground.

However, to this day, I stand firmly behind my argument that California has the most
stringent state wrestling tournament because it does not separate its weight class
champions by division. As of 2014, Hawaii, Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky and New
Jersey were other states that do not separate their weight class champions by
division. Conversely, Iowa and Ohio have three divisions per weight class.
Oklahoma has four while Pennsylvania has two.

What I mean by not separating state champions is that if, for instance, you wrestle
in the 145-pound weight class and take first place in your bracket, you are the
champion of that class for the entire state. Conversely, the states that have multiple
divisions within a weight class will have a Division I champion, Division II champion,
Division III champion and so forth.

Those who advocate a single-class tournament, like myself, believe that having
multiple state champions takes away from the concept of state champion. Those
that favor classed state champions would argue that school size and competition
have an impact on a wrestler’s success.

That argument is not without merit because by sheer numbers a school with 2,000
students is going to have more youngsters from which to draw than say a school
with 500 students. In addition, some wrestlers may compete in leagues that feature
more stringent competition.

In team sports, having classed champions make perfect sense. In sports like
football and basketball, you have players with different sizes, speed and skill level.
In such sports, you can match up the highest level Div. V team against the lowest
Div. I team and have a competitive game. On the other hand, if you match up a
top-end Div. I team against a top-end Div. V team, I’d put my the deed of my house
on the Div. I team.

Wrestling, however, is a different dynamic because combatants are only going
against people that are in the same weight class. It’s not like football where a fast
200-pound linebacker is going to outclass a small but fast 130-pound running
back. In wrestling, 145 pounds is 145 pounds. It does not matter if you are from
a school of 2,000 kids or 200 kids.

Which state has the best wrestlers is open for debate and I won’t argue with which
state one gives. However, there is no gray area that there is a huge difference
between being the champ of your weight class throughout the entire state versus
the champion of your class within your division. Think of it like this, when you are
the champion of your weight class for the whole state, there is no “what if” factor.
You have gone through every division. If you are say the Div. III 145-pounder, you
only had to go against Div. III wrestlers. The youngster owes no apologies. He
can only do what is asked of him.

However, any high school wrestler worth their salt should want the challenge of
being an unclassed champion.