Perfect is perfect no matter the opponent

The comment on the blog from “Anonymous” that Gabriel Encinas’ perfect game last week was against a JV team was a typical cheap shot.
Actually, it was against a program that admittedly is struggling this season but still shows up and plays as best it can.
A perfect game is a perfect game and deserving of acknowledgement no matter the opponent.
If nothing else, it means he did not walk a batter, and with the fluctuating and often “creative” strike zones of today’s umpires, that in itself is an accomplishment.

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Big wins for Santa Fe, El Rancho in DRL race

The Del Rio League baseball race tightened a notch as Santa Fe and El Rancho, seemingly destined to battle for third place, stepped up with victories over DRL leaders La Serna and California.
Santa Fe rode the pitching of senior Michael Muniz and sophomore Marcos Casillas, and home runs from junior Chris Esparza and senior Javier Saenz to a 5-1 win over La Serna.
El Rancho downed Callifornia, 5-2, behind the 6-hit pitching of Joey Moran and Esteban Soto and three runs batted in by Marcus Aldecoa.
La Serna and California still share the league lead with 7-2 marks. Santa Fe improved to 5-4 in third place, and El Rancho is 4-5 in fourth.
Whittier, a 6-0 winner over Pioneer Friday, is 3-6 and Pioneer dropped to 1-9.

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Good reading here, worth considering

Jim Brownfield, who built one of the CIF’s most successfull coaching careers over a span of 40 years, was interviewed recently by Jim McConnell for his “Then and Now” column. It ran in Tuesday’s editions, and included Brownfield’s “Ten Commandments of Coaching,” which he stressed were developed as much for living life as well as coaching.
They’re worth repeating here:

1. Safety First, Last and Always. “The worst thing a coach can do isn’t to lose. It is not being attentive to the things that can prevent injuries. That’s why I made this commandment No. 1. You have to take care of your kids. Injuries happen, but you can do a lot to minimize them.”

2. Just Do The Right Thing. “You need to know the rules, and obey them. Once you start trying to cut corners, to cheat even a little bit, your players know it immediately. And you lose their respect. Once that’s gone, you’ve lost their attention.”

3. Teach Life Skills. “I had winning teams and was lucky enough to have some great athletes. But nothing makes me prouder than to know my players went on to have productive lives. You coach football, or basketball, or track but you also can do so much more. Nothing is more gratifying than to have a positive impact on a kid’s life.”

4. Know Your Clientele. “You should never expect more out of an athlete than they are capable of giving. This is especially true of young athletes. Coaches have to know their players’ strengths, and weaknesses. It’s just unfair to the kid not to.”

5. Their Bodies Are Their Temples. “This is where proper training and conditioning come in. Other teams may have had better athletes, but I never wanted a team of mine to lose because of lack of proper conditioning. And that includes making sure your athletes understand the dangers of substance abuse.”

6. Good Coaching is Good Teaching. “What works in a classroom will work on the football field. A great coach is always first and foremost a great educator.”

7. Be A Student of the Game. “You should always be learning. Attend clinics. Talk to other coaches. Watch game film. If you aren’t really interested in the sport you’re coaching, how in the world can you expect your athletes to be interested?”

8. Plan Ahead. “Sounds simple, but I am always amazed at how many in coaching and teaching are so disorganized. You have to have a plan. You should never be surprised or caught off-guard.”

9. Develop Your People Skills. “Hey, you’re not coaching donkeys, you’re coaching human beings. You need to learn how to communicate. You need to keep your commitments. Treat your players right and they will do right by you.”

10. Be a Pro. “You’re getting paid, act like it. Strive to better yourself. You want to get paid more? Better yourself first.”

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Oilers’ football participation on the upswing

A brief chat Wednesday morning with Montebello football coach Pete Gonzalez finds the Oilers’ program in good order and progressing according to plan. Gonzalez said there
are 180 athletes at the varsity and junior varsity levels participating – 95 in the football class and another 85 who are competing in spring sports or did not play last year and are trying out. Gonzalez said they are adhering to the program’s mandatory four-days of lifting and mandatory study halls, the same programs he pushed when he was at St. Paul. Grade checks also are mandatory and must show a maintenance or improvement.
And the beat goes on.

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