Page 7 - Mid Valley Times 6-25-20 E-edition

takes over as Athletic
conditioning - without the use of equipment. Athletes who participat- ed, along with coaches and staff, were screened prior to each practice as temperatures were taken upon arrival.
And to comply with state and local guide- lines, all participants are asked to maintain social distancing as athletes are put in pods of 10 per coach. According to the district’s guidelines, the pods also need to be spaced out 20 yards from one another and the pods will remain the same for the duration of the sum- mer program.
Athletes are also asked to bring their own water and are forbidden from sharing bottles. No community water- ing devices are allowed and lockers will not be utilized as athletes are asked to arrive in ap- propriate gear and wash upon returning home. In addition, participants are asked to not spit and offer high fives or hand- shakes and no visitors, including family, are al- lowed during practices.
This week, varsity athletes returned to lim- ited equipment use, but
they are asked to wash with soap and warm water prior to touch- ing any equipment or surfaces. Furthermore, equipment such as balls will be cleaned regularly throughout the workouts.
Yet, despite all the new added regulations, Pena said the turnout for this summer’s program has been one of their best.
“I was really sur- prised,” said Pena about a turnout that started with about 80 participants. “Everyone was here. We weren’t missing anyone.”
Pena credits the atten- dance to a desire to get back to a sense of nor- malcy on behalf of both student and parent.
“They (parents) just wanted to make sure that there were protocols in place and that we were communicating with them,” he added.
But whether the teams are practicing for ‘if’ or ‘when’ remains one of the biggest obstacles for all athletic programs.
“I think the most diffi- cult part is not knowing,” said Pena. “We’ve always had a clear goal, as far as time periods, milestones, dates. Psychologically,
that’s the toughest part of this.”
The California Inter- scholastic Federation (CIF), which oversees high school athletics in the state, is expected to make a final decision on fall sports in the coming weeks. A return to ath- letic competition this fall, many believe, will likely be scaled down to fewer games and will most like- ly be played with little to no spectators.
Sanger High Athletic Director, Brian Penner, said the district is hold- ing on for July 20, the date the CIF is expected to make a final deci- sion on the return of fall sports. But he speculates that any return will be scaled back with state ap- proved modifications and a worse case scenario of not starting any competi- tive sports until January.
“From what I’ve gath- ered,” said Penner, “their (CIF) goal is to have all three seasons of sport happen this school year. It’s just a matter of when to start them.”
He added, “At this moment in time, it’s an opportunity for kids to get out here and see their classmates and coaches."
Director for Redwood
By George M. Villagrana
Mid Valley Times
Dinuba High will be looking for a new wres- tling coach as Michael Wright Sr. heads to Red- wood and will serve as the Athletic Director.
His first official start date will be July 1.
“I’ve already started because there is a lot to do,” said Wright. “They haven’t had an athletic director there in a while. Just trying to get familiar with the site.”
Michael Wright
Wright said he is leav- ing the program on good terms.
“I was happy here and content,” Wright said.
Wright arrived at DHS in 2006 after coaching stops at Hanford and Red- wood. Since taking over, the program has reached new heights. This past year Dinuba competed in the Yosemite Division for the first time in any sport.
Under Wright, the Em- perors have had several wrestlers place at the CIF State Championships, and the program captured the 2014 Division 2 title while several wrestlers moved onto compete at the Divi- sion 1 level.
“Winning that Valley title and league was our first. That kind of cata- pulted us. All those years of hard work paid off,” Wright said.
Wright, who lives in Visalia, will now be min- utes from work and is looking forward to watch- ing his son Jacob, a mem- ber of the Fresno State wrestling team, compete more.
Wright said he is ex- tremely thankful for the Dinuba community who supported the wrestling program from club to high school.
There is no official word or timeframe for a new coach but Wright said the program is in great shape for continued success.
Leading the core re- turners is Javier Mar- tinez, who placed in the top 12 at state, along with several outstanding un- derclassmen and a solid incoming freshman class.
“Everything is in place for sustained success,” Wright said. “Whoever comes in I’m going to help and make sure things keep going the way it was. At least that’s the goal.”
Current Dinuba High Athletic Director, John Freitas, said Wright's presence will be missed.
"We are sad to see Coach Wright go and he will be greatly missed," said Freitas.
According to Freitas, though Dinuba Unified is currently on a hiring freeze, he is currently in the process of recruiting a new wrestling coach for the Emperors and hopes to have a replacement for Coach Wright soon.
Wright also joins for- mer Dinuba High Head Football Coach Kevin Scharton, who took over the Rangers football pro- gram last year. The two worked alongside each other on the gridiron as Wright served as an as- sistant coach under Coach Scharton.
Reedley wrestler stars at Tournament of Champions
Contributed Photo
Thursday, June 25, 2020
Sanger High athletics move forward with modified conditioning
MVT File Photo
Coach Michael Wright, who was an instrumental part of reviv- ing Dinuba High's wrestling program - turning it into a Division 1 program, recently announced he is taking the Athletic Direc- tor position at Redwood High in Visalia.
Dinuba High's Wright
Apaches' fall programs prepare for uncertain season
By Rick Curiel
Mid Valley Times
Sanger Apaches ath- letics is back on the march – sort of.
Student athletes from Sanger High, includ- ing the school’s football, cross country, volley- ball and water polo pro- grams, returned to track and fields on June 15 through Stage 2.5 of the district’s ‘Return to Play’ plan. And though the fu- ture of interscholastic sports currently hangs in the balance amidst an uncertain pandemic, the Apaches are making ev- ery step towards being ready for the event of a green light this come fall.
“There’s nothing like meeting in person, seeing kids and them hearing our voices,” said Apach- es’ Head Football Coach, Art Pena.
Last week, varsity athletes returned for
Rick Curiel / Mid Valley Times Sanitation measures are be- ing taken throughout all of Sanger High's summer con- ditioning programs. In ad- dition to maintaining social distancing, players are asked to bring their own water and footballs are sanatized after each use (as seen being do- ne above by Apaches' Head
Football Coach Jorge Pena).
Rick Curiel / Mid Valley Times
Sanger High's John Pena, right, pitches a football during the Apaches second week of condi- tioning. The senior is slated to be the next starting quarterback for the Apaches.
This was the first week players were allowed to use equipment, such as footballs, and students were only allowed to gather in pods of 10 to maintain social distancing.
Mark DelBosque, a student at T.L. Reed K-8 School in Reedley, reached the finals in the 112 pound class at the Northern California Tournament of Champions wrestling meet on March 6 at Del Oro High School. He defeated the number two ranked wrestler in the state at that weight class before losing in the cham- pionship match.
DelBosque, who competes for the Selma Wrestling Club, posted an undefeated season record in Kings Canyon Unified School District competition at 119 pounds during the winter season. A standout stu- dent, his goal is to attend Stanford University and wrestle. He wants to earn a degree in computer pro- gramming and coding.
Mark’s twin brother, Max, also wrestles for the T.L. Reed team and also has a goal of attending Stanford and wrestling.