Crushers Spotlight Page

	Spotlight on Vintage Athletes
	Message from Principal Craig Lewis
	There are a lot of good stories in sports and athletics. In some ways, half the fun of playing, or being a fan, is learning the stories – being a part of the stories as they become part of you. Some of my own favorite stories, from the athletic milieu, come from John Wooden. “In the first fourteen years I coached at UCLA we didn’t win a national championship, even though I worked every bit as hard in those years as when we won ten of them. Did I fail as a coach during the first fourteen years? Was I a success only when I coached a team that won a national championship? If UCLA had never won a national championship while I was coaching there, I would have considered myself successful because I was judging myself on other things, things which I had some control over. For example, how hard am I trying to produce the very best team we can possibly be?” Or: “I did less scouting than any other coach I’ve ever heard about. I wanted our team to concentrate on what we could do – namely, try to execute our style of play to the best of our abilities. I felt we were better off letting our opponents try to figure us out than spending time trying to figure them out. Perhaps we gained an advantage by having so much confidence in our own ability to play near our potential (because of our detailed and disciplined preparation) that it kept us from becoming fearful of another team. It goes back to focusing on what you can control. We did have control, total control, over preparing to execute our game. To me, it made more sense to concentrate on that.” And, of course, finally: “Success is the peace of mind that is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.” Play Hard, Play Fair, Good Game – That’s the Vintage Way – Always!
	The Spotlight Shines On -
	Junior - Robby Rivera
	I got started with baseball like any typical child, when my parents signed me up for T-ball,” writes junior Robby Rivera. Since then, Robby has become a leader of the Vintage baseball team, a dominating presence on the pitching mound and at the plate. Baseball is a central part of his life now. “I can’t imagine my life without baseball. I play high school ball during the spring and travel ball during the summer and fall. My life revolves around baseball and I am perfectly happy with that.” However, Robby is just as competitive in the classroom, where he challenges himself with a full load of honors and college prep classes and maintains a 4.14 GPA. His coach, Cam Neal, says, “Robby Rivera is a terrific young man who represents Vintage High School, the baseball program, and his family with dignity and respect. His abilities in the classroom as well as his abilities on the playing field will take him a long way.” Robby is a model for the kind of athlete that Vintage is dedicated to producing. Robby himself says it well: “Baseball provides a competitive environment where I can strive to become a better player and a better person every time I play

	Sophomore - Ashlee Sills
	Sophomore Ashlee Sills, in just her second year at Vintage, has become one of the leaders and star players on our young and talented softball team. Ashlee began playing softball when she was eight and followed her sister onto the roster of a Napa Junior Girls team. “I was hooked. A year later I began to play travel ball on the local team. I am now on the 18U Gold Sorcerer softball team.” Ashlee credits her parents for their phenomenal support over the years, and points to her Sorcerer coach, Michelle Smith, a former Arizona State University player, who has taught her so much about what it takes to be competitive at a collegiate level in the game. Her Vintage coach, Ward Mullins, says, “Ashlee is a hard worker, and a good outfielder. She is a left-handed hitter, a ‘slapper,” who puts a lot of pressure on the other team’s defense. She is an all-around great kid.” Ashlee balances her commitment to softball with an equal commitment to academics and the classroom. She has earned a GPA of 3.85 along with the respect of her teachers for her willingness to tackle tough classes. “Softball is my get-away,” Ashlee says. “Whenever my cleats hit the dirt, my mind is clear.

	Junior - Heather O'Conner
	Junior Heather O’Connor has played a major role in making our girls’ wrestling team a force to reckon with this year. “I got started in wrestling because I wanted to play a winter sport in between water polo and swimming.” She grew up watching her brothers wrestle and was inspired by their passion and commitment. “Wrestling is a lot like water polo to me—it’s aggression, heart, and work. It’s an outlet of emotion, and it’s a little world away from the “normal” high school life. Wrestling is a lifestyle choice; it’s a commitment that you give everything, that you leave it all on the mat. It’s a serious commitment, and one I’m glad I’ve made.” Heather believes that more girls should consider wrestling. “It’s not just a sport for ‘manly’ girls—we’re all perfectly normal. We’re just passionate about it, and willing to put in the effort.” She goes on to say, “I love the part where you stand on the podium and get recognized for your achievement and win the medal. But there’s also the part where you lose and learn from it, and get to meet that person again and redeem yourself. I like that too.”
	Sophomore - Jonna Rose Palma
	Like Heather, sophomore Jonna Rose Palma was inspired to take up women’s wrestling by her older brother. She began wrestling four years ago in middle school. “I was forced into wrestling. My older brother needed someone to drill on. He encouraged me to join the team because I was, well, weak. I wound up winning first place in every tournament except one. I have to thank my brother—if he didn’t toughen me up I would have become a cheerleader or something.” Jonna Rose points to the influence of her coach, Rob Lanterman, in helping her reach her potential. “For the past two seasons he encouraged me to practice harder, and told me what I needed to work on. He’s half the reason I stayed on the team, even though he doesn’t know it.” Jonna Rose is passionate about wrestling and intends to pursue it beyond high school. “I expect big things to come from wrestling. If I get better, I want to wrestle in college. I hope I get a scholarship for wrestling. Maybe someday you just might see me in the Olympics.”
	Senior - Ben Molinari
	Senior Ben Molinari has wracked up numerous individual honors and awards in his four years at Vintage: captain and Most Valuable Player of the basketball team for two years in a row; All-MEL for the past two years; All-County Offensive Player of the Year; VHS Boys State representative; junior class President; member of the National Honor Society and California Scholarship Federation. Yet Ben points to “persistence and the value of hard work,” rather than individual talent, in explaining his success. “Last year our team went a whole month early in the season without winning a game, but we continued to work hard every day at practice. We finished the season beating Napa at Big Game because of our persistence.” In addition to his commitment to sports and academics (he ranks in the top 5% of his class, and carries a 4.4 GPA), Ben is involved in a wide range of Vintage activities, including the Environmental Club (where he is president), Best Buddies, Crusher Crew, and the “Every 15 Minutes” planning committee. He is a familiar, friendly presence on campus, always finding ways to reach out. He intends to pursue a degree in environmental engineering in college next year, hopefully at a college where he can continue playing basketball.
	Sophomore - Olivia Husted
	Sophomore Olivia Husted plays water polo and basketball at Vintage. She has been playing basketball since she was three, and gratefully acknowledges the support of her family in helping her accomplish her athletic goals. “My dad has coached some of the teams I’ve been on since second grade, and he has always cheered me on. My role models are my older siblings—Kris, Lani, and Katrina. I have played on many teams with Katrina and she has always encouraged me on and off the court to do my best and improve.” Olivia points to sports as a factor in her overall success as a student; she has maintained a 3.8 GPA while taking on a number of honorslevel classes. “Basketball has made me competitive and self-disciplined. The will to win has made me ambitious on the court and in the classroom. Sports have taught me to be a better person, kept me active, taught me life lessons and skills, and I have made a lot of amazing friends through the process.” Olivia exemplifies the kind of scholar-athlete we are building on here at Vintage—someone who will ensure the success of our program for many years to come.