Extremely Sports - Growing Up in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Surf Contest

growingupsc — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 18:55:16 +0000

Santa Cruz Surf Contest Photo Story by kevin painchaud High school kids from Aptos, Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay, Soquel, Santa Cruz Mountains, and Marin competed on Saturday March 20 in the Santa Cruz Scholastic Surf League contest at Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz. Read More Extremely Sports Articles

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Meet the Four Iron Men

growingupsc — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 00:10:53 +0000

Meet the Four Iron Men Triatholon is a Family Affair BY KEVIN PAINCHAUD Meet the Vandermeer family. This is not your typical family. Yes they have four boys. Yes all four boys have a lot of energy. But what really separates this family from all the rest is that the entire family competes in triathlons. All of them! Every single one of them competes in swimming, biking, and running for miles. Not only that, but they all typically win medals in their own classes. How did this start? I’ll let their amazing mom, Candi tell the story. Before the kids came along: Dennis and I both were triathletes before we met (I was in Hawaii and he was in CA). We started dating and living a triathlon lifestyle together in California. Within a year and half, we completed Ironman Korea and Western Australia, then got married, pregnant, and decided to start a family in Santa Cruz. Looking back, the boys –Kees 13, Nico, 11, Louie ,8, and Thys, 5– doing triathlons seems like a very natural progression. As each child was added to the family, they were just along for the ride in those early years– they’d get up early to spectate at races from the baby carrier, watch one of us leave the door for a workout or Dennis would often push them in the stroller for training runs. Since Dennis still trains longer distances, they have had the opportunity to very much be a part of his training. As they got older, they would bike with Dennis while he was on long runs, carrying his nutrition. From the time our oldest was 7 months old, he has watched Dennis race the Ironman World Championships in Kona nine times. All the boys have had the experience of watching their father in Kona. There are so many lessons in this sport. I guess they were sort of “in training” in some way or another right from the get go. It is very much the fabric of our family and we feel very fortunate that we have the opportunity to expose them to this sport as more of a healthy lifestyle. They all started triathlon around 3-4 years old. The boys were always excited to start because they watched us (and their older siblings) do it for so long and now it was their turn. Especially in the early years, there were never any structured training plans, just getting out there and swimming, biking, running and having fun whenever we could. The local Super Kids Triathlon was the first race for Kees, Nico, and Louie.. Eventually they also started doing the NorCal Kids Triathlon Series over the hill, which is now the Bay Area Kids Triathlon series. All the boys regularly finish on the podium at the series races. They also cheer for each other on the course since they race by age group. Thys races last, so the older brothers always run with the younger ones. Since Kees is getting older, he is transitioning to the adult sprint races. In 2018 and 2019 he raced Tri Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz Triathlon with podium finishes at all four races. Also, during Ironman Kona race week they do the Keiki Dip and Dash, a fun swim/run with a finish at the Ironman arches. As the boys get older, there has been a natural progression to workouts. Kees, Nico, and Louie swim year round with the Aptos Cabrillo Swim Club (ACSC) and Thys will join soon. They all love to swim and the excellent training they get with ACSC makes them super confident with a solid swim start. For biking they mostly mountain bike at Wilder Ranch. The older boys ride up Twin Gates, and if a younger one is not quite ready for all the hill climbing, Dennis tows them up with a rope but they at least have to help. Kees runs cross country at Mission Hill Middle School and the younger ones just run around for fun. During the summer months, Santa Cruz Junior Guards acts as a built-in training program since they get in open water swims and running.

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Touchdown for our Community: Extremely Sports February 2020

growingupsc — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 18:14:00 +0000

Touchdown for our Community: Extremely Sports February 2020 Sports Helped Save Robert Foster; Now he’s Helping Kids do the Same Extremely Sports February 2020 By Kevin Painchaud Gratitude, inspiration, purpose and family. These are the characteristics that flag football has brought to the life of the Aptos resident Robert Foster. Being born and raised in the San Jose area, life was not easy for Robert. His parents were high school sweethearts and were only 17 years old when Robert’s mom got pregnant with Robert. Being so young, Robert’s mom and dad tried and failed to make it work. Robert’s dad moved to Texas and his mom ended up moving in with her mom and dad in the Bay Area. Robert’s grandparents were basically like his mom and dad. They raised him and supported him and his mom until he was 5 years old. At this point, his dad decided to move back to California and the three of them moved into their own place. This ended up being some of the darkest times in Robert’s life. From the ages of 5 – 13, Robert witnessed a lot of abuse from his dad. Despite this abuse, his mom stayed with his dad. When Robert was 9 1/2 years old, his mom gave birth to another boy. Robert, his mom and his new brother all lived in constant fear of his dad and his never-ending abuse. Three years later, his dad left his mom for another woman. These years of witnessing abuse left Robert without a voice. We’d walk around afraid to speak up or have the courage to be himself. At the age of 10, his grandfather, who loved and took care of Robert like his own son, died of cancer. Robert’s mom took it very hard and her unresolved grief from the loss began a spiral in her own life. Robert had no real way to handle grief and anger took over him. During this whole time, sports was a constant in Robert’s life. Soccer was his true passion. Sports was a way in which he could work out a lot of his anger. Sports was the perfect escape from his broken family life. Roberts anger and not knowing how to handle grief would eventually be the biggest turning-point in Robert’s life. During high school, Robert rebelled. His rebellious ways ended up having him be kicked out of school and unable to continue to play organized sports. He was living his life with no direction, no purpose and found himself repeating the ways of his parents. Despite having two wonderful boys of his own, he found himself in a marriage that wouldn’t last. He buried his dad at 47, his mom at 56 and then finally when his grandma passed away, he knew his life had to change. The pain and grief had brought him to utter despair. He looked at his faith and it allowed him to have the courage to look at himself and truly forgive himself. He realized how short life was. How we’re not guaranteed another day. Robert got the courage to make the change. He confronted his life straight on and decided to take control of his life and take care of his kids. “I realized that we can find refuge even when it’s dark,” says Robert “I just started to unravel this “bundle” that had been handed to me. A “bundle” of darkness that has been handed to me over the generations,” Robert continues, “I’m not going to pass on this “bundle” anymore. I’m going to unwrap it, I’m going to look at it and I’m not going to run from it. I have courage now to work through it. Because of my faith, I am now filled with forgiveness and gratitude.” Robert has healed and has focused his love and energy on his boys. When his oldest boy was 8 and his youngest was 4 1/2, Robert found a flag football league in San Jose. He signed both of his boys into this league. After a few seasons of his boys playing flag football, Robert discovered a few flaws in this league. There was a lack of support for the parents, coaches and community. It was a business that was not community based. Robert had a strong background in coaching and started doing a lot of research on how to start his own league. He talked to other parents and members in the community and quickly discovered that there was a need for an alternative league. A league that was built around the community and that provides the support that parents, coaches and the kids need. In 2010, his first league was started in San Jose. Nor Cal Flag Football was born. His goal was to create a flag football league for kids from the ages of preschool thru 8th grade to play, have fun and learn life lessons through teaching the FUNdamentals of the the game. It was to be an all inclusive league that included all members of the community regardless of sex, economic status, and background. It was important that it didn’t require a big time commitment from the parents or kids. Robert knew that parents do not have a lot of free time. So having practices and games on the same day would be extremely beneficial. The league started growing. It became apparent that life-lessons were being learned through flag football. It was not only the kids that were learning these lessons, but their parents too. Mothers and fathers soon were offering to help coach teams. Because it was only one day a week, parents found it easier to become an assistant or head coach for their kids’ team. It gave these parents an amazing opportunity to become more involved in their kids’ lives outside of the home. For Robert and the league, it was of the utmost importance to provide these parents with the support that they need from him. Every parent and coach has Robert’s direct number and he’s available to them any time they need it. The league now runs year around. They offer a fall, winter and spring session. Each session is eight weeks. They have been running the San Jose league for about 10 years and last year started the Santa Cruz league. This year they are merging with another flag football league in Watsonville. Several years ago, Robert quit his day job so he could focus on the league full time. Not only that, but his oldest son is not only his partner, but also runs the San Jose league while Robert focuses on the Santa Cruz league. Running this league has been Robert’s passion and joy. Despite the rocky start that Robert had early on in his life, he has become a beacon for passion, support and joy for his community. If you want to get more info on Nor Cal Flag Football, go to nflcal.org. Scholarships are available.

The post Touchdown for our Community: Extremely Sports February 2020 first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

Adventures in Baja: Extremely Sports January 2020

growingupsc — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 16:13:42 +0000

Adventures in Baja Many surf there, fewer hike and bike Extremely Sports: January 2020 By Karen Kefauver We all know that stretching beyond our comfort zone can be a good thing. So when I was invited to visit Baja in December, I jumped at the opportunity to renew my passport, rebuild my rusty travel skills and practice my even rustier Spanish. Plus, I’d never been to Baja. Little did I know that I would bypass the beach, at least at first, and instead hike and bike! First Step Outside my Comfort Zone The only plan I had was to meet my Aunt Joy for a week in San Jose del Cabo in mid-December. My first step outside of my comfort zone was gifting myself another week of vacation! Years had slipped by without taking more than a week off, (which can happen easily if you own your own business!) But when I turned 50 a few months ago, I realized there’s no time to waste! Second Step Outside My Comfort Zone What did I want to do as a solo woman traveler? I turned to Trip Advisor and discovered Baja Sierra Adventures. After reading stellar reviews, I took the plunge and signed up to join Edgardo Cortés, the company owner, on a three-day backcountry camping trip that would take us through remote, winding canyons, on steep hikes to secluded waterfalls, over rutted roads and to lush valleys, exploring by foot and by bike. The details of the trip slowly fell into place though it was uncertain if anyone else would be joining us. Not knowing was uncomfortable. It was a leap of faith to commit to the trip, show up with a wad of cash in US dollars as requested and hope I’d get to meet some fellow travelers. When I landed in Cabo, I met Edgardo and instantly liked him. We hit the road to Santiago in his old, dusty Toyota pickup — a sure sign that this wasn’t the typical commercial outfitter. I learned that he had earned an engineering degree in Mexico City and then hunkered down in an office job. Until one day, he ditched it and moved to Santiago (population approximately 750), about an hour north of San Jose del Cabo. About 15 years ago, he launched his adventure tour company as a one-man operation. Third Step Outside of My Comfort Zone The trip unfolded like a dream over the next three days as we explored the Sierra La Laguna Biosphere Reserve (named for the Sierra La Laguna mountain range). Turns out, Edgardo brought his friend and guide-in-training, Alonso an experienced teacher and traveler with a graduate degree in marine biology. Each day, our trio trekked to different breath-taking destinations in San Jorge Canyon, Agua Caliente and San Dionisio Canyon. We scrambled over huge boulders to visit gushing waterfalls (thanks to unusually heavy rain), soaked in a heavenly, uncrowded hot spring, explored rock formations that looked like a moonscape, trekked narrow, and impossible-to-find trails (and sometimes bushwhacked). It was fun when Jeff and Debbie, a couple from Washington, D.C. joined us for one day. Sometimes, we’d pull the mountain bikes out of the truck and ride for miles towards the jagged mountains silhouetted on the horizon. While not a bike trip, per se, riding glorious, stretches on dirt roads or tree-lined paths was ideal given the heat – and no shock absorbers! We camped at a family-owned, working ranch only accessed by bumping along a rock-strewn canyon road. When she’s not coaching people on using social media, Karen Kefauver is blazing trails on a bike My tent was pitched for me, amongst the crimson Bougonvilla and margaritas made. For dinner, Elvira, who was born on the ranch, made hot tortillas and served them with beans, rice, and beef, freshly made grapefruit juice, plus a heavenly mango preserve that had taken eight hours to stir by hand in a massive vat. The biggest step outside my comfort zone was not understanding Spanish as well as I expected and feeling a little lonely when I couldn’t participate. That vulnerability makes me more compassionate for those who speak English as a second language and also convinced me to improve my Spanish! While one part of my travels has come to an end now, I know my trip is just beginning! For more information, including family trips for all ages, visit, Bajasierradventures.com. Karen Kefauver is a social media coach and freelance journalist based in Santa Cruz since 1994.

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He Flies Through the Air with the Greatest of Ease: Extremely Sports December 2019

growingupsc — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 12:37:00 +0000

He Flies Through the Air with the Greatest of Ease Extremely Sports: December 2019 By Kevin Painchaud Taj Rodriguez, 13, started bouncing on a trampoline when he was 2. Now, he’s a competitive trampolinist who trains at Vargas Academy and placed seventh in the country at the nationals for Trampoline and Tumbling held in Des Moines, Iowa. The Aptos Junior High eighth grader does Jiu Jitzu and has been a Capitola Junior Guard. He enjoys mountain biking, snowboarding, skating and surfing. KP: When did you first discover the trampoline? Taj: When I was 2-years-old I saw my dad on a trampoline and I tried to copy some of the things he was doing, I got a front flip around then. Later on when I was about 11, I saw people on Instagram doing a lot of different types of flips and I decided to get into it and I got my own trampoline in the backyard. I wanted to get a double backflip really bad and I did, but it was sloppy. When my friend showed me the gym, Vargas, I decided to try to join a class to make my skills get better. After about a year of recreational classes I joined the competition team. KP: What do you enjoy about the trampoline? Taj: What I enjoy is learning new skills and progressing. What excites me about it is like getting higher and doing bigger skills and flips and stuff. I also like the competitions and “mobilizing” (moving up to higher levels) because then I get to do harder skills at competition. KP: Have you ever been injured? Taj: In gymnastics, I’ve never actually been injured long term. Gymnastics in general is a very dangerous sport because we’re doing crazy stuff it’s high risk but my coach is very good at keeping us safe and making sure none of us gets hurt by training right. KP: What about competition? Taj: I am on the competition team where I compete multiple times in a season. I compete in local competitions and also this year we’ll go to Salt Lake City, St. Louis Missouri, Indiana, and a bunch of local Bay Area comps. Last year we went to Reno, Pismo, and a bunch of local competitions, Nationals was in Des Moines, Iowa. My best awards were when I placed first in Double Mini at States, second in Trampoline and then was ranked seventh in the nation on Double Mini, and ninth in Trampoline at Nationals. I got a lot of firsts and seconds in the season but those were smaller competitions. KP: When did you become serious about the trampoline? Taj: I became a serious trampolinist once I joined the competition team last year. The type of gymnastics I do is called T and T, which stands for trampoline and tumbling. We compete with USA gymnastics. The only difference between us and what most people see on the Olympics is they do artistic gymnastics, which is like what you see Simone Biles do. T and T gymnasts also compete in the Olympics but so far the only event for T and T gymnastics that is in the Olympics is trampoline. KP: Tell me about your training? How often, how many hours a day? Taj: My training is on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays. Monday and Wednesday, I do three hours of training a day and on Friday, I do four hours. Gymnastics is a year-round sport. I train all year but we do not compete all year round. I train at Vargas Academy in Scotts Valley. KP: Are you parents supportive? Taj: My parents support me fully whatever I want to do with gymnastics. They’re happy that I’m able to do what I love. KP: What’s the most difficult trick you are able to do? Taj: The most difficult trick I can do landed on the trampoline would either be a Full Barani or a Rudi Out. A Full Barani is a 360 front flip into front flip 180. A Rudi Out is a double front flip on second rotation you do a 540. I can do more difficult tricks into the foam pit. One of the main tricks that I’m trying to learn right now is a Triffis or a Full Rudi. A Triffis is a triple front flip and on last rotation it’s a 180. And a Full Rudi is a front flip 360 into front flip 540. All of these are in the air then land after the flips not in between. KP: If other kids want to learn to do what you do, where should they start? What advice do you have for people to learn? Taj: If kids want to learn to do what I do, they should start in a recreational class in a gymnastics gym somewhere like Vargas. If you’re starting out on the trampoline you should not go for huge skills. You should start with skills that are easier, so that you are safe and don’t get hurt, and practice a lot.

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Small Bikes, Big Confidence: Extremely Sports November 2019

growingupsc — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 12:09:12 +0000

Small Bikes, Big Confidence Girls Take to the Trails in Little Bellas Program Extremely Sports: November 2019 By Karen Kefauver When I first considered volunteering with the Little Bellas program in Santa Cruz, I thought, ‘I don’t have time!’ Then I reconsidered: Just like chocolate and peanut butter, the combo of mountain biking and mentoring sounded irresistible. I took a closer look at the eight-week commitment on Sunday afternoons in Scotts Valley and learned that Little Bellas is a national program for women mentoring girls on mountain bikes. I felt proud that Santa Cruz, our cycling mecca, had its own chapter. After I talked to the leadership crew, helmed by Sara Rauch of Scotts Valley, I wanted in! Sara oversees about 30 girls (7 to 13 years old) and 16 women mentors locally for the annual fall program. She told me how her own girls, Lily, 10, and Josie, 8, had grown more confident thanks to Little Bellas. “The girls get a chance to see that they can do hard things, and this self-confidence can carry over into many other areas of their lives,” said Sara. The girls in my assigned 9 to 10-year-old group had various degrees of cycling skills. But after they chose the name Bella Warriors, the team bonding began. Photo by Karen Kefauver. Girls just wanna have fun — on their mountain bikes. The Santa Cruz Little Bellas Program is a chapter of the national program, Little Bellas, that aims to empower girls though mentorship from women on mountain bike trails. The 2019 sessions wrapped up in October and took place at Siltanen Park in Scotts Valley. Registration details: https://littlebellas.com/camp/santa-cruz-sunday-program It seemed that the slower and faster riders blended better as they navigated some of the steep hills and singletrack trails at Siltanen Park, next to Scotts Valley High School. From decades of mountain biking, I know there’s nothing like the exhilaration of tackling roots, rocks and hills, improving bike handling skills and respecting nature and fellow riders. I also feel passionate about encouraging girls’ interest in mountain biking, in part, because they are still vastly outnumbered by boys, across all cycling disciplines. I was elated to watch what unfolded, week after week, during our rides: girls getting to know each other better, cheering each other on and feeling excited to share the twists and turns of the trail together. It was a blast guiding those blossoming bikers! I don’t have kids, but love them, and was initially excited to impart all my cycling tips and tactics. But I had to shift gears: Little Bellas is not a coaching or racing program although learning skills is an important component. Our Bella Warriors would stop to practice technique (“session’) on steep uphills, downhills, and tight turns. Bottom line: We always supported and encouraged each other. Once in a while, a Little Bella would tumble off her bike — and get right back up again. Physical, mental and emotional safety are central to Little Bellas. I appreciated that the topic of bullying was addressed in our training. And bike safety was covered weekly (see the checklist). The most rewarding moment was in the final week, when of “my girls” hollered, “Look at me!” She was ecstatic, riding down a hill that she had walked down a dozen times, because she had been too afraid to ride it. This September and October groups of girls ages 7 to 13 rolled out on their mountain bikes at Siltanen Park in Scotts Valley, to be mentored by women in a local chapter of the nationwide Little Bellas program. Visit https://littlebellas.com/camp/santa-cruz-sunday-program for details. That ear-to-ear smile made my day. By the end of 8 weeks, I remembered that volunteering is a two-way street, er, trail. I got as much as I gave. For information about 2020 registration and becoming a mentor, visit littlebellas.com Karen Kefauver is a freelance journalist and social media coach based in Santa Cruz since 1993. Send story ideas to karen@karenkefauver.com. The ABC’s of a Bike Safety Check To get rolling with your bicycle safety check, think of the alphabet. Air – Check the tire pressure on both wheels by giving them a firm squeeze. Tire pressure varies by terrain; for dusty and loose trails, avoid over-inflated tires. Brakes – The most important safety feature on your bike, brakes must be in good working order. Inspect the brake pads, squeeze the brakes one at a time, and rock the bike forwards and back (while standing next to it) to see if front and rear brakes work. Chain – Bike chains get worn out and some of the first signs are that when the gears are shifted, the chain “jumps.” Have a bike mechanic use a measuring tool to see if it’s time for a new chain. Keeping the chain lubricated and rust-free is a priority!

The post Small Bikes, Big Confidence: Extremely Sports November 2019 first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

Pump It Up: Extreme Adventures October 2019

growingupsc — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 09:02:55 +0000

Pump It Up Cabrillo Grad Makes Olympic Race Tracks Extreme Adventures: October 2019 By G.P. Scheppler From humble beginnings all the way to the Olympics, Alex Fowler has made the most of growing up in Santa Cruz, building a small bike track business into an industry innovator. For those brave individuals who blaze a trail all their own, the road to success isn’t smooth, flat, straight or paved. Its hard packed dirt filled with jumps, twists and turns. Count Fowler, founder of Action Sports Construction and builder of the 2016 Rio Olympics BMX pump track, amongst the latter. The 31-year-old Aptos transplant is changing the way people design and build these courses around the world by applying a critical eye to the science of pump tracks, making for a more consistent and accessible experience. “In the beginning (the industry) just eye balled everything,” Fowler said. “Now Action Sports Construction is going back and measuring, figuring out spacing and the radiuses so that we can package it.” Spending his late high school and college years in Aptos, it was hard to imagine Fowler going to the Olympics as anything other than a spectator. Never the less, in 2016 Fowler found himself down in Rio helping to build a pump track at the highest possible level, and in doing so recognized a market opportunity. “I was honestly shocked at the lack of professionalism I saw down there,” Fowler said. “I was like, ‘I know I can start my own business and do it better.’ So once I got back, I did.” A pump track is a snaking system of trails densely packed with obstacles designed in such a way that a rider can continuously move through it without pedaling. Built using a combination of dirt, stone, water, glues, shovels, rakes and earthmovers pump tracks offer a huge return for riders on a relatively small footprint. BMX tracks, by contrast are designed in the traditional unidirectional style people associate with race tracks and feature loose dirt covering hard packed jumps and banked turns. Pump tracks, when engineered correctly, create a heavenly sensation for riders as they glide effortlessly over and through variety of hips, banked turns, table tops and short gaps. Getting into the groove of a pump track allows riders to reach a flow state, blurring the line between equipment and operator in a synchronous ballet. When he was a kid Alex Fowler took buses to far off pump tracks because he loved competitive riding so much. He volunteered to work on the track in Aptos and with the skills he learned, he went on to build tracks at the Olympics and all over as a business. Photo: G.P. Scheppler “Technically a pump track could just be three roller with banked turns at either end,” said rider Alex Kachlakev, 28. “(Pump tracks) are great for beginners who are getting into the sport because they teach body awareness and build muscle memory on the appropriate sized obstacle. For Santiago Prieto, 32, of Gilroy and his two sons Santiago, 9, and Valentino, 5, the Aptos pump tack offers a free resource for his boys to explore the sport of BMX. As his two sons fly around the track by historic Highway 1, Prieto watches from a shaded bench close at hand should one of them fall and require assistance. “(Valentino) may have a future at this,” Prieto said. “He never used training wheels and seems to be very natural on his bike. If we had something like this closer to home we would use it.” Prieto grew up skateboarding but so far his son’s have expressed more interest in two wheels that four, so the family packs up and endures the weekend traffic to various A.S.C. parks around Central California so that the boys can ride. Fowler didn’t play on any sports teams growing up, was not a particularly enthusiastic student and the only real passion he seemed to have was riding his BMX bike, which wasn’t adopted as an Olympic sport until 2012. A teenage Fowler would travel six hours round-trip from the East Bay just to get access to a pump or BMX track. Soon he became a sponsored rider. Every lap Fowler took mental notes about the flow and feel of each track, unconsciously building a data base he used to desig parks for private clients. But it was moving with his mother to Aptos in 2000 that was the catalyst that ignited Fowler’s career. With legendary BMX spots like the Postal Office jumps and the Polo Grounds right around the corner, the era of burning half a day just getting to a spot was over. Fowler took the lead on developing a more beginner friendly course to inspire more young riders to start. “The postal office jumps were awesome, but not everyone could ride them,” Fowler said. “I looked around and noticed that the Polo Grounds was kind of pushed off to the side so I started volunteering there. People from the community did what they could to support me, and one guy who’s son rode BMX lent me his earth mover. Which was great, but I didn’t know how to use it so I had to teach myself how to get it going. It was a lot of hard work and long days but I loved it. I knew I had found something.” Fowler’s investment into the Polo Grounds eventually opened up the door for him to turn professional when he was hired to build the pump track for the 2010 Sea Otter Classic. It was an opportunity the 22-year-old had been preparing for all his life. Today, Fowler’s pump tracks can be found all over the state customized for a wide variety of cities, private clients and for special events like the Sea Otter Classic. He has constructed public bike parks and racetracks in Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Watsonville, Chico, Richmond, Incline Village, South Lake Tahoe, Morro Bay, Redding, Santa Maria and Santa Clara and that is just in California. In many ways his career has played out like a well designed pump track, filled with soaring highs and brief passing lows that serve to unlock new levels of progression.

The post Pump It Up: Extreme Adventures October 2019 first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

They Dance, They Swim, They Fly: Extreme Adventures September 2019

growingupsc — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 13:56:59 +0000

They Dance, They Swim, They Fly Three Santa Cruzans Splash into Synchro Extreme Adventures: September 2019 By Brad Kava How do they know what’s going on when they are underwater? How do they align themselves so perfectly? You can’t help but wonder that when you see synchronized swimmers. We got to ask them those questions and more. Although, they feel old for the too-unknown sport of Synchronized Swim, three Santa Cruz girls are excelling in the 13-15 year old category of the sport. Scout Bauman, 13, Meredith Robbins, 14 and Annelise Robinson, 12, have been working out in Santa Clara with one of the nation’s most prestigious teams, the Aquamaids, which features only 16 of the most swimmers in their age group. Scout is home schooled, Meredith goes to Aptos High and Annelise goes to Aptos Junior High. Annelise Robinson, Meredith Robbins and Scout Bauman can see and hear underwater as they prepare their routines. Photo Credit: Kevin Painchaud The team has medalled in Junior Olympics and the Santa Cruzans dream of medals in their future. We caught up with them in a few rare free moments. GUISC: What got you into competitive Synchronized Swimming? SCOUT: I used to do Pool Guards with Seahorse Swim School. My friend Anna and I used to make up little routines in the pool and our coach would film us. Teacher Tiffany told us to look into a sport called synchronized swimming so we did a “try it” class. MEREDITH: I was a competitive distance swimmer and took a recreational intro class to Synchro in Los Gatos. I had a background in gymnastics and dance, so it was a good fit. After the class, coaches asked if I wanted to compete for Santa Clara. ANNELISE: I enjoy swimming, dance and gymnastics. Synchronized swimming combines all three. Over water from a drone, synchro kaleidoscope Photo Credit: Kevin Painchaud GUISC: What kind of training do you have to do? How much practice does it take? MEREDITH: We do land workouts, strength training, lots of lap swimming, then practicing the routine, and treading water in the pool the entire time. We train 6 days a week, average 3-4 hours per day. Credit: Kevin Painchaud GUISC: What’s the hardest part of the sport, the best part and your favorite part? SCOUT: Usually when you do synchronized swimming, you start at a young age, but because Anna and I only started two years ago, it’s hard trying to catch up to everyone else. My favorite part is probably learning the choreography, and getting to know the other girls on the 13-15 competitive team. Credit: Kevin Painchaud GUISC: Is Synchro an extreme sport? Is it dangerous? What are the goals and records to be smashed that you would like to accomplish? MEREDITH: I think so. Swimmers can get concussions getting kicked in the head. Goal: to beat our rival Walnut Creek and a Gold medal at Nationals or JR. Olympics. GUISC: How do you know you are doing the right thing underwater? SCOUT: We can hear the music underwater so we can stay on count. Photographer Kianna Hersey dove deep to catch the synchro athletes under water. GUISC: Is synchro an overlooked sport, like fencing? SCOUT: Usually when I mention that I do synchronized swimming, people never know what it is. This annoys me because it is probably one of the hardest sports there is and there is really no way to describe it. GUISC: Have your parents been supportive? ANNELISE: Yes, they are super-supportive. It takes a lot of work to coordinate travel to San Jose six days a week. They are also required to work at Aquamaids Bingo 3-4 nights a month to partially pay for the program. GUISC: What other things do you like to do? SCOUT: Aside from synchronized swimming, I enjoy drawing and playing the violin. ANNELISE: I also enjoy rock climbing. MEREDITH: My favorite hobbies are eating, watching Marvel movies, and I don’t have time for much else! Credit: Kianna Hersey Credit: Kevin Painchaud

The post They Dance, They Swim, They Fly: Extreme Adventures September 2019 first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

Alien-Nation

growingupsc — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 12:45:26 +0000

Alien-Nation By Bob Derber and Judge Paul Marigonda Custody disputes are difficult and seldom rewarding. More so, where a parent alienates the child against the other parent. This is not a norm for families. But custody disputes are high conflict situations and alienation is often present. Alienation can be hard to identify. It might be the child calling the new ‘significant other’ Dad or Mom, off-hand comments to the child that the other parent is irresponsible or the scheduling of doctor visits difficult for the other parent to attend. Where there is positive co-parenting, these matters may simply reflect circumstances. But if active alienation is involved, this behavior destroys parent/child. The child is the real loser. Judges face a difficult task sorting alienation from occasional parental frustration. Sometimes it’s obvious, as when a parent ‘coaches’ the child to excess. More often, proving alienation requires professional input. The solution may be therapy for the alienating parent. But what therapy is successful if the person is not open to therapy? So what should you do when you are the alienated parent: Educate: Educate yourself on how to temper alienating conduct. Engage: Be an active parent; take responsibility for your child’s life. Document: Journal, keep text messages and a calendar of events to help identify alienating behaviors. Protect: Consider therapy for the child to help them identify and process the confusion and uncertainty alienation creates. Educate: An alienating parent seldom changes, but you can understand the behaviour and actively neutralize its affect. Books and videos abound on the subject. Organizations provide helpful resources and forums. A therapist can help you develop coping strategies that fit your circumstances. Engage: Be present for your child. Know the teacher and coach or manage the team. Attend doctor visits: schedule them yourself! Review regularly your school’s on-line attendance, conduct and grading system. Document: Journal to identify and recall alienating events. You may need to prove this in court, but more importantly, you will sharpen your own understanding of the challenges you face. Protect: Get a therapist involved with your child who specialized in alienation. This is not a ‘recognized’ specialty, but there are individuals trained in the area and it is terribly complex. So how can a court help? Our courts often order parents to not speak poorly of the other parent or discuss a family law case in front of the children. These orders are difficult to enforce but they provide a foundation for the judge to make custodial adjustments if alienation is suspected. You may need a court order requiring therapy for a child, or even the other parent, and the court may require the therapist report his or her findings. Two major judicial tools exist where alienation is suspected by the court: 1) a Custodial Evaluation and 2) a parental Psychological Evaluation. Both options are expensive, but the court can allocate the cost between the parents based upon the circumstances. Custodial Evaluations are in-depth analyses to identify parenting issues and propose solutions to the court. They take several months and multiple visits with a professional so that s/he can analyze your matter in-depth and help find solutions. The professional may interview parents, children, teachers and others who have experience with your child. Specific guidelines exist for the process and a detailed report is typically issued. The Psychological Evaluation is a more ‘radical’ tool typically focused on the parent suspected of challenging conduct. It is far more expensive and is performed by a psychologist or psychiatrist. Court’s will hesitate to order this. There must be a strong suspicion of a parent’s conduct before this tool is used. Like the Custodial Evaluation, it is a several months’ process involving multiple visits with the professional. Alienation can reflect parental conflict, but it may also result from a parent’s psychological disorder. We are lucky in Santa Cruz to have judges who are trained in child development and take alienation matters seriously. But they are also aware that parents often allege alienation to get an upper-hand in custody battles, and they are not equipped to identify complex parenting issues without help. If your circumstances require a more in-depth analysis for input to the court, consider the above tools From the Bench By Judge Paul Marigonda Never involve children in parental matters, and never speak poorly of the other parent. No matter what you think, display a neutral attitude toward the other parent. Court orders typically require this. When we see alienating conduct, you can expect ordered therapy for your child to protect him or her and to inform the court if alienation is a factor we need to address.

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Gymnastics on a Horse

growingupsc — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 10:30:08 +0000

Gymnastics on a Horse This Aptos 13-year-old has been riding, jumping and competing since he was 4 Extreme Adventures August 2019 By Kevin Painchaud Growing up, many kids fantasize about riding a horse through the dusty streets in the old west, jumping over fences and aiming their six-shooter at bad guys. Cole Giraldo, 13, may not be wearing a cowboy hat and spurs, but he is sure living the dream of riding horses and competing at a high level. It was a hot sunny day at White Rock Ranch in Watsonville when I sat down and spent some time talking and taking photos of Cole and his horse that he gets to train with, KP: Where do you go to school? CG: I’m in 8th grade at Aptos Junior High. KP: When was the first time that you rode a horse? CG: The first time I rode a horse was when I was 4 years old. I did a horse camp with a pony named Mickey Blue Eyes at my preschool. I actually ended up riding Mickey for a few years and even showed him in my first show. He is now retired and stabled in Soquel and I visited him recently. He belongs to my first trainer, Brittany. KP: What inspired you to ride? CG: I don’t know. It’s just something that I’ve always wanted to do. KP: What’s your favorite thing about riding? CG: I get to go spend time at my barn and hang out with the horses. I get to work on my jumping and my flat skills. KP: When did you start riding competitively? CG: I did my first show when I was 9. I was nervous but I ended up winning lots of first places and I was the grand champion of the show. KP: Many people are not familiar with the different styles of riding, can you explain them to us? CG: Some styles of riding are English, Western and Vaulting. I do English riding, which involves jumping. English is different from Western because in English riding the saddle is smaller. In Western riding there is a horn on the saddle. In Western riding you do barrel racing and other events in the cowboy style of riding. Vaulting is like gymnastics on a horse and it takes a lot of balance and strength. I do vaulting too. Vaulting is really fun because you are standing on a horse and you’re really high up. KP: What style do you compete in? CG: I compete in English riding. KP: What’s your favorite event that you compete in? CG: Jumping. I practice jumping a lot at my home stable so it’s fun to jump at shows. I just did a two-day clinic at my barn that was all about jumping. KP: Is your family supportive of you riding and competing? CG: Yes, my family has been really supportive. They watch my lessons, come to all my horse shows and drive me to the barn constantly. They also come with me to the barn to watch me do free rides, which is when we can ride without our trainer present as long as we don’t jump. KP: If you could create your future, what would it be? CG: My ideal future would be living on a nice ranch with a stable, having my own horses, and a nice arena that I can jump in. I’d also like to compete in bigger shows and train horses. KP: If there are other kids in the Santa Cruz area that are interested in riding, where can they learn? CG: If kids are interested in riding, they can start by taking lessons once or twice a week. They will need to find a trainer or a program with the kind of style they want to learn. My trainer Laurie teaches kids of all ages and levels. The older kids at a barn also help the younger kids learn how to do everything. That’s how I learned. KP: Have you had any scary moments when riding? CG: Yes, I’ve fallen off, usually when horses stop before a jump. Horses have also galloped and bucked, but I managed to stay on. Sometimes horses get spooked by things that happen around the arena, like if they see something that startles them. KP: Have any final words or thoughts for our readers? CG: I guess just do what you love to do. For me, it’s riding horses. It’s really fun and such a huge part of my life.

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